Biography of David Ranken, Jr.
David Ranken, Jr. was born in Ireland in 1835, from a prosperous Scotch-Irish family. He moved to St. Louis in 1862 to manage an inherited estate and remained unmarried, focusing on real estate investments and civic duties. Ranken established the David Ranken, Jr. School of Mechanical Trades, intending to promote respect for manual labor and vocational skills. He endowed the school with significant financial contributions in his lifetime and remained involved until his death in 1910. The school flourished, significantly impacting vocational education in St. Louis.