W R Jr 1868-1934

William Robertson Rankin Jr. (1868-1934)

Calhoun, Georgia

William Robertson, or “Will” as he was referred to within the family, was the eldest child of W. R. and Margaret J. (Ramsay). Except for the ten or so years he lived in Atlanta, Will spent his entire life in Calhoun. His birth, 4 May 1868, was dutifully recorded by W. R. in the large Bible purchased with the intention of recording such happenings. Will was four when the next surviving child, Allie, arrived in 1872. She was followed quickly by Maggie in 1874 and Pauline in 1877. Perhaps the then eleven-year-old Will was relieved to finally have a brother in 1880. However, the two boys were always out-numbered for the last child was another sister.

Apparently Will was not as gregarious and fun-loving as his father, but Will was as studious. He ended the 1880 school year as one of only eight honor students among the 40-student population of Calhoun Academy. [Reeve p. 31] In 1884 he is listed among the students who presented the commencement program for Gordon County University. The title of his recitation was Modern Anomaly. [Ibid p. 41]

Although somewhat difficult to conceive in this era, all indications suggest the sixteen-year old Will moved to Atlanta later that year. His obituary tells us: William Robertson Rankin was a native of Gordon county, and was born in 1868, a member of a prominent and highly esteemed family of this section. He was assistant state librarian in Atlanta for ten years and upon the expiration of his service in that position he returned to Calhoun. In the section for Gordon County newspapers, Lulie Pitts wrote: “The Calhoun Times was published independently by W. R. Rankin Jr., Prop., J.O. Middleton, Editor.” [Bell p. 203] The years shown are 1894-1896. Ergo, Will was in Calhoun by 1894. Either he had not yet left for Atlanta, or he had returned after spending ten years in Atlanta.

Will appears to be quite young in this photo below taken by an Atlanta, Georgia studio. The second handwriting on the reverse side is that of Helen (Starr) Wade who likely acquired the information from her mother, Will’s sister Pauline.

Returning to Will’s obituary: “[he] was engaged in the mercantile business here until 1913, when he was elected ordinary, succeeding his father in that office.” The reverse side of this postcard "Calhoun bird’s eye view" identifies the printer as Rankin Book Store. Perhaps this was one of Will’s business enterprises? Elsewhere he is listed as merchant, Ordinary and Chairman of Board of the Gordon County Commissioners. [Woodworth p. 716 citing #153411] The Special Election to replace W. R. Rankin Sr. (died 5 June) was held 4 July 1913. [Bell p. 86] Will won that special election and was re-elected each election cycle until his death. Thus “a” W. R. Rankin served as Ordinary of Gordon County, Georgia from 1908 into 1934.

At the time of W. R. Sr.’s death, the family lived in the Rankin House near the train depot near downtown Calhoun. Will’s legacy from his father was the Rankin House, after Margaret’s death, along with the never-ending maintenance required for a house built in 1885. At least Will could walk to work.

Right to Left: Margaret, Mary, King and Mamie (Rankin) Norton, Will Rankin, Margaret (Ramsay) Rankin

Sometime before Margaret (Ramsay) Rankin’s death in 1923, Mamie (Rankin) Norton and her family moved into the Rankin House. The original reason for the move was so Mamie could better care for the aging Margaret. As time went along, Mamie assumed her mother’s duties managing the boarding house. By the time Margaret died, it was sensible for the Nortons to continue living in the house. Compensation to the bachelor Will was returning each evening to a home setting instead of a boarding house needing his immediate attention.

c1925-1930 Will and Mamie (Rankin) Norton in backyard of Rankin House.

Another comment from his obituary: “Mr. Rankin was a member of the Presbyterian church and the Knights of Pythias, and was interested in every movement which had for its purpose the advancement of the best interests of the state.” Ann Jones writing July 1993: “The Rankin family in Calhoun were pillars in the small Presbyterian Church. Margaret Ramsay Rankin was a charter member. W. R. Jr. ran the Sunday School and was a deacon. They wanted to make him an Elder but he felt he was not good enough. This from a man everyone said you could set the clock by his comings and goings and who was so respected by the county people no one dared to run against him.”

c1930 Will and Ann Jones c1934 Will and Ann Jones (last photo before his death)

Will developed Bright’s Disease (or as it is known now, nephritis or inflammation of the kidneys) and as the illness progressed, Mamie took on the role of major-care-taker once again. Will died in his own bed July 13, 1934. “CALHOUN, Ga. July 14 – W. R. Rankin, 66, died here yesterday afternoon after a long illness at the home of his sister, Mrs. King Norton. Mr. Rankin was ordinary of this county for more than 21 years and succeeded his father, W. R. Rankin Sr., who was ordinary before him. He is survived by four sisters, Mrs. King Norton and Mrs. J. B. F. Harrell, of this city; Mrs. Pauline Starr, of Smithville, Okla. and Mrs. Fred McDaniel, of Atlanta. Funeral services were conducted from the home at 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon. Rev. J. G. Kirckhoff, pastor of the Calhoun Presbyterian church, of which Judge Rankin was a member, and Rev. Wright officiated. Internment was in Chandler cemetery. E. L. Jackson & Son in charge.”

Eulogies were more expansive: “The death Friday of Judge W. R. Rankin was a distinct loss to Calhoun and Gordon County, and his passing is mourned by a host of friends. He was born and reared in Calhoun, the son of the late Colonel and Mrs. W. R. Rankin. He succeeded his father as ordinary of Gordon County which place he held for twenty-one years. He will be greatly missed in that office, as well as the town and the Presbyterian Church of which he was a member.” And another: “In the death of Ordinary W. R. Rankin, Gordon county loses one of her best citizens, as well as a public servant of great usefulness. Mild-mannered, courteous and accommodating, Judge Rankin was also an able conscientious and painstaking official, and he had literally thousands of friends in Gordon County who are grieved at his passing.”

SOURCES

Bell, Burton J., compiler and editor. 1976 Bicentennial History of Gordon County Georgia. Gordon Co. Historical Society, Calhoun, 1976. Includes the complete history of Gordon County written by Lulie Pitts. My original notes were taken from Pitts, but I cite page numbers from the Bell work. Neither work is indexed.

Jones, Dr. E. Ann. Rankin family researcher and granddaughter of Mamie (Rankin) Norton.

Reeve, Jewell B. compiler. Climb the Hills of Gordon. 1962. Southern Historical Press, Easley, SC reprint 1979.

Wade, Helen Starr. After the death of Harry, Pauline (Rankin) Starr lived a number years with her daughters Helen and Alice. During those years Helen and Pauline identified many of the people in Pauline’s photo collection. The newspaper clippings used in these narratives come from a scrapbook made by Pauline from clippings received from family members. Thus the specific name / date / page / column of the newspaper cannot be cited.

Woodworth, Robert Bell, editor. The Descendants of Robert and John Poage (Pioneer Settlers in Augusta County, Va.): A Genealogy Based on the Manuscript Collections of Prof. Andrew Woods Williamson, Henry Martyn Williamson and John Guy Bishop. Volume One (Descendants of Robert Poage of Augusta County). Privately printed by The McClure Printing Company, Staunton, Va. 1954.

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