Albert Rankin
Albert Rankin (deceased) was born in Worcester County, Md., March 7, 1814. We will here endeavor to trace his ancestry back to about the middle of the eighteenth century. Rev. John Rankin was probably a native of the North of Ireland, born in 1750. He located in Lancaster County, Penn., thence went to Berlin, Md., and was the first pastor of Buckingham Church, of the Presbyterian denomination. He there died in 1798. He married Mary Atkinson, a resident of Berlin, Md., who bore him five children -- John, James, George, Mary Priscilla and Sally Atkinson. The second son, James, married Margaret Truitt, of Worcester County, Md., and they started for Ohio in the spring of 1817. They were all summer on the road, and arrived in Madison County in the fall. The first winter, they staved at the sugar camp of Mary Truitt, the entire party, consisting of fourteen persons, sleeping in a log cabin of one room during the winter. The next spring, Mr. Rankin located on the land now known as the County Infirmary farm. He was a carpenter by trade, and a farmer by occupation. He was a prominent member of the Presbyterian denomination, and one of the original members of what is now the First Presbyterian Church of London, when it was re-organized in 1829. He was a Whig in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity. He was born May 20, 1786, and died August 21, 1857, at the age of seventy-one years. Mrs. Rankin was born January 1, 1788, and died December 12. 1871, aged eighty-three years. She was a daughter of George and Martha Truitt. Mr. and Mrs. Rankin are buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, near London. They were married February 10. 1808, and were the parents of ten children, namely: Sarah Maria Purnell, born April 2, 1809; John T. N. December 16, 1811: Albert G., March 7, 1814; Charlotte Ann Selby, January 23, 1817; Eliza White, September 4, 1819; Caroline Matilda, October 25, 1821; Joshua Truitt, April 29, 1824; Mary Atkinson, May 3, 1826; James, May 11, 1829; and Washington Purnell, July 6, 1831. Five of these children are now living, and three residents of this county. Albert G. Rankin removed to this county with his parents, and grew to maturity here. About 1842, he commenced dealing in cattle, and about 1845 or 1846 engaged in the dry goods business at South Charleston, Clark County, Ohio, in company with his brother, John T. N. A short time after, he went to Midway, this county, and there engaged in the same business. He remained there for some years, and then bought a farm in Paint Township. He subsequently sold this land, and purchased the "Gossard farm." in the same township. He afterward purchased the old "Rayburn farm" of 400 acres, in Union Township, close to London, where he resided till his death. He was largely engaged in handling stock during his lifetime, and was very prosperous in whatever occupation he engaged. At the time of his death, he owned over 1,000 acres of land in this county, and about a section in Illinois. He was reared a Presbyterian, but subsequently united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Rankin lived a truly Christian life, enjoying the full confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens. He was Republican in politics. He was married February 15, 1848, to Abigail Cooper. They had one child -- George W., born November 3, 1848, and died December 6, 1878. She died November 29, 1848. On the ''4th of September, 1850, Mr. Rankin married for his second wife Margaret A., daughter of Washington and Catherine (Truman) Withrow, honored pioneers of Paint Township. They were the parents of six children -- Harford Toland, an infant daughter, Fulton A., Carrie M. (now wife of A. J. Blue, of Union Township), Fannie (now wife of James Winans, of Xenia, Ohio), and William Moody. Mrs. Rankin married Isaac C. Kemp, December 21, 1865 and still resides on the old homestead.
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]