Coun Douly Rankin
Encyclopedia
Coun Douly Rankin (ca 1774 – February 4, 1852) was a Scottish
-born army officer and political figure in Prince Edward Island
. He represented Queens County
in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
from 1806 to 1812.
He was born at Breachacha Castle
on the Isle of Coll
, the son of Neil Rankin, the resident piper at the castle, and Catherine Maclean. He was trained as a piper but instead joined the army. In 1804, Rankin was named a temporary lieutenant in the New Brunswick Fencibles; later that year, he married Flora Morison. He was sent to Prince Edward Island in 1806, where he recruited additional men. In 1811, the Fencibles became the 104th Foot and later that year Rankin was made lieutenant. He also served as a justice of the peace
. After being put on half pay, Rankin left the island in 1816 and settled on the Isle of Mull
where he married Margaret Maclaine in 1818; his first wife had died in 1814.
In 1820, he returned to Prince Edward Island with a group of immigrants. He was named high sheriff for the island and so was responsible for collecting quitrents
for Lieutenant Governor Charles Douglass Smith
. In 1829, he was named major for the island's militia. He ran unsuccessfully against William Douse
, a land agent, for a seat in the provincial assembly in 1834. Rankin helped organize the tenants against the landowners; this eventually led to him being evicted from the farm that he had been renting and he moved to Charlottetown
. He died there in 1852.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-born army officer and political figure in Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
. He represented Queens County
Queens County, Prince Edward Island
Queens County is located in central Prince Edward Island, Canada. The county is geographically divided by the Hillsborough River's estuary, a tidal inlet which almost splits the county and Prince Edward Island...
in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, along with the Lieutenant-Governor, forms the parliament of the province. The General Assembly meets at Province House, which is located at the intersection of Richmond and Great George Streets in Charlottetown....
from 1806 to 1812.
He was born at Breachacha Castle
Breachacha Castle
Breachacha Castle is a 14th-15th century tower house castle at Breachacha, Coll, Scotland. It was a stronghold of the MacLeans of Coll and overlooks Loch Breachacha. The castle fell in ruin in the late eighteenth century and was restored in the 20th century by Major N V MacLean Bristol.-References:*...
on the Isle of Coll
Coll
Coll is a small island, west of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Coll is known for its sandy beaches, which rise to form large sand dunes, for its corncrakes, and for Breachacha Castle.-Geography and geology:...
, the son of Neil Rankin, the resident piper at the castle, and Catherine Maclean. He was trained as a piper but instead joined the army. In 1804, Rankin was named a temporary lieutenant in the New Brunswick Fencibles; later that year, he married Flora Morison. He was sent to Prince Edward Island in 1806, where he recruited additional men. In 1811, the Fencibles became the 104th Foot and later that year Rankin was made lieutenant. He also served as a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. After being put on half pay, Rankin left the island in 1816 and settled on the Isle of Mull
Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull or simply Mull is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute....
where he married Margaret Maclaine in 1818; his first wife had died in 1814.
In 1820, he returned to Prince Edward Island with a group of immigrants. He was named high sheriff for the island and so was responsible for collecting quitrents
Quit-rent
Quit rent , Quit-rent, or quitrent, in practically all cases, is now effectively but not formally a tax or land tax imposed on freehold or leased land by a higher landowning authority, usually a government or its assigns....
for Lieutenant Governor Charles Douglass Smith
Charles Douglass Smith
Charles Douglass Smith was a British army officer and colonial administrator.He was born in England, the son of John Smith, a former captain in the British Army, and Mary Wilkinson. In 1776, he was commissioned Cornet in the 1st Regiment of Horse...
. In 1829, he was named major for the island's militia. He ran unsuccessfully against William Douse
William Douse
William Douse was a land agent, landowner and political figure in Prince Edward Island. He represented Queens County from 1835 to 1839, then 3rd Queens from 1843 to 1847 and from 1850 to 1859 and then 4th Queens from 1859 to 1862 in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island.He was born in...
, a land agent, for a seat in the provincial assembly in 1834. Rankin helped organize the tenants against the landowners; this eventually led to him being evicted from the farm that he had been renting and he moved to Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
. He died there in 1852.