Aaron Nichols Skinner, astronomer, was born in Boston, MA 10 August 1845, the son of Benjamin Hill and Mercy (Burgess) Skinner, descended from Thomas and Mary Skinner, the line being through Thomas, Thomas, Abraham, Jonathan, Benjamin Hill, and Benjamin Hill Skinner, Jr., his father. He married 9 Feb 1874 Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of Josiah Gibbs of Framingham, MA. They had two children, Melville Gibbs and Helen Augusta Skinner. He was educated at Boston Latin School, at Beloit (Wisconsin) College and the University of Chicago. In 1870 he became assistant astronomer at the U.S. Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C. and in 1898 appointed professor of mathematics at the observatory with the rank of Lieutenant. He retired in 1907 with the rank of Commander. He died in Framingham, Mass. 14 Aug 1918.

Otis Skinner, actor, was born in Cambridge, MA 28 Jun 1858, son of Charles Augustus and Cornelia (Bartholomew) Skinner. His father was a descendant of Thomas and Mary Skinner. (Thomas, Thomas John, Ezra, Timothy, Timothy, Warren, Charles.) His father, and his grandfather, Warren Skinner, were Universalist clergymen. He attended schools in Cambridge and Hartford, CT. He visited his brother Charles in New York, where he saw a play, which decided him to be an actor. He studied acting at Hartford, and played with various stock companies in Philadelphia and other cities. He made his first London appearance in 1884. He joined the company of Edwin Booth and Helena Modjeska and played Shakespearean roles. His most successful play was "Kismet." His last stage appearance was in 1940, but he played in both silent and talking moving picture versions of "Kismet" He married Maud, daughter of William Logsden Durbin in Corning, NY 21 April 1895. They had one daughter, Cornelia Otis Skinner, who married Alden Sanford Blodget 2 October 1928 and they had one son, Otis Skinner Blodget. Otis Skinner died in New York City 4 January 1942.

(Thanks to Elisabeth T. Skinner of Naples, FL for sharing the above.)