The Rann Families

(Henry Rann Family)

Henry Rann was born in Virginia in 1814.   His mother was a slave and his father was an Irishman who was his mother’s master. Henry’s wife Malana was born in Ohio in 1820. Both, her parents had been slaves who had run away to Ohio, where they could live free. Henry had also run away to Ohio, where he met Malana.  They were married in 1835.  Henry and Malana came to Canada from Ohio in 1850 to escape slave catchers and arrived in Buxton later that year.  They made a down payment for Lot 9 on Concession 9 in 1850. They lived there until 1863, when Henry purchased Lot 10 on Concession 10 from Reverend King. Talbot, one of Reverend King’s former slaves, had originally settled this lot. The Ranns had five children: Lorenzo, Rachel who died young, George, Eliza Ann, and William.

Son, Lorenzo, joined the Union Army in 1864 in Michigan and fought to end slavery.  When the war ended in 1865, he returned to Buxton and worked with his father on the farm. In 1867, Lorenzo married Lucinda Barnes and they had one son, James.  Lucinda died a month later. Lorenzo could not take care of a baby by himself, so little James lived with his grandparents.  In 1872, Lorenzo married Dolphina Ward. After the birth of their oldest son, Stephen, they moved to Michigan. Lorenzo Rann died in Michigan in 1922. 

Daughter, Eliza married James H. Newby in 1871 and settled at Lot 11 on Concession 10.  They had six children.  Son, George married Sarah Jane Hicks.  George and Sarah had six children. They remained in Buxton.  Descendants still live in this area.

By 1880, Henry and Malana had moved back to the United States and settled on a farm in Covington, Nebraska. Their son William and their grandson James, both went with them.

 

(William Rann Family)


The Rann family came to Buxton from the free state of Ohio. The family arrived in the Buxton Settlement in the year 1854. Upon their arrival the family consisted of William Henry Rann, his wife Melancey Rann and their three children.

The same year that the Rann family moved to the Buxton Settlement, William and Melancey welcomed their fourth addition to the family with the birth of William Alfred Rann. The Rann’s settled on the Tenth Concession and continued to raise their children in the Buxton Settlement. Descendents of the Rann family still reside in Buxton today.