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Rawlings honors his father, aids Las Animas museum project |
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By LORETTA SWORD |
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The Pueblo Chieftain |
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Pueblo Chieftain Publisher Robert H. Rawlings has fond memories of visiting his dad at First National Bank of Las Animas, and Sunday afternoon drives with him to visit all of the farmers of Bent County. |
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He knows well how many farmers and other families his dad helped, but few who live in the area remember the civic leader. |
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That's why Rawlings decided to give $150,000 to the Bent County Historical Society to relocate the Kit Carson Museum from outside town to an historic building on Main Street. |
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Tourists won't be able to miss the new museum, located right off U.S. 50 as they breeze through tiny Las Animas. |
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To be located in the former home of the International Order of Odd Fellows, built in 1898, the relocated and expanded museum will be named in John W. Rawlings' memory. |
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"Many people in Las Animas now have never heard of John Rawlings, and I just feel they are missing out on knowing about one of the most prominent and kindest men in the town's history," Robert Rawlings said this week. |
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Pioneer Historical Society treasurer Dale Leighty, current president at the same bank where John Rawlings made a name for himself, said the society, the Bent County Development Corp. and "the entire county is grateful for Mr. Rawlings' generosity. A gift like this is not something that happens in a small community like ours very often, if ever, so we are extremely grateful to Bob. And we hope this will entice other people to give, so we can get this done sooner rather than later." |
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The society so far has raised about $500,000 toward the total project cost of just under $1.5 million, Leighty said. |
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"This gift from Mr. Rawlings allows us matching funds to be used to go out and seek additional funds as the project develops. Typically, you're required to have at least a 25 percent cash match when you go to foundations and other agencies for grants." |
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The project already has won funding from the Colorado Historic Trust and the state transportation department. |
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"We are very confident that we will raise the whole amount. It's not a question in my mind of whether we can do it, but rather how long it will take. Bob's donation puts us well on our way, and the least we can do to say thanks is to name the museum after his father, a prominent Bent County citizen," Leighty said. |
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John Rawlings was born to Illinois farmers who moved to Colorado's San Luis Valley when he was a child. |
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John Rawlings' father couldn't support the family on a small farm he had bought in La Jara, so he took a teaching job in Monte Vista and moved the family there. |
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John Rawlings helped supplement his dad's new teaching income by working nights as a janitor at the high school, where he was a standout football and basketball player and top student. |
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His academic and athletic skills won him a full scholarship to Colorado College, where he was part of the football team that beat Colorado University 44-0. |
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After graduation, Rawlings volunteered for duty in World War I and was one of 14 selected for officer's training at Fort Riley, Kan., in 1917. He was commissioned as a first lieutenant and was promoted to second lieutenant while on duty in France with the 341st Field Artillery of the 89th Division. |
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He returned to New York in May 1919 and married Dorothy Hoag (the daughter of former Chieftain Publisher Frank Hoag Sr.) in April 1920, while working for the Monte Vista Bank & Trust Co. |
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Shortly after taking that job, he was offered another - as cashier and vice president - of First National Bank in Las Animas. |
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During his career, he served with many local and statewide business and civic organizations, including leadership positions with the Southeastern Colorado Clearing House Association and the Colorado Bankers Association. |
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He also was president of the Las Animas Chamber of Commerce and the Las Animas Lions Club, and was a commander of the Monte Vista post of the American Legion. |
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Rawlings died in 1959 of cardiac complications following gall-bladder surgery in Rochester, Minn. |
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Robert Rawlings said Wednesday that his father was a hard-working man who "was a farmer at heart, and a loving, generous man." |
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After his death, the Bent County Democrat called Rawlings "The outstanding citizen" of the region, "and he was," Robert Rawlings said, adding: "He was a most unusually devoted man - to his family, his community and the entire county. I'm proud that he'll be remembered for that." |
