This may help someone with their Research
A Fighting Methodist of Texas dies in Dallas.
Dr George C Rankin aged 65, Editor of the Christian Advocate,
known among Southern Methodists as the Fighting Methodist of Texas
and one of the leaders in Texas State----? Prohibition monuments (movements?), died suddenly here today, Feb 2nd 1915. His death was due, indirectly, to an attack of indigestion two weeks ago.
Dr Rankin became a Methodist circuit Rider in 1870, afterwards holding Pastorates in North Carolina, Missouri and Texas.
He left a Widow and six Children. Of the six only one dau
on the other side of the piece of paper is written the following.
The Late Rev George Rankin is a cousin of Elizabeth C Rankin KENNEDY.
The Rev George RANKINs Great Grandfather was Thomas RANKIN a brother to Richard RANKIN who was Elizabeth C Rankin KENNEDY’s Grandfather of Jefferson County Tenessee, near the town of Dandridge(?) Tenn.
The above was found on a scrap of paper in the belongings ofAuburn Edward Thompson and Barbara FICHT (she was related to the WHITE and KENNEDY line) . Judging by other handwriting on other documents, this was most likely written in 1915 by a descendant of Elizabeth Caroline Rankin Kennedy.
From other documents found I have pieced together the following information.
William KELSO’s family were from Pennysylvania before settling in Spartanburg, and before that from Scotland.
(Came over during the ‘war of the revolution’)
Elizabeth Caroline RANKIN was the only dau ofthe Rev. William RANKIN and Johanna KELSO. Johanna’s Father was William KELSO of Spartanburg, South Carolina. She married William KENNEDY. They had a daughter Giralda who married Preston WHITE who had a daughter Elizabeth WHITE who married James Wesley FICHT, they had a son named Wesley James FICHT ( born Callery PA. 1902) he had a daughter Babara Elizabeth FICHT who married Auburn Edward Thompson (Aka ‘Tommy’ THOMPSON. He worked for WSB Radio in Atlanta after WW2) They had no children.
Names mentiond in other douments are as follows
SPEER,WHITE,SWANDER,NISLY,KIDDER,KNOX,VINICKE,CARRIER and many others.
May KENNEDY ( parents are William KENNEDY and Elizabeth KELSO) who married a KIDDER is mentioned in some documents.