| StephenT. Ranney |
STEPHEN T. RANNEY, a well known member ofcommercial circles in Mount Sterling, was born in Elkhorn township, Browncounty, Illinois, January 1, 1847, a son of Solomon Ranney. The paternalgrand-father, Stephen Ranney, was a native of the State of New York, andhis father emigrated from Wales in colonial times, and settled in New YorkState. Stephen Ranney was a lawyer by profession, and had a large and profitablepractice. He was married to Olive Jaques, a native of New York State, wholived to the advanced age of ninety years. Solomon Ranney removed fromNew York to Ohio in an early day, and in 1842 came to Illinois; he spenta few years in Cass county, returned to Ohio, and again came to this State;he located the second time in Brown county, and as his means were limitedhe did not invest in land; he is now a resident of Pike county, Illinois.His wife’s maiden name was Melinda Reeves, a native of Virginia, who diedin 1849.After the death of his mother, Stephen T.Ranney was taken in charge by his paternal grandmother, and was rearedby her in Elkhorn township. In his youth he divided his time between thework on the farm and attending the common school.
There were no events of great importanceconnected with his career until 1864. In November of that year he enlistedin Company G, Fiftieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served until theclose of the war. He was honorably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky,July 13, 1865, after which he returned to his home. He was variously employedfor several years, but finally purchased land in Elkhorn township, whichhe cultivated until his removal in 1882, to Mount Sterling, where he hassince made his home.
Mr. Ranney was married in 1877, March 3,to Melinda C. Perry, who was born November 12, 1847, in Brown county, Illinois.Of late years he has been one of the most prominent real-estate dealersin the place, having laid out an addition and built more residences inthe past ten years, than any one other individual; he erected the RanneyBlock, one of the handsomest business structures in Mount Sterling, andhas been one of the most enterprising and energetic supporters of the county’sinterests.
Politically he is identified with the Democraticparty. He served as Justice of the Peace in Elkhorn township, has representedthe Second Ward on the Board of Aldermen, and in 1882 was elected Sheriffof the county; four years later he was elected Treasurer of the county,and in 1890 he was made Justice of the Peace. He has been a director ofthe Building and Loan Association since its organization, and in all thewalks of life has shown himself a stanch, reliable man, worthy of the confidencereposed in him by the community in which he lives.
Biographical Review of Cass, Schuylerand Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review Publishing Co., Chicago,1892, pages 174-175.
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