George Ranken of Whitehill Esq.
Residence : Glen Logan House, Sorn, Ayrshire
James Paterson in ‘History of the Counties of Ayrshire and Wigton’ writes of the Ranken (or Rankin) family of Whitehill.- ‘The property of Whitehill was acquired in 1760 by by James Ranken, a direct descendant and representative of the Rankins of Scheil or Scheil-Rankin in the parish of Ochiltree.’
James Ranken married Jean Hutchison, daughter of William Hutchison of Dalgig. Together they had two children, Agnes and George, their son holding the distinction of being born at Whitehill on the same day as Robert Burns first saw the light of day at Alloway.
Following the death of his father in 1779 George succeeded to the lands of Whitehill. He married Janet Logan, sister of Burns’ friend John Logan of Knockshinnoch and Laight and together they had 14 children. According to the Cess Tax Roll of ca. of 1837/1844 he held the following lands in the parish –
- Whitehill and Auchingee
- Auchingee called Braehead
- Dalricket Mill and Lands
In 1819 he had purchased the lands of Burnhead in the parish of Sorn and later moved to Glen Logan in that parish where in December 1844 he passed away.
Proprietor George Ranken Esq / Will & Testament 1845: Whitehill, Auchingee, Braehead, Dalricket Miln
George Rankin and his wife Janet Logan and their family are buried in Sorn Kirkyard.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Scotland’s People
- https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
- Old Parish Records, Births, Marriages, Deaths, Census Records, Valuations Rolls, Wills & Testaments
Scotland’s Places
- http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/
- Historical Land Tax Rolls
NEW CUMNOCK HISTORY 