General Information

Birth
28 NOV 1879
Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas
Death
17 SEP 1962
Big Horn County, Montana
Burial
Fairview Cemetery, Big Horn County, Hardin, Montana

Notes

Son of Col. and Mrs. John K. Rankin.

Married Bessie Eaton at Lawrence, Kansas, on 3 Mar 1904.

Built the first building, an office building, and the first house, in the town of Hardin in May 1908. His second son, Carl, was the first child born in the new town.

He operated a newspaper in Nebraska for several years, and returned to Hardin in 1915. He was a county clerk of Big Horn County in 1919-1928, served as an alderman from 1938 - 1940 and was elected mayor from 1940-1948. In 1955, he was reelected mayor for one two-year term.

He was president of the Hardin Volunteer Fire Department.

He was survived by his two sons: Col. Carl E. Rankin, Redlands, California; and John K. Rankin, Belmont, California.

Parents

John Knox Rankin
- Father
1837 - 1913
Birth
3 NOV 1837
Cass County, Indiana
Death
29 OCT 1913
Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas
Burial
Oak Hill Cemetery, Doughas County, Lawrence, Kansas
Augusta Fischer
- Mother
1855 - 1928
Birth
2 JAN 1855
Death
29 MAR 1928
Douglas County, Kansas
Burial
Oak Hill Cemetery, Doughas County, Lawrence, Kansas

Spouse

Bessie B. Eaton
- Wife
1883 - 1961
Birth
1883
Death
1961

Children

John Knox Rankin Sr.
- Son
1907 - 1976
Birth
27 MAR 1907
Crow Agency, Big Horn County, Montana
Death
3 FEB 1976
San Mateo, San Mateo County, California
Burial
Fairview Cemetery, Big
Carl Eaton Rankin
- Son
1908 - 1999
Birth
8 SEP 1908
Hardin, Big
Death
18 JAN 1999
Californa
Burial
Pacific View Memorial Park, Orange County, Corona del Mar, California