Caroline Olivia (Nevin) Rankin (1812 - 1882)

Born 17 Oct 1812 in Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Wife of William McGinley Rankin — married 3 Mar 1829 in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 4 Jul 1882 at age 69 in Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Caroline was the eldest daughter of David Nevin and Mary Peirce Nevin. She was baptized at the Shippensburg Presbyterian Church in April 1812, and spent her formative years in Shippensburg, where her father owned and operated a successful dry goods business.

Caroline married Dr. William Rankin on March 3, 1829 in the Shippensburg Presbyterian Church. They were married by the Rev. H.A. Wilson, DD. Their witnesses were Sam Henderson and Denny Rogers. The couple had twelve children, two of whom died as infants.

Caroline spent the remainder of her life in Shippensburg, and died there at the age of 69.

On October 25, 1955, the News Chronicle ran a story about the Nevin Family by a Nevin descendant, Eleanor Nevin Enterline, that has a wealth of information about the Nevin family, including the family of William and Caroline Nevin Rankin.

Marries Shippensburg Doctor

The oldest daughter of David and Mary Peirce Nevin was Caroline Nevin who married Dr. William Rankin. William Rankin had come to Shippensburg as a young doctor. He practiced medicine there for nearly 50 years. He was an older in the Presbyterian church and a much respected citizen of the town. He and his wife, Caroline, had ten children. At an early age the sons of the family settled in Pittsburgh, the Rankin daughters marrying and, for the most part, settling in the Cumberland Valley.

The oldest daughter, Caroline, married Mr. John Miller, a Carlisle lawyer, and spent her married life in Carlisle. Elizabeth Rankin married Mr. John McCune, an attorney and well known citizen of Shippensburg and they lived there for many years. The surviving members of that family are Mrs. John Bratton of near Reading and Mrs. T. J. McClelland of Mechaniscburg.

Annie Rankin, another daughter, married Mr. Robert Hayes of Shippensburg. After living in Bunker Hill, Illinois, where Mr. Hayes was principal of the schools and where he died as a young man, the family returned to Shippensburg. The only daughter was a beautiful little girl when they returned to their old home town. She is now Mrs. J. Huston McCullough of Shippensburg.

Mary Rankin, another daughter, married Mr. Moody and was early left a widow. She lived in Shippensburg with her daughter, Bessie, afterward Mrs. Parke of Pueblo, Colorado.

Abigail Rankin married Mr. George Johnston of Shippensburg and they lived on a farm not far from town. They had one son, the late William R. Johnston, who practiced law for some years in Shippensburg and who is survived by his widow, a member of our chapter, and by a daughter, Miss Jean Johnston.

I shall always remember "Cousin Abbie" as a lovely singer. From her girlhood until she retired some fifty years later, she sang in the choir of the Presbyterian church. A very interesting article was written in a church paper concerning her work, calling her the oldest choir singer in America. To have heard her sing some of the old Scotch songs, "Auld, Lang Syne," "Annie Laurie," The Land of the Leal" and others, was an unforgettable privilege.

Sources

• "Men of Mark--Cumberland Valley, Penn." by Alfred Nevin, Philadelphia, 1876.
• Birth: "Peirce Family Bible" which in 1991 belonged to Charles Dalrymple of Valparaiso, Indiana. Caroline's birth was also documented in the Reynolds Family Bible, as recorded by Elizabeth Reynolds (nee Bratton).
• Marriage: "Peirce Family Bible" which in 1991 belonged to Charles Dalrymple of Valparaiso, Indiana. Their marriage was also recorded in the Reynolds Family Bible as recorded by Elizabeth Reynolds (nee Bratton).
• The Shippensburg News Chronicle, October 25, 1955, front page.
• Death: Caroline's death was documented in the Reynolds Family Bible, as recorded by Elizabeth Reynolds (nee Bratton). According to the bible records, Caroline O. Rankin died in Shippensburg July 4th 1882 at 4:45 p.m.