Marguerite Rawalt

Collection

Identifier: BC535

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Marguerite Rawalt Papers consist of 2 cubic feet of correspondence, family trees, research notes, newspaper clippings and transcriptions of cemetery records collected by Rawalt while compiling a family genealogy, Descendents of Captain John Rawalt (1974). Rawalt sought out and wrote to many persons with the Rawalt name (or similar spellings) during the course of her research into the Rawalt family.

Dates

Created: 1837-1986
Other: Majority of material found in 1937-1974
Other: Date acquired: 00/00/1990

Creator

Rawalt, Marguerite (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research.

Extent

2.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Born in Prairie City, Illinois in 1895, Rawalt was a graduate of George Washington University School of Law and a tax attorney for the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, D.C. An active supporter of womenâs rights, Rawalt served on President John F. Kennedyâs Commission on the Status of Women and President Lyndon Johnsonâs Citizens Advisory Council on the Status of Women. She was also involved in the organization of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and served as an officer in several national professional organizations. Rawalt was married to Major Harry Secord in 1937. Correspondence, family trees, research notes, newspaper clippings, and transcriptions of cemetery records collected by Marguerite Rawalt in the course of compiling a family genealogy, descendants of Captain John Rawalt. Several family letters dating from the Civil War are also in the collection, including those of Jonas Rawalt (7th Illinois Cavalry) and his son Enoch (8th Illinois Cavalry).

Arrangement Note

The collection is organized into three files: the Rawalt Family File, Surnames Other Than Rawalt and Early Rawalt Materials. The Rawalt Family File (Boxes 1 and 2) contains correspondence and genealogical information from relatives of Marguerite Rawalt concerning the descendents of Captain John Rawalt. The letters from relatives include family news, Christmas greetings, etc. The Surnames Other Than Rawalt (Box 2) includes correspondence with peripheral relatives.The file also includes newspaper clippings concerning the Civil War Centennial. The Early Rawalt Materials (Box 2) contains genealogical information, clippings, notes and 19th century letters of members of the Jonas Rawalt family, mostly Enoch Rawalt. Civil War letters written by Enoch to his wife Caroline Rawalt in Prairie City, Illinois during Enochâs service in the 8th Illinois Calvary date from February 29, 1864 to October 1, 1864. Military pension papers of Enoch Rawalt are also included. A separate folder contains a few letters dating from 1859 to1884, written from Chicago and Prairie City, Illinois, as well as Minnesota, mostly by Jonas Rawalt. Other papers, clippings, etc. concerning Jonas and his family, and material concerning John Rawalt, Jr. the father of Jonas Rawalt, are also included.