Martha Rankin Poage


Martha Rankin (c1779 – before 1809)
and John Davis Poage (1777-1815)

Compiled and copyrighted June 2010 by Linda Sparks Starr

Undoubtedly named for her paternal grandmother, several researchers include the nickname Patsy when giving her name.  However this nickname is not found in the official record books.  Martha is positioned here as the second child of Capt. Thomas Rankin and his wife Mary Crawford because she was the second to marry.  In truth, the birth order for the six siblings is a matter of simple guesswork on the part of each researcher.   Martha was under the age of ten when her father died in 1787.  It is thought the widow kept the family together after the untimely death of her husband.  She was surely helped by members of the extended families on both the Crawford and Rankin sides. Tragedy struck the family again in 1791 when Mary died leaving six orphans.  What happened next is a matter of speculation.  Few, if any, families were in a position to take in all six children.  Therefore, it is likely this family was split, each child going to live with a different relative.  Martha was old enough to assist an over-burdened mother with several lively youngsters and may have gone where most needed.  Or, perhaps she moved into the home of a cousin nearer her own age. The shared loss and struggles made a lasting impression on these children. Later records indicate the siblings maintained communication lines even when separated by many miles and state lines.

Martha was surely over fourteen years old in 1797, thus old enough to choose her Uncle William Crawford as her guardian.  His duty as guardian was to ensure she receive everything coming to her from her father’s estate.  In many cases the guardian actually took the inheritance (cattle, slaves, money) into his own hands until the legatee came of age or married. Sister Betsy’s impending marriage may be the reason for this sudden need for appointment of guardians for the girls.  Guardians were also required to act in the room of the deceased parents as William did when he consented to Martha’s marriage the next year.  William Robertson co-signed the surety bond of £3000 for William Crawford as guardian of “Martha Rankin orphan of Thomas Rankin.“  [Mattingly transcription of Augusta Guardian Bonds entry]

Woodworth’s short write up of Martha is all that is known of her:  “1532 Martha Rankin b. Augusta County m. Nov. 26, 1798 John Davies  Pogue – P 1131 – son of Col. William Poage and Margaret Davies b. near Staunton May 3, 1777 and died near Marlington (now W Va) Dec. 30, 1815 – three children – Place and date of her death not recorded.”  [p. 710 under Descendants of Elizabeth Poage P-15]  

Mona Mattingly’s  notes of the original bond was more thorough than Chalkley’s transcription. [Chalkley vol. ii p. 329]  “William Crawford, guardian of Martha Rankin gave his consent to the marriage 26 November 1798.  Sureties to the marriage bond were John and William Poage and Alexander Poage attested the guardian’s consent.  John swore he was 21 years old “last May.  The marriage was performed 27 May 1798 by Rev. William Wilson.“  

Woodworth’s write up for John Davies Pogue includes the date and place of his second marriage:  16 February 1809 Fayette County, Kentucky. He or Mattingly gives Pocahontas County, Virginia and c1807 as the birth place and date for Martha’s last surviving to adulthood child. Thus we can narrow Martha’s death to 1807 or 1808 in either Virginia or Kentucky. 

“John Davies Pogue, farmer in the Levels, near Marlington, W Va born near Staunton 3 May 1777 d. 30 Dec 1815 married 26 Nov 1798 Martha Rankin, second cousin – P 1532 – daughter Thomas Rankin and Mary (Crawford) granddaughter Elizabeth Poage and George Crawford; married 2nd Fayette Co. Ky 16 Feb 1809 Sarah McPheeters, daughter William McPheeters.  Three children by first marriage."  [Gillett citing Woodworth p. 286] 

Only three children from the marriage of John and Martha are reported; the information here comes from Woodworth’s work with a few additional comments provided by Mattingly:

William Philander Pogue b. 20 December 1803 Bath County, Virginia died 18 September 1875 Manchester, Illinois married Sarah Jane Baxter.
Julia Pogue born 30 May 1805 Pocahontas County, Virginia died 12 February 1845 Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky.  She married Maj. Addison McPheeters 15 August 1829.
John Crawford Pogue born Pocahontas County, Virginia c1807 died March 1880 at Nebo, Hopkins County, Kentucky.  He married 20 December 1838 Sarah Jane Campbell.


SOURCES

Chronicles of Scotch-Irish Settlers in Virginia:  Augusta 1745-1800 vol. II  by Lyman Chalkley

Gillett, Jean, researcher of early Augusta County, Virginia families including the POAGEs.  e-mails mostly date 1990s.

Mattingly, Mona, researcher of RANKIN, POAGE, ROBERTSON and BLAIR

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.


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