Excerpt from "Progressive Men of Western Colorado" Chicago, Bowen, 1905, Page 237 - 238

"Frank B. Ranney"

The parents of Frank B. Ranney, Edwin and Eliza (Button) Ranney, were natives of Massachusetts and New York respectively, and were reared amid the scenes and inspirations to industry and thrift characteristic of New England and the adjoining country. Soon after their marriage they moved to Michigan, and there they became prosperous and respected citizens, accepting cheerfully the hardships of frontier life and doing their part faithfully in developing and building up the new country in which they had cast their lot. The father was a cooper during his earlier manhood but passed his later life in farming, dying on the place which was hallowed by his labors and improved by his diligence and skill, where his wife also died, she passing away in 1865, and he thirty years afterward in 1895. They had a family of seven children, all of whom are living, Charles, Albert M., Frank B., Cora, wife of Archie McLachlan of this state (see sketch elsewhere in this work), Edwin J., Marcia A., and Lowden. Their son, Frank B., the fourth born of their offspring, came into the world on September 21, 1854 in Kent County, Michigan, confronted with a density of toil devoid of much apparent opportunity for seeing any of the world beyond the confines of his home neighborhood, and no real chance of extended schooling. The situation of the family in an undeveloped country wherein the conveniences of life were scarce and difficult of attainment, and even the necessaries were not always easily procured, laid upon every able hand the burden of its own support, and accordingly at an early age he took his place in the ranks of useful labor and began to earn his living. He assisted his parents in whatever they found for him to do until he reached the age of eighteen years, then, learning the trade of a carpenter, he worked at it and in a sash and blind factory until 1883. In that year he came to Colorado and located in the vicinity of Craig, where he pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land, taking up one of the first six ranches settled upon in the region. This ranch has ever since been his home, the object of his attentive and skillful care and the seat of his expanding ranches and stock industry. The improvements on it have all been made by him and the state of productiveness in which it is now is the result of his labors and wise management. It is considered one of the best ranches in the country, and its excellent crops of hay, grain, vegetables and fruit justify the opinion. His cattle industry is not extensive, but is sufficient in volume for his own needs, farming being his main reliance, and in this hay is his principal product. He is a prosperous and progressive man, a stanch Republican in national politics and a Master Mason in fraternal affiliation. On May 1, 1898, he was united in marriage with Miss Agnes Sturdenvant, a native of Fort Collins, this state. Both are held in great respect and good will by the people throughout a large extent of country around them and have a widening influence in the industrial, commercial and social life of their home community.