HISTORY OF KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS, E. Polk Johnson, three volumes,
Lewis Publishing Co., New York & Chicago, 1912. Common version, Vol. III,
p. 1196. [Franklin County]

MERREL CLUBB RANKIN, commissioner of agriculture, labor and statistics
for the state of Kentucky, is one of the progressive and public-spirited
citizens of Frankfort, and in his capacity as a public servant has given
the most efficient and discriminating service, which has served to
corroborate in fullest measure the wisdom of the choice of his
constituents.  His office is an appropriate one, for his birth and early
years are calculated to put him into sympathetic touch with the cause of
the farmer, since he was born on a farm in Henry county, Kentucky,
September 9, 1849, and there spent his boyhood and youth.  His parents are
Paschal Hickman and Rebecca (Clubb) Rankin, the father being a native of
Henry county, Kentucky, and the mother, of Madison county, this state. His
forbears were Southerners and patriots, his paternal grandfather, David
Rankin, having been born in Harrison county, Kentucky, and his father, Mr.
Rankin's great-grandfather, being a native of Virginia, who removed to the
Blue Grass state and became one of its doughty pioneer settlers.  He was
of Scotch-Irish descent.  On the maternal side the family is English in
descent, and the grandfather, Elijah Clubb, was a Virginian.
     Mr. Rankin's father, Paschal Hickman Rankin, engaged in the
cultivation of the soil and spent his entire life in Henry county, and
there was gathered to his fathers.  He followed the approved pioneer custom
and was the head of a large household.  Of his five sons, four are now
living, and of the six daughters, five are deceased.
     In his youth Merrell Clubb Rankin lived upon his father's farm, coming
close to Nature's heart, and as soon as he was old enough taking his place
as an assistant in the manifold duties to be there encountered.  He
attended the common schools and had the advantage of about ten months'
educational training in a college at New Castle, Kentucky.  When he was but
seventeen years of age he was deprived of his father by death, and as he
was one of the elder members of the family a large share of the care and
support of the widowed mother and the younger brothers and sisters fell
upon his shoulders.  He was thus brought face to face with the stern
responsibilities of life before his time, and when his youthful associates
were enjoying the springtide of life.  When their fortunes were made
securer and the others were old enough to shift for themselves he was
able to carve out his own destiny.  He has always followed the occupation
of an agriculturist and his success is doubtless largely due to the
progressiveness of his ideas and the fidelity with which he keeps in touch
with the latest scientific discoveries in his line.
     Mr. Rankin has always been a Republican and has given the most loyal
support to the party.  In 1904 he was one of the prime movers in the
organization of the American Society of Equity and also of the Burley
Tobacco Society, and he gained prominence in the section of his yeoman
service in the work of organizing the farmers and making convincing
speeches in behalf of the cause for which he felt so keenly.  He was made a
popular and successful candidate for nomination by the Republican State
Committee at Louisville in 1907 for his present office of commissioner of
agriculture, labor and statistics for the state of Kentucky and was
elected to this office in November, 1907, for a term of four years, dating
from January 1, 1908.  He takes pleasure in his fraternal relations, which
extend to the Masons, in which he has attained to the Royal Arch degree,
and to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.  Since the age of
sixteen years he has been a member of the Christian church and for sixteen
years he has held the office of elder.
     Mr. Rankin was married, January 5, 1871, to Miss Isabel Highfield,
born in Madison county, Kentucky.  She died in 1888 and left two children:
James William Rankin, now clerk in his father's office; and Minnie Rankin.
Mr. Rankin was married a second time in 1892, the lady to become his wife
being Mrs. Sarah E. Robertson, nee Kephart.

Rankin Clubb Highfield Robertson Kephart
=
New_Castle-Henry-Ky Madison-KY Harrison-KY VA

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/franklin/rankin.mc.txt