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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
MILTON CROOKHAM, a farmer and stockraiser, resides on section 32, Adams Township. He was born in Jackson County, Ohio, May 3, 1819, and is a son of George L. and Sarah (Lake) Crookham. He was reared on the farm, and has always followed that avocation. His early education was very limited and was obtained chiefly before he was six years of age. He remained at home in Jackson County until he had arrived at the age of twenty-one, and then began life for himself. He traveled extensively through seventeen of the States and Territories, and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to England in 1843, remaining there only a few months. Although his school education was limited he was of a studious turn of mind, and so continued until he was forty years of age, and his studies had embraced the common branches, anatomy. theology, chemistry, geometry, etc. In addition to these he possesses a large general knowledge of many of the sciences, and is considered a well-read man. He taught school in Ohio and Iowa several terms. Mr. Crookham was married in Jackson County, Ohio, within five miles of his birthplace, Jan. 17, 1847, to Miss Mary Bunn, a native of Jackson County, born March 29, 1829, and a daughter of Samuel and Betsey (Nelson) Bunn. Her father is deceased, and her mother still resides in Jackson County, and is over eighty years of age. By this union there have been ten children, only four of whom are living. Samuel is deceased; George L. died at the age of five years; two children died in infancy; Horace is a farmer, and resides upon one of his father's farms in Richland Township, this county; Sarah died at the age of seventeen; Emily is the wife of Luke Beach, a farmer residing upon Mr. Crookham's home farm; Eliza died at the age of thirteen; Nellie, and an infant, unnamed, are at home. After his marriage Mr. Crookham located in Ross County, Ohio, and cultivated a rented farm for one year. In 1848 he came to Mahaska County and entered 400 acres of Government land, in Madison Township, paying therefor $1.25 per acre. After a residence of five years on this land he moved to Prairie Township and bought 160 acres of Government land, to which he added at intervals until he had accumulated 1,000 acres of land in the one body. In 1876 he located where he now resides, buying 320 acres of his present farm, to which he has since added eighty more. Mr. Crookham owns, altogether, in this county over 2,500 acres of land, about 200 acres in Marion County, Iowa, 160 in Minnesota, and about 15 within the corporate limits of Oskaloosa, south of the High School building. He also owns that part of the Ashier House known as the Steet House, one part 54x40 and 120x40, and another part 60x20. A portion of the buildings are three stories in height and the remainder two. At the organization of the First National Bank of Oskaloosa Mr. Crookham was its third largest stockholder, and was connected with it as long as it did business. John White, Henry H. Prine, John H. Warren, Hon. J. A. L. Crookham and the subject of this sketch were its organizers. He was also a stockholder in the Farmer's and Trader's Bank when first organized, and is now the largest stockholder in the Mahaska County Bank. Mr. Crookham's home farm in Adams Township is all in a high state of cultivation, with improvements bf the best class. He engages extensively in stock-raising, raises many fine thoroughbred Short-horn cattle, and usually has on hand from 100 to 200 head, nearly all high grades, and many of them full blood. Mr. Crookham started in life with little or nothing, and when he came to this county had about $1,000, and this has been the basis of an accumulation, probably greater than that of any other man in the county who has pursued the business of farming and stock-raising. In public affairs Mr. Crookliam has always taken an active interest, and has given liberally of his means to all proper enterprises. In the conduct of his business and his dealings with men, he has always been honorable and fair, and this fact has made for him many friends, whose confidence and esteem he enjoys fully.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy