Rankin Cemetery
Grayson County, Virginia
Location: East of Galax
Directions: This cemetery is on the east side of South Main Street (SR 89) in the Marion Heights Subdivision. Turn on to Rock Road (Rt 940) at the Hillcrest Baptist Church. Turn left on to Marion Heights (Rt 941) then right on to Marion Lane (Rt 942). The cemetery is on the east side of Marion Lane and is visible from the road.
GPS Coordinates: N36.63177 W80.91163
Surveyed by: Buford C. Wilson 22 Apr 2003; updated 30 Apr 2008
Comments: This cemetery appears to be one of the oldest surviving cemeteries in this area. The oldest marker is dated 1817. On 11 Jul 1929 the cemetery was deeded to the Galax Primitive Baptist Church by Mrs. Mary J. Shinault and other family members.Part of this information was contributed by a person who wishes to remain anonymous. On an earlier visit, the cemetery was abandoned and in very poor condition. Recently the brush and weeds have been cleared away and the old fence removed. The cemetery is now being mowed and is in excellent condition.
| Name | Birth | Death | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 | |||
| SHORES, Rosa G. Rankin | 2 May 1852 | 30 Dec 1932 | w/o Jiles Shores; broken stone |
| RANKIN, Jennettie S. | 17 Dec 1864 | 23 Dec 1881 | age 17 yrs 6 days; broken stone |
| RANKIN, W.F. | 16 Oct 1850 | 7 Jun 1880 | age 29 yrs 7 mos 21 days |
| RANKIN, William F. | 20 Jun 1877 | s/o M.D. & S.A. Rankin. Stone is broken and badly eroded; part with death date is missing. | |
| RANKIN, Roberta | 9 May 1861 | 12 Sep 1862 | |
| RANKIN, Vergel S. | 9 Jul 1857 | 21 Aug 1862 | |
| Row 2 | |||
| RANKIN, Martin D. | 1855 | 17 May 1941 | |
| SHINAULT, Mary Jane Rankin | 28 Apr 1848 | 22 Nov 1932 | w/o P. F. Shinault |
| SHINAULT, Abraham | 11 Jul 1889 | 21 Jul 1889 | s/o P.F. & M.J. Shinault |
| SHINAULT, William | 3 Apr 1881 | 27 Oct 1881 | |
| RANKIN, Isabella | 1803 | 1840 | [w/o William Rankin] |
| RANKIN, William | 25 Jan 1789 | 11 Mar 1870 | 81 yrs 1 mo 16 days |
| RANKIN, Mary M. | 17 Dec 1826 | 30 Jul 1898 | w/o William Rankin |
| Row 3 | |||
| MARTIN, Winnie Claire | 19 Jun 1898 | 19 Jun 1900 | age 2 yrs; d/o P.A. & L[ela] B[eth] Martin |
| RANKIN, John | 22 Jan 1815 | 16 Aug 1831 | |
| RANKIN, Manuel | [s/o John & Ollie Rankin] | ||
| Row 4 | |||
| RANKIN, Infant | 2 Jan 1840 | s/o Wm. & Isabella Rankin | |
| Row 5 | |||
| BARNES, Glenn | 23 Jan 1921 | 13 May 1921 | s/o R[ufus] H. & I[lla] F[aye] Barnes |
| RANKIN, Nancy | 16 Aug 1788 | 13 Nov 1820 | [w/o William Rankin] |
| RANKIN, James | 1817 | 1817 | inf. s/o Wm. & Isabella Rankin |
| RANKIN, William | |||