Their may also be a Hannah Skinner of a previous generation - per (Will-14), a Hannah Skinner witnessed the Will of William Bishop of Woodbridge, May 24, 1759, when the above Hannah would have been 16 years of age.
Born 1709 or before. Was "of age" (over twenty one?) when father's Will was written in 1725. (will-8)
1717 - served in a militia regiment, under command of Colonel Thomas Farmar in NJ, with a Wright Skinner and a Richard Skinner, Jr. (Monnette-4). Both were likely John Jr.'s cousins - sons of Deacon Richard Skinner.
1729 - John Skinner served as Woodbridge Constable. (Monnette-2)
This could relate to either John Skinner Sr. or Jr.
Mar 20, 1736 - marriage to Elizabeth Cutter (Cutter-1; Monnette-4)
1737 - first child born (Monnette-4)
26 August 1741 - Will of James Frazee of the Borough of Elizabeth, Essex Co. John Skinner named as one of the Executors. This could apply to either John Skinner Sr. or Jr.
12 May 1746 - identified as a friend and executor in the Will of Peter Elstone Sr. of Woodbridge. This could relate to either John Skinner Sr. or Jr. However, John Skinner, Sr. had lands that adjoined the Woodbridge farm of Peter Elstone.
October 25, 1748 -
Referred to as a Presbyterian Minister of the Gospel in Woodbridge,
NJ in the Will of Robert Hude. According to Hude's Will, John Skinner
was to be given L20 for the college that was going to be erected in
New Jersey (will-8). Undoubtedly, this was a reference to the plans
of the Presbyterian Church Synod of New York to build a college to
train ministers to fill the large number of vacant pulpits. Four
church representatives petitioned the Governor of New Jersey for the
right to set up a college in 1745, including Minister Pierson of the
First Presbyterian Church of Woodbridge. A charter was granted the
following year. Classes were held in church parsonages until the
college was finished at Princeton in 1756. Hude's Will was proved Feb
3, 1749.
The fact that David
Donham, family friend of the Skinners (will-8), served as witness to
the Will of John Hude helps to confirm that the John Skinner
referenced is indeed of this Skinner family.
February 14, 1749 - wrote his Will and died that same day. His Will mentions that his wife was expecting their fifth child at the time. John died prior to his father's Will being probated, presumably indicating that his father outlived him. He is buried beside the grave of his father-in-law, Deacon Richard Skinner, at the old First Presbyterian Church of Woodbridge cemetery (will-10, exhibit-11b).
November 29, 1749 -
mentioned as being deceased in the Will of Philip Dodridge, whose
land adjoined that of John Skinner (will-8).
This most likely refers
to John Skinner, Sr., who was a landowner.
April 5, 1750 - Will of John's wife, Elizabeth. Will was proved April 13, a week later. Her Will mentions five underaged daughters.
1754 - Richard Cutter, David Donham and John Moores named as Deacons of the First Presby. Church of Woodbridge (exhibit-1c). Richard Cutter (d. 1756) was the father-in-law of John Skinner Jr. David Donham appears in numerous records with Skinner. And John Moores was the first husband of Mary Brittain. Mary's second husband was Robert Hude, who had Willed money to John Skinner back in 1748 towards the building of a Presby. College.
There are two references to the existence of a John Skinner, Junior. John, Jr. served in Thomas Ffarmer's 1715 regiment. And the Will of John Skinner, Senior, makes mention of a son John.
John Skinner Jr. was "of age" in 1725, according to his father's Will. He did not marry Esther Cutter until 1736, quite late in life. This might lead one to conclude that the John who married Esther Cutter was one generation later than John Skinner Jr. However, there is no evidence to support such a conclusion. The Will of John Skinner, husband of Elizabeth, mentions his brother Richard Skinner. That is consistent with John Skinner Jr. And his Will identifies David Donham Jr. as friend and Executor. David is the same generation as John Skinner Jr.
The Will of John Skinner Jr. lists his title or occupation as 'yeoman'. The most common definition of yeoman, in today's dictionaries, is that of a person who used to own and cultivate a small farm (Miriam-Webster On-Line, 2003). However, the Wills of John and his wife make no mention of land holdings. Webster's 1828 Dictionary (on-line version by Christian Technologies, Inc., 2003) interprets the word 'yeoman' differently, making no mention of land ownership:
" YEOMAN, n. [See Common.]
1. A common man, or one
of the plebeians, of the first or most respectable class; a freeholder;
a man free born. A yeoman in England is considered as next in order
to the gentry. The word is little used in the United States, unless
as a title in law proceedings and instruments, designating
occupation, and this only in particular states. But yeomanry is much used.
2. An officer in the
kings household, of a middle rank between a gentleman and a groom.
3. In ships, an inferior
officer under the boatswain, gunner or carpenters, charged with the
stowage, account and distribution of the stores.
4. A name or title of
certain soldiers; as yeomen of the guard. "
I conclude that the term yeomen simply states that he was a freeholder, not necessarily a land-owing farmer.
The Will of Robert Hude (will-8) makes mention of a "Rev. Mr. John Skinner, Presbyterian Minister of the Gospel in Woodbridge". Hude has a close connection with the Woodbridge Skinners. The Rev. John Skinner was no doubt John Skinner Jr. of the Woodbridge Skinner line:
1) Hude's Will was witnessed by David Donham Jr. Donham also served as Executor of the Will of John Skinner Jr. and served as a witness to the Will of Skinner's wife.
2) Richard Skinner, brother to John Skinner Sr., was named Deacon of the Woodbridge Presbyterian Church in 1710. The length of his service is unknown, but his title of Deacon appears on his 1727 tombstone.
3) Richard Cutter, David Donham and John Moores were named as Deacons of the Woodbridge Presbyterian Church in 1754. Richard Cutter (d. 1756) was the father-in-law of John Skinner Jr. David Donham, as previously mentioned, appears in numerous records with Skinner. And John Moores was the first husband of Mary Brittain. Mary's second husband was Robert Hude.
4) Robert Hude was the second husband of Mary Britton. One of Mary's brothers was William Britton. William appears in the records with several of the Woodbridge Skinners and his daughter, Sarah, married Captain Richard Skinner. Captain Skinner is a nephew of John Skinner Jr.
5) Deacon John Moores was a grandson of Robert Wright. Robert was a strong, early supporter of the Woodbridge Church and was father-in-law to Deacon Richard Skinner.
6) Note that Hude, David Donham Jr., John Moores and John Skinner Jr. were all of the same generation.
The church records of the Presbyterian Church during the mid-1700's are rather complete in terms of recording church leadership, but less complete in terms of the general membership. There are no Presbyterian records (after the recording of the Skinner family in 1708 and of Deacon Richard Skinner in 1710) of any Skinner belonging to, or being a trustee, deacon, elder or minister of either the First or Second Presbyterian Churches of Woodbridge. As a result, I doubt that John Skinner was the primary minister of the Woodbridge Church, but may have been one of the numerous secondary ministers studying or associated with the church.
Skinner's pursuit of religion may explain his lack of land holdings.
------------------------------------------
The Will of Elizabeth Skinner records that she had a sister Esther who had married Charles Marsh (will-10). The records of the First Presbyterian Church of the City of New York (record-15) mention a Daniel Marsh who married an Esther Skinner. Those records also mention an Elizabeth Skinner who married Joseph Outen Bogart. Based upon the Marsh connection, the Esther and Elizabeth mentioned in NYC are likely the same Esther and Elizabeth who were the children of John Skinner, Jr.
Note this entry from the notes of (unsourced VEM-1d) - Esther Marsh married first husband -Daniel Marsh, and second husband - Lawrence Hillyear. There was a Hillyer family in Middlesex Co. at the time.
The Marsh Family Genealogy in 'Allied Families' also shows that Charles Marsh (1716-1765) married Esther Cutter, sister of the wife of John Skinner, Jr. And Daniel Marsh (1736-1802), cousin to Charles Marsh and one-generation later, married Esther Skinner, John's daughter. It is likely this is the Charles and Daniel Marsh who appear in many of the records of the Skinner family, as well as some of Daniel Marsh's brothers - John Marsh (1727-1775) and Henry Marsh (b. after 1741 - d. 1804). For example, Daniel and John Marsh are mentioned in the Will of the daughter of Benjamin Skinner, brother of John Skinner Jr. And Henry Marsh is mentioned as Friend and Executor in the 1770 Will of Richard Skinner, brother to John Skinner Jr. Henry Marsh also appears in the records with a son of Richard Skinner - Captain Richard Skinner.
FURTHER RESEARCH:
Research Sarah, fifth
child of John Jr. and Elizabeth.
Obtain full Wills
of John Skinner Jr. and his wife.
Exhibit 1 - Cutter family history, per notes of DSW/VEM:
Samuel Cutter
Major Richard Cutter- b. 1681, d. Dec 17, 1756 age 75 years
All above buried in
Woodbridge, NJ, cemetery, as is also the following:
John Cutter d. Sep, 1763;
Joseph Cutter b. 1757, d. Nov 17, 1763 age 6 years, 9 months
References, per DSW/VEM:
[KDS note - Elizabeth Skinner's Will identifies Sarah Jaquish as being her sister, not a sister-in-law as shown in the above family tree. In addition, VEM's notes elsewhere indicate that Sarah married John Jacquish about 1720 as opposed to the 1730 marriage to Samuel Jacquish shown above.]
Exhibit 1b - per notes of VEM:
Per VEM - the fifth daughter of Elizabeth was named Sarah, "named for her aunt, Sarah Cutter who m. about 1720, John Jacquish".
[KDS note - Have no idea where the name Sarah comes from. Note that Sarah Cutter married Samuel Jaques in 1730, per previous exhibit, not as shown in this exhibit.]
Exhibit 1c - Woodbridge Presbyterian Church Records per Presbyterian Church Library, Phila., PA:
"Trustees May 25 1754 - "Deacon Richard Cutter, David Donham, John Moores"
Exhibit 1d - unsourced VEM notes
Esther Marsh married first husband -Daniel Marsh, and second husband - Lawrence Hillyear.
Exhibit 2 - Pike Family History, per notes of VEM
John Pike, Sr. (d. 1689) + wife, Mary
children - John, Jr., Thomas, Ruth (m. Abraham Toppan), Joseph, Hannah
John Pike, Jr. (d. 1714)
children - John, Zebulon, Hannah, Penelope, Mary (m. R. Cutter), Joseph
Archives, Exhibit 3 - letter from George Stevens to his family, Sep 18, 1957:
"John's son John, Jr. studied under his uncle Richard ("Deacon") and became himself a Presbyterian minister."
Exhibit 4 - "First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge of Olde East New Jersey", by Ora Eugene Monnette, 10/9/1995/KDS:
pp114-115, List of Militia Regiments, under command of Col. Thos. Ffarmar in 1715, NJ (per Report of the State Historian, State of New York, 1898, Colonial Series, Vol. 1, pp529 et seq.):
Third Company, Woodbridge - Richard Skinner, Jr., Wright Skinner, John Skinner, Jr.; also John Moore, Captain, Matthew Force, Ezekial Bloomfield, William Allston, Peter Allston, Jr., Samuel Moore, William Crichfield
Fourth Company, Piscataway - Joseph, James, and John Manning, Jonathan, Joseph, Alza, Samuel, David, and Ffran Drake
pp413, 414 - Matthew Moore should be included in 4th Co.; Alza Drake should be Abra or Abraham Drake.
KDS note - Monnette reported on this document twice in his series. On pp114-115, he copied from a listing of Ffamer's troops from a document on file at the Office of the State Historian, New York, a document which had been transcribed from the original source material. On pp413-414, due to his concern about transcribing errors and the correct spelling of family names, he presented the list again based upon a review of a photograph of the original source material,. In both cases, Richard Skinner's name includes the suffix 'Jr.', a suffix one might ordinarily question since there was no known Richard Skinner, Jr. alive at that time.
pp357-358, Middlesex County: List of Freeholders of about the year 1748 (per document at Trenton State Library):
Return of John Deare, Sheriff, Woodbridge
John Skinner
[Probably refers to John Skinner, Sr., who was a landowner.]
pp379-381, List of Freeholders of Middlesex County, 1750: same names as 1748 list, including John Skinner.
pp247-251, Woodbridge Town Records - Marriages, 1668-1781 [KDS note - per an abstract of the Woodbridge Town Records by William A. Whitehead; some of the original records were misplaced in the late 1800's resulting in Monnette having to rely upon the earlier published works of Whitehead, Dally and others]:
"Cutter, Elizabeth to John Skinner, Mar. or Nov. 26, 1736
pp251-261, Woodbridge Town Records - Births, 1668-1781:
"Skinner, Ann, to John & Elizabeth, Dec. 26, 1736
Skinner, Hannah, to John & Elizabeth, Feb. 2, 1742/3
Skinner, Esther, to John & Elizabeth, Apr. 1, 1744
Skinner, Elizabeth, to John & Elizabeth, Apr. 29, 1746
pp275-277, Woodbridge Marriages, Births, and Deaths, Liber B
[KDS note - per the published work of Dally; same as above abstract lists by Whitehead, but appears to be more of a literal copy of the original source documents and includes the time of day of some of the births, though not for any of the Skinners]:
"John Skiner was married to Elizabeth Cutter March ye 26th 1736
Ann Daughter of John and Elizabeth Skiner was born Decr ye 26th 1736
Hannah Daughter of the above said John and Elizabeth Skiner was born February ye 2nd 1742
Easter Daughter of ye above said John and Elizabeth Skiner was born April ye 1st 1744
Elizabeth Daughter of ye above said John and Elizabeth Skiner was born April ye 29th 1746"
[KDS note - per files of DSW/VEM, Monnette took the above information from "Woodbridge & Vicinity", by Rev. Joseph W. Dally, 1873, p356; Dally acquired the info from "Woodbridge Town Records (1668-1781)", p64 and Middlesex Co. NJ Marriage Records, p32.]
pp737-738, Woodbridge Births, Marriages and Deaths, tabulated by H. R. Stiles and as published in the New Yoke Hist. & Gen. Register (Vol. 22, pp343-4).
[KDS note - this version shown by Monnette because the original Woodbridge records had been lost and(or)disfigured so he went to great pains to show tabulations by earlier genealogists, such as Whitehead (pp247-262 above) and Dally (pp275-277 above) as well as this tabulation]:
"Skinner, John, m. Elizabeth Cutter, March 26, 1736. Children: Ann, b. December 26, 1736; Hannah, b. February 2, 1742-3; Esther, b. April 1, 1744; Elizabeth, b. April 29, 1746"
pp540-541, Court Records, Middlesex County 1683-1712 (per Abstract on deposit with Middlesex County Clerk):
1717 - John Parker, Executor of Elisha Parker, dec'd versus Richard Skinner
[KDS note - Elisha Parker was a Middlesex County Judge, 1711 to 1714]
1719 - Henry Freeman versus John Skinner
pp543-545, Civil and Military Commissions - I have included only names of interest:
Middlesex County
Adam Hude, Judge - 1711 to 1736; James Hude, same - 1722 to 1735
John Moore, Judge - 1715 to 1716
Woodbridge
Richard Skinner, Constable - 1696
John Skinner, Overseer - 1714
John Skinner, Constable - 1729
Ezekial Bloomfield, Constable - 1685
Ezekial Bloomfield, Overseer - 1735
Peter Elstone, Constable - 1700
Benjamin Force, Overseer - 1723; 1729
Matthew Moore, Constable - 1682
Matthew Moore, Jr., Constable - 1692
Matthew Moore, Constable - 1732
Matthew Moore, Overseer - 1688; 1696
Capt. Matthew Moore, Overseer - 1732
Robert Wright, Constable - 1689
p1586, Genealogical Treatment, as constructed/speculated by Monnette - "John Skinner, First, of Woodbridge"
"He was called "Senior' hence two of the name were contemporaneous.
Son of the first Richard Skinner, b. prob. 1667-8 d. 1725, leaving a will dated July 12, 1725, proved Aug. 19, 1749. Wife, Ann, and children: Catte (Catherine), John, Daniel, Richard, Benjamin, Ann and Margaret, "last five under age." Son, John Skinner, with wife, Executors. Land in Woodbridge (Arch., Vol. XXX, p435).
His wife, Ann, was the daughter of Robert Wright, Sr., of Woodbridge (vide, ante, part five, p878). She was living at Woodbridge, 1752, and witnessed the will of John Freeman (Arch., Vol. XXXIII, p152).
In addition to foregoing he had a son, Wright Skinner, 1738 (Hatfield, p318).
The son, Benjamin Skinner, was of Woodbridge in 1750 (Arch., Vol. XXX, p261) and over in Elizabethtown in 1761, when associate with Thomas Scudder, dec., who had bought land of "Richard Skinner." (Arch., Vol. XXXIII, p377) The latter was at Rahway, "on Robinson's branch."
pp1586-1587, Genealogical Treatment, as constructed/speculated by Monnette - "John Skinner, Second, of Woodbridge"
"Son of first John Skinner of Woodbridge, m. Elizabeth Cutter, daughter of William Cutter, Mar. or Nov., 1736 (vide, ante, part two, p251), d. leaving will dated Feb. 14, 1748-9, proved Mar. 9, 1748-9 (Arch., Vol. XXX, p435), showing wife Elizabeth; youngest child, Elizabeth, not 15; four daughters "now living, all under age; expected child. Brother, Richard Skinner, and wife's brother, William Cutter, figure [KDS note - check last word]. His widow, Elizabeth, d. 1750, will dated Apr 5, 1750, proved Apr 13, 1750," refers to five daughters, not named, all under age. Sisters, Sarah Jacques and Esther Marsh, et al. (id., p435)
Children, (vide, ante, part two, pp259, 276)
1. Ann, b. Dec. 26, 1736
2. Hannah, b. Feb. 2, 1742-3
3. Esther, b. Apr. 1, 1744
4. Elizabeth, b. Apr. 29, 1746
5. Expected child, 1748-9 (a daughter)"
KDS note - Monnette indicates some confusion as to whether John and Elizabeth were married in March or November of 1736, above. This confusion comes from Whitehead's interpretation of the Woodbridge Town Records reproduced by Monnette on pp247-251. Both Dally (Monnette, pp275-277) and Stiles (Monnette, pp737-738) show a March marriage date.
Exhibit 5 - removed.
Exhibit 6 - Copy of Un-dated Letter From Mrs. Natalie R. Fernauld, Genealogist, To John R. Downer, per files of DSW/VEM:
"From: Mrs. Natalie R. Fernald, Genealogist
To: Mr. John R. Downer
.....
John Skinner (1) of Woodbridge, N. J. Joined Presbyterian Church August 20, 1708, married Anna, died 1749. His will was probated August 19, 1749.
[KDS note - wife's name should be Ann, not Anna]
Children:
1. Catte
2. John
(2) married Elizabeth Cutler or Cutter, at Woodbridge, March 20 1736.
(I will say here that the date of John (1) death may be wrong, but,
either his will was probated on that date or it was this John's.)
3. Daniel (2) perhaps
moved too Orange Co., N.Y.
4. Richard (2) born 1707,
died Dec. 7, 1771.
5. Benjamin (2)
6. Ann (2) not of age 1725.
7. Mary (2)
Reference: Early Germans
in N. J.
Data was sent me by Miss
Henton, c/o Peru Republican, Peru, Ind., who is a descendant of Richard.
...."
Exhibit 7 - removed.
Exhibit 8 - Will Abstracts:
Exhibit 9 - "Jersey Genealogy", Mary K. Thurston, Newark Evening News, Apr 27, 1918, per files of VEM:
Exhibit 10 - Wills of John, Jr. and Elizabeth
Exhibit 11 - Monument Inscriptions, Woodbridge Cemetery, per notes of VEM:
Exhibit 11a - Email from Charlou Dolan dated 12/4/2001 -"LDS FHL Film #849,571: Collection of New Jersey Families, 1600-1900: Family Records Taken from Civil, Court, Land, & Probate Records, etc. (Gardner)"
Woodbridge Presb. Cem. Inscriptions:
John Skinner d. 14 Feb 1748/9.
near Mary Cuter (1687-1721) & Jos. & Jona Toma. [KDS note - have seen a TOMS, but never a TOMA.]
Deacon Richard Skinner d. 12 May 1727, age 63y 4m (next to John above).
Exhibit 11b - "Inscriptions Cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church of Woodbridge, New Jersey, gathered and compiled by Freeman Worth Gardner, Woodbridge, New Jersey, 1917." with notes provided by Patty B. Myers - <pbmyers@satx.rr.com>, per www.rootsweb.com/~njmiddle/WoodbridgePresby.html, 2003:
" 959 In memory of ELIZABETH
wife of RICHARD CUTTER
JUr & DAUGHr of WILLIAM
& MARY FOORD who
departed this life
April ye 22d 1756
in the 28 year
of her age.
NOTE: Richard Cutter was
s/o Richard Cutter and Mary Pike. See #951 for ancestry. "
" 960 Here lyes ye
Body of
JOHN SKINNER decd
Feby ye 14th 1748-9.
NOTE: He m. Elizabeth
Cutter, d/o Richard Cutter and Mary Pike. See #951 for Cutter
ancestry. "
" 961 Here lyes ye
body of
DECON RICHARD SKINNER
decd May ye 12
1727
aged 63 years, 4 mos. "
Exhibit 12 - LDS library system, family record #190491, submitted by Beverly Himes Barger of Bosque Farms, NM:
ANNE SKINNER
Exhibit 13b - "First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge of Olde East New Jersey", by Ora Eugene Monnette, 10/9/1995/KDS:
HANNAH SKINNER
Exhibit 14 - Will Abstract:
Exhibit 14a - FitzRandolph Genealogy per www.public.asu/edu/~bgertz, 2003:
"JAMES FITZRANDOLPH (8/16/1735 Old Vail Farm, Middlesex Co. - 7/1/1829 Westland, Greene Co., PA) married 11/27/1760 at Plainfield, Union Co. to HANNAH SKINNER (2/2/1743 - 12/19/1772)"
Reference Fitzrandolph Family Tree under "ALLIED FAMILIES" for further information.
EIZABETH AND ESTHER SKINNER
Exhibit 15 - The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Jan. 1882, New York City, 5/16/98/KDS:
Exhibit 16 - Per members.aol.com/clarkweb, 2003:
" 6. Capt. Daniel Marsh b. 1736, d. 4/16/1803 Perth Amboy, NJ, m. Esther Skinner b. 1744, d. 8/13/1815. Both are buried Rahway Presbyterian Cemetery, Rahway, NJ. Capt.: Rev. War Soldier. Had 8 children with Esther. [Ref: Marsh Family Bulletin, p. 79] "