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RANKIN FAMILY. The first ancestor of the Rankin family who settled in Washington county was William Rankin, great-grandfather of our subjects, and a native of Winchester, Va., who, about 1774, made the hazardous journey across the mountains to Washington county with his wife and family landing October 31, 1774. He located in Mt. Pleasant township, this county, securing 1,800 acres of choice land, then a vast wilderness, which is now transformed into some of the finest farms of Washington county. Here he built a log cabin, and made such improvements as were possible, being in constant danger from the treacherous savages. But bravely and patiently he struggled on, establishing the pioneer home. After his sons had grown to manhood one of them, James, joined a party who went to establish a colony in Kentucky. They arrived safely, but during the return trip were attacked by Indians, and James was killed, his fate being but one addition to that of the many pioneers who were practically martyrs to colonization. Mr. and Mrs. William Rankin passed the remainder of their lives in the frontier home, both dying the same year.

Samuel Rankin, the youngest son of John, was born July 18, 1769, in Winchester, Va., and came to this county in 1774. On January 7, 1796, he was married to Jane McConahey, who was born February 18, 1775, a daughter of a pioneer settler. The following children were born to their union: William, John, David, Matthew, Samuel, Stephen, James, Matilda, Abigail and Jane, of whom Jane, the only one yet living, is a resident of Burgettstown, now aged seventy years, unmarried; the others lived to adult age, and were citizens of Washington county. Samuel Rankin became a wealthy farmer, and always lived on the old home farm which is situated about two miles northwest of Hickory. In politics be was a Democrat, and he was one of the famous "Minutemen." In religion he and his wife were members of the Union Church. He died in October, 1820, being followed by his wife July 20, 1869, in her ninety- fourth year; their remains lie in the U. P. cemetery at Hickory. Their children were as follows: William, born November 24, 1796, died January 13, 1884; John, born April 4, 1798, died in April, 1866. David, born February 15, 1800, died July 27, 1858; Matthew, born February 15, 1802, died in June, 1880; Matilda, born March 22, 1804, died in February. 1875, Samuel, born June 3, 1806, died May 27, 1834; Abigail, born in October, 1808, lived on the old homestead until November 17, 1892, when she died, James, born March 24, 1811, died July 27, 1887; Stephen, born August 20, 1813, died in February, 1877, and Jane, born February 6, 1817, living in Burgettstown.

William Rankin, eldest son of Samuel and Jane (McConahey) Rankin, was born in Mt. Pleasant township, this county, and remained on his father's farm during his boyhood, in the meantime receiving a subscription-school education. On December 16, 1819, be married Miss Nancy Lyle, who was born January 22, 1801, daughter of John Lyle, of Mt. Pleasant township, this county, and heir children were Elizabeth, born January 21, 1821, died February 14, 1880; Samuel, born July 19, 1823, died in September, 1845; John L., born October 16, 1826, married in 1849. Elizabeth Campbell; David, born May 30, 1829, died in September, 1845; William (a farmer of Mt. Pleasant township), born April 4, 1832; Jane, born March 24,1834, is unmarried, living in Burgettstown; and James, born September 2, 1836, married, in 1864, Elizabeth F. Barnes, who died in 1870, and in 1880 he married Maggie E. Forsythe, of Burgettstown. Mr. Rankin, by energy and perseverance, accumulated, in his agricultural pursuits, a good property. In politics he was a lifelong Democrat, and filled several township offices. He and his wife were consistent members of the Raccoon Presbyterian Church, afterward uniting with the church at Mt. Prospect. He died January 13, 1884, having been preceded by his life companion in 1870, and both are buried in Mt. Prospect cemetery.

John L. Rankin was born in Mt. Pleasant township, this county, on the farm where the earliest pioneer of the family had settled many years before. He grew to manhood on the ancestral acres, assisting in agricultural duties, and receiving a necessarily limited country-school education. On September 6, 1849, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Campbell, who was born September 11, 1829, near Monongahela City, Penn., a daughter of William and Nancy (Randolph) Campbell, who both died when Elizabeth was yet a child; she then lived with an uncle, John Campbell, until her marriage. Children have been born to the union of John L. and Elizabeth (Campbell) Rankin as follows: William D., a practicing physician in Allegheny, Penn.; John J., in Burgettstown; Nancy C., wife of A. C. McClure, of Burgettstown; Ella Jane, died April 8, 1886; Mary Elizabeth, died October 11, 1861; Ida May and Mary L., residing with their parents; Elgie A. C., in Allegheny; Alice B., Lizzie A., James T., Maggie L., residing with their parents. After his marriage John L. Rankin located on a farm about three miles northwest of Hickory, this county, where he resided sixteen years, extensively engaged in sheep raising. In 1866 he came to Smith township, purchasing a farm one mile south of Burgettstown, where he has since remained. Since his residence in that township, his home was completely destroyed by fire, but, with characteristic pluck and energy, he at once erected a building far superior to the one which had been burned. In politics Mr. Rankin has always been a Democrat, and has served his party in various capacities in both townships. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church of Burgettstown, in which he is an elder.

William Rankin was born April 4, 1832, on the home farm in Mt. Pleasant township, and received his education in the district schools. On November 23, 1858, he was married, in Wells county, Ind., to Martha Riddile, a native of Trumbull county, Ohio. She was a granddaughter of Samuel and Martha (Johnston) Riddile, the former of whom died in 1825, y, who settled in Smith township, this county, over seventy years ago. The Forsythe family are now limited to four sisters and one brother, of whom three sisters are living in Washington county. To the union of James and Maggie E. (Forsythe) Rankin four children have been born: Eldon Lee, Leslie, Ernest and Alvin Forsythe. Mr. Rankin votes the Democratic ticket, and has been a member of the school board. The home farm consists of 163 acres of well-cultivated land, and he keeps a fine grade of stock. The Rankin family trace their first settlement to Halloween, 1774. James Rankin and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church at Mt. Prospect.


Text taken from page 620 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers and Co., 1893).
Transcribed May 1997 by Dale E. Enlow of Lake Havasu City, AZ as part of the Beers Project.
Published May 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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