Volume 1 Number 1

Summer 1984

The Skinner Kinsmen Update

Contributions

The Ancient Skinner Lines

Jonathan Skinner, A Soldier of The American Revolution

IL, Lisbon Cemetery Inscriptions

Thomas of Malden Descendants

Gregg Legutki, Skinner Lineage

The Savage Correction from The Boston Evening Transcript, 8 Aug 1904

The Skinner Family, a Sketch

Where’s Thomas From?

Patricia Jean Nurre, Skinner Lineage

Index Page

Thanks to William Weiler for transcription of this article.

Of his ancestry, this branch of his descendants have neither knowledge nor tradition. Of his wife we know only that she was fifty-one years old in 1825 (born 1774). The family record says he "was born in New York June 1759." His only known child, Charity (POTTER)"was born," says the family record, "in King's Co., N.Y. in 1790." Failure to find trace of this family there suggests that her birth may have been in King's District, N.Y. which is in the City of Albany. A study of the map shows that New Lebanon, where he enlisted, (at the age of 20 years, since he was born 1759) in 1779, was about twenty miles from New Lebanon, Columbia County.

It is quite possible that Jonathan Skinner was born in Columbia County -- a youth of twenty years is not likely to have wandered far.

The tracing of the ancestry of Jonathan Skinner begins with the knowledge given in the Annual Report of 1914-1915 of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, page 253, "Soldiers Graves Marked."
"SKINNER, JONATHAN, 1760-1848
Duel's Corners Cemetery, Orchard Park, Erie Co., N.Y."

(Note: His family record says "Born 1759, died Aug. 1846.")

The official record of the marking of the grave by that Patriotic Organization states: "Mrs. Briggs is a descendant."

A letter from Mrs. Briggs:

Orchard Park, N.Y.

Nov. 22, 1932

"I deeply regret that I am unable to give you any authentic information in regard to the children of Jonathan Skinner.

"If my father, Frank Utley, were alive he would be able to furnish you with all the information you desire in regard to this family.

"Mother and I have discussed the matter and she suggests that you write to Westfield, N.Y. for information regarding the Skinners, as she remembers a Laura Skinner who used to visit Grandmother Utley, who came from Westfield.

"I had the honor of placing the Marker on the grave of Jonathan Skinner, as my father knew all about our relationship to him. As I remember, my grandmother was a Conklin, and great-grandmother Conklin was a Patterson, and another Patterson sister married a Skinner.

"Again I wish to tell you how sorry I am not to be able to give you this information.

"Most sincerely,

(Signed) Florence Utley Briggs (Mrs. R.P.)"

The date of birth of W.H. Utley, who married Olive R. Conklin, makes possible a tentative chart of the generations, as the birth of Hiram Cornelius Potter, in 1816, shows them contemporaries:

Great Grandmother Patterson:

I Patterson m. Conklin

II Olive R. Conklin m. W.H. Utley

III Frank Utley m. **** ****

IV Florence Utley m. R.P. Briggs

Her sister, Miss Patterson

I Patterson m. Skinner (Jonathan?)

II Charity Skinner m. William Potter

III H.C. Potter m, Caroline Parmelee

IV Clark M. Potter m. Tamar Yearns

V Olive M. Potter

The generations agree, BUT: "Rev. Levi A. Skinner (7), born April 11, 1811 (a contemporary of W.H. Utley and Hiram C. Potter) in Oneida County. N.Y. married Laura A. Patterson. With his father, Levi (6) Skinner, he removed from Oneida Co., to Westfield, Chautauqua Co., N.Y.; he settled in Westfield...

This is pretty certainly the ancestor of Mrs. Briggs, as the record continues: "Many of his descendants are in that region."

Chautauqua County joins Erie on the South.

This data, however and the fact of there being traditions in the family of Mrs. Briggs of relationship, points strongly to the earlier ties in those two branches of the Skinner Family.

To be continued...