Rash's Surname Index


Notes for William RAWLE

For some time he attended Princeton College, and was admitted to the Philadelphia bar on May 21, 1810. During the War of 1812 he served as captain of the Second Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry. Returning to the practice of the law, he in due time attained a rank at the bar but little inferior to his father's before him, and the name of William Rawle, Jr., is among the first in the annals of a profession where the abilities of Philadelphians have become proverbial. In his 26th year he began, with Hon. Thomas Sergeant, the preparation of reports of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of the State, and they published 18 volumes. Judge Sergeant retiring from the work in 1828, Rawle continued it until 1835, publishing five volumes. from 1835 to 1840 he was a member of the Common Council of the city, and for four years was president of that body. He was chosen a member of the American Philosophical society in 1841. He was for many years a vice-president of the Historical Society, and secretary and afterwards a director of the Library Company, and also a trustee of the University.
William Rawle Jr., third son of William and Sarah (Burge) Rawle, born in Philadelphia, July 19, 1788, was educated at Princeton College and admitted to Philadelphia Bar May 21, 1810. During the War of 1812-14, he served as Captain of the Second Troop of Philadelphia City Cavalry. In the practice of his profession he attained a prominence and reputation little inferior to that of his father. In 1814, with Hon. Thomas Sergeant, he began the preparation of Reports of Decisions of Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, known to the legal fraternity as "Sergeant and Rawle's Reports", contained in eighteen volumes. Mr. Sergeant retired from the work in 1828, and it was continued to 1835, by Mr. Rawle, in five volumes.
Mr. Rawle was a member of Common Council of Philadelphia, 1835-40, and its president four years. He was elected member of American Philosophical Society in 1841. With his father he participated in the founding of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in 1824, and was many years its vice-president. He was secretary and later director of Philadelphia Library Company and Trustee of University of Pennsylvania. He died at his son's country seat, August 9, 1858.
Mr. Rawle married, October 17, 1817, Mary Anna, daughter of Edward Tilghman, Esq., a leader of Philadelphia Bar, by his wife Elizabeth Chew, daughter of Chief Justice Benjamin Chew. Mrs. Mary Anna (Tilghman) Rawle was born in Philadelphia, February 25, 1795, and died February 4, 1878.
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