A. S. Cruikshank
A. S. Cruikshank, who is a leading general farmer and fruit grower of Liberty Township, owns and resides on a very valuable farm of 221 acres, this being a part of the farm of 500 acres originally secured by his grandfather, George Cruikshank, soon after the War of 1812.
George Cruikshank was a native of New York and belonged to a family that came to America in 1760. He married Elizabeth Conway, who was born in Ireland, and they came to Delaware County from Salem, Washington County, New York. The property that George Cruikshank secured had been obtained from the Government prior to this, by General Stansbury. No improvements had been made. but a few of the trees had been slashed to mark a path through the forest. The children of George and Elizabeth Cruikshank were: Mary, who married John Dutcher; William. who died young; David G., who was born in 1808, married Eliza Eaton; Jane C., who was born November 2, 1814, married Joseph Leonard; William (2), who was born in 1816, married Cynthia Fisher; Elizabeth, who was horn in 1819, died in 1820; George H., who was born April 4, 1821, was the father of A. S. Cruikshank; and James, who was born in 1823, married Lucia Kenyon.
Of his father's estate, George H. Cruikshank owned 221 acres. He followed agricultural pursuits until his children were old enough to require educational opportunities, when he moved to Delaware to give them the benefits of excellent schools and resided there for about 25, years. He died at the home of his son, A. S., on the present farm, January 10, 1902, aged 81 years. George H. Cruikshank was married, June 5, 1850, to Augusta F. Smith, who was a daughter of Alwood Smith. She was born in 1822 and died December 25, 1899. The children of George H. Cruikshank and wife were as follows: Harriett Jane, who was born May 4, 1851, died in 1854; Alwood Smith; George Thompson, who was born October 23, 1854, died in October, 1835; Frederick W, who was born August 10, 1856, died August 27, 1856; Mary Augusta, who was born June 25, 1858, married Rev. Edwin Brown, June 18, 1884, and they reside at Lawton, Oklahoma; Martha Elizabeth, who was born October 16, 1860, died April 9, 1875; Peter, who was born July 22, 1862, died September 23, 1862; Lucy Joy, who was born September 2, 1803, married Newton H. Fairbanks and they reside at Springfield, Ohio; and Dora, who was born February 4, 1866, died July 8, 1866.
Alwood Smith was born December 25, 1852. He obtained his education in the schools at Delaware and the Wesleyan University, and was about 21 years old when he adopted farming as his life work. After his marriage he located on his present farm and here he has engaged in general farming and has given considerable attention to growing fine fruit. In 1878 he married Viola J. Pollock, who is a daughter of S. D. and Mary (Taylor) Pollock, of Delaware County, but formerly ol Lodi, Medina County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Cruikshank have had four children: Alwood Pollock, Mabel Janett, Mary Augusta and George Harvey. The eldest son was born January 25, 1880. He was educated in the common and High School at Delaware and served in the Spanish-American War in Porto Rico, as a member of Company K, Fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He is now engaged as one of the engineers at the Stratford power house, for the C. D. M. Company. He married Gertrude Snyder. The eldest daughter, Mabel Janette, was born March 20, 1885, and died while a student at the Wesleyan University, July 15, 1906. The passing away of this daughter was a grevious affliction to the family. Mary Augusta, born October 28, 1887, is now a student of the Ohio Wesleyan University, and George Harvey, born March 6, 1891, is a student in the Delaware High School. The family residence was built stout and strong by the grandfather of Mr. Cruikshank. The stone house on the farm, just south of the residence, was erected by the father of Mr. Cruikshank. and in it the latter was born.
In political views, the Cruikshanks have been identified with the Republican party since its formation hut in addition to this they have been zealous prohibitionists and to such an extent that the late George H. Cruikshank was at one time the candidate for the State Assembly on the Prohibition ticket. Like his father, Mr. Cruikshank is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Delaware, in which he is an elder. He has been active in all movements designed to promote agricultural interests and for a number of years was a member of the Grange.
20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908