Edgar Crawford Rankin

Edgar Crawford Rankin, eldest child of Charles M. and Sophia Hoff Rankin, was born among the hills of West Virginia near the city of Phillipi on the third day of August eighteen hundred and fifty three. His father fell in the defense of his country on Antietam's field and Edgar Crawford was left fatherless at the age of nine. The mother with her family moved to Parkersburg and from there to Seneca county, Ohio, in 1864 and from Ohio they came to Mexico, Mo, in 1872 and the next year to Valley Falls and Kansas "claimed them for her own." College halls saw little of young Rankin. His general education, though' thorough and far reaching, was obtained more from books and in the school of hard knocks than from professors. He always made the most of his opportunities in obtaining knowledge. The common schools and a short term at an academy in Ohio furnished all of his general schooling. His love of reading and good literature, however, led him on to higher ambitions and higher things. He was familiar with nearly all of the poets and could repeat from memory many of their most beautiful selections He graduated from the Kansas City Medical College and was for thirty years one of the leading physicians in Jefferson county.

In 1880 he was married to Pauline C. Elliott. To them was born a son, Paul C., in 1881. Paul's mother died in 1891 and Dr. Rankin took for his second wife Lila J. Higden.

He died at St Mary's Hospital, Kansas City, Mo., June 1, 1910.

He was a member of the Baptist church and had been for seventeen years a deacon in the church and had been for several years church treasurer.

He is survived by his wife, his son, the mother and two sisters, Mrs. J. D. Trower and Mrs. J D. Corbet.

The funeral was held in the Methodist church Friday afternoon, June 3 Rev. J. H. Zabriskie read from the Scripture. Elder G D. Kuns eloquently poured out in prayer the tenderest petition to a Loving Father and all wise God," paying beautiful tribute to the honored dead which struck a sympathetic chord in every heart. Rev E. E. McAferty preached the funeral sermon, a beautiful eulogy of the departed. The choir was composed of singers of the different churches. Mrs. Nettie Sullivan sang "One Sweetly Solemn Thought" and Miss Bessie Edmonds and Irene Steeper sang "Morning Land." Although the weather was threatening the church was filled and many who came were unable to get inside. It was one of the largest funerals ever held in the county. The Masons, Workmen, and Woodmen marched in the funeral procession and the Masonic service was given at the grave. The floral offerings were many and beautiful.