James the Enigma
The Enigma:
James RANKIN of Augusta County, Virginia
compiled and copyrighted Linda
Sparks Starr April 2010
The total of what is known about this James Rankin
appears in the Augusta County, Virginia marriage bond of his daughter
Mary
“Polly” Rankin (1787-1873) and George Rankin (1782-1854).
Letter Henry P. Rankin Jr. to LSS citing Scotland, Ireland, Pennsylvania: The
RANKIN Tercentenary – Richard Rankin 1720-1788 Augusta County,
Virginia by Lloyd R. Rankin Jr. (revised 1987): The marriage
application for George Rankin and Mary “Polly” Rankin dated
24 September 1806 “described
her as the daughter of James Rankin of Augusta County
dec’d. This could be the same James Rankin who was named in
Augusta County Court Records, Order Book 19, 19 July 1785, page 139 as
‘returned, no inhabitant.’ His identity is
unknown.”
Letter Lloyd R. Rankin to LSS 29 June 1987 referring to his own work
and that of A. M. Prichard, Rankin
Relations. [The chapter in Prichard’s book on the family
of George Rankin died 1760 Augusta County was written by Henry Rankin
Sr.]: “... between these
two books, all the known Rankins were identified except for one –
James, the deceased father of Mary (Polly) who married George [Rankin]
and went to South Carolina.” In his letter 11
June 1992, Lloyd added a third work: “On page 42 of C. E. May’s
book My Augusta he said, ‘Who this James Rankin was is not
known’ referring to this same person.”
Henry Rankin Jr. once told me (I hope as a compliment!) that I ask the
most interesting questions. Hopefully that is a good thing for I
have only questions when it comes to this James Rankin.
Were they cousins?
Until the discovery of the marriage bond, the accepted tradition was
that Mary was daughter of William
and Lettice/Letitia (Robertson). Since William was the younger
brother of George’s father, George and Mary were cousins.
But even after the discovery of the marriage bond showing her father
was James, their probable cousinship remains the center of the riddle
encircling her parents. No one questions the statement or cites a
source for this knowledge. After searching for the origin, I’ve
concluded the one source all had access to is the 1954 Woodworth
genealogy on the POAGE family of Augusta County, Virginia. The
closest he comes to stating the relationship is:
Woodworth p. 710 under Descendants
of Elizabeth Poage P-15 : “1534
George Rankin farmer; b. Augusta County Va Feb 4, 1782, d. Anderson Co.
SC Aug 22, 1854, colonel of militia; married Sep 24 1806 Mary Rankin,
dau James R. and Letitia Robertson (?) who d. Mar 18, 1873 –
seven children.”
The basis of Woodworth’s work is the research papers of H. M.
Williamson and others. Four letters from Williamson were found in
the personal papers of William
Robertson Rankin (1842-1913) who I nominate as the likely source
for the statement of kinship between George
Rankin and Mary Rankin. W.
R. was their oldest grandson and he grew up “just down the
pathway” from their home. He was twelve when his grandfather
George died and an adult when Mary died. Thus he was old enough
to appreciate the stories and comprehend the family relationships as
told by either of them. Williamson began his first of four letters to
W. R. with the statement others had referred him to W. R. as the
person most likely to have answers to his questions. Williamson’s
response to a comment W. R. made is of special interest:
H. M. Williamson of
Portland, Oregon to William Robertson Rankin of Calhoun, Georgia 31 Dec
1910: “I have no
knowledge of any Mary Rankin who was a cousin of your grandfather, but
there may well have been such a cousin.”
We can only wonder at W. R’s actual comment. Did he write:
“My grandparents were cousins“; or did he ask: “WERE
my grandparents cousins?” The placement of a word makes all
the difference. Learning how much Williamson knew about
George’s Rankin uncles becomes important. The mother of George
Rankin (1782-1854) is the Poage descendant. Thus Williamson,
whose interest is the Poages and not the Rankins, had no compelling
reason to inquire into the family of non-Poage descendant William
Rankin. His interest in Lettice’s ROBERTSON line is equally
ephemeral; he suspected the James Robertson who married Margaret Poage
was Lettice’s uncle. Williamson was obviously not even sure
Letitia (Robertson) Rankin was Mary’s mother for he includes the
question mark behind her name.
Is Lettice/Letitia
(Robertson), Mary’s mother?
Henry Rankin Jr. to LSS 8 April 1988: “I think Mrs. Jo Ann Wigington of
Piedmont, SC has the most logical explanation. ... She speculates that
the reason George and wife Mary migrated to Anderson, SC was to be near
her mother, Letitia Robertson, who married William Rankin, son of
George died 1760. [Letitia] could have married a James Rankin and
given birth to Mary in Virginia. After the death of James, she could
have married William, leaving Mary Polly in Virginia, removed to
Kentucky and thence to South Carolina. It would seem plausible that
George and Mary would seek out her mother rather than his Uncle
William. In addition Mrs. Wigington says that in the George and
Mary family line, the name ROBERTSON appears in every
generation".
Ann Norton Jones late 1980s to LSS, written before she was aware of the
marriage bond: “I believe
that Mary “Polly” Rankin ... wife of George Rankin #1534
was probably the daughter of William Rankin (who died in 1817 at
Slabtown, Pendleton Dist. SC) and Lettice Robertson. William was
a brother of Thomas #153. Correspondence between Henry Martyn
Williamson and William Robertson Rankin #153411 during 1910-1911
indicates: 1) George Rankin #1534 and his wife Mary
‘Polly” Rankin were cousins 2) Mr. Williamson wrote
“Your grandmother’s [Mary] father, William Rankin, was
without doubt the son-in-law of William Robertson of Augusta Cty
(VA). Wm Robertson, in his will ... ‘To my daughter,
Lettice Rankin, wife of William Rankin, one share’ ... This Wm
Robertson was probably a brother of the husband of Margaret Poage #18
and was a great uncle of the great Kentucky jurist, George
Robertson.” 3) Wills of Thomas Rankin #153 and John
Crawford, brother of Mary Crawford #153 indicate that the James Rankin
who was a brother to Thomas remained in VA.”
Mona Mattingly to LSS early 1990s: “Mary is described in the marriage
bond of 22 Sept 1806 as a spinster and daughter of James Rankin
deceased of Augusta County. George and Mary were first
cousins. Shortly after their marriage, George and his wife moved
to Pendleton District, SC“
None were aware at the time of writing that George
is found in South Carolina records with William and Lettice as early as
1800. [1800 Pendleton District Census, Col. Brown’s Rgmt #858;
William Orr probate records.] George was returning “home”
after the wedding; but was Mary? The middle name ROBERTSON for multiple
descendants, along with other records, make a compelling argument for
Lettice as Mary’s mother. But they don’t prove the case.
Mary’s brother
Researchers usually do not include a brother James in discussions of
Mary’s father. The James in question is the male age 10-16
in William and Lettice’s South Carolina household per the 1800
Pendleton Census. Mary’s specific birth date is given as 5
June 1787 and researchers estimate the birth year for this James as
c1785. IF James is older than Mary and IF Mary is Letitia’s
daughter, then James Rankin (died before 1806) is also the father of
James born c1785. For the record, “her brother” James
Rankin names his father William Rankin
in a deed.
Who is James?
Before we can identify which James is Mary’s father, we need a
list of the candidates. James
(born 1750s) son of George and
Martha is ruled out because he was (proven by his signature) the James
Rankin who signed as surety for the 1806 bond. In 1790 he owned
only 55 acres of land. James
(born c1781), son of Thomas and
brother of the groom George is ruled out for obvious reasons. The Naked
Creek Rankin line includes a James (born 1756-1762), son of Richard
Sr. This line was the research subject of well-regarded
genealogist and author of The Rankin
Tercentenary, Lloyd R. Rankin Jr. This James was
still alive in 1806 if Lloyd and Henry Rankin Sr. are correct.
For the record, I have only a few copies of pages from Prichard’s
work and have only comments from others regarding Lloyd Rankin’s
research of Richard’s line.
Jean T. Gillett (researcher of several Augusta County families) to LSS
24 July 1999: “Did a
quick check on the ‘James’es among the Rankins. In 1810
there are three James Rankins listed, all over 45 – one each in
Rockingham and Botetourt and ‘James & Robert’ in
Augusta. If they’re over 45 in 1810, then they were at least 22
in 1787; yet, there are only two James Rankins listed on the 1787 tax
list, both in Augusta ... There’s at least one extra James Rankin
who appeared in Virginia records after 1787, but was of age and should
have been there in 1787. With the one who is supposed to have
died by 1806, that means two by that name unaccounted for in
1787.”
This brings us to the heart of the problem. Unless the birth date
for Richard’s son is moved to an earlier time, he is not likely
the same person as James Rankin Assignee
of Andrew Nickles who received two land grants 1 September 1780.
[Hudgins p. 258 citing Grant Book E p. 683] Granted the same day
but recorded later: James Rankin Ass’ee
of Andrew & Robert Nicholls 270 acres by survey 25 Nov
1774. [Ibid p. 269 citing Bk E p. 827] Both tracts
were in Augusta County; the survey for the first was run 5 October 1779
and reads “adjacent his other
Tract on the South side on a Branch of the middle River of Shanadore,
also adjacent John Nichols C. & William Matthews line.”
The description for the 270 acre grant is even less helpful when trying
to locate it on present day maps:
“on the North side of Moffetts Branch, near the old Line.”
The Augusta County Land Tax for 1782 shows five RANKINS owned land in
the county: James, Richard, Capt. Thomas, John and William.
[Sparacio p. 22 citing pages 24 and 25 of the Land Tax Return]
The latter three are sons of George died 1760 and they each owned
one-third of his original 1747 land grant on Middle River. Thomas, the
eldest of the three, had acquired an additional 380 acres.
Richard Rankin lived on Naked Creek; he was taxed on 1300 acres from
1782 through 1789. James is taxed on two tracts: 120 acres
and 380 acres. Note these tracts don’t match the acreage (145 and
270) granted to James Rankin assignee of Andrew Nickles just two years
earlier.
One explanation is James sold at least one of them: “150 acres on Moffett's Branch of
Middle River, part of 400 acres patented to William King, 10th
February, 1748; and 145 acres patented to James Rankin, 1st September,
1780.” [Chalkley vol. iii p. 590 citing Deed Bk 26
p. 448] Although this particular entry isn’t dated, the
deed above is dated 25 October 1781. The last deed on the page,
which is also the last deed written in this deeds book, was recorded 15
June 1790. It would appear this may be, by Gillett’s
calculations, one of the two unidentified and unplaced James Rankins.
The Augusta Land Tax Returns are only alphabetized as far as the
beginning letter of the surname. Perhaps making too much of this,
it is noted the entry for James Rankin is always apart from the other
Rankins. In 1782 James appears on page 24 of the return while the
other Rankins appear on page 25. In 1785 the Sheriff located an
additional 30 acres of James’s land which previously had not been
valued for taxes. Richard Rankin Jr. (born 4 November 1756) makes
his first appearance on the tax rolls, charged with 400 unvalued until
now acres. [Sparacio p. 33 citing page 38 of the return] In 1787
six Rankins were taxed. Richard Jr. was the additional one and 30
acres was added to James’s former total. [Sparacio p. 68-9 citing
pages 91-92 of the return] Again, James appears on one page and
the other RANKINs on another.
The 1787 personal tax list for Augusta County shows two James Rankins
old enough to be taxed. John Rankin paid the tax for his two
brothers, James and Robert. The other James paid tax on himself,
2 horses and 4 cattle. It is generally accepted that people
visited by the taxman on the same day were likely neighbors.
Known brothers James, John, Robert and William Rankin were all visited
by the tax collector 27 April 1787. Isaac, Richard Rankin Sr. and
Richard Jr. were visited by the taxman 26 May; but, the taxman
didn’t get to James until 7 June. [Schreiner-Yantis and Love
pages 125; 141-2] For those keeping track, the estimated
birth year of Isaac Rankin, son of Richard Sr., is c1763. Little
was changed on the returns in 1788 and 1789; James was still taxed on
120 acres, 30 acres, and 380 acres. In 1788 James is found on
page 145 of the return and Richard Jr. on page 147; the others are
clustered on page 146. In 1789 all but Richard Jr. are on the
same page. [Sparacio pages 12 and 13 citing page 145-7 of return;
page 55-6 citing pages 209]
In 1790 things changed for everyone except James, William and Richard
Jr. Isaac Rankin appeared on the land tax returns for the first time,
but his father Richard Sr. is missing. [Sparacio p. 101-2 citing
Joseph Bell’s Land Tax List p. 276] Transfer of title
for taxing purposes was entered on a page titled Alterations and
Partitions. Here we learn the reason behind the changes.
Isaac Rankin’s 320 acres came out of Richard’s 1300 acres
tract. Thomas’s land was divided between Mary Rankin &
Heirs. She paid taxes on her dower portion only this year. John
had died and his 110 acres was divided (per his will) between James and
Robert. They each were taxed on 55 acres; like Isaac, this was the
first appearance on the land tax rolls for the two brothers born in the
1750s. [Ibid p. 106 citing p. 284 Joseph Bell return]
We know so much about some Augusta County James Rankins, yet so little
about others. How did one James acquire the two tracts (120 and 380
plus 30 acres) he was taxed on from 1782 until ?? If he is the
son of Richard, James died in Rockingham County 1826. What
happened to the 270 acres granted another James Rankin in 1780?
It seems to have disappeared from the land tax rolls, but we all know
that didn’t happen. It was taxed, but under whose name? It
would be easy to speculate the James of the land patents is the father
of Mary EXCEPT that raises even more questions. And we are still left
with: Was Letitia (Robertson) Mary’s mother?
SOURCES
Chalkley, Lyman abstracter. Chronicles
of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia: Augusta County 1745-1800
in three volumes. Genealogical Publishing Co.
Baltimore. Also:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~chalkley/
Hudgins, Dennis Ray, editor. Cavaliers
and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants vol.
8: 1779-1782. Virginia Genealogical Society, Richmond 2005
Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Love, Florene, compilers. The Personal Property Tax Lists for the
Year 1787 for Augusta County, Virginia. 1987
Genealogical Books in Print, Springfield, Virginia.
Sparacio, Ruth and Sparacio, Sam, transcribers. Augusta County, Virginia Land Tax Books
1782-1788 and 1788-1790. The Antient Press, 1997.
Woodworth, Robert Bell, editor. The
Descendants of Robert and John Poage: Pioneer Settlers in Augusta
County, Virginia, A Genealogy based on the Manuscript
Collections of Prof. Andrew Woods Williamson, Henry Martyn Williamson
and John Guy Bishop. The McClure Printing Co., Staunton, VA 1954.
Linda Sparks Starr copyright (c) 2010
Home: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lksstarr/