| Notes |
- The death record of William's son John and the burial record of his daughter Isabella stated that they were born in Antrim, Ireland. From this we may infer that the family came from that county.
There are two listings of a William Rankin in the 1828 Tithe Applotment Book in Antrim [PRONI ref. FIN/5/A/134 - in Dunluce Parish, one in Park townland, and the other in Ballyhome townland. A Hugh Rankin and a Thomas Rankin are also listed in Park townland. These tithe applotment records list no Mahaffeys. Dunluce Parish contains the spectacular ruins of Dunluce Castle situated on a rocky promentory overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
The 1796 flaxgrowers bounty list includes: a Hugh Rankin in Ballyrashean Parish, 2 James Rankins in Dunluce Parish, a Thomas Rankin in Ballyrashean Parish and a William Rankin in Derrykeighan Parish.
1824-1827 Vestry minutes of the Church of Ireland parish of Dunluce, held in PRONI [MIC/1/90//1] mention a Hugh Rankin as a church warden. The following Rankin baptisms are also mentioned:
Jan. 16, 1814: John, son of James Rankin of Lisales, Billy.
July 7, 1817: Hugh, son of William Rankin of Park Mountain.
July 25, 1822: James, son of William Rankin of Ballyhome.
The 1901 census listing for William's son Abraham states that the family immigrated to Canada in 1842.
According to the biography of Frederic Fortescue Passmore in "Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of York, Ontario: containing biographical sketches of ..", J.H. Beers, Toronto, 1907:
".. Mr. Passmore married Miss Isabella Rankin, who belongs to a family long identified with County York, being a daughter of William and Mary (Mahoffey) Rankin, natives of Ireland, who came to Toronto at an early date, settling on Yonge Street, where Mr. Rankin owned a tract of land, and where both he and Mrs. Rankin died. Of their thirteen children, Mrs. Passmore and her sister Mrs. Cunningham, and one brother, Abraham Rankin, are the only survivors....".
A copy of William Rankin's will, dated Mar. 8, 1848, is among the personal papers of his son-in-law, Frederick Fortecue Passmore. He requested that his possessions and his farm, at Lot 10, Concession 1, in Whitchurch Twp., be sold to pay his debts and funeral expenses. The will lists his wife and his 11 children - William, Robert, James, John, Samuel, Margaret, Isabella, Daniel, George, Mary Ellen and Andrew.
In census and marriage records, many Rankins, probably from several families, were listed in Vaughan, Whitchurch and Markham Townships in York County in the mid-1800s. Among the marriages, with Rankin parents listed as William and Mary were:
John Rankin, b ~ 1824 in Ireland, m. Elizabeth Hope Nov. 26, 1879
Harriet Rankin, b. ~1846 in Canada m. James Cochrane, Aug. 1, 1868
Mary Jane Rankin, b. ~1842 in Ireland m. James Kelly, Jul 18, 1866
Samuel Rankin, b. 1830 in Ireland m. Ellen Sleightholm, Sep 25, 1861
Isabella H. Rankin b. 1833 in Ireland m. Frederick Fortescue Passmore, Aug. 4, 1859
Other Rankin marriages, for which parents were not listed included:
Elizabeth Rankin m. Daniel McPherson Feb. 13, 1834 witnesses: James Rankin and Esther Rankin
James Rankin m. Mary Sweetman Oct 21, 1836
Margaret Rankin m. James Stewart Dec 22, 1846 (1891 census shows her as b. ~1826 in Ireland)
The 1861 census for Whitchurch, York County (which includes upper Yonge Street), includes a Mary Rankin, age 60, widowed, born in Ireland, and living with her daughter Mary, age 22.
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- 1848