Person:John Rankin (29)

Information on Rev. John Rankin

http://www.rankinfamily.org/Rankins%20of%20NC/Rowan%20County/The%20Rankins%20of%20Rowan%20County%20(676-708).htm

The Third Generation: The Family of

Rev. John Rankin and Rebecca Rankin

"Shaker" John Rankin is a very significant figure in the annals of the Shaker faith. In his 88th year, he handwrote his autobiography which not only tells much about the Shaker faith, but John’s personal life and beliefs, and his genealogy.

John was born 27 Nov 1757 in that part of Rowan County which became Guilford County, NC in 1770. He was the oldest of the two sons of George Rankin and his wife, Lydia Steele . He married in Guilford County on 28 Nov 1786 to Rebecca Rankin who was born in 1767. Rebecca was the oldest child of John Rankin and his wife, Hannah Carson of Guilford County. Thus, Rebecca is a descendent of Joseph Rankin of Delaware. As far as we have been able to determine, there is no close relationship between John and his wife, Rebecca Rankin.

His father, George Rankin, specified that upon John’s reaching the age of 21, he was to receive George’s "land on Brushy Creek" and it would appear that he did. John indicates in his autiobiography that he was licensed as a Presbyterian preacher in 1795. In 1796, he received a letter from Gallatin, Sumner County, TN. After preaching in Russellville, Nashville and Gallatin, he returned to North Carolina, sold his land and crops and on 6 Oct 1796, moved to the Gallatin area, then to Sumner County. In 1798, he moved to South Union, Logan County, KY where he was pastor of one of the three Presbyterian churches in what was then Logan County.

This territory had been rapidly settled by people from the eastern states and territories. As is typical in the settling of a new country, morale was low. There was much antagonism among the denominations. John Rankin, as did ministers of other denominations, preached in the early years of the 1800s from his own viewpoint but was part of the "Great Revival" at Cain Ridge, KY. The emotion of the revival spread and churches all over the country admitted that while some of its aspects were not understandable, great good did result—even London magazines were featuring stories of the revival. This publicity caught the attention of other sects many of which sent representatives to Kentucky. One of these was "The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing" from Lebanon, Ohio—members of the Shaker faith. Charles Crossfield Ware, in his book Barton Warren Stone, says:

"The religion of the Shakers, in its idiosyncracies, may be said to have been a compound of asceticism, communism, spiritualism and paternalism. A tenet which they enforced within their communion and which made them notorious, was the forbidding of racial reproduction...Between Shakers and Mormans there is fascinating contrast and coincidence. One believed and practiced celebacy, which was self-destructive; while the other believes in polygamy and practiced it openly until the Federal Government interposed...That these beliefs, at opposite poles, could exist in Ameria is a score for our tolerance. However, both were subject to sporadic mob violence. They were both indigenous to the State of New York. New Lebanon, the home of the Shakers’ "Mother Church," was about 200 miles east of Palmyra, where the "Golden Plates" of Morman were discovered."

In late 1807, John Rankin retired from the Presbyterian ministry having become jaded with the politics of the Church. He became a Shaker on 8 Nov 1807. Rebecca was converted to Shakerism on 9 Nov 1807 as was John’s eldest son, George, on 18 Nov 1807. In 1813, Samuel G. .;White, George Rankin and John McCombs became Trustees for the Shakers of 943 acres of land on the Black Lick Fork of Gasper River part of which became "Shakertown."

As was mentioned previously, John handwrote his autobiography in his 88th year, 1845, and signed it "John Rankin, Sr." This was copied by Harvey L. Eads.; in 1870. The copy, it appears, was incorporated in the History of the South Union Shaker Colony and is now in the library of Western Kentucky State College in Bowling Green, KY.

Rebecca died on 25 May 1845 as did John, at the age of 93, on 12 July 1850. Their children, all but one of whom (Robert) accepted the Shaker faith:

1. George Rankin — b. 7 Jan 1787 d. 26 Nov 1880 (further)

2. Hannah Rankin — b. May 1789 in North Carolina. Hannah never married and died on 5 Nov 1826 at the age of 37 years

3. Robert W. Rankin .;— b. 25 Aug 1790 d. 16 Nov 1881 (further)

4. Solomon Rankin — b. 3 June 1796 in Virginia. Solomon never married and died at the age of 85 years in Nov 1882

5. John Rankin — b. 1798 in North Carolina. He died on 29 Nov 1870 at the age of 72 years

6. Jesse Rankin — b. 9 Sept 1799 in Kentucky. He died at the age of 83 years on 2 Dec 1882

7. William Rankin — b. 25 Jan 1803 in Kentucky. He died on 16 Feb 1880 at the age of 77 years

8. Eliza Rankin — b. 23 May 1805 in Kentucky. She died 18 Jan 1865

9. Polly Rankin — b. 27 Feb 1807 in Kentucky. She died on 27 Apr 1881