A. J. CRUICKSHANK CALLED HOME

Blair’s Oldest Citizen Passes Away At His Home In West Blair On Tuesday, May 26, At 1 P.M.

WAS A NATIVE OF SCOTLAND

Blair citizens bowed their heads in sorrow Tuesday when the sad news was spread about that “Grandpa” Cruickshank had passed away after a brief illness of but a few days.

He was born in Cuniston, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Nov. 8, 1831, where he grew to manhood and it was while still in Scotland that he met, wooed and married when about twenty-five years of age. At the time of his marriage, which was March 19, 1857, he was employed in a bank but later he farmed his mother’s farm and he continued this work until he came to America in 1872. After visiting his brother who was in business in Omaha, for a time, they purchased a farm in De Soto township of Mr. George McKenzie, who was also a native of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Here he and his good wife lived and reared their family and continued to farm until the family had grown and left the home nest. About ten years ago they decided to move to Blair where they would be free to spend their declining days in peace and rest.

The farm was sold to Mr. John Reid of Blair and as chance would have it, Mr. Reid is also a native Aberdeenshire, Scotland so that from the time of the homesteading up to the present time the title has rested continuously in a native of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Since moving to Blair, “Grandpa and Grandma” Cruickshank, as they are known to us all, have found their ways into the hearts and affections of the people of Blair and it is indeed hard to think of one without the other. At his extreme age of nearly ninety-four years, he was hale and hearty up to the time he was stricken and his pleasant even, sunny disposition made him an object of love and respect by the whole community. He always had a pleasant smile and a kindly word for every one and we will miss him greatly now that he is gone.

As a boy, some thirty-five years ago the writer can look back when he was still on the farm and his same even tenor of life, his honorable, Christian like method of living made him then as now, an object of the greatest respect in his community.

For sixty-eight years “Grandpa and Grandma” Cruickshank have enjoyed a married life which was as nearly perfect as is possible in a human way and now when at the age of eighty-nine years she is left without his loving attention but the Almighty has blessed her with ten loyal children, four sons and six daughters, all living, who will do everything possible to make the remainder of her life’s journey as pleasant as possible and drive away all care that is common to nature. She has nothing to regret, theirs was a perfect life and his life was one that we might all do well to emulate.

Besides the aged wife, those left to mourn him are: John of Golden Valley, N. D., Andrew and James of Omaha; Alex of Los Mo Linas, Calif.; Mrs. Sherry Moore of Blair; Mrs. Ora Marshall of Casper, Wyo.; Mrs. J. S. Burnett, Little Medicine, Wyo.; Mrs. Leo Nickerson, Marshall Wyo.; Mrs. M. A. Summers, Page, Nebr. and Mrs. Anna Mumaugh of California, also nineteen grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren.

The funeral services will be held tomorrow, Friday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock at the Congregational church of which he was a member. Rev. James A. McKeeman, pastor, will have charge of the services and will be assisted by Rev. W. H. Underwood of the Crowell Home, who is a neighbor and friend of the family and interment will be made in the Blair cemetery.

Note: Name was James A in his wife's obituary.

#2 Tribune 8 May 1925

A. Cruickshank Is Called To Last Rest

This community lost one of its grandest old citizens Tuesday noon when death called James A. Cruickshank after a brief illness, the result of old age. Mr. Cruickshank was born in Armmineston Nonquhitter Turiff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, at the Old ?n, November 8, 1831, and was married to Isabelle Paulsen March 19, 1857, both coming to America and arriving at Omaha on July 2, 1872.

Mr. and Mrs. Cruickshank took up homestead in DeSoto township the same year, where they continued to live until ten years ago when they moved to Blair.

They were the parents of thirteen children, ten of whom are living. One child died in infancy before Mr. and Mrs. Cruickshank left Scotland, and another died at a tender age on July 4, 1872, just two days after their arrival in Omaha, and the third Margaret Hall, passed away in Omaha in 1910, after having grown to womanhood. The surviving children are Mrs. Anna Mummaugh who made her home with her aged parents in Blair, Mrs. Belle Summers of Page, Neb., James of Florence, John of Golden Valley, North Dakota, Mrs. Jean Burnett of Little Medicine, Wyo., Alec of Los Molinos, Calif., Mrs. Etta Nickerson of Marshall, Wyo., Mrs. Bessie Marshall of Casper, Wyo., Mrs. Dolly Moore of Blair, and Andrew of Florence. There are also nineteen grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren and the widow, who is 89, left to mourn the end of this venerable old gentleman, besides a cousin in Scotland.

Mr. and Mrs. Cruickshank celebrated their golden wedding at their country home in 1907, the occasion being one of great magnitude from the fact of the old couple’s wide acquaintance and the further reason that the Cruickshank home had been for years the mecca and gathering place of both young and old folks from this vicinity for years. The Cruickshanks were of lovable dispositions and were royal entertainers, numbering their friends by their acquaintances, and the death of Mr. Cruickshank has saddened the populace not only of Blair but of a wide surrounding territory.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Friday) at 2:00 p.m. from the Congregational church with Rev. McKeeman officiating, assisted by Rev. W. H. Underwood.

#3 Pilot 27 May 1925

James A. Cruickshank passed peacefully away at 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon of old age, being in his 94th year. He has been failing gradually for the past month. He seemed to have no pain, said he was just sleepy and wanted to rest. He was rational when aroused, even up to yesterday morning, but gradually grew weaker until the tired old heart could no longer function and he passed over the river of death. But there was no darkness he was ready and willing to go. He said he had been allowed to live a long while, his only regret being that he couldn’t take his life’s companion with him, having been together for almost 67 years. All the living children but two, Alec and Mrs. Mumaugh, both of California, were at his bedside when the end came. They will be here for the funeral service, which is to be held at the Congregational church at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon. Mr. Cruickshank was born in Cmminston County, Aberdeen, Scotland, November 8th, 1831. He was married to Isabella Polson on March 19th, 1857 and several of the children were born there. They landed in Omaha July 2nd, 1872 and the next day they lost their baby daughter. Shortly after they bought the farm south of town that was to be their home for over fifty years. They moved to this city about ten years ago. The Cruickshank school district was named after him and he served on the school board for 27 years. He was also a member of the board of county supervisors from DeSoto township for several terms. Thirteen children were born to them, two of whom died in infancy and one, Margaret, Mrs. Robert Hall, died in 1911. He is survived by his aged wife who was 89 the 21st of last November, four sons, James and Andrew, of Omaha, John , of Golden Valley, N. D. and Alec of Los MoLinas, Calif. The six daughters are Anna, Mrs. W. K. ?, Bella, Mrs. M. A. Summers of ?, Mrs. Mumaugh of Omaha, now in California, Page, Nebraska Jean., Mrs. J. S. Barnette of Little Medicine, Wyo., Etta, Mrs. Leo Nickerson of Marshall Wyo., Bessie, Mrs. Orr Marshall, of Casper Wyoming and Dollie, Mrs. Sherry Moore, of this city. We have never known a more lovable and interesting old couple than Grandpa and Grandma Cruickshank and everyone who knew him will miss him almost as much as she and the children will. Their faithful attendance at church is an example to all, never missing a service if physically able to be there. Such a life is not lived in vain and the memory of it will live as long as the memory lasts. Such a life was worthy of such a death, without a pain, he fell asleep to wake no more in this life.

#2 Tribune 8 May 1925 A. Cruickshank Is Called To Last Rest This community lost one of its grandest old citizens Tuesday noon when death called James A. Cruickshank after a brief illness, the result of old age. Mr. Cruickshank was born in Armmineston Nonquhitter Turiff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, at the Old ?n, November 8, 1831, and was married to Isabelle Paulsen March 19, 1857, both coming to America and arriving at Omaha on July 2, 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Cruickshank took up homestead in DeSoto township the same year, where they continued to live until ten years ago when they moved to Blair. They were the parents of thirteen children, ten of whom are living. One child died in infancy before Mr. and Mrs. Cruickshank left Scotland, and another died at a tender age on July 4, 1872, just two days after their arrival in Omaha, and the third Margaret Hall, passed away in Omaha in 1910, after having grown to womanhood. The surviving children are Mrs. Anna Mummaugh who made her home with her aged parents in Blair, Mrs. Belle Summers of Page, Neb., James of Florence, John of Golden Valley, North Dakota, Mrs. Jean Burnett of Little Medicine, Wyo., Alec of Los Molinos, Calif., Mrs. Etta Nickerson of Marshall, Wyo., Mrs. Bessie Marshall of Casper, Wyo., Mrs. Dolly Moore of Blair, and Andrew of Florence. There are also nineteen grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren and the widow, who is 89, left to mourn the end of this venerable old gentleman, besides a cousin in Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Cruickshank celebrated their golden wedding at their country home in 1907, the occasion being one of great magnitude from the fact of the old couple’s wide acquaintance and the further reason that the Cruickshank home had been for years the mecca and gathering place of both young and old folks from this vicinity for years. The Cruickshanks were of lovable dispositions and were royal entertainers, numbering their friends by their acquaintances, and the death of Mr. Cruickshank has saddened the populace not only of Blair but of a wide surrounding territory. Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Friday) at 2:00 p.m. from the Congregational church with Rev. McKeeman officiating, assisted by Rev. W. H. Underwood.

#3 Pilot 27 May 1925

James A. Cruickshank passed peacefully away at 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon of old age, being in his 94th year. He has been failing gradually for the past month. He seemed to have no pain, said he was just sleepy and wanted to rest. He was rational when aroused, even up to yesterday morning, but gradually grew weaker until the tired old heart could no longer function and he passed over the river of death. But there was no darkness he was ready and willing to go. He said he had been allowed to live a long while, his only regret being that he couldn’t take his life’s companion with him, having been together for almost 67 years. All the living children but two, Alec and Mrs. Mumaugh, both of California, were at his bedside when the end came. They will be here for the funeral service, which is to be held at the Congregational church at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon. Mr. Cruickshank was born in Cmminston County, Aberdeen, Scotland, November 8th, 1831. He was married to Isabella Polson on March 19th, 1857 and several of the children were born there. They landed in Omaha July 2nd, 1872 and the next day they lost their baby daughter. Shortly after they bought the farm south of town that was to be their home for over fifty years. They moved to this city about ten years ago. The Cruickshank school district was named after him and he served on the school board for 27 years. He was also a member of the board of county supervisors from DeSoto township for several terms. Thirteen children were born to them, two of whom died in infancy and one, Margaret, Mrs. Robert Hall, died in 1911. He is survived by his aged wife who was 89 the 21st of last November, four sons, James and Andrew, of Omaha, John , of Golden Valley, N. D. and Alec of Los MoLinas, Calif. The six daughters are Anna, Mrs. W. K. ?, Bella, Mrs. M. A. Summers of ?, Mrs. Mumaugh of Omaha, now in California, Page, Nebraska Jean., Mrs. J. S. Barnette of Little Medicine, Wyo., Etta, Mrs. Leo Nickerson of Marshall Wyo., Bessie, Mrs. Orr Marshall, of Casper Wyoming and Dollie, Mrs. Sherry Moore, of this city. We have never known a more lovable and interesting old couple than Grandpa and Grandma Cruickshank and everyone who knew him will miss him almost as much as she and the children will. Their faithful attendance at church is an example to all, never missing a service if physically able to be there. Such a life is not lived in vain and the memory of it will live as long as the memory lasts. Such a life was worthy of such a death, without a pain, he fell asleep to wake no more in this life.

#4 June 3, 1925 - The Pilot

The funeral of James A. Cruickshank was held at the Congregational church at 2 o’clock last Friday afternoon, and was very largely attended by his many acquaintances. The floral offerings were unusually large and beautiful, mute testimony of the love and esteem in which he was held by many friends. Rev. James A. McKeeman had charge of the service and spoke briefly as his pastor. Supt. W. H. Underwood of the Crowell Home made a short talk as a neighbor, Rev. O. U. McProud, pastor of the Methodist church spoke of him as a Christian citizen. Prayer was offered by Rev. L. H. Camp of the Christian church, and Rev. Arthur D. Smalley of the Baptist church read the Scriptures. A quartette composed of Mrs. John A. Rhodes, Miss Mary Cook, H. H. Brown and the writer sang three favorite hymns. The active pallbearers were four sons, James, John, Alec and Andrew, and two grandsons Frank and William Mumaugh. The honorary pallbearers were Sam and B. F. Haller, John McQuarrie, Wm. Willson, J. E. McCracken, A. Lazure, U. Cachelin and John McDonald. The ten children were present for the funeral service, coming from the Dakotas,Wyoming and from far off California.

~~~ Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~