John Rankin House (F.G. Guido Funeral Home)

The three-story brick building at 440 Clinton Street in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood was built in 1840 as the home of wealthy merchant John Rankin. The Greek Revival mansion was one of the largest homes in Brooklyn at the time, which was still mainly farmland. There are 16 fireplaces in the square building and a bread oven in the basement. The building was purchased in 1904 to become a clubhouse for the Manhasset Club. The house was converted into a combined funeral home and residence after Frank Guido purchased it in 1969. It became a New York City Landmark in 1970 and a National Register listing in 1978. The owners report seeing ghosts on the top floor.

The architect for John Rankin's 1840 mansion is not known. The house would have had a view of the bay back then since it was surrounded by farmland. The Greek Revival style is marked by clean, simple lines and understated decoration. The middle section of the three-bay front facade is ever-so-slightly projected forward. The central doorway with stoop is edged by stone pilasters and topped by an entablature. Below the building's cornice is a simple entablature with molding and dentils.

John Rankin was born in England around 1790. The 60-year-old listed his occupation on the 1850 census as "none" so was likely retired. Rankin headed his Brooklyn household where he lived with his wife, Eliza (age 55) and seven children: John Jr. (lawyer, 27); Robert (lawyer, 25); Anne (23); Jane (22); Catherine (20); Mary (18); and Benjamin (clerk, 16). Eliza and the children were New York State natives. Rankin owned real estate valued at $100,000. The Rankins shared the house with a gardener, Alexander Nesbit (50) and three likely daughters: Mary (22); Anne (25); and Isabella Nesbit (20). Alexander and Mary were born in Scotland while the other Nesbit girls were from Ireland. John Rankin was listed in the 1858 Brooklyn city directory as the president of Humboldt Fire Insurance Company, located at 10 Wall St. in Manhattan; his residence was on the corner of Carroll and Clinton. The Rankin household was not found in a search of the 1860 and 1870 census records.

Our house at the corner of Clinton and Carroll Streets originally had the address 350 Clinton St., but the address numbers were revamped by 1870 and the house became 440 Clinton St. The unnamed owner of the house advertised for boarders in November 1870 in single or double pleasant rooms with first-class board. A gentleman and wife or gentlemen were preferred boarders. Unnamed residents of 440 Clinton St. advertised in May 1887 for two servants for a large family - one to cook, wash and iron, and the other as a chambermaid and waitress. Swedish or German girls with references were invited to apply.

The former John Rankin House at 440 Clinton St. was purchased in 1904 by the Manhasset Club. At that time, the house was known as the Hodgkins Mansion. The club started out in 1877 as the St. Stephen's Young Men's Union to promote social life among the parishioners of St. Stephen's Church at Hicks and Summits Streets. The club had owned a building nearby, at 396 Clinton St., but moved out when the site was chosen to create a Carnegie Library. The club's 30th anniversary dinner was held at 440 Clinton St. in February 1908; three long-time club members attended: policeman Thomas Wilson, John J. Carlin, and James J. Ennis. Other social and political events were held at the clubhouse, including a testimonial dinner for James Dunne, Commissioner of the Sewers, in January 1907. Yearly lectures at the clubhouse were popular and included speakers like St. Clair McElway, editor of the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper.

Frank Guido purchased the building in 1969 for $60,000. Frank majored in history at Villanova University and collects antiques, especially horse-drawn carriages. Guido and his daughter, Maria-Ray have reported seeing ghosts walking in the hallway of the top floor of their funeral home/ residence. One specter is a woman in a blue dress; another is a lady in a white dress. Frank is the fourth generation in his family in the funeral home business, beginning with his great-grandfather in 1883.

Anonymous. "Board - Pleasant Rooms." Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn) November 25th 1870. Classifieds sec, 3-3.

Anonymous. "Wanted - One to Cook, Wash. Advertisement." Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn) May 25th 1887. Classifieds sec, 5-5.

Diamondstein-Spielvogel, Barbaralee. The Landmarks of New York. Edition Fifth. Albany, NY. State University of New York Press, 2011.

Heffernan, ---. "Heffernan Says: Gene Moran and the Manhasset Club." Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn) October 22nd 1948. 12-12.

Lain, J. The Brooklyn City Directory (Consolidated) For the Year Ending May 1st, 1858. Brooklyn, NY. J. Lain & Company, 1858.

NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. Designation Report LP-0628, 440 Clinton Street House, Brooklyn, July 14, 1970. New York, NY. New York City Government, 1970.

U.S. Census. Household of John Rankin in Ward 6, Brooklyn, N.Y., dwelling 756, family 1411. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1850.