The Morning Oregonian (Portland, OR)
March 31, 1903 pg. 10

Well-Known Business Man Suddenly Succumbs to Heart Failure.

N. K. Rankin, a well-known business man, died suddenly yesterday morning from heart failure. Mr. Rankin left his home at the corner of Spring and Seventeenth streets, Portland Heights, about 8 o'clock, in company with his son, Earle. They had just take the car, when he turned to his son and told him that he wanted to get off and go to his brother's, M. B. Rankin, as he felt ill. His son stopped the car at once, and with great effort assisted his father to his brother's residence, corner of Seventeenth and Clifton streets. A physician, Dr. A. C. Panton, was summoned, but death from heart failure had claimed its victim before the doctor reached the house. Everything was done that could be done by the family, but to no avail. The funeral services will await the arrival of his daughters from California, and his son, Ralph, from Seattle.

N. K. Rankin was one of the familiar figures in business circles in Portland, having lived in Portland for about 20 years. He was born near Warsaw, Hancock County, Ill., December 21, 1847. He left the High School in Bloomington, Ill., and the age of 17 years, to enlist as a soldier in the Civil War, in the One Hundred and Fifty-first Illinois Infantry, Company A. At the end of his first year's service the war closed, and he entered the Illinois Wesleyan University, and continued that institution to within three months of graduation, when his health failed, and he took up active outdoor pursuits, regaining in a short time his usual health. In 1872 Mr. Rankin was married to Miss Anna Masters, the daughter of Hon. S. D. Masters, of Petersburg, Ill. At a result of this union five children were born, four of whom are still living. The two daughters, Norma and Alta, have been for the last two years with friends in California, Ralph, the older of the two sons, is engaged with the engineering department of the Seattle Electric Company. Earle, the youngest of these children, has been for some time with his father in Portland.

Mr. Rankin had not been in good health for some time, but his friends had no idea he was in any immediate danger. His sudden death is a great shock to the family and friends.

In addition to Mr. Rankin's children he left three brothers – M. B. Rankin, at whose house he died; J. H. Rankin of the White Pine & Lumber Company, and C. N. Rankin of the East Side; and one sister, Mrs. A. R. Riggs, all of Portland.

Few men were more highly respected or more generally esteemed than this quiet, unobtrusive man. He will be greatly missed among his many warm friends in business circles, but most of all by his family and relatives, who greatly loved and admired him for his many excellent qualities. He was a man of integrity, possessing a keen sense of right and wrong.

The Sunday Oregonian (Portland, OR)
April 5, 1903 pg. 32

The Late N. K. Rankin

Portland, April 3 – (To the Editor)
In the death of N. K. Rankin the city has lost an honored and respected citizen, He was a man whom one could not help but like, because of his cheerful disposition and the high regard he had for the feelings and opinions of others. I have known him personally for a number or years, have had business dealings with him at different times, and always found him honorable and upright in business matters. He was kind-hearted, and always ready to do a favor when it was possible for him to do so. The large number of representative business men who were present at the funeral services is expressive of his high standing in the community as a business man. D. M.

1879 History of Menard & Mason Counties Chicago Published by: O.L. Baskin & Co., Historical Publishers 186 Dearborn Street

NORMAN K. RANKIN, lumber dealer, Petersburg; was born in Hancock Co., Ill., Dec. 21, 1847, and was taken to McLean Co. by his parents while quite young, and there raised and educated at the Wesleyan University. At the age of 16, he entered the army of the late war, enlisting with the 150th I.V.I., in February, 1865; was discharged at Camp Butler after a service of one year. His parents having died while he was quite young, he was thrown upon his own resources, and by his own efforts obtained an education. He began doing business on his own account in 1871, locating at Saybrook, McLean Co., embarking in the lumber business, and there continuing for a time, then engaging in the stock business; in this he met with good success. Nov. 14, 1877, he married Anna, daughter of Squire D. and Lucinda Masters, who are prominent pioneers of Menard Co.; she was a graduate of the Illinois Female College of Jacksonville, and has given considerable attention to elocution, having given several readings with marked success, and is a lady of refinement and talent; they have one child -- Ralph V. They located in Petersburg in 1878, and Mr. Rankin engaged in the lumber trade, firm of Masters & Rankin.

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Norman's second wife was Daisy (Shinn) Rankin. They were the parents of Reginald and Marguerite Rankin.