Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of William Skinner

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Descendants of William Skinner

Generation No. 1

1. WILLIAM¹ SKINNER was born Abt. 1785 in Virginia/North Caroline, and died Bef. 1850 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He married ELIZABETH AIKMAN 1806 in Knox County, Tennessee, daughter of WILLAM AIKMAN and MARY DUNBAR. She was born Abt. 1784 in Rockingham County, Virgina, and died Bef. 1850.

Notes for WILLIAM SKINNER:
This is as it stands today the newest and furthest we have traced this Skinner family of mine. There are lots of histories of our families and histories of our Country during these times. One of which I will interject at this time. Because the birth of this grandfather would have occurred shortly after the Revolutionary War, I will include some interesting facts. But first some facts and histories of the Skinner families.

The Skinner's of this family have been harder than most in tracking, and I believe that is because they were as a whole very hard working class of people that share cropped and until later years did not own their own land as much as some families. I have found no records of slave ownerships and they do not show records of large land owners. This family was obviously a family that stayed to themselves and did not get into trouble with the law. There is very strong evidence that they moved back forth from Viginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. I do not find either though that there was a strong interest in Christianity as far as Preachers teaching the Word. That did however come generations later. There is some evidence that they were of Jewish decent, but did not practice the religion, and they may have banded with Lutheran and Quaker groups. They seem to be primarily farmers and Carpenters. One thing that I have found, some of the Skinner boys married women from families that did own land, and some cases lots of land. It is also obvious to me that some of the Skinner moved west to own land that was freely given when they served in the Civil War. This free or cheap land was an enticement for men to go west and populate the lands for American expansion.

Now to the special **NOTES

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, another has two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurist. Eleven were merchants, nine were educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Diller, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died in bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's beside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forest and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates. such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wide eyed rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, Straight, and unwavering, they pledged; "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." They gave you and me a free and independent America.

History books never told you a lot of what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't just fight the British subjects at that time we fought the government! Some of us take these liberties so much for granted... We shouldn't. You all need to know in the actual battles in the east and also in the forest of Kentucky, and else where. The McGuire, Nickell, Newton, Craig, Skinner, Pritchett families assuredly fought and family members died, so that we today we today have the freedom that we so much enjoy. It was a high price to pay, but done by willing participants.

This is partly given to me by a cousin on the Skinner side of the families that I belong to. Lisa Reddon is also a family researcher. I am aware that not all of the later families is part, or of all the Skinner represented here, but it is and will be part of my history. Signed Steve A. Pritchett family researcher, Medford, Oregon e-mail SPritch209@aol.com

More About WILLIAM SKINNER and ELIZABETH AIKMAN:
Marriage: 1806, Knox County, Tennessee

Children of WILLIAM SKINNER and ELIZABETH AIKMAN are:

2.	i.	LORENZO D.² SKINNER, b. 1813, Virginia/North Caroline; d. It is belived in Monroe County, Tennessee.
3.	ii.	JEREMIAH JERRY SKINNER, b. 1815, North Carolina.
	iii.	WILLIAM E SKINNER, b. 1825, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; m. CAROLINE BARNHILL, 1842, Mechlenburg County, North Carolina.

More About WILLIAM SKINNER and CAROLINE BARNHILL:
Marriage: 1842, Mechlenburg County, North Carolina

iv.

SUSANNAH SKINNER, b. Abt. 1827, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; m. WILLIAM KINDLEY, 1839, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

More About WILLIAM KINDLEY and SUSANNAH SKINNER:
Marriage: 1839, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

ELIZABETH SKINNER, b. 1830, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; m. ADAM WOLF STARNS.

More About ELIZABETH SKINNER:
Burial: Morningstar Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Mathew, North Carolina

More About ADAM WOLF STARNS:
Burial: Morningstar Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Mathew, North Carolina

vi.

MARY A. SKINNER, b. 1834, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; m. PETER PHIFER, September 02, 1850, Mechlenburg County, North Carolina; b. 1826, North Carolina.

Notes for MARY A. SKINNER:
Peter and Mary didn't have any children known of, but they did adopt a daughter. It is obvious that one of Skinner families and perhaps one other relative died and Peter and Mary raised four children that were not theirs.

More About PETER PHIFER and MARY SKINNER:
Marriage: September 02, 1850, Mechlenburg County, North Carolina

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