Smith Rankin
Smith Rankin, retired farmer, Milledgeville, was born in this township, June 6, 1822, and was educated in the log school house.
February 13, 1844, he was married to Miss Parthenia Wood, and has since lived here, and reared a family of five children, who are, or have been school teachers. All are married except the youngest, who is at home with her parents.
Mr. Rankin has a farm of three hundred acres, situated at the west side of Milledgeville, which he leased when he came here, having no money to buy with. Now he has it well improved, and in good cultivation. Has been very liberal to public enterprises, and contributed largely to the churches. Mrs. Rankin is a member of the Baptist Church.
Mr. Rankin served about five months in Company H, 168th O. V. I., and was captured at Cynthiana, Kentucky. Though not an office seeker, he was elected justice of the peace of this township in 1858, and served until 1879. He is one of Fayette County's self-made men; all that he has being the result of his own good management.
From R. S. Dills' History of Fayette County