Rankin Family

Ainsworth Hanna Rankin was born in Buffalo, New York, Nov . 27, 1898. He was the youngest of four children born to Dr. James Banks Rankin from Scotland and Louise Chilton Hanna from Ireland. He had two sisters, Eileen Frances Spence Rankin (1893-1931 ) and Amy Chilton Rankin (1895-1973) His brother was James McClymont Rankin (1892-1946 ). He may have spent up to 6 years in England during his childhood years (1901-1910.)   At the early age of 15 on Feb 14, 1913, he entered a Valentine drawing contest for the local newspaper, “The Brooklyn Eagle.” This was probably his first published drawing. He graduated from Brooklyn High School and began illustrating for various national publications . At age 19, June 21 1916, he became a member of the New York National Guard with the Quartermaster Corps. He acquired the nickname "Doc" during this WWI service. Probably from his father who was a practicing Doctor at the time. By 1918, Private Rankin was serving in the ...

James Banks Rankin was born February 7, 1863 at Woodside Cottage, Kilmaurs, Grennock, Scotland.  His parents James and Margaret (McClymont) lived in Rosemont (Livingston Villa) in Kilmarnock, Scotland.  He had two sisters and four brothers.  He is named after his grandmother's brother, Reverend James Banks, founder of the Holm United Presbyterian Church of Kilmarnock in 1849. Reverend Banks married James and Margaret in Glasgow, Scotland on June 21, 1816 James Banks Rankin studied to become a doctor at Glasgow University in Glasgow, Scotland.  He immigrated to America in 1889 and lived first in Chicago, Illinois where he attended medical school at Wayne University. He graduated probably in the year 1895. . Wayne University college of Medicine James married Louise Chilton Hanna in Chicago on April 14, 1891.  Louise was born in Belfast, Ireland, in August 1862.  Her parents are Reverend Hugh Hanna and Frances Spence Rankin. She had three sist...