John Mercer Rankin (June 9, 1873 – June 20, 1947) was an American judge, lawyer, and politician. Born in Fulton County, Illinois, Rankin served in the 6th Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...

. He went to Western Normal School at Bushnell, Illinois. Rankin went Chicago–Kent College of Law and was admitted to the Illinois bar. He practiced law in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

until 1917 and then moved to Keokuk,

Lee County, Iowa Lee County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,555. The county seats are Fort Madison and Keokuk. Lee County is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA- IL- MO Micropolitan Sta ...

in 1917. He continued to practice law in Keokuk. From 1921 to 1927, Rankin served in the

Iowa House of Representatives The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly, the upper house being the Iowa Senate. There are 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state, formed ...

and was a Republican. From 1925 to 1938, Rankin served as Iowa District Court judge for Lee County. Rankin served as

Iowa Attorney General The Attorney General of Iowa is the chief legal officer of the State of Iowa, United States. The office was created February 9, 1853. The Office of the Attorney General is housed in the Lucas State Office Building in Des Moines; the attorney gen ...

from 1940 until his death in 1947. Rankin died of lung cancer at a veterans hospital in

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...

.'Atty.Gen. Rankin, 74, Dies Here,' The Daily Gate City (Iowa), June 20, 1947, pg. 1

Notes

1873 births 1947 deaths Politicians from Chicago People from Fulton County, Illinois People from Keokuk, Iowa American military personnel of the Spanish–American War Military personnel from Illinois Chicago-Kent College of Law alumni Lawyers from Chicago Iowa lawyers Iowa state court judges Iowa attorneys general Republican Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives Deaths from lung cancer in Iowa {{Iowa-politician-stub