James RANKIN (Abt. 1745 - aft. 1775)

James was born in Tyrone, Ireland and at an early age was engaged in the service of the Hudson Bay Company in the north, later going into the fur trade business for himself. He was very successful in this venture and in the course of time accumulated a large fortune. For many years Detroit was the point from which he directed his business. He married a Wyandot of the Big Turtle band named Mary (Catherine) Montour (b. 1746-56) before 1771 at Detroit. In June 20 1775 the Wyandots at Detroit gave James Rankin a tract of land just below the Assumption Mission church. He moved to Pennsylvania, and died in Huntingdon, PA. His son James Rankin Jr. was in the service of Aaron Burr and Blennerhasset for years, being sent to the Chickasaws & Choctaws to enlist them in their scheme to establish an empire in the west. A daughter, Catherine Montour Rankin (1771-1844) married William Walker (1770-1824) about 1792 and lived in Upper Sandusky. Walker had been captured by a war party of Delaware at 11 year old and taken to Ohio. About four year later his adopted family took him to Detroit and was ransomed by another former captive, Adam Brown.

 

David Rankin

He was a fur trader, born to a Ojibwa/Ottawa woman. He married Weawwening, daughter of Augustin Ashwaubomay (abt.1750-1815). A daughter, Sophia Theresa "Nekikoqua" Rankin (b.abt.1788) was first married to Louis Grignon and later about 1807 to John Lawe.

 

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