John Knox Rankin

Pioneer, Citizen, Soldier.

John attended Wabash College in Indiana, and received his degree from Iberia College in Ohio in 1859. He moved to Kansas Territory shortly afterward and worked as a legislative clerk.

John mustered as 3rd Lieutenant of Company "B", 2nd Kansas Infantry on 20 June 1861, and was later promoted 2nd Lt., before the regiment was mustered out of service on 31 October 1861. Like many men from that unit, he later served in the 2nd Kansas Cavalry, mustering as 2nd Lt. of Company "H" on 8 March 1862. The regiment saw service in Kansas, Alabama, Kentucky and the Indian Territory (modern-day Oklahoma). John himself was detached late in 1862 as aide-de-camp to Gen. Robert Byington Mitchell. John was a survivor of William Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas on 21 August 1863, engaging in a pistol duel that helped drive several raiders from the town.

He remained on staff duty until mustered out on 18 March 1865. Soon after, Governor Samuel J. Crawford (with whom he had served in the 2nd Kansas Cavalry) commissioned him a Colonel in the Kansas militia. He later became a member of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), and was Companion #04925 in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), the first post-Civil War veterans organization, founded by and for commissioned officers of the Union forces.

John's post-War career was varied. At different times he served two terms in the Kansas House of Representatives; worked for the U.S. Pension Office; served as an Indian Agent throughout the western United States for the Department of the Interior; and was a prominent businessman and banker in, and two-term mayor of, Lawrence. John was first married to Laura Finney in Terryville, Connecticut on 21 March 1865. They had two sons, Robert Crawford and Herbert. He was remarried to Augusta Fischer in Douglas County, Kansas on 5 September 1878; they had at least five children.

At his death he was part-owner and manager of the Griffin Ice Company in Lawrence. He was murdered by a disgruntled employee. His son Robert later managed that company.