He came to the United States in 1848 initially to Pontiac, Michigan, where he learned the trade of printing.
[1] Rankin was elected City of Flint Recorder in 1872 serving a one-year term.
In 1874, he returned to that position, serving additional terms[2] until the city charter was amended to replace the elected Recorder office with a common council appointed clerk in 1876.
[2] In addition to being the City clerk, Rankin was elected as a Michigan State Senator in 1877 serving a single term.
[1] In 1895, with William C. Durant and several other individuals, they founded a fraternal beneficiary society on January 31, 1895 called the Knights of the Loyal Guard.