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JAMES CRUICKSHANK is a prosperous general
farmer and ex-reeve of Zone township, residing on Lot 5, Concession 4,
where he owns a fine farm of 150 acres to which he came in 1853, having
purchased it from John E. Brooks, land agent. The property was then all a
wilderness, and he had to make a clearing in order to erect his little
cabin on the spot where now stands his handsome brick residence, which was
put up in the fall of 1897.
Mr. Cruickshank was born March 6, 1832, son of
James and Janet (Marnes) Cruickshank, of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where
they remained until 1833, and then emigrated to Canada, settling in Howard
township, County of Kent, Ontario, where they took up 100 acres from Col.
Talbot. Later the father purchased 250 acres, and there he died in 1867,
aged 63 years, while the mother died in 1879, aged 69 years, and they are
buried in the Morpeth cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian
Church. The father held many minor township offices, became very
prominent and was especially active in educational matters. His children
were as follows: James; Alexander, who died in Zone township, on an
adjoining farm, in 1881; John, a retired farmer of Aylmer, Ontario; Mary,
of Zone township, widow of John Tinney William, who died in Howard
township, on the old homestead; Elizabeth, who died in 1891 at Brown City,
Michigan, wife of John Brewster.
James Cruickshank has been twice married, his
first union in 1858, in the township of Howard, being to Elizabeth
Bullock. One child was born to them: Rachel E., who married Alonzo
Grawburg, a farmer of Sanilac, Michigan. On November 5, 1866, Mr.
Cruickshank was married in Florence, Ontario, to Mary A. Maynard, and she
bore him children as follows: Mariah married William Dickson, a farmer of
Zone township; Sarah J. married John W. Southerland, a driller of
Petrolia, Ontario; James is at home with his parents; Hester A. is at
home; Jeanett married Charles Hubble, a contractor and builder of
Thamesville; Mary I. Is at home; Ada M., a school teacher, is also at
home. Mrs. Cruickshank was born in Harwich township, daughter of Manel
and Esther Maynard, both of Canada, the former of Nova Scotia. They were
married in the County of Kent in an early day, there beginning life as
pioneer farmers. On January 1, 1865, in this same locality, the father
passed away aged 58 years, and he was buried in the English cemetery of
Harwich township. The mother resides in Howard township, and is advanced
in years, having been born in 1817. She is a member of the Baptist Church
as was her husband.
Until his marriage Mr. Cruickshank remained
with his parents, and then located on his present farm, where he has since
remained. In politics he is a Conservative and is very active in local
affairs. For eight years he served as township reeve; seven years he was
assessor and also township collector, and for about 30 years he has been
in the township council, having been one of the first to be elected to
that office. Being very deeply interested in educational matters, he has
served upon the school board for a number of years as member, secretary
and treasurer and trustee. Fraternally he is a member of the Orange
Lodge. His farm is one of the best cultivated in the township, and his
home is a very pleasant and comfortable one. Having firmly established
himself in the confidence of the neighbourhood, he is highly regarded and
is justly considered as one of the representative farmers in his section
of the County of Kent. |
