CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY: J. Y. RANKIN - Brown County, TX

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Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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Submitted by Doris Peirce - ginlu@charter.net
24 February 2002 
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TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson 
J. Y. RANKIN

This sketch is clipped from the Confederate Veteran dated April, 
1901.  It is an excellent sketch of a prominent Texan, and should 
by all means find a place in "Texans Who Wore the Gray."

"Maj. John Y. Rankin, the 'father of Brownwood, Texas,' after 
serving throughout the war, in 1872 settled at Brownwood, where 
he established a land agency.  His first addition to the town, 
purchased for ten dollars an acre, is now its best business 
portion.  Maj. Rankin was born in Lexington, Ky., in 1833, 
moved to Missouri in 1840, and was educated at Kemper Institute, 
Boonville, Mo.  Upon his removal to San Augustine, Texas, he 
studied law.  He was a lieutenant in a company of Texas Rangers 
from Henderson, Texas, in Capt. Giles Boggess' company in 1855, 
and later was a commission merchant on the Houston & Texas Central 
railway.  Early in 1861 he raised a company for the Confederate 
service at Navasota, Texas; was lieutenant in B. Donley's company, 
and reported to Col. John S. Ford ("Old Rip") on the Rio Grande, 
after which he joined the 25th Texas Cavalry at Hempstead, and was 
dismounted in Arkansas.  He was captured at Arkansas Post, in the 
battle of Fort Hindman, Jan. 11, 1863, and sent to Camp Chase 
(Ohio) and Fort Delaware prisons.  After four months he was 
exchanged at City Point.

His command was assigned to duty in Pat Cleburne' Division, Army 
of Tennessee, under Gens. Bragg, Hood and Johnston.  He was promoted 
to major at Dalton, Ga.; was assigned to staff duty, and served as 
A.C.S. on the staff of Brig. Gen. Deshler, who fell at Chickamauga; 
and then to that of Granbury, who fell at Franklin with Cleburne.  
He was captured the second time the day after the fall of Atlanta, 
near Rough and Ready Station, and was exchanged the second time at 
Palmetta, Ga.  Maj. Rankin was confined in the penitentiary at 
Nashville, which was used as a Federal prison.  He reported to Maj. 
Gen. Bate, afterwards Governor of Tennessee and now United States 
Senator; and he was on the staff of Lieut. Gen. Cheatham at the 
urrender of Gen. Johnston's army, at Durham Station, N.C.

After the war Maj. Rankin returned to Texas, and for the past 29 
years has been in business at Brownwood.  He is now on Maj. Gen. 
K. M. VanZandt's staff, Texas Division, as Chief of Subsistence.