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During her childhood, Stephanie Reed's family would often pass
through Ripley on their way to her grandparents' home. The signs
she read there about the Rankin house were what prompted her
to write this story. After working for nearly a decade with the Dayton
Metro Library, Stephanie is currently a volunteer spotter for the
National Weather Service. She lives with her husband and two
children in Dublin, Ohio.
Author: Stephanie Reed
Located in: Dublin, Ohio
Submitted: August 10, 2004
Tell us a little about yourself.
My husband and I have two teens. I like Ohio history, weather (tornadoes), birdwatching, flower
gardening, and reading.
What was your motivation behind this project?
My family passed Rankin House on the way to my grandparents' farm in Kentucky. I read the
historical marker every time we passed, and I wanted to know more about the Rankins. As a result, I
wanted to share Lowry Rankin's inspiring story with today's readers.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project?
I hope they will discover that at least one line of the Underground Railroad was in place because of
the love of God. Lowry Rankin was a real preacher's kid who grew up in the church and was a
born-again Christian, yet he struggled with doing what was expected of him. What he was asked to
do must have seemed impossible at times. We are not the only ones who have ever felt that way.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists?
Laura Ingalls Wilder, Sterling North, Marguerite Henry, and Elizabeth Enright, to name a
representative few.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know:
As a young reader, I liked books about real people. I decided to go one step further and write about
real people who knew Jesus Christ as their Savior, because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and
forever!