The Rankin family have a railroad land exploring ticket dated February
     27, 1884, on the Indiana Bloomington and Western Railroad to Kansas City,
     Lawrence and Southern Kansas with destination at Harper, Kansas. This
     was purchased for Henry Rankin's trip to Barber County. The land grant
     of Osage Trust Lands, where he settled, was signed by Benjamin Harrison
     November 18, 1889.
       Henry was the great grandfather of Lennes, and was a native of Scotland
     where he married Mary Archibald. With several small children, they came
     to America, living for a time in Pennsylvania then Indiana, coming later
     to Barber County.
       At age 52 Henry declared his oath of bona fide intention to become a
     citizen of the United States and renounced his allegiance to Victoria,
     Queen of the British Empire on October 10, 1885. He signed his X mark at
     Garden City, Kansas.
       September 19, 1885, a deed was recorded to Henry Rankin for the conderation
     of $18.20 conveying lots 13-17 includsive, Block 6; 7-11 Block 8; 3-6
     Block 0 and 1 Block 19, all in the town of Sharon, Kansas. This document
     was signed by H.H. Hardy, Probate Judge; Robert Taliferro County Clerk;
     and L.W. Moore, Register of Deeds.
       The children of Henry and Mary surviving to adulthood were Janet (Kerohan),
     Margaret (Harrison), Henry, Hugh, John, Arch and George.
       Arch and Gerturde Taylor were married in 1900. Their children were Donald,
     Aloah and Lennes. Lennes died at age three months. Aloah resides in California.
     Donald (Mike) was born in 1914 and was raised eleven miles northeast of
     Sharon on the old homestead.
       Eulanda (Butch) Liebl of Cunningham was born in 1918. Don and Eulanda
     were married in 1937. Their children are Lennes, who was born in 1939, and 
     Patricia, born in 1953. Lennes and Patricia received their education in the
     rural and Sharon schools.
       In 1947 the improvements on the homestead were completely destroyed by a
     tornado. They were rebuilt shortly thereafter. Don died in 1974 following
     a long illness.
       Lennes and Margaret (Margie) Spade were married in 1963. They have two
     sons, Craig and Brian. Margie is employed at the Sharon Valley State Bank
     and Lennes farms the home place and does custom spraying. Their residence
     is two and one-half miles west of Sharon. In 1976 the house and pole shed
     were moved from the homestead to the farm west of Sharon.
       Patricia married Timothy Traffas and with their children, Kimberly, Brandon
     and Brett Allen, resides south of Sharon.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 376