Born June 22, 1854, on a farm near West Point, in Lee County. He was the youngest in a family of seven children, all of whom were born at this place. He secured his early education at the district school. He attended several terms at Howe's Academy, at Bonaparte, and Whittier College, at Salem, in this state. In 1872, at the age of 18, he began teaching, which he continued for several years, alternating this with attendance at higher schools. In 1875 he completed a teachers' course in the Missouri State Normal School at Kirksville. After his graduation he went to Mississippi, having learned that there was a good demand for teachers in the South. He remained four years in the South, gaining experience not only in teaching, but in various other lines of employment. He was engaged as a land agent and surveyor, and for a period of three months was employed as a draughtsman in the State Land Office at Austin. He even followed the life of a cowboy for a short time on the Staked Plains. He returned to Iowa for a visit in 1879, and soon went to Bannock City, Montana, where for a year he had charge of a drug store owned by a widowed sister. Having already begun the study of medicine, he returned to Iowa and entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, completing a course in 1882. Somewhat against his will he was nominated by the Democrats for the office of Recorder of Lee County in the fall of 1882, and was elected. He now decided to settle down permanently, for he had grown tired of frequent changes in location and business. While in office he did not neglect the excellent opportunity there offered for becoming familiar with the abstracting of titles, and in 1887, after having served the county two terms, he established a real estate, loan and abstract business at Fort Madison. Mr. Cruikshank has always been a Democrat. Besides holding the office of County Recorder of Lee County, he was Deputy Surveyor of Coleman County, Texas, and in 1899 was elected representative to the Twenty-eighth General Assembly of Iowa. He belongs to the Masonic, I. O. O. F. and K. of P. lodges. For nine years he has been secretary of the Lee County Pioneers' and Old Settlers' Association, an organization which came into existence in 1870. Mr. Cruikshank was married June 18, 1889, to Mattie L. Ball, of St. Louis.

A native of Iowa, and was born June 22, 1854, on a farm near West Point, in Lee County. He was the youngest in a family of seven children, all of whom were born at this place. He secured his early education at the district school. He attended several terms at Howe's Academy, at Bonaparte, and Whittier College, at Salem, in this state. In 1872, at the age of 18, he began teaching, which he continued for several years, alternating this with attendance at higher schools. In 1875 he completed a teachers' course in the Missouri State Normal School at Kirksville. After his graduation he went to Mississippi, having learned that there was a good demand for teachers in the South. He remained four years in the South, gaining experience not only in teaching, but in various other lines of employment. He was engaged as a land agent and surveyor, and for a period of three months was employed as a draughtsman in the State Land Office at Austin. He even followed the life of a cowboy for a short time on the Staked Plains. He returned to Iowa for a visit in 1879, and soon went to Bannock City, Montana, where for a year he had charge of a drug store owned by a widowed sister. Having already begun the study of medicine, he returned to Iowa and entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, completing a course in 1882. Somewhat against his will he was nominated by the Democrats for the office of Recorder of Lee County in the fall of 1882, and was elected. He now decided to settle down permanently, for he had grown tired of frequent changes in location and business. While in office he did not neglect the excellent opportunity there offered for becoming familiar with the abstracting of titles, and in 1887, after having served the county two terms, he established a real estate, loan and abstract business at Fort Madison. Mr. Cruikshank has always been a Democrat. Besides holding the office of County Recorder of Lee County, he was Deputy Surveyor of Coleman County, Texas, and in 1899 was elected representative to the Twenty-eighth General Assembly of Iowa. He belongs to the Masonic, I. O. O. F. and K. of P. lodges. For nine years he has been secretary of the Lee County Pioneers' and Old Settlers' Association, an organization which came into existence in 1870. Mr. Cruikshank was married June 18, 1889, to Mattie L. Ball, of St. Louis.