Volume 1 Number 2

Fall 1984

Thank You

The Skinner Family Association

The Skinners

Jonathan Skinner, A Soldier of The

American Revolution, Part II

Orange Skinner Bible

What Kind of Family Records

are Needed?

My Skinner Lineage

Genevieve Skinner Copley

My Skinner Lineage

Katherine Twomey

Where’s Thomas From?

A Continuing Saga

An Attempt to Explain the

Computerized List of C.W. Myers

Question of Issue:

Thomas' Title of Sergeant

Index Page

Thanks to William Weiler for transcription of this article.

An update on the search for Thomas I Skinner of Malden, MA, our immigrant ancestor.

Back in Vol 1 No 1 of the SKINNER KINSMEN UPDATE, we started on a quest for Thomas I. Specifically, from where in England did he actually come? We proposed the possibility of Thomas I actually being a native of Essex County rather than Sussex. Early records of Massachusetts state that he originally came from 'Chichester, County Sussex, England.' The only proof of this that we have is the baptismal record of his son John (2) in North Mundham.

Somewhere along the line, I got myself into the LDS CFI for Essex Co. in researching one of my allied lines (Cornell). While in Essex, I went ahead to Skinners. And there it was! A baptismal record for Thomas Skinner. The only problem was that the date was 6 April 1618, and we ALL know that Thomas I was born in 1617. Well, that's only one year off. So, in Summer's newsletter I wrote "Is this OUR Thomas?"

Murray H. Brown of Orange, MA wrote:

"It was sworn in a document that Thomas I was seen in old Malden, County Essex, England, by persons in Malden, MA. There is a possibility that there may be something in Colchester, Essex and that somehow it was recorded in New England as Chichester."

Well, at least we're in Essex Co.

According to the LDS record, This particular Thomas was baptized in Debden, Essex, England, son of John Skinner. One problem here is that the LDS hard copy is simply a card with the information. So now it's off to the parish registers of Debden.

Let's see what else is happening in Debden about this time. Surprise, surprise. In 1631 we have a will for one John Skinner, yeoman. Could this be the father of our Thomas? Could it at least be the father of Thomas of Debden? Time will tell. We have written to Essex Records Office, Chelmsford for a copy.

The latest update on the will: Last week we finally received the will of John Skinner, yeoman. He did have a son Thomas.. .we're getting warmer! One problem. The will is written in Old English Script - likened to Sanskrit. Translation is difficult. But, we are plodding along. If there is anyone out there who is good at deciphering Old English script, and is willing to lend a hand, it would be appreciated. we do ask, however, that you send a dollar to help offset the cost of reprinting, there are 5 ledger-size pages (17 x 11).

Some of it is real easy to translate because the letters are nice and big, and somewhat obvious. At the beginning there is just a lot of the regular introductory 'stuff' of wills. But when it comes to the body of the actual will, it gets more difficult because it's hard to anticipate what is being said. Added to the fact that the writing becomes much smaller. We have, though, been able to decipher that he had two sons, one Thomas and the other, possibly Johnny and that his wife's name may have been Elinor or Honor or something like that. Anyway, in the next issue, around the first of the year, we'll include a transcription of what we've been able to decipher up to then.

Another point to consider... Is it not also possible that our
Thomas I, based on the assumption of. John B. Skinner (see "The Skinners," elsewhere in this issue) being a Sergeant in Cromwell's army and in ill favor, tried to cover his tracks in England and gave altered information in the Colonies?

Also, regarding the alleged spouse of Thomas I. In some places it can be found that his wife was Mary Gooden/ Goodwin. Mr. Chuck Myers can't put his finger on the source of his information, but Mr. Brown wrote in his letter that "It seems that one historian thought that Thomas I married a lady by the name of Gooden, Goodwin or whatever was similar and this simply because the father of this woman left a certain sum of money in his will to her. Thus, it is possible but it might simply mean that they were friends."

We do appreciate your views, findings and feelings on these matters. By piecing together all of these little bits, we may be able to get a substantial amount of information regarding our English ancestry.

Needless to say, none of this is verifiable without proof. This is all speculation. But, until the data comes in, The Saga Continues.