Background
CRUIKSHANK, Marcus Henderson was born on December 12, 1826 in Autauga County, Alabama, United States, United States.
CRUIKSHANK, Marcus Henderson was born on December 12, 1826 in Autauga County, Alabama, United States, United States.
Public school.
He studied law in Talladega under Alexander White, whose firm he joined in 1847. He was a Whig ally of William P. Chilton and a Presbyterian. Cruikshank married Matilda Washington Chrisman, by whom he had one son.
Before the war, he was registrar in chancery and mayor of Talladega during the 1850s. He was also editor and owner of the Talladega Reporter. He continued as mayor during the early part of the war, when his fear of Negro uprisings prompted him to begin a patrol system in the town.
Even though he was considered a unionist, if not a reconstructionist, he defeated Jabez L. M. Curry for election to the second Confederate House in 1863. Curry’s support of the Davis administration was a strong factor in his defeat. Though Cruikshank voted mostly against administration legislation, he loyally performed many tasks for the Confederacy.
In 1864, he was involved in purchasing and delivering food to Confederate soldiers. He served on the Enrolled Bills, Printing, and Ordnance Stores Committees, and he was a vigorous opponent of the writ of habeas corpus. Earlier in the war he had directed a salt works for the government.
After the war, he worked with the Reconstruction governor of Alabama on a committee to relieve the destitute of Alabama. In 1873, he was owner and editor of the Reporter and Watchtower in Talladega, which he continued to edit until he died on October 10, 1881.
"Peculiar institution" of slavery was not only expedient but also ordained by God and upheld in Holy Scripture.
Stands for preserving slavery, states' rights, and political liberty for whites. Every individual state is sovereign, even to the point of secession.