Adair-Scott-Cedar County IA Archives Biographies.....Crooks, Andrew Donaldson 1826 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 9, 2007, 7:54 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896)

HON. ANDREW DONALDSON CROOKS is now serving his second term as Treasurer of
Adair county, and is numbered among the broad-minded, progressive and
public-spirited citizens. He has lived in this county since 1880, but dates his
residence in Iowa since 1868. His record well deserves a place in the history of
his adopted State, and with pleasure we present it to our readers. A native of
Washington county, Pennsylvania, Mr. Crooks was born May 5, 1826, and is a son
of Henry and Elizabeth (Donaldson) Crooks, the former a native of Maryland and
the latter of Wales. The paternal grandfather, Henry Crooks, also lived in
Maryland, whence he removed with his family, in an early day, to Pennsylvania,
locating in Washington county, where he followed farming. He died at the very
advanced age of ninety-four years.

   The father of our subject was twice married. He first wedded Miss Jane Burns,
who died leaving five sons and four daughters. By his second marriage he had
four children, namely: Richard, who resides at McDonald Station, Pennsylvania, a
wealthy owner of oil lands; Andrew D., of this sketch; Elizabeth, wife of Robert
Farrar, a resident of Washington county, Pennsylvania; and Thomas, who died in
early life.

   On the old home farm Andrew D. Crooks was reared, early becoming familiar
with its various duties, and in the common schools his education was acquired.
He remained in the State of his nativity until twenty-six years of age, when he
went to California, which was his home from the spring of 1852 until 1868.
During the first three years he was engaged in mining. Subsequently he was a
gold broker and afterward was engaged in business as a mail contractor.

   Having returned to Pennsylvania, Mr. Crooks was united in marriage, in June,
1859, to the lady of his choice, Miss Ella T. Wallace, a native of the Keystone
State. They soon after returned to California, and Mr. Crooks was elected to the
position of Sheriff of Siskiyou county, serving two terms. Returning then to
Pennsylvania on a visit, he spent a short time at his old home and then came
again to the West, locating first in Davenport, Iowa, where for three years he
was engaged in merchandising. Removing then to Durant, Cedar county, he dealt in
grain and live-stock, building up a good business, which he conducted until
coming to Greenfield in 1880. Here he purchased a farm in Prussia township,
continuing its cultivation for eight years and stocking it with a fine grade of
horses, cattle and hogs. He made it one of the most valuable of farm properties,
and it is still in his possession,-a palpable evidence of his enterprise and
thrift.

   The home of Mr. and Mrs. Crooks has been blessed with a family of four
children: William H., who is now serving as cashier of the bank at Adair; Robert
D., who follows farming in Adair county; Elizabeth Agnes; and Andrew D., who is
a dry-goods merchant of Greenfield.

   Mr. Crooks has become a prominent and representative citizen of his adopted
county, and his fellow citizens, appreciating his worth and ability, have
frequently called him to public office. He is a stalwart supporter of the men
and measures of the Republican party, and does all in his power to promote the
growth and insure the success of Republicanism. In 1888 he was elected to
represent Adair county in the Twenty-second General Assembly of Iowa, and
faithfully labored for the interests of his constituents. In 1892 he was elected
County Treasurer of Adair county, and so acceptably did he fill the office that
in. 1894 he was re-elected and is therefore the present incumbent. His life has
been well spent, and by his own efforts he has risen to a position of prominence
and gained a comfortable competence.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA

ILLUSTRATED

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."'—MACAULAY.

"Biography is by nature the must universally profitable, universally pleasant,
of all things."—CARLYLE

"History is only biography on a large scale"—LAMARTINE.

CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1896


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