A new article has been added at Newspaper Abstracts > United States > Ohio > Jackson http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=2538 Direct link to article: http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/link.php?id=36195 Submitted by: guest Article Title: The Wellston Telegram Article Date: March 29 1962 Article Description: Rawlins Retires after 34 Years Article Text: Metropolitan Insurance Agent Rounds out 34 Years Service in Wellston. Elmer Rawlins, who has represented the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. in this area 34 years, will retire next Monday, April 1. He and his predecessor here, the late David B. Melvin, have been the only agents in the Wellston area in 54 years, truly a remarkable record. Elmer and his good wife, who live on West Broadway, will be guests of honor at a testimonial dinner at the Colonial Inn, Jackson, this Thursday night,given by the Metropolitan personnel in the Chillicothe district. About 35 persons will be present to pay tribute to the retiring fellow-worker, the veteran of them all. Elmer Rawlins was born and reared in west Wellston. In May, 1928, while working in a Michigan ave. grovery for his uncle, William Turvey, the Metropolitan district manager appeared, wanting him to "take a debit". He took the Jackson agency for seven years, during the hardest times of the Great Depression. But by unceasing work, he made good. In May 1949, he was called to Chillicothe as assistant district superintendent with a wide scope of southern Ohio and a staff of local agents to supervise. During that time he yearned to be back in Wellston, and when in 1939, another veteran, David B. Melvin, retired for ill health, Rawlins was sent at his own request to Wellston, and ever since he has been the only Metropolitan agent here. Recently he had an attack of flu that laid him low. A month ago he and Mrs. Rawlins took a month's vacation in Florida, much of the time at Lake Wales. Rawlins successor in Wellston will be Eugene McGuire, a vigorous young man, who comes from Jackson. He will take over next Monday. There is a considerable turnover in personnel in large insurance companies' agency divirion by promotion, transfers and resignations. Which makes the record of Elmer Rawlins and his forerunner, Dave Melvin, of 54 years in Wellston quite unusual. As to the future Mr. Rawlins is undecided. He has been on the West Coast before, and he and Mrs. Rawlins would like to go back to California for a longer stay. But no definite plans have been made. The Rawlins havesix sons and daughters,all married and living elsewhere in Ohio. Needless to say there will be some family reunions, especially if son Harry at Lancaster is elected to the state Legislature this fall. as seems likely. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ OH-Old-News ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ NewspaperAbstracts.com - Finding our ancestors in the news! TM http://www.NewspaperAbstracts.com