James Rankin2


James Rankin (c1753-1822)
and his wife
Jane “Jenny” Russell (      -1855)

Compiled and copyrighted by Linda Sparks Starr, June 2010

“Most references to James Rankin in Chalkley concern the son of George d. 1760 ... But there were others.
This James was my ancestor & I have him well documented.”  [Henry Rankin Jr. letter to LSS 26 December 1988]

A quick reading of the known facts about James might leave one wondering if previous researchers “got it right” when discussing him.  However, as the direct ancestor of both Henry Rankin and C. E. May, he received the most scrutiny of all the children of George and Martha. All researchers list James as the fifth child in the family.  It is thus logical to estimate his year of birth as somewhere in the mid-seventeen-fifties.

In 1787 John Rankin paid the poll tax for his younger brothers, James and Robert, suggesting, together with everything else known about this family group, that all three lived in the same household. The tax collector met with their brother William the same day. William, if unmarried, perhaps resided with them too. That or he surely lived on his adjacent lot. [Schreiner Yantis-Love page 125]  Researchers identify the Ensign James Rankin in Capt. Thomas Rankin’s Company in 1779 as this James. [Chalkley vol. i p. 205 citing Order Bk 18 May 1779 p. 449]  However, this conclusion needs to be reexamined.  Brothers Robert, William and James Rankin are listed among the militiamen serving with Capt. John Givens from 16 Oct 1777 to 15 March 1782 inclusive. [Boogher pages 223-4]  This points to the Ensign who served with Capt. Thomas Rankin as another James Rankin.  There are two candidates for that Ensign James: the father of Mary “Polly” Rankin, and the son of Richard Rankin on Naked Creek. 

In 1790 James and Robert were granted administration of the estate of their brother John Rankin.  Per his will, John divided his 110 acres between these two brothers and also gave them all his moveable estate on the condition they meet certain requirements.  [Chalkley vol. iii p. 187; Prichard p. 20 citing Augusta Co. Will Book 7 p. 200]  The inherited 55 acre plot was the first land that either James or Robert owned; thus 1790 was the first year either name appears on the Augusta County Land Tax rolls. [Sparacio page 101;106]  Following the death of Mary (Crawford) Rankin fall 1791, James Rankin and Robert Crawford were named administrators de bonis non on the estate of Thomas Rankin deceased.  [Chalkley vol. i p. 267 citing Order Book XXII p. 13]  Robert Crawford was Mary’s brother; thus two uncles were placed in charge of the estate which represented the combined inheritance of six minors.  In 1797 James signed the £3000 security bond with William Crawford for Robert Crawford as guardian for their niece Peggy Rankin, orphan of Thomas. [Chalkley vol. ii p. 386-7 citing Guardian Bond Book]

Prichard, using signatures to distinguish this James from his nephew of the same name, concluded the James who sold his one-fifth interest in his father Thomas’s estate was not the James Rankin who signed the surety bond for Thomas’s son George to marry in 1806. Continuing, the James who signed the 1806 marriage bond with George then signed his own marriage bond to Jane Russell, daughter of Andrew who died 1803.  Prichard’s note gives the year 1806 for this marriage; however, Henry Rankin Jr., citing First Marriage Record of Augusta County, gives 15 September 1807 for the marriage of James to Jane “Ginny” Russell.  Henry added they were married by the Rev. McCue 17 September.   Both men comment that James was nearing fifty years of age at the time of his first marriage.  His brother Robert had recently married Jane’s sister, Elizabeth Russell.  It’s entirely probable these two researchers are correct in their statements this was a first marriage for all parties. The lack of records suggesting either brother was previously married and lack of any surviving issue other than those reportedly from the Rankin/Russell marriages supports their conclusion.

Being married may have nudged the brothers to buy more land, but more likely it was the desire to keep the original homestead tract within the family. Three of Thomas and Mary’s five surviving children had moved from the Middle River area by 1810. That year their son George in South Carolina transacted a power of attorney to sell his interest in all lands in Virginia.  However, it wasn’t until 1813 that James and Robert purchased two of the three tracts inherited by the orphans.  Perhaps it took the two brothers that long to come up with the money; or more likely, it took that long to convince the other heirs to sell.  22 March 1813 three of the surviving heirs and their spouses sold  “three-fifths of a parcel of land lately bequeathed by John Crawford dec’d to the heirs of Thomas Rankin, dec’d and also three-fifths  of a parcel of land adjoining ...  and lately belonging to the estate of Thomas Rankin dec’d ... the three-fifths of two tracts containing by estimation one hundred and eighty-eight acres.” [Augusta Co. Deed Book 36 (or 38) page 1-2]  Then in May 1813: “George Poage and Margaret his wife, late Margaret Rankin, one of the heirs of Thomas Rankin dec’d of the County of Bath, sell for £104 to James & Robert Rankin one-fifth of 116 acres ...  [Mattingly citing Augusta Deed Bk 38:364]  This writer has seen no record or even mention of a deed executed by the remaining surviving heir, Martha, or her husband John Davis Poage.  Martha was deceased by 1813; but John was still alive and they reportedly had children together who should have joined into this bargain.

James’s life became complicated with the death in 1815 of his brother Robert. The two brothers shared common ownership in several things; this all had to be divided equably before Robert’s estate could be divided between the widow and their minor children. New deeds were required for the two tracts purchased from Thomas’s heirs because witnesses had tarried to prove the first deeds. The wording was changed “to James Rankin and the heirs of Robert Rankin deceased.”  In 1816 James Rankin Sr. (to distinguish himself from a younger James) brought a friendly lawsuit against Robert Rankin’s representatives.  The suit was considered friendly in that the court's role was just to appoint neutral parties to divide the commonly held property and ratify the result. [Chalkley vol. ii p. 208 citing circuit Clerk’s Office  O.S. 272; N. S. 96]

Capt. James Rankin purchased several items at the public auction of Robert’s personal (moveable) estate held September 1815. [Henry Rankin citing DAR Lineage Book 166 p. 33: Mrs. Lyda Rankin Martin #165.105 but she is citing Robert Rankin 1825 Bill Sale, Bk 15 p. 58] That same year James was identified in other county records as a Justice of the Augusta County Court.  [Prichard citing Weyland Virginia Valley Records  p. 332]  

James died intestate (without a will) shortly before September 1822. The first accounting record for his estate, dated 14 September, begins: “received from the widow as so much on hand at intestate’s death.”  [Prichard p. 23] The Court appointed administrator was William Clark, relationship if any to James or Jane, unknown.  Great-granddaughter Mrs. C. H. Strader of Richmond, Virginia reported “the remains of James Rankin rest in the cemetery of Old Stone Church near Staunton.”  Jane (Russell) Rankin was still alive 3 August 1842 when she and their children sold his lands on the Middle River. Heirs signing the grantor deed were the widow Jane Rankin and Matthew, Martha, Jane and James W. Rankin.  [Prichard p. 23 citing Augusta Deed Book 66 pages 304 and 305] One researcher reports Jane’s death in 1855, but without a death place or citation.

James was nearing the age of 69 years when he died.  When he was growing up, Indians were still a threat to those residing that far to the west. He served during the revolutionary period in the company of Capt. John Givens; one wonders what were the skirmishes in which he participated.  He would have heard reports of the deliberations of the Continental Congress, the product of the Constitutional Convention, and the formation of the federal government. What stories he could have related to his children about those founding years of our Republic.  After all, he lived through the terms of the first four presidents and James Monroe was half-way through his second term as the fifth President when James Rankin Sr. died.

During the first half of the 20th century Mrs. Strader advised Henry Rankin Sr. or Prichard that this family’s Bible was in the custody of Mrs. John Peters of Eagle Rock, Botetourt County, Virginia.  However, when she was contacted, Mrs. Peters reported it was either misplaced or lost.  Fortunately, Mrs. Strader had previously copied these entries for the children of James and Jane (Russell) Rankin.  [Prichard]

    John born August 8, 1809 married Ellen Pearson
    Matthew born April 15, 1811 of whom see further
    Letitia born March 29, 1813 died young
    Elizabeth born September 10, 1814 died young
    Martha born November 4, 1815 died unmarried July 12, 1872
    Jone born April 15, 1817 died unmarried June 11, 1877
    James Wilson born August 10, 1819 married December 27, 1854 Irene Elizabeth Keyton, daughter of John D. Keyton and wife Sarah McCauley of Albemarle Co. Virginia

Prichard continued with the family of Matthew Rankin, son of James and Jane (Russell).  Matthew married Columbia Burk, daughter of Isaac Burk 31 May 1847 in Rockingham County, Virginia. [citing marriage bond]  Matthew died sometime between 1851 (birth year of last child listed) and 1863, the year of Columbia’s second marriage.  Matthew and Columbia had:

    Isaac who died without issue in Missouri
    Preston who also died without issue in Missouri
    Dr. Henry Lindsey born 8 September 1851 Scottsville, Albemarle Co. Virginia.  He died after 1884 in Luray, Page County, Virginia.

Dr. Henry Lindsey began his medical career in Madison County, Virginia where he married Ada Jencks Read of that county. They moved to Luray in 1884 where he continued to practice medicine until his death.  This family is included in the book titled Allied Families of Read, Corbin, Luttrell and Bywaters.  [Henry Rankin Jr. who didn’t provide the author’s name.]   Dr. H. L. Rankin is the direct ancestral line of Henry Preston Rankin Sr. and Jr.



SOURCES

Boogher, William Fletcher,  compiler.  Gleanings of Virginia History.  1903.  e-mail 29 Feb 2000 to WVPioneers-L list by Weikart, Patsy H. 

Chalkley, Lyman, abstracter.  Chronicles of Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia: Augusta County 1745-1800 in three volumes.  Genealogical Publishing Co. Baltimore.    Also:   http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~chalkley/

Prichard, A. M., researcher and author.  Rankin Relations.

Rankin, Henry P. Jr. researcher.

Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Love, Florene, compilers.  The Personal Property Tax Lists for the Year 1787 for Augusta County, Virginia.  Genealogical Books in Print, 1987.

Sparacio, Ruth and Sparacio, Sam publishers.  Augusta County, Virginia Land Tax Books 1782-1788  The Antient Press.  1997.   Land Tax Books 1788-1790.



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