(3) CORNELIUS SKINNER, SR. - SARAH _____
file updated 1/2003
Family Summary
Biography
KDS Commentary
Source References
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(3) CORNELIUS SKINNER, SR.
[KDS note - all of the following is based upon (Holcombe-2), except where noted with other sources]
RESIDENCE -
1737-1743 - Lamertown, Bedminster Twnshp, Somerset Co., NJ (Janeway-6)
1755-1765 - Tewksbury, Hunterdon Co., NJ (Snell-3)
1772 - Relocated to Va with sons by this year (Holcombe-2)
LAND OWNERSHIP -
1763 - Tewksbury, Hunterdon Co., NJ (deed-7)
 b.
d.
m.
w. SARAH _____
 
CHILDREN:
proof of linkage of children to parents - none identified
 
(4) CORNELIUS SKINNER, JR. - Will dated Jun 5, 1834, Proved Jun 7, 1834
(5) RICHARD SKINNER - died prior to 1834; had issue
(5) PHINEHAS SKINNER - b. 1786; m. Dec 27, 1806 Loudoun Co., VA to Margaret Palmer. Descendants have been tracked.
 
(4) NATHANIEL SKINNER - b. Sep 17, 1748, NJ; d. Feb 6, 1834, VA; m. Jun 19, 1770, Chester Co., NJ [KDS note - Holcombe meant Chester Twsp, part of Morris Co.; also reference (record-5).] to Martha Frame (b. May 17, 1752; d. Apr 7, 1831)
Migrated to VA with father in 1773.
(5) JOHN SKINNER - 1771-1850
(5) CORNELIUS SKINNER - 1772-1845
eleven others
 
(4) RICHARD ALEXANDER SKINNER - b. 1740, NJ; d. Jun 27, 1811; m. 1764, VA, to Adaline Van Deventer
Settled in VA by 1772.
(5) RICHARD SKINNER - b. 1762
(5) JOHN SKINNER - b. Mar 20, 1776
eight others
 
(4) HANNAH SKINNER
 
 

BIOGRAPHY - CORNELIUS SKINNER, SR.:

1737-1743 - living at Lamerton, Somerset County, NJ. Lamerton is located in Bedminster Township, Somerset County, close to Morris County. Had an account with Jacob Janeway, storekeeper, near what is now Bound Brood, Somerset Co. Is mentioned in the Janeway Account Books in the years 1737-1739 and 1741-1743. (Janeway-6).

Storekeeper Jacob Janeway recorded that both Cornelius and Nathaniel Skinner were brothers-in-law to Benjamin Manning, indicating that Cornelius and Nathaniel were brothers. (Janeway-6). Nathaniel lived near Wright Skinner, whom I assume to be a cousin, in the vicinity of the town of Papack, Somerset Co.

Relocated to Tewksbury, Hunterdon County where he was the town's first Freeholder (town officer) in 1755-1756; Reelected in 1758 and 1765 (Snell-3). John McCarty, who held the position of 'Surveyors of Road' in Tewksbury in 1755, had lived near Cornelius back when both where in Somerset County (Janeway-6). Tewksbury was organized in 1755 (Snell-3).

Deed Transactions (deed-7) -
Land at Tewksbury to Cornelius Skinner from Stephen Crane - May 3, 1763.
Land at Tewksbury to Cornelius Skinner from DeHart, Jacob et als - May 5, 1763.

1773, Cornelius Sr. migrated to Virginia with sons Nathaniel and Richard Alexander Skinner. The rest of the family appear in Va. as well, , settling at Bull Mtn., Loudon Co. Va (Holcombe-2). Per (Holcombe-2), Cornelius Sr. made the first purchase of land there.

 

KDS COMMENTARY:

Cornelius Skinner was the first Freeholder of Tewksbury, Hunterdon Co. in 1755. Around 1770, five families of Hunterdon Co., NJ, including the family of Cornelius Skinner, relocated to Loudoun Co., VA (exhibit-8). Members of the family of Cornelius first show up in VA with the marriage of his son Richard Alexander Skinner there in 1764. The families of the brother of Cornelius, Nathaniel, and presumed cousin Wright Skinner also left New Jerssey in the mid- to late 1700's. The same pattern is true of several other Skinner branches, as well as the NJ population as a whole. Some of it may have had to do with the need to find cheap land away from the growing population centers; Some of it may have had to do with the confusing land situation in New Jersey which resulted in frequent court battles over dual land titles.

(Holcombe-2) made one error, showing that Cornelius Sr. was born in 1706. That date is actually the well-publicized birth date of his brother - Nathaniel, Sr. The date is based upon Nathaniel's age at death and could actually be 1705 or 1706. There is no recorded birth date for Cornelius Sr. in the records.

A presumed sister of Cornelius and Nathaniel, Susannah Skinner Manning, was born 1703 or 1704. based upon age at death. Although the birth date of Cornelius is unknown, one would assume it would be in the early 1700's.

It is likely that the work of Holcombe is incomplete. He shows just three male offspring for Cornelius Sr. - - Cornelius Jr. (birth date unknown), Nathaniel (born 1740) and Richard Alexander (born 1748). The birth dates of Nathaniel and Richard Alexander seem late for children of Cornelius Sr.

There are three Skinners not mentioned by Holcombe who appear to be closely related to Cornelius Sr. - Richard, Robert and Phinehas Skinner. They are likely brothers or children of Cornelius Sr.

Holcombe mentions that some persons believe that Nathaniel Sr., brother to Cornelius Sr., may actually have descended from a different family - the family of Thomas Skinner of Malden, MA. This is not true. Nathaniel Sr. and Cornelius Sr. were clearly brothers with Nathaniel's tombstone indicating he was born at Woodbridge, placing him as a descendent of the Elizabeth/Woodbridge Skinner family. I cover Thomas of Malden more thoroughy elsewhere.

 

 FUTURE RESEARCH:

 

EXHIBITS:

Exhibit 1 - Unsourced notes of DSW/VEM:

Exhibit 2 - "Descendants of Richard Alexander Skinner of Loudoun County, VA", by Lester Granville Holcombe, 1972, 10/26/1995/KDS; available at the Church of Latter Day Saints library system, microfilm #1421466. Only partially reproduced here:

p1 "Thomas, eldest son of the emigrant Thomas, married Mary Pratt, and had a son named Thomas in 1668 (grandfather of Nathaniel of Turkeyfoot) at which time his wife died."

[KDS note - this is a reference to the family of Thomas of Malden, MA, more fully discussed under a separate section entitled 'Misc. Skinners'. Because Nathaniel was born in Woodbridge, NJ, his roots are clear-cut and do not involve this Malden, MA family which branched out into Connecticut.]

p3 "Our ancestor, Cornelius Skinner, is believed to have been a grandson of Richard I and Susanna Poulaine. It is generally believed that he was the son of Francis, although we have no proof of such thinking at this writing. In a letter to Eugene W. Skinner from William E. Skinner, I quote, "of Francis the third son, we have no record of marriage or issue, but he is the son that W.H. Skinner [KDS note - W.H. is later identified as a descendant of Nathaniel Skinner of Turkeyfoot Twp., Somerset Co., PA] has selected as the one from whom the line descends as his birth as assumed, would correspond more closely than either John or Richard to the dates and ages to fit in the line". This contention is not proven; however there are facts that would appear to support the theory. John Q. Manahan of Scottsville, Va. writes that "the names Cornelius and Issac are more often than not names with roots in the Low Countries. I would look for a Belgian or Dutch marriage in the Skinner background, perhaps just a French marriage from the Isle of Jersey." This would indicate that Grandma Susanna Poulaine Skinner may have had something to do with the naming of Francis' son Cornelius Skinner, b. 1706 in N.J.: m. Sarah _____.

Children were:

Some searchers contend that there were others: however, since there is no proof, I do not include others as children. (Note: Later in this summary, we find the twin sisters, Mary, or Polly, and Sallie Skinner, daughters of Richard Alexander Skinner, married to Nathaniel and John Lander respectively. They were brother and son of Henry Lander and his wife, Hannah Skinner Lander. The twin Skinner sisters and the two Lander boys grew up together from childhood, living near Aldie, Va., and were known to be cousins. This would indicate that Hannah Skinner was a sister to Richard Alexander Skinner and therefore a daughter of Cornelius, Sr., in addition to the three children listed.

It is believed that Nathaniel Skinner of Turkeyfoot Twp.; Somerset Co., Pa. was a brother to Cornelius, Sr. It is also contended by some that he was a direct descendant of Thomas of Malden, Mass.

Cornelius Skinner, his sons, and their families settled on the east side of Bull Run Mountain along Little River in 1772. They were known as "branch squatters". Much data has been collected regarding these settlers which will not be quoted here. ....."

[KDS note - the author goes on to give detailed birth, death, and family information for the family of Cornelius Sr. not reproduced here.]

Exhibit 3 - "History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties", New Jersey, compiled by James P. Snell, 1881, p478, 1/5/1996/KDS; book has no index, should probably review it more carefully:

Exhibit 4 - removed.

Exhibit 5 - "Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New Jersey: Marriage Records, 1665-1800", (originally appeared in the NJ Archives), William Nelson, Vol XXII, 1900, p349, 1/5/1996/KDS:

Exhibit 6 - "The Janeway Account Books", The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Vols. 33-35, 10/9/1995/KDS:

[KDS note - look carefully at the postions of the semicolons!]

Jacob Janeway, store keeper in East Jersey. Store probably located in what is now Bound Brook, Somerset Co., a cross-roads:

"Jonson, Yellous (Yales, Yelloes) Nov. 1735 to May 1741 - of papack; d(elivered) Wm. Jones; d(elivered) to Wright Skinner; account paid by son John in 1745." Vol. 34, p48.

"Roberts (Robbards) William, Aug. 1736 to Oct. 1743, brother (-in-law) to Benjamin Maning; of Papack, Wright Skinner nr; d(elivered) John Daly, John Dennis, Benjamin Manning, Nathaniel & Wright Skinner; his wife, Aug. 1739." Vol. 34, p84.

"Skinner, Cornelius, June 1737 to Jan. 1739 of Lamerton, brother-in-law to Benjamin Maning; d(elivered) to John McCarter, Rite Skinner; d(elivered) to John Conger; his wife, July 1737." Vol. 34, p84.

"Skinner, Nathaniel, June 1737 - Oct. 1745 brother-in-law to Benjamin Maning; d(elivered) Yellous Johnson." Vol. 34, p84.

"Skinner, Wright (Rite), Aug. 1737 - Dec. 1738, nr Wm Roberts of Papack, brother-in-law to Jonathan Wright; d(elivered) Yellous Johnson, Benjamin Maning." Vol. 35, p42.

"McCarter (McCarty), John, June 1737 - Sep. 1742, nr Cornelius Skinner; d(elivered) to Cornelius Skinner, who also bought for him." Vol. ?, p76.

"Wright, Jonathan, Nov. 1738 - Nov. 1743, brother-in-law to Wright Skinner; paid by John Compton." Vol?, p96.

"Conger (Congar, Congrave, Congrove, Congrive, Congrone), John, Feb. 1741 - June 1746, at Papack, Dirrick Williams nr; "to stay another year," 5 July 1743; d(elivered) Jno Johnson, Cornelius Skinner, John Van Cleif, Dirrick Williams; paid Silus Inyard; his wife, Oct. 1742, Aug. 1743." Vol. ?, p75.

[KDS note -; Janeway used 'nr' in numerous places to mean 'near'; DSW/VEM interpreted 'nr' to be a typo of 'Jr'.]

Exhibit 7 - 'Index to NJ Deeds", Proprietors of East New Jersey, Trenton State Library, 1/8/1996/KDS"; same appears under "Colonial Conveyances, Provinces of East & West New Jersey, 1664-1794", computer print-out, Rutgers University library:

Exhibit 8 - Movement of NJ Families to Loudoun Co., VA per freepages.Genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bodine, 2003: