Person:Robert Rankin (6)

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

The Third Generation: The Family of

Robert Rankin, Mary Cusick and Mary Moody

Robert Rankin’s family is a well-documented one. He was born 29 May 1759 in that part of Rowan which became Guilford County, the second son of George Rankin and his wife, Lydia Steele . In his father’s will of 1760, he specified that Robert was "to get two-thirds of my plantation where I live" upon reaching the age of 21 which he did.

Robert was very active in the Revolutionary War. According to his pension application, he was born 29 May 1759 in Guilford County. There is no doubt as to the veracity of the date but Guilford County was formed from Rowan and Orange Counties in 1770. Robert enlisted on 16 June 1776 and served as a Private in Captain Bell’s Company of Colonel Caval’s Regiment of NC Troops. He was discharged on 1 Oct 1776. He volunteered in Mar 1780 and served in Capt. Reden Moore’s Company of Colonel Paisley’s Regiment of NC Troops. He was involved in a skirmish with the British and some of their men were taken prisoner. On 1 July 1780, he volunteered and served under Capt. Ross, Capt. Forbes and Major Devold and was discharged on 16 Mar 1781. He fought at the Battle of Guilford Court House and served three months in Capt. McAdoo’s Company of Col. Paisley’s Regiment as a minute horseman. Robert declared that he lived in Guilford County, NC until 1830 when he moved to McNairy County, Tennessee.

Robert’s first wife was Mary "Polly" Cusick . The will of William Cusick was filed in Guilford County, NC on 4 May 1816 and was proven in May 1817. In it, he mentions "Robert Rankin, Sr." and Robert’s three daughters Lydia, Isabelle, and Thankful who "are to be treated as my daughters instead of their deceased mother, Polly." It is not, at this time, known when Robert married Polly, who all of their children are, or exactly when she died.

Robert married again on 22 Nov 1803 in Guilford County, NC to Mary Moody who applied for a pension on 12 July 1853 at the age of 75. Robert died in McNairy County, TN on 21 Dec 1840 as did Mary on 11 July 1854.

The known children of Robert and his first wife, Polly Cusick:

1. Lydia Rankin — this may be the wife of William Rankin Wilson, listed above

2. Jedediah Rankin — b. 1783 d. 1862 (further)

3. Thankful Rankin — married in Guilford County on 4 Feb 1818 to Hance McCain

4. Isabelle Rankin — b. 1791 d. 1861 (further)

5. Robert Rankin

6. George Rankin — (further)

The records of Buffalo Presbyterian Church also indicate two more children:

1. William Rankin

2. John Rankin

Robert and second wife, Mary Moody, had only one child:

1. Jane Rankin — b. 1817 in Guilford County, NC. She married James Eades. One of her descendents is Lucille Eades Moore DAR # 72921.