Crooks township embraces township 116-36. It is bounded on the north by Kandiyohi county, on the east by Winfield township, on the south by Emmet township, and on the west by Ericson township.

John Smith was the first settler in Crooks township. He and his good wife, Maria, came to Crooks township, June 1, 1870, and did not settle here permanently until July 2, 1870, when they filed on the northwest quarter ot section 32. At the same time C. G. Bell filed on the southwest quarter, and H. S. Crooks, from whom the town is named, on the southeast quarter of the same section. During the same year Lars Otness filed on the southeast quarter of section 34, and Hans Stromerson on the northwest quarter of the same section. Then came Ed. Bakken, James Madison, Esten Bakken and A. E. Kinney. These were practically all the early settlers of the township. But a few years later the settlers began to come in more rapidly.

The first birth in the town was that of Ellen, a daughter of C. G. and Phoebe Bell, born in the spring of 1872. The first death was in December, 1875, when John Johnson was frozen to death. The first school was taught in the summer of 1874 by Nettle Spicer in a building erected for that purpose on section 30. Religious services were held by the Methodists at private houses as early as 1874.

Crooks township was organized as Aurora township In November, 1884, and an election was held December 9, 1884. In March, 1885, the board was notified by the state auditor that another township in the state had been given the name Aurora, therefore named it Crooks. The first supervisors of Crooks were H. L. Otos (chairman), C. A. Bakken and J. F. Smith. The records of the township have been preserved since March 28, 1885. On that date the supervisors held a meeting and assessed two days' labor on the highways against every adult male, and a road tax of fifty cents against every hundred dollars' worth of real estate and personal property as valued in the assessment rolls of the preceding year. The present officers of the township are: Supervisors, Henry Haen (chairman), P. J. Wigdahl and Gurin Kverness; clerk, E. J. Wilson. Town meetings are held in the school houses.

The first real estate assessment in Crooks township, 116-36, then a part of Emmet, was made in 1874. Those assessed were: John Johnson, section 18; John Gist, 30. In 1875 there was added to this list: Esten Bakken, section 8. In 1878 there were added to this list: A. E. Kenney, section 18; J. J. Pratt, 30; Ambry M. Knight, 2, 6; John B. Sanborn, 7. In 1882, the following names had been added: Charles B. Gordon, section 20; Knight & Dean, 2, 10; J. A. Latta, 6; Ward & Bruman, 21; James Matheson, 28; Peter Larson, 28; T. O. Larson, 26; Tollof Olson, 26; A. McFarlane, 30; Jacob Olson, 32; John Smith, 32; E. C. Bakken, 28; Jessie Bean, 32; Peter Eberlanderson, 18; John S. Delano, 19, 21; Isaac C. Stearns, 17; Albert Dagen, 24; Claus A. Bakken, 18; Lars S. Otnes, 34; Hans S. Andraa, 34; Martin J. Martinson, 26; F. A. Gorden, 20.

The personal tax list of Crooks for 1915 embraces the following names: George Ahrenholz, John Aalderks, C. Aalderks, Dirk Beckman, Gustav Butenhoff, Bert Bruins.

John G. Wordes, one of the leading citizens of the township, settled here in the spring of 1887, and has thus lived in Crooks for nearly thirty years. Mr. Wordes has furnished some interesting information for this history of the county. His reminiscences appear elsewhere. According to Mr. Wordes, the others who came that spring were Henry Blattner, Henry Haen and William Loock.

Those living here at that time were: John Gest, section 32; Peter Ufkes, 31; John F. Smith, 32; Henry Crooks, 32; Jacob O. Dahl, 32; A. E. Kinne, 18; C. A. Bakken, 18; Eston Bakken, 8; James Matson, 28; Samming Carlson, 28; E. C. Bakken, 28; Gustof Herman, 34; Ole Erickson, 26; Martin Peterson, 22; Fred Shaller, 22; Ole Tolfson, 24; G. Welch, 29; L. P. Larson, 28; S. A. Wilcox, 20; F. C. Greene, 20; N. F. Sherman, 20; John O. Colsrud; Hans Stumeson, 34; A. McFarlane, 33; Hotsean Otos, 24; Carl Hennemann, 2; Lars Otnes, 27; Albert Strey, 26; Adolph Zockor, 36. Of these thirty-three families only four are now living in the township: John G. Wordes, 29; Gustof Hermann, 34; Martin Peterson, 22; Albert Strey, 14, all the rest having died or moved to other places.

Those who came later in 1887 were Henry Haen, who later moved to Emmet township; Henry Blattner, William Loock and Lubbert Ahrenholz.

The men who have lived in Crooks township a quarter of a century or more are: Dirk Beekman, F. O. Berg, P. and D. Eeikhoff, Gustof Herman, L. M. Johnson, S. F. Larson, Olson & Johnson, John G. Wordes, Martin Peterson and Albert Strey.

John G. Wordes, of Crooks township, has lived in the county some thirty years, and in that time has undergone many interesting experiences. His story is an excellent lesson to the younger generations of what the people endured who helped to make the county. His story is as follows:

I was born in the town of Lima, Sheboygan county, Wisconsin; was reared to agricultural pursuits, and remained on my father's farm until March, 1887. On the twenty-third of that month I married Jane Christian Brummels. On April 6, 1887, she and I arrived in Renville and roomed at the home of Peter Haan until April 11, 1887. Then a Mr. Vanakkern and a younger brother of mine arrived at Renville, with a car of horses, machinery and household goods. The next day we moved out on the prairie in a small house known as the Steam's place. A few days later James Minderhout and Isaac Wolfert, two young men from Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, came and stayed with us for some time.

Then a few days later William Orlebeke and family, also of Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, came and stayed with us until the men could haul out lumber to build a small house and sheds for their horses. The above named Wisconsin people had bought land in Chippewa county, Minnesota, near where Clara City is now situated. When those families moved on their land, I can tell you we commenced to get lonesome. But we soon got acquainted with the neighbors, and I will say right here that I shall never forget what those kind neighbors did for us in time of need. Now, to tell the story, will say the first thought came to me to break the prairie land that I had bought the year previous in section 7, township 116, range 36 - 160 acres railroad land - at $9 per acre. I broke 40 acres in the spring of 1887, sowed 20 acres of it into flax and reaped five bushels per acre. Everything went well until the winter of 1888. January 12 two young men, friends of ours, got lost in a snow storm. One froze to death, the other froze his feet. The worst came on February 4, 1888, when our first baby was born. A blinding blizzard made it impossible for a neighbor or a doctor to come to our assistance, and there was no telephone to call a neighbor. It nearly made my hair stand on end. But thanks to God, everything went well. The years 1887 and 1888 were rather poor crop years and low prices, and the severe winter made us somewhat discouraged and all the earthly possession we had. I had made one small payment on my land. One team of horses and harness and wagon and a few pieces of furniture was all we had.

The first two years we were so poor that we could not buy wood or coal. So we were obliged to burn hay and flax straw to cook and keep warm with. We tried to sell out, but could not get a buyer, even at the price we had paid for our land. Then in the fall of 1888 my father came to see us. He found us well, but discouraged. After telling father of our plans of selling out and going back to Wisconsin, father said: "Son, my advice to you is this: Stick it out a few years and everything will turn out right." And father's advice came in time, and did turn out well. So my advice to any young man that starts in a new country - stick out a few years and everything will turn out well. In the year 1892 I bought 80 acres joining mine at $11 per acre. And in 1892 sold my 240 acres at $20 per acre and also sold my personal property for a good price. After paying all our debts we had a nice little sum to our name.

In the spring of 1893 we decided to see our old home and friends in Wisconsin. On June 5, 1893, myself and family left for Wisconsin, thinking to locate there, and while there also took in the World's Fair at Chicago, Ill. We also looked at some land in Wisconsin and Illinois. After taking prices of land into consideration in those states, I saw that I could do better in Minnesota, so in August of 1893, we returned to the town of Crooks and bought the northwest quarter of section 29 at $29 per acre, the same quarter where we still live.

In 1908 I bought the southwest quarter of section 20 at $48.50 per acre, so now I have a farm of 320 acres, which I would not trade for any farm of similar size in Wisconsin or Illinois.