James M. Cruickshank

Born: 15 JAN. 1845 at Aberdeen, Scotland
Died: 12 JUL 1908
Buried: Summit Grove Cemetery (aka Cruickshank) 8 miles north 1/2 east of North Bend, Dodge County, Nebraska

Married: 1 JAN 1870 to Mary Davidson, dau. of John and Mary Davidson.

Born: 25 APR 1848
Died: 31 AUG 1897
Buried: Summit Grove Cemetery 8 miles north 1/2 east of North Bend, Dodge County, Nebraska

Children buried near the parents:
Margaret, b. 24 APR 1884, d. 2 AUG 1884, bur. Summit Grove
Ora (son), 21 JAN 1885, d. 27 JUL 1885, bur Summit Grove

James’ parents: George Cruickshank, b. 20 MAR 1810, d. 10 JUN 1893; Rebecca, b. 15 JUN 1819, d, 2 SEP 1884, both buried at Summit Grove Cemetery.


Biography Album, Northeastern Nebraska, pub. 1893:
James Cruickshank, a farmer located on section 31, of Ridgely township, came to Dodge County in the spring of 1869, when he located on the farm he now occupies, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres of wild land at that time. He made valuable improvements upon the place, at first building a frame house, 16 x 24 feet, in which he lived five years. He then built an upright, 18 x 28 feet, also provided the place with a barn, cattle shedding and cribbing, and dug a well over which he erected a wind mill. He also planted a beautiful grove, covering five acres, and planted an orchard of two hundred trees. His farm now consists of two hundred and sixty acres of land, two hundred acres which are under the plow.

Our subject was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, January, 1845, the son of George and Rebecca Cruickshank, natives of Scotland, whose four children were: James M., Ann, George S., and Thomas. Our subject lived in Scotland until he was eleven years of age, when his parents moved to Canada and remained until 1861. When he was eighteen years of age he went to Michigan and worked in a saw mill by the month for three years, then spent two years in the salt works, went back to Canada and remained until the spring of 1868, when he came to Omaha, Nebraska, and engaged at railroading. He went to the Black Hills on the first passenger that ever ran into that locality. All that our subject possesses he earned by his own exertions. His advantages for education were not first-class. He was married January 1, 1870, to Mary Davidson, daughter of John and Mary Davidson, of Scotland, who had a family of eleven children: John, Jane, William, Elizabeth, Thomas, James, Margaret, (deceased), Isabel, Mary, Christopher, and Agnes.

He and his wife are the parents of eight children: George C., Agnes B., John D., Rebecca, Ora (deceased), Margaret (deceased), Arthur and Harmon H.

Politically, our subject votes an Independent ticket.

Source: Ruth Moss, Washington County Genealogical Society