John Rankine (1812-1870) published his Biography of William Symington in 1862. Rankine was William Symington's grandson His mother was William's eldest daughter, Elizabeth. The Rankine Biography had been serialized in the Falkirk Herald in 1861. According to a report in the Falkirk Herald, Thursday 28 March 1861 page 3, Rankine intended to use the proceeds of the publication to raise a monument to William Symington: [1]
SYMINGTON TESTIMONIAL. —Mr John Rankine, of the Pleasance, Falkirk, grandson of William Symington, who may not be inaptly termed the author of steam navigation, has issued a prospectus of a work, the object of which is to give a history of the invention and improvement of steam navigation. The free proceeds are to be devoted to the erection of a monument to Symington, whose name has not had the prominence assigned to it which it deserves. The publication is to be inscribed, by permission, to David Napier, Esq., of Glasgow, the oldest and most successful steamboat engineer upon the Clyde. Several hundreds of subscribers have already, we understand, enrolled their names, but, in order to justify Mr Rankine in carrying out his dutiful and praiseworthy undertaking, further support is required, and we trust it will not be found wanting.
Rankine was an engineer and a proprietor of houses but had a history of financial difficulties. No monument was built until the memorial obelisk at Leadhills was erected by public subscription in 1891.
[1] Reported also in the Dundee People's Journal 6 April 1861 page 1 and Dundee, Perth and Cupar Advertiser 2 April 1861