Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-08-04
The First West Va. Legislature.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Sketches Personal, Political and Bi.
ographical.
H. N. CROOKS, from Wood. d,

1
ographlcalf 80 70
H. N. CROOKS, from Wood. 81
CART. HoRATIo NELSON Crooks; one of the
delegates from Wood and Pleasants, has
ibis home at BellVille, in Wood county
| He is now within few days of being six .
ty-two years of age. having been born Sep
tember l6, 1901. He is by birth Pennsyl.
vsnian, Pittsburg being the place of his
nativity. He was left an orphan when an
| infant His ancestors were Scotch, and
settled in Londonderry, Massachusetts,
! His father was in the ''war ofi'I2;" was a
physician by profession, aud was Assistant
Surgeon on board that old mau- Of war of
glorious memory, the Constitution, COM
manded by Captain Hull, who told "bold
Dacres," of the "Guerriere," to give up his
ship 'for it only makes you dull" and in
vited him on board the Constitution aud
stake little' of his "brandy-o." sr.si iai
Horatio was the youngest child, and was
at an early age thrown upon his own re-
sources. The untimely death of his father,
who was eminent in his profession and as
a scholar, deprived him of many educa-
tional advantages, he would else have en-
joyed-. But this only made him the more
persevering. He picked up fair educa-
tiop, not such as is acquired at college, but
such as is really of use in helping men
through the world, en- tirely by his own ek-
ertions. Atsthe age OF. twelve heiweutto
the rope making business, aud worked at
that two years. Then he went on the
river. In those early. days the Western
rivers, including the Ohio, were navigated
by "broad horns, land on these young Ho-
ratio learned the art of a pilot-so profound
mystery 10 those who do not understand
it and SO simple thiDga6 those who do.
Many years weIs spent thnsr aRd he got
to pilotiug sIeamboats. Gradually, bysni
force of character and probity that always
bring success, Mr: Crooks rose to the COM
mand of steamer, aud as he waxed progs
porous, not only commanded but owned
| several of them in succession.
Capt. Crooks is emphatically aRd essen
| italy river man. 1t has been his life
| long business. From the time he was
fourteen aears of age until less than two
years ago he ran the river and did nothing
else He has run the HFather OF Waters"
from the Falls Of Saint Anthony to the
Balize and every one of its thousand tribu-
taries as far up as as1navigable, and every
bayou running out from it, with the single
exception of the Plachemine. He was elect
ed to his present Poeition against his wish
and almost without previous notice: He
modestly told friend the other day that he
| VI PlhSS" JON "SNAN
put me on steamboat" said the Captain.
would know what to do, but the Ship of
State il strange craft, ,.and rims in waters
| that Pun not acquainted with" .,-
Capt. Crooks was running the " Kenton"
from Pittsburg to Memphis when the re
bcllion broke out. He was at Memphis the
night proceeding the election ofsmembers
of the convention to consider Federal re-
lations, and his testimony is thatthe Union
sentiment then largely preponderated even
in Memphis. Finding the rebellion had
broken up his business, and from other
considera tious, he sold out and retired about
eighteen months ago, TO his farm near Bell
Vile, and has since lived the quiet life of a
Gland lubber."I - ~ . ~ ~ ~ g..
/ Capt. Crooks has been married three
times and has seven children. He is q
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church;
belonged to the southern wing of it which
a few years ago had a strong organization
in his sectionI butileft it when he found it
in sympathy with the rebellion, and at
tached himself to the main organization.
He has been whig ever since the days OF
John Quincy Adams-yet never voted for
but two presidents, for the reason that he
was never al home, aud these were Gen.
Scott and John Bell. He owns no slaves
himself, but has always been, opposed to
the abolition of slavery or the agitation oi
the question. Has been in the southwest
a great deal and seen much of slavery and
i thinks the slaves better off as they are. Hls
aud has always been, essentially conserv.
Iattve man Does not like, aud does not
suffer himself to be called an "abolition-
ist.M When the vote was taken on the
ordinance of secession Capt. Crooks was
one of the judges. The precinct is (or
| was) rebel, giving a majority of 81 for the
Il ordinance Capt @ had been very ardent
aud active as Union man aud had made
lhimself obnoxious of course to the rebels.
4 Ons fellow more rash than the rest called
him ia id black abolition son OF 2
~" wherenpon the Captain with one
blow of his ponderous armAai the fellow
out so fat that he barely got over II alive
@The subject of this sketch is in good cir
cumstances. He owns several fine farms
in West Virginia and one in Ohio. Hi!
homestead contains5aonn- F00JacsesA-o O
choice land. His life is another exemPl'
4 of what worth, and energy. can accomplish
q He began life as q poor, orphan boy ant
, has obtained a handsome competence ant
position in society. sr'i - teis1is ~ 90, ~
Capt. Crooks is by all odds the DAME
Lambert of the House. His colleague, Mr
Van Wrinkle, is considered ga good chunk
of a member, but the Captain towers fs
iaboye him and every one else in the House
HE Ia three or four inches above six feet
Il broad sshouldeted, 'portly, OF fine carriag
> and commanding presence he remind
lone, IN his Commanding figure, Of Genera
T Scott as he was ten or fifteen years ago.
. His hair 10 gray and thinned in the corona
/ 4, 10