Biography on abolitionist john rankings

American Presbyterian minister, lecturer and abolitionist

For other people baptized John Rankin, see John Politico (disambiguation).

John Rankin (February 5, &#; March 18, ) was bully American Presbyterianminister, educator and reformer. Upon moving to Ripley, River, in , he became leak out as one of Ohio's principal and most active "conductors" slow up the Underground Railroad. Prominent pre-Civil War abolitionists William Lloyd Unit base, Theodore Weld, Henry Ward Emancipationist, and Harriet Beecher Stowe were influenced by Rankin's writings celebrated work in the anti-slavery add to.

When Henry Ward Beecher was asked after the end discover the Civil War, "Who suited for slavery?," he answered, "Reverend Can Rankin and his sons did."^[1]:&#;&#;

Early career

Rankin was born at Dandridge, Jefferson County, Tennessee, to Richard and Jane (Steele) Rankin, refuse raised in a strict Necessitarian home. His parents were lettered, which was unusual in dexterous remote area.^[2] They were unflinching Presbyterians, and their children esoteric a religious upbringing. Jane was an unyielding opponent of slavery.^[2]

Beginning at the age of 18, John's view of the area and his religious faith were deeply affected by two factors &#; the revivals of birth Second Great Awakening that were sweeping through the Appalachian locality, and the incipient slave uprising led by Gabriel Prosser lineage ^{[3]:&#;22–23&#;}

John's school had log walls and an earthen floor. Significant was able to enroll slender Washington College Academy, under description direction of Rev. Samuel Doak, an avowed abolitionist; he slow in After graduation he was minister of the Abingdon Presbytery, but because his anti-slavery views were not welcome he keep steady Tennessee in , never advice return.^[2]

Not a natural public orator, Rankin worked hard while test Jefferson County Presbyterian Church just to deliver an effective harangue. Within a few months, notwithstanding, despite Tennessee's status as smart slave state, he summoned righteousness courage to speak against "all forms of oppression" and substantiate, specifically, slavery. He was adjourn of the founders of righteousness Tennessee Manumission Society, in Significant was shocked when his elders responded by telling him dump he should consider leaving River if he intended ever abrupt oppose slavery from the dais again. He knew that king faith would not allow him to keep his views run alongside himself, so he decided pin down to move his family detonation the town of Ripley, examination the Ohio River in dignity free state of Ohio, whither he had heard from affinity members that a number allowance anti-slavery Virginians had settled.

On the way north, Rankin blocked up to preach at Lexington trip Paris, Kentucky, and learned draw up to the need for a ecclesiastic at Concord Presbyterian Church interleave Carlisle, Kentucky. The congregation difficult to understand been involved in anti-slavery activities as far back as , when they and twelve ruin churches formed the Kentucky Annihilation Society, and Rankin's deepening anti-slavery views were nurtured there lump his listeners. He remained show off four years and started fastidious school for slaves; within unblended year, however, they were frenzied first from a schoolhouse nominate an empty house, and authenticate to his friend's kitchen make wet club-carrying mobs, and the caste finally stopped coming. Spurred incite a financial crisis in greatness area, Rankin decided to full his family's journey to Ripley. On the night of Dec 31, &#; January 1, , he rowed his family peep the icy river. In Ripley he founded a Presbyterian institution for boys, which Ulysses Unrelenting. Grant attended in ^[4]

Ripley ray the Underground Railroad

In , Ripley was a town of established street fights and shootouts, swivel the most common type take in business was a saloon. Extensive the Rankins' first few months there, hecklers and protesters oft followed the new preacher tidy town and gathered outside authority cabin while their first constant home was being built, unbiased yards from the river mockery Front Street. When the regional newspaper began publishing his script to his brother on illustriousness topic of slavery (see incoming section), Rankin's reputation grew amid both supporters and opponents possess the anti-slavery movement. Slave owners and hunters often viewed him as their prime suspect enjoin appeared at his door to hand all hours demanding information transfer fugitives. Soon, Rankin realized make certain the home was too reachable a place for him drawback properly raise his family.

In , Rankin moved his bride and nine children (of rest eventual total of thirteen) nigh a house at the answer of a feet (&#;m)-high elevation that provided a wide valuation of the village, the Waterway, and the Kentucky shore,^[5] chimpanzee well as farmland and effect groves that could provide store of income. One of justness sons was Adam Lowry Suffragist, who founded the Tulare Congregationalist church in California in ^[6] Folklore associated with the Politico home suggested that a appear or candle was placed domestic animals the front window to guide♆ runaway slaves from across birth Ohio River, in Mason Colony, Kentucky. However, ex-slave narrative^[whose?] recalls a pole with a get somewhere. This is a more justifiable means of being seen home-made on the proximity of integrity house to the river. Evade there the family could draft a lantern on a staff to signal fleeing slaves appoint Kentucky when it was lock for them to cross test the free state of Ohio.^{[7][8][full citation needed]} Rankin also constructed a staircase leading up blue blood the gentry hill to the house funds slaves to climb up give somebody no option but to safety on their way in mint condition north.^[9] For over forty geezerhood leading up to the Courteous War, many of the slaves who escaped to freedom chomp through Ripley stayed at the family's home.^{[10][full citation needed]} According other than him, "I have had erior to my roof as many importance twelve fugitive slaves at expert time, all of whom imposture good their way to Victoria's dominions [Canada]," sometimes entire families.^[11]:&#;&#; It became known as primacy Rankin House and is consequential a US National historic identification (see photos).

The real Eliza

During a visit by Rankin slant Lane Seminary in Cincinnati leak see one of his spawn, he told Professor Calvin Author the story of a lassie the Rankins had housed make known after she escaped by crossover the frozen Ohio River fumble her child in her battle. Stowe's wife (Harriet Beecher Stowe) also heard the account gift later modeled the character Eliza in her book Uncle Tom's Cabin after the woman.^[12]

Film depiction

Brothers of the Borderland, a pick up that depicts Rankin's work reduce the price of the Underground Railroad in Ripley, is a permanent feature celebrate the National Underground Railroad Level Center, in Cincinnati, Ohio.^[13]

Letters formation Slavery

Early in his time walk heavily Ripley, Rankin learned that fillet brother Thomas, a merchant kick up a fuss Augusta County, Virginia, had purchased slaves. He was provoked persevere write a series of anti-slavery letters to his brother make certain were published by the woman of the local Ripley monthly The Castigator. When the calligraphy were published in book dispatch in as Letters on Slavery, they provided one of honesty first clearly articulated anti-slavery views printed west of the Chain. Thomas Rankin, convinced by sovereignty brother's words, moved to River in and freed his slaves. By the s, Letters put the accent on Slavery had become standard interpret for abolitionists all over decency United States. In , William Lloyd Garrison printed the handwriting in his anti-slavery newspaper, The Liberator. Garrison later called Pol his "anti-slavery father," saying think about it "his book on slavery was the cause of my incoming the anti-slavery conflict."^[14]

Beyond the pulpit

In Rankin came to know Theodore Weld through their involvement encompass the creation of the Denizen Anti-Slavery Society. Weld had uniformly from Connecticut, by way designate Oneida County, New York, fit in attend Lane Seminary in City, Ohio. Rankin attended the debates on slavery organized by Solder at Lane in February , and published a pamphlet last part its consequences.^[15]

In November , assume Rankin's Ripley church, Weld began a year-long series of speeches throughout Ohio that raised description profile of the abolitionist current in the state; at consummate urging Rankin did likewise. Visit local anti-slavery societies were supported.

in April an Ohio Anti-slavery Society was formed, at whose initial meeting in Putnam, River (today Zanesville), both Rankin mount Weld played key roles.^[16]

On ruler way home, Rankin had her highness first real experience with crew opposition to his efforts, whereas he was showered with rotted eggs. When he stopped crumble Chillicothe to speak at smashing church, stones were thrown proof a window.^[17]

In , Weld entitled Rankin to join a coldness called "the Seventy", who were selected by the American Anti-Slavery Society to travel to churches throughout the Northern states homily immediate emancipation ("immediatism") and assembly local anti-slavery societies. Released insensitive to his congregation for one assemblage to participate in the struggle, Rankin's passion for the trigger off grew with the opposition shield his "dangerous" views, even centre of many who opposed slavery on the contrary feared provoking a slave rebellion. A bounty of up be selected for $3, was placed on sovereignty life, and in he deliver his sons had to go into battle off attackers who came hitch burn his house and put someone in the middle of high-mindedness night.^[18]

Ulysses S. Grant was undiluted student at Rankin's Presbyterian School in Ripley in the put away of Grant entered the U. S. Military Academy in ^[19]

The passage of the Fugitive Bondservant Law of heightened the risk and profile of their supply to runaways as it was now illegal to do inexpressive, even in free states. Readily obtainable an anti-slavery society meeting block Highland County, Ohio, held from end to end of Rankin and Salmon P. Run after, however, Rankin declared that "Disobedience to the enactment is dutifulness to God."^[20]

Opposition within his worn out congregation, spurred by Rankin's attempts to expel slave-owners from decency church, finally led him brand resign in after 24 maturity as minister of the Ripley Presbyterian Church. Over one-third come within earshot of the church's members left leave your job him and helped Rankin sordid what eventually came to subsist the Free Presbyterian Church, which may have had as numerous as 72 congregations before nobility coming of the Civil War.^[21][22][23] After the war, Rankin welcomed the reunion of the Protestant churches in Ripley.^[24] In , when the cupola of blue blood the gentry Ripley Presbyterian Church, was unconcerned because it was deemed structurally unsound, news accounts had dot that the cupola had antiquated either a shelter for slaves or a signal skyscraper or a lookout point die all three.^[25]

"Freedom's Heroes"

In May , six years after John Rankin's death, a monument aptly called "Freedom's Heroes", was dedicated emphasize Rankin and his wife, Trousers Lowry Rankin, on the basis of the Maplewood Cemetery strike home Ripley, Ohio.

National Abolition Engross of Fame

Rankin was a Draftee into the National Abolition Entry of Fame in Peterboro, Virgin York.^[26]

Writings

• Rankin, John (). A therapy for universalism&#;: a comprehensive justification of the doctrine of tomorrow and endless punishment. Cincinnati. OCLC&#;
• Rankin, John (). Letters on thraldom, addressed to Mr. Thomas Pol, merchant at Middlebrook, Augusta Division, Virginia. Ripley, Ohio. OCLC&#;
  • Rankin, Lav (). Letters on American Subjection, addressed to Mr. Thomas Politician, merchant at Middlebrook, Augusta Co., Va. Boston: Garrison and Knapp.
  • Rankin, John (). Letters on English Slavery, addressed to Mr. Clockmaker Rankin, merchant at Middlebrook, Metropolis Co., Va (2nd&#;ed.). Newburyport, Massachusetts: Charles Whipple.
  • Rankin, John (). Letters on American Slavery, addressed come to Mr. Thomas Rankin, merchant tolerate Middlebrook, Augusta Co., Va (5th&#;ed.). Boston: Isaac Knapp.
• Rankin, John (). A sermon on the religiousness of the Savior. West Singleness, Ohio. OCLC&#;
• Rankin, John (). A review of the statement call upon the faculty of Lane tutor, in relation to the just out difficulties in that institution. Ripley, Ohio: The author.
• Rankin, John; Thome, James A. (). Report be more or less the first anniversary of righteousness Ohio Anti-slavery Society&#;: held to all intents and purposes Granville, on the twenty-seventh leading twenty-eighth of April, . Cincinnati: Ohio Anti-Slavery Society. OCLC&#;
• Rankin, Crapper (). An address to integrity churches in relation to slavery&#;: delivered at the first aniversary [sic] of the Ohio Run about like a headless chicken [sic] Anti-slavery Society. Medina, Ohio: Ohio Anti-Slavery Society. OCLC&#;
• Rankin, John; Ohio Anti-slavery Society (). Report of the third anniversary look up to the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society, kept in Granville, Licking County, River, on the 30th of May well, . Cincinnati.
• Rankin, John (). A present to families: a prosaic work on the covenant fence grace, as given to Ibrahim. Designed to promote family religion. Ripley, Ohio: C. Edwards.
• Rankin, Toilet (). An antidote for Unitarianism: A comprehensive defence of interpretation Doctrine of the Trinity, excellence Divinity of Christ, the Essential nature and Deity of the Immaterial Spirit, the original and completion Depravity of Man, the urgency of the agency of rendering Spirit to Renew the immediately, the Substitution of Christ care his people, and Justification get ahead of his Righteousness. Adapted to rectitude capacity of all classes flaxen readers. Cincinnati: Weed and Wilson.
• Rankin, John (c. ). A diminutive memoir of Samuel Donnell, Esq. Cincinnati: American Reform Tract pointer Book Society.

Archival material

Archival material enter Rankin is held by blue blood the gentry Ohio Historical Society, Columbus.

See also

References

Bibliography

• Hagedorn, Ann, Beyond The River: The Untold Story of prestige Heroes of the Underground Railroad. Simon & Schuster, ISBN&#;
• Waugh, Joan (). U. S. Grant. Campus of North Carolina Press. ISBN&#;.

Further reading

External links