Discovering
Backgrounds for Our Rankin Roots
By Hazel Timblin
Townsend
Adapted
from presentation at Rankin Clan Reunion
Mt.
Horeb, Jefferson County, TN, July 11, 2010
Introduction
Im Hazel
Timblin Townsend and live in Greenville, South Carolina with my husband Earle.
Our three children are here today, Walter Rankin Townsend, the Clan President
this year, and his wife Barbara. Also here are our two daughters, Susan
Townsend and Sara Luchuk with her husband Alan. Our five grandsons are also
here, Ben and Matthew Townsend and Andrew, Patrick and Nicholas Luchuk. I want
to thank Walter, Ben and Matthew for their technical help with the pictures and
for Barbs help in organizing and proof reading my presentation.
My mother was
Beulah Rankin Timblin, sister of the late Roy Rankin of White Pine. Many of you
know Roy and Marguerites passion for family history. Beulah and Roys parents
were Frank Walter Rankin and Lula Sharp, who lived on the C. H. Rankin Road in
White Pine. Franks father was Christopher Houston Rankin for whom the road was
named. His former house still stands on C. H. Rankin Road. Christopher Houston
Rankins wife was Catherine Kate Franklin whose mother was Lucinda Harriett
Rankin. Houstons parents were Christopher Rankin and Frances Gilbraith.
Christophers
parents were Thomas Rankin II and Jenett Jane
Bradshaw. Thomas was one of the early settlers in Dumplin Valley, along with
John Bradshaw, the father of Jane, Thomas IIs wife. Both Thomas Rankin II and
John Bradshaws names are on the monument in the cemetery behind the church
that honors the settlers of Dumplin Valley. Thomas parents were Thomas Rankin
I and Isabella Clendenin. Thomas I was a son of the immigrant John Rankin.
I didnt like
history when I was in school. Learning all those names and dates was boring.
However, in later years when I learned that some of my family was connected to
certain events in history, I became interested. The more I learned about my familys
history, the more interested I became. It was like a puzzle to try to figure
out answers to questions and I like puzzles. I also think it is very important
to pass on family stories to the younger generations. I remember my grandmother
and aunts discussing the family stories as we worked together in the kitchen to
prepare a large family meal or on the big front porch after dinner. I wish I
could ask them about those people now.
In
1997 I compiled the book Rankin Roots in
East Tennessee, Descendants of Alexander Rankin (1628-1689), using a lot of
the information that Reva Rankin Hammer had gathered but not published. I hope to do an updated second edition of Rankin Roots to include corrected and
new information. To commemorate the 100th wedding anniversary of our
Rankin grandparents, Frank Walter Rankin and Lula Sharp, I compiled a book
about their family in 1999, Rankin
Anniversary Scrapbook. I also wrote
a book about my brother George A. Timblin after he passed away in 2006.
In
1999, an opportunity came to travel to Ireland to do research with a group of family
historians with professional genealogists to guide us. Since then, we have returned
three times. The last time we went to Belfast in Northern Ireland. After the
conference, we traveled to Londonderry and County Donegal with our daughter
Susan as our driver.
We
saw the Giants Causeway in County Antrim, which is only a short distance
across the channel to Scotland. We saw old style thatched-roofed building at the
Ulster American Folk Park in County Tyrone, south of Derry.
The
most interesting for me was visiting the city of Londonderry,
or Derry as most people call it today. The old city of Londonderry sits on a
hill on the west bank of the River Foyle. It is the only city in the British Isles
which has the complete wall around the oldest part of the town.
Earle and I
have attended several genealogical conferences that have helped us get in touch
with other family researchers and professionals. Through these contacts and
conferences, we have learned about software, internet and tools to help with
our research. The newest tool is the use of DNA. Ill tell you more about that
a little bit later.
I invite you to
journey with me through Rankin Roots and some of my findings.
My story
today is one of 3s, and there will be a quiz to follow!
Lets begin
our journey!
Family
Traditions and Stories
Most of you
here today at the Rankin Clan Reunion at Mt. Horeb Church are descended from
the settler John Rankin of Pennsylvania. Our Rankin family has a 300-year old story
about the siege of Londonderry in Ulster, Ireland. It is a story of bravery and
tragedy that has been passed down through the generations. How much of the story is true is hard to
prove today. However, we continue to remember the story because it reminds us
that we have a heritage that is willing to stand up for what we believe.
Scotland
to Ulster, Ireland
This 300-year
old story began when Alexander Rankin and three sons (William, Alexander and
John) fled Scotland to Ulster, Ireland, in the late 1600s. Two sons were killed,
one on the highway and one in a smoke house, as the family fled the terrors of
the day. Alexander, the father, and son
William managed to get to Londonderry safely. Were they fleeing from
persecution in Scotland or in Ulster?
In the 1600s,
there was religious persecution between the Roman Catholic and Protestant
leaders of the British Isles. This period is referred to as the Killing Time. People
fled Scotland to Ulster, Ireland, to escape the persecution in Scotland, and at
times the English rulers were encouraging the Scots to come to Ulster to
replace the Roman Catholics. Then it would be the other way around, depending
on the ruler at the time. In 1688 King James II was on the march from Dublin,
pillaging and burning farms and homes in the Protestant communities. Many
Protestants took refuge behind the walls of Londonderry.
Our Rankin
family was Presbyterian, followers of the faith founded by John Knox in
Scotland. Alexander and his son William arrived
in Londonderry before the siege began in 1689, joining the fighters of Derry.
In the book
about the Fighters of Derry by
William R. Young (p. 117) there are three sketches about Rankin men. Although I
have found no official family record about these particular men, the
information does fit our traditional story.
#342.
LIEUT. RANKIN, defender, served all through the defense, and is referred to by
Londeriados in his description of the Pennyburn sortie (a battle near the
walled-city of Londonderry) of the 21st April, [1689] viz.:--
Lieutenant
Rankin hewed the Irish down
And in that battle gained much renown.
#343. ALICK.
RANKIN, possibly the above, was a signer of the address to King William after
the relief. (The
Petition of Thanks to Almighty God and William King of Orange for his coming
to the rescue of the citizens of Derry and stopping the siege in August of 1689
recorded in Witherow, Derry and Enniskillen in the Year 1689,
p. 409-412)
#344.
JOHN RANKIN was among the signers of the Corporations Commission of 1690
The
family have for generations been closely connected with the city and county,
where many of the name are still to be found.
Below are
some of the other Rankins I found during this early period. However, I cant
confirm that any of these Rankins are connected to our line.
(1) Captain Michael Browning, captain
of the ship Mountjoy, rammed the boom across the
River Foyle. This finally relieved the
105-day siege. Although he was killed in this daring attack, the supply boats
for the besieged city continued to Derry.
Captain Browning was married to Widow Margaret Rankin who had at least
one Rankin son by her first husband. (Young, Fighters of Derry)
(2) 1630 County Donegal Muster Roll,
Barony of Rapho, William Rankin and James are listed under
Swords and Pikes for Lady Conningham, widow of Sir James Conningham,
owner of 2,000 acres in the Barony of Rapho, east of
Londonderry. (Donegal Annual)
(3) 1630 County Donegal Muster Roll,
Barony of Rapho, William Rankin was listed with the
men and armes of The Lo: Bpp
of Raphos churchlands of
2,700 acres. (Donegal Annual)
(3)
1663 Alexander Rankin listed in Heath money rolls, County Derry.
(4)
May 20, 1709, John Rankin signed a lease for land
belonging to Lord/Duke Donegal (Deed Book, Vol. 46, p. 380) and the son John
Rankin transferred the lease to Wm. Jackson of Cleraine,
County Londonderry in 1725. The lease of 1725 also mentioned the Earl of Staires, Regiment of Dragoons, one of the sons of the late
John Rankin of the city of Londonderry. The property was in the Townland of
Greencastle and Barony of Ennishoinn. (John Rankin to
Wm. Wallace, Vol. 4, p. 147) Several records of lease, rent or mortgage of the same
property was found in deed books 1709 to 1725. I found no more deeds listed for
John Rankin after 1725.
(5)
1642-1703 The Register of Derry Cathedral (St. Columbs) had several Rankins
listed--baptisms, marriages and deaths. (Derry Cathedral, Londonderry, 1642-1703)
St. Columbs Cathedral of the Church of Ireland was completed in 1633. The
Cathedral would have been there when the Rankin families lived in Ulster.
(6)
February 12, 1703 administration of the estate of Alexander Rankin granted to
his widow, Maria Rankin, as recorded in the abstract record of Prerogative Administrations Intestate, by
Sir William Betham, Ulster King of Arms. (Bethams Abstract 356) The abstract states Rankin Alexr: Sergt. Lord Donegals Regt.To Maria-the Wid. Act Recd day of 12
February 1703. This is believed to be the same Alexander who fought in the
siege of Londonderry, signed the petition to King William, and Alexander Rankin
our ancestor. However, I have found no documents to prove these connections.
The original estate record no longer exists because of the 1922 fire at the
Public Records Office of Ireland where all wills, and many historical documents
were stored.
On the far
hill west of Derry, an ancient Round Fort overlooks the whole area,
particularly County Donegal. The fort is thought to have been built about the
time of Christ. It would have been there, but in ruins, in the 1600s. From the
fort you have a wonderful view of County Donegal.
Are any of these
Ulster Rankins related to our John Rankin (1690-1749), the immigrant to Pennsylvania
in the 1720s? Unfortunately I have not found enough records to piece the
families together and make positive connections. But Im still trying!
Now lets move
ahead to the 1700s and what we know about the early Rankins in America.
Ulster
to America in the 1720s
The story of
the immigrant ancestor of the Dumplin Valley Rankins begins in the 1720s when
three brothersAdam (1688-1747), Hugh (1690-1749) and John (1692-1747) came to
Pennsylvania, settling in what is now Cumberland County near Harrisburg.
Supposedly their father was William (1658-1720), the surviving son of Alexander
the Fighter of Derry. Adam and Hugh supposedly arrived first (cir. 1721) and
then a few years later brother John arrived (cir. 1727).
Other early Rankin
settlers in Pennsylvania were shown in the Chester County tax lists. Chester
County was one of the first four counties of Pennsylvania.
(1) 1724, John Rinkin,
London Britain Township
(2) 1724, John Rankin, New London Township
(3) 1724, David Rinkin,
Marlborough Township
(4) 1726, John Ranken,
Kennett Township
(5) 1729, Joseph Rankin, London Britain
Township
(6) 1729, John Rankin, West Caln Township
(7) 1739, David Rankin, East Nottingham
Township
(8) 1740, William Rankin, London Britain
Township
Some of the early
Rankin settlers in other parts of America were:
(1) John Rankin banished to the
plantations of America August 16, 1670 (Register of the Privy Council,
Scotland).
(2) John Rankin, a Jacobite
captured at Preston, and transported to Liverpool and then to South Carolina in
1716 on the Wakefield (CTB, SP/C, Calendar of Treasury Papers).
(3) Joseph Rankin
owned 150 acres of land in 1731 on the south side of White Clay Creek in New
Castle, Delaware (May, My Augusta, p.
40).
The children and
grandchildren of the two of the three brothers who settled in Pennsylvania, Adam
and John [Hugh had no children.] moved south and west, or stayed in the general
area of southern Pennsylvania along the Maryland border.
Moving
to the Present
Lets move to
the 21st Century and look at a map of Ireland quickly. Due to
conflicts within Ireland an agreement was signed in 1921-22 to partition the
country. Twenty-six counties wanted to be independent from Great Britain and
they later formed the Republic of Ireland. Six northern counties in the Ulster
region remained with Britain Fermanagh, Tyrone, Londonderry, Antrim, Armagh,
and Down (History World). County
Donegal did not remain with the six northern counties but was one of the
twenty-six counties. (Ireland Country
Profile)
Our roots in
American began in Pennsylvania, and from there they spread across the United
States. Our forefathers had faith in God, believed in the freedom of worship
and that hard work can improve our way of life. So what became of some of these
people who kept moving on to a better opportunity? Lets look at the present to
see what more we can learn about our family history.
Rankin DNA
Surname Project
In 2006 I
started a Rankin DNA Surname Project with FamilyTree
DNA. This is the latest tool to help sort out various family lines and a way
for matching people to share information. A simple swab of the mouth is all
that is required for the test. The yDNA results can
tell us if there is a common ancestor, but it is up to the living descendants
to find the paper trail and links. The Surname Project only follows the male
Rankin line. Females do not have the y chromosome so
cannot provide the same information. Certain mutation markers on the yDNA string are compared to determine a given family line.
WorldFamilies, a company that works with Family
Tree DNA, provides free websites on which to post, sort and organize the
results of the testing. As of November 1, 2010, we have 45 participants
representing five different lines and several unmatched people.
Here is what
we have learned so far about those five different lines:
Lineage
I
The Lineage I group has known
descendants with paper trails from Adam and John Rankin, the early settlers in
Pennsylvania. Some of the others in
this group may or may not have Adam and John in their direct line, but farther
back they have a common ancestor. The common ancestor may go back to Ulster,
Ireland, or even to Scotland. Some of the North Carolina Rankins are in our
Lineage I group. They go back to a Joseph Rankin in Chester County, Pennsylvania,
and/or New Castle County, Delaware. So far we have not found the common link
between the North Carolina and Tennessee Rankin families.
It also
appears that most of the people in Lineage I have a connection to the western
part of Ulster--Counties Derry and Donegal. After visiting that area in 2008, I
can see why there is confusion as to exact locations. The walled city of
Londonderry (Derry) is actually on the west bank of the River Foyle and is
almost surrounded by County Donegal. County Derry is on the other side of the
river, the east side.
In Lineage I
there are some people who do not have the Rankin surname and yet they are close
matches. As far as the Renkin spelling is concerned, we know where an ancestor
changed the spelling of his name. In the Mitchell and Dawson cases, they know
where an adoption or name change took place.
Lineage
IIa
The ancestors
of Lineage IIa were early settlers along the Shenandoah
Valley of Virginia and in Washington/Greene County in East Tennessee. They go
back to a David Rankin of the 1700s. It has been assumed over the years that David
belonged to the same family line as those early settlers of Lineage I. However,
the DNA results contradict this. Researching in the 1700 records is difficult.
David was a very common name of that day and particularly in the Rankin
families. There could have been
misconnections made or there could have been an adoption of a child into the
Rankin family somewhere in that particular line. We need more information for
Lineage IIa, both in paper trails and in DNA testing.
Lineage
IIb
Lineage IIb is similar to IIa, but the
experts at WorldFamilies think there is enough
difference that it should be a different group.
One of the participants in Lineage IIb still
lives in County Down in Northern Ireland. This is in the eastern part, east of
Belfast. His ancestral record goes back to 1713 when his ancestor, Michael
Rankin, is known to have lived in that area. However, I found a Michael Rankin
of Newtownards listed as a Freeholder in the County Down
Sessions of Oct. 2, 1701. Although the current Rankin family story says that their
ancestor Michael came from Scotland, they have been unable to trace their roots
into Scotland.
Two Lineage
Groups Needing More Info
Two other Lineage
groups, Lineage III and Haplogroup R1a Lineage I, have two people each. There
is also another possible group with Haplogroup I2. More people and information are
needed to learn about these groups.
Haplogroups
The
Haplogroup divides world peoples into various groups according to their place
of origin. Most of the Rankins who have tested thus far are in the Haplogroup
R1b1b2.
Unassigned
There are
several in the unassigned group who have no matches. One of these is from an
early James Rankin in Maine. Another non-match is a descendant of William
Rankin of Virginia. We also have several others who are related to the Rankin
family but different surnames who are interested in learning more about the
Rankin family through our study.
In the
Genes
Youve heard
the expression, Its in the genes. Well last week I heard of another
interesting DNA study. It is the L159 mutation study.
I had an
email from Neal Downing who is working on this project, comparing certain
markers that seem to show relationships across surname lines and a connection
to the border area of southern Scotland and northern England, as well as the western
Scotland Isles. The Rankin Lineage group IIa falls
into this pattern. One of our Lineage IIa members has
joined this project. It will be interesting to see what we learn. Lineage
information that Neal found concerning some people in this group was their
claim to Alexander Rankin as an ancestor. Their migration claim is similar to
our Rankin Lineage I patternSouthern Scotland to Northern Ireland and then to
Appalachia. Neal raises the question, Which group is the lineage of Alexander
Rankin, the Derry fighter? Lineage I or Lineage IIa?
The very
newest DNA test is Family Finder. This test is for both males and females and
will help in finding cousins back four or five generations. A different part of
the DNA is compared for Family Finder. This testing is just getting started and
is now open to the general public. Would you like to join? More about those
findings will be reported at another time.
I continue to
encourage more people to be tested, particularly the people who are doing
family research. Do any of you know other people with the Rankin surname?
Encourage them to be tested and to share their heritage so that we may continue
to learn about our extended families.
Conclusion
In conclusion,
our 300-year old family story about the siege of Londonderry helps us to better
understand our early Rankin roots. They were brave, hard working, God fearing, and
willing to stand up for what they believed. I hope viewing pictures of the area
around Derry will help you visualize and picture where they lived, worked and
died. It is a beautiful country and must have been beautiful in their day also.
(See Sources below for web address.) We can continue to look back with pride to
what they believed and how they lived their lives. Please pass along your own
family stories to your children and grandchildren. They need to know the family
that came before them.
And
now for the quiz:
1. How old is the family
story?
2. Name the 3 countries
in the family story.
3. In the late 1600s, which
of the 3 sons made it to Londonderry?
4. In the 1700s, who
were the three immigrant brothers?
5. Name one of the DNA
studies.
6. Who is thought to be
our oldest ancestor?
Answers:
1.
300
years
2.
Scotland,
Ireland, and America
3.
William
4.
Adam,
Hugh, and John
5.
yDNA,
L159 Mutation, Family Finder
6.
Alexander
Rankin
Sources
Betham's Abstracts, "Genealogical
Manuscript 259". National Archives, Dublin, Ireland.
(Vol. 42, 1A, shelf 44-13, p. 126, entry 356), Alexd
Rankin, "Prerogative Administrations Intestate.
CTB, SP/C: Calendar of Treasury Papers, and State Papers
(Colonial). John Rankin, Jacobite captured at
Preston. Transported from Liverpool to South Carolina on the Wakefield, master
Thomas Beck. 21 April 1716. (Beverly Conolly has information.)
Derry Cathedral (S. Columbs), Parish
of Templemore, Londonderry, 1642-1703,
(1910, Parish Register Society of Dublin by William Pollard & Co., Ltd. 14,
39 & 40 North Street, Exeter and London.
Donegal Annual 10(2) [f182v], County Donegal, Ireland
(1972), page 134, found in Irish Records,
page 131), <http://clanmaclochlainn.com/muster.htm>
FamilyTreeDNA website for Rankin: <http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/rankin/>
History World, History of the Republic of Ireland,
<http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=321&HistoryID=aa31>rack=pthc>
Index,
Tax List, Chester Co., PA.
Ireland Country Profile, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1038581.stm>
Register of the Privy Council of Scotland. John Rankin, Bonhardpans. Convenater. Banished to the plantations in America
16 August 1670. (Beverly Conolly has information.)
John Rankin to Wm. Jackson, deed, Vol. 46, page 380, number 28975 [v.
46, 1724-1725- FHL BRITISH Film 461326]. Deed dated 24 May 1725. Mentioned
Earl of Staires, Reg of
dragoons, one of sons of late John Rankin of city of Londonderry. Same
land son John is deeding to Wm Jackson of Cleraine,
Co Londondery and Edward Cary of Reddcastle,
Co Donegal.
John
Rankin to Wm. Wallace, lease, Vol. 4, page 147, number 807 [v. 4 1709-1710 - FHL BRITISH Film 522805]
May,
C.E., My Augusta, 2nd edition (1997, Good Printer, Bridgewater, VA),
page 40.
Photographs
of Northern Ireland
WorldFamilies website for Rankin: <http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/rankin/>
Witherow, Thomas D.D., Derry and Enniskillen in the Year 1689: The
Story of Some Famous Battle-Fields in Ulster, (3rd ed.),
(William Mullan & Son, Belfast, 1885), pp.
409-412.
Young,
William R., Fighters of Derry, Their
Deeds and Descendents, Being a Chronicle of Events in Ireland during the
Revolutionary Period, 1688-91 (1932, Eyre and Spottiswoode, London), p.
117.