Rankin Family

Details

  • Marker: Rankin Family
  • Location: Marker is located at Founders Plaza – 102 W. Abram Street – in Arlington.
  • Date Visited: 04-18-21
  • Notes: Founders Plaza pays tribute to Andrew Hayter (the Father of Arlington) and six of Arlington’s founding families.

Rankin Family

Marker text:

Edward Emmett Rankin (1840-1911) and his wife Edna Jerusha Broiles Rankin were encouraged to move to Arlington in 1874 by Dr. Stokley Broiles. They had five children: Rebecca, Wilson, Emmett Edward, Wallace, and Sue. They farmed on Arkansas Lane for eight years and then moved to town. Edward opened the Rankin Hardware Company which sold almost anything you could name. It was located in the 100 block of East Main Street and operated until it had to close because of the Great Depression.

By the late 1890s, daughter Rebecca had received her teaching degree and was teaching in Arlington’s under-funded and poorly equipped public school system. In 1895, Emmett Rankin encouraged others to join him in establishing Arlington College, a private school for students in grades one through ten. Over the years, the College evolved into the present-day University of Texas at Arlington.

The Rankins were very civic-minded and Emmett’s contributions included becoming the first Justice of the Peace in 1885, serving Director of Citizen’s National Bank, and serving as Mayor from March 10, 1885, until April 10 the same year. Because of this he was often called “Squire” Rankin. He also was instrumental in securing land for the building of the Christian Church (First Christian Church) at the corner of Mesquite and South Streets in 1893.

Thind generation Arlington residents included grandchildren Edward E. III, Robert, Edna, and Bess. Edward E. and Edna graduated from Arlington Training School, (1913-1916) the third incarnation of Arlington College. Bess taught in the Arlington Public Schools for thirty years and Bess Rankin Elementary School is named in her honor.

Inscription by Susie Peterson Dixon and David Peterson, Fourth Generation after Edward and Edna Rankin. 2008.