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_John SKINNER _|
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|--John SKINNER
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From Cumberland County, Penn., Land Records
1782, Nov. 13. This Indenture made between Robert Peebles of Shippenburg, Cumberland Co., Penn., Esq., 1st part, and John Skinner of Hopewell twp., yeoman, 2nd part. Consideration L200. A certain tract of Land in the Horse Valley called Penquin on both sides of the Road leading from Shippenburg to Bedford in Cumberland co. Bounds. Beginning at a corner white oak, thence by vacant land North 34 degrees West 22 perches to a Marked Dogwood Tree, Thence South 53 1/2 degrees West 270 perches to a corner White Oak, Thence South 30 degrees East 40 perches to a Heap of Stone Set for a corner. Thence East 48 1/4 Perches to a corner White Oak. Thence by a Mountain North 45 1/2 degrees East 255 Perches to the 1st mentioned White Oak & Place of beginning, Containing 86 1/2 acres & allowance of 6 acres percent for Roads & Highways. It being a Tract of Land & allowance which in Consideration of the moneys heretofore paid by the said Robert Peebles to the late Proprietors at the granting the warrant hereafter mentioned & the Sum of L3, 4 s. paid by said Robert Peebles into the Receivers General office. Patent granted July 5, 1782, and the late Proprietors Warrant to said Robert Peebles June 27, 1774, recorded in Patent Book No. 1, pp. 316, 317. Witnesses: David Porter, Peter Dickey (vol. 1. Bk. F. p. 271).
From Franklin County, Penn., land records.
1790, Jan. 13. This Indenture made between John Skinner of the Horse Valley, Franklin Co., 1st part, and John Skinner his son of Horse Valley for love and affection grants to said son John the land "whereon I now live in said Horse Valley, the Southwest part containing the Mills erected on said land subject nevertheless to the yearly payment of 6 bushels of good merchantable wheat to be paid unto his father John Skinner or to his sister Phebe if demanded, the payment to commence the 1st day of May 1794, and to continue for and during the life of his father John Skinner and after his decease the 3 bushels of like wheat to be paid until his sister Phebe during her natural life the said land being a part of a tract of land granted unto Said John Skinner by two warrants by the supreme Executive Council to the said John Skinner dated A.D. June 1785 and March 1786, including a tr4act of land conveyed unto the said John Skinner by a certain Robert Peebles Esq., dated Nov. 1782. Witness: John Martin, Christopher Griffith (Bk. 2, p. 128).
1790, Jan. 13. Indenture between John Skinner of the Horse Valley one part, and his son George Skinner of Horse Valley the other part for love etc. grants part of a tract the said John Skinner now liveth on - all the Northeast Part of said tract, subject to the following conditions the said George Skinner to pay L6 yearly to commence May 1, 1794, if demanded by his father John Skinner and the said George Skinner is to find for his sister Phebe on said place a good convenient room in the house and sufficient wood for her fire also pasture in Summer and hay in Winter for one horse, and two milk cows and 3 sheep for his sister Phebe at his own expense until she married, said George to pay his sister Phebe after my decease L3 yearly during her natural life. Witnesses: John Martin, Christopher Griffith (Bk. 2, p. 129).
From Tombstone; private burying ground in Horse Valley
In memory of Mary wife of John Skinner who departed this life June 21, 1799 aged 56 years.
Extract from " A Western Tour," printed in Pittsburgh, Penn. July 4, 1810, Author's name was Cuming and he left Phil. On this trip Jan. 8, 1807: "After ascending a mile and a half from Strasburg, I came to the top of the mountains and, looking down on the other side into a dark romantic vale called Horse Valley, with the two Skinner's (George and John) good farms, still house and mill, and Conococheague Creek gliding thru the middle towards the northeast, while the middle mountain rose immediately opposite me from the other side of the Valley, the summit of it apparently not a mile distant from where I stood, tho in reality it is 3 miles, so much is the eye deceived by the intermediate Vale.
"At 4 o'clock I stopped at Skinner's (George) where at my particular request I was gratified with hasty pudding or mush as it is called in this state, with plenty of good milk and apple pie for supper. My hose was born near Woodbridge in Jersey from whence his father had removed to this country many years ago. There are now about 20 families settled in the valley, which extends from the south end, 12 miles above Skinners, to a gap in the Blue Mountains 5 miles below, thru which the Conococheague flows from its source at the upper end of the valley, which it waters in its whole length of 17 miles to join the Susquehanna near Harrisburg, 40 miles distant.
"One, Wagstaff, formerly and English soldier who had been wounded and made prisoner at the Battle of Monmouth, and now a farmer near Pittsburg, and a lad, returning home to the same neighborhood, after assisting to drive a herd of 150 hogs to Phila., which had employed him a month, put up here for the night, and I was much amused with the anecdotes of the old soldier and my host, who had also been a soldier on the patriotic side during the Revolutionary War. They had been opposed to each other in several battles and reminded each other of many incidents which happened to them.
"Mrs. Skinner was confined to her bed in an advanced state of consumption. I recommended her inhaling the steam of melted rosin and beeswax and wrote directions accordingly.
"On the morning of the 27th Jan. I took leave of my friendly hose, Skinner, and passing his brother's about a mile distant, I was joined by another pedestrian traveler who had left Strasburg that morning."
Note: 1811, April 23, No. 3, George (2) sold all his property including the land given him by his father and disappears from the records. (Editor)