COLONEL ARTHUR RANKIN 1816-1893

Born in Montreal, Rankin moved to this province about 1830
and qualified as a deputy provincial surveyor in 1836. The
next year he was commissioned as an ensign in the Queen's
Light Infantry and captured the enemy's flag in the "Battle of
Windsor" (December 1838). He commanded the Ninth Upper
Canadian Military District 1855-1861 and the 23rd Essex
Volunteer Light Infantry Battalion 1866-1868. Vigorous and
enterprising, Rankin organized the group of Ojibwa Indians which
toured Britain and staged the first "Wild West" show there in
1843. His business interests expanded to include shipping,
railroads, real estate and several mining projects in the Algoma
District. First elected to the Parliament of Canada in 1854
Rankin served three terms as the member for Essex.

Erected by the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board
Ministry of Colleges and Universities