John Rawlins, one of the influential and prominent business men of Winfield, Kan., has devoted the greater part of his business career to the grain and milling business. He was born in Lexington, Mo., Feb. 22, 1857, but is a Kansan in all except birth, for he has spent almost his entire life in this state, as his parents removed from Missouri to Doniphan county, Kansas, the year of his birth. The parents, James and Margaret (Condon) Rawlins, were natives of Kilkenny, Ireland, and were married in the Emerald Isle before their immigration to America in 1840. They first settled in St. Louis and were residents of Missouri until their removal to Kansas, in 1857. James Rawlins was a contractor of stone work and railroad construction work and resided at Iowa Point, Doniphan county, until his death in 1898, at an advanced age. The parents of James Rawlins never came to this country, but spent their entire lives in their native land of Ireland.

John Rawlins was educated in the common schools of Doniphan county, Kansas, and initiated his independent business career as a railroad civil engineer on the Atchison & Nebraska railroad, in which capacity he continued to be employed until 1883. From that year until 1904 he engaged in the grain business at Iowa Point and White Cloud, Kan. About 1904 he removed to Winfield, Cowley county, and has there been engaged in the wholesale grain business, having been previously employed, however, as a traveling salesman for Richardson & Company, who own a line of elevators in different parts of Kansas. He is the lessee of the Santa Fe elevator at Winfield, in connection with which he also owns and operates the Udall Flour Mills at Udall, Cowley county. This mill has a capacity of 200 barrels of flour per day and its products are sold from the store which Mr. Rawlins conducts at Winfield. Traveling men are also employed to sell the mill's products in other localities. Mr. Rawlins has given his political allegiance to the Democratic party, but has never had inclinations or time for public office.

In 1888 Mr. Rawlins married Miss Emma, daughter of Enoch Spaulding, a pioneer settler of Kansas and one of the founders of White Cloud. Mr. Spaulding, who was a farmer by occupation, became the owner of much valuable farm property and was one of the original owners of the White Cloud town site. He was a soldier in the Mexican war and had retired from active business cares a number of years before his death in Nemaha county in 1897. Mr. and Mrs. Rawlins have two children—a son and a daughter: John E., born Sept. 12, 1890, is a high school graduate and is now associated with his father in business, and Christina, born Feb. 9, 1893, is at home. Mrs. Rawlins is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.