My Genealogy Hound

CRUIKSHANK, ALEXANDER, far., Sec. 2; P. O. West Point; owns 227 acres of land, valued at $40 per acre; is a son of James and Susan (Wilson) Cruikshank, and was born Feb. 2, 1805, in Christian Sands, Norway, his father being a native of Scotland and his mother of Norway; his father was a millwright by trade; went to Norway about 1787; married Jane Wilson; had one daughter; his wife died and he married Susan Wilson (sister of his first wife and mother of Alexander), and died in 1809, in the 59th year of his age; at the age of 12 years, young Cruikshank went on board a vessel plying between Christian Sands and Dundee, in Scotland, and subsequently sailed under the flags of England, United States, Prussia, Russia and that of Mexico in 1824, while in the attempt to gain her independence, and the following years up to 1832, he was on board vessels running between New York, London and West Indies; a shipmate, John Thompson, of New York State, persuaded him to go with him to New York; they came to Buffalo, and on to Erie, where they took stage to Pittsburgh, Penn., his comrade having some land in Pennsylvania which he wished to look after; they concluded to go to New Orleans, came down to Wheeling, Va., where his comrade was accidentally killed by falling on the fly-wheel of the boat; he had his remains interred at Marietta, Ohio, and sent his effects to his friends; while in Marietta, he formed the acquaintance of Mr. Bissell, and together they came to Beardstown, Ill.; he stopped in Schuyler Co., Ill.; spring of 1833, went to Hancock Co. In 1834, married Keziah Perkins, daughter of Stephen and Catharine (nee Summa) Perkins; she was born March 5, 1810, in Floyd Co., Ky.; she was of the old Revolutionary stock; her grandfather Perkins served under Gen. Francis Marion during the Revolution, and living to be one of the early settlers of Lee Co., Iowa, dying at Primrose in January, 1841, at the advanced age of 97. In the spring of 1834, Mr. C. made his first advent into Iowa, landing at Fort Madison in March; there were but three families in the place; he came to what is now Pleasant Ridge Tp. and made his claim; was the first white inhabitant in that township; in the fall of 1834, sold out and moved into Marion Tp.; was also the first white settler in that township; remained until the fall of 1835, sold out to Mr. Davis, moved into Franklin Tp. and laid claim to the land he still owns. Has had eight children, seven still living — James, born May 7, 1835, the first white child born in Marion Tp. and the oldest male person now living who was born in this county; Catharine, born Feb. 14, 1837; Elizabeth, May 8, 1841; Jeannie, March 27, 1844; Iowa, Sept. 5, 1846; Alexander, Sept. 12, 1849; John P., June 22, 1852; Stephen, March 13, 1840, died Sept. 26, 1840. Mr. C. has held a few of the offices of trust in his township; is not an office-seeker, being content to use his best endeavors to elect the best men to fill all places of trust. Democrat.