SKINNERS of SUSSEX CO., NJ (Descendants of Thomas Skinner of Malden, MA)
file updated 1/2004
KDS Commentary
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KDS COMMENTARY:

A family of Skinners appeared at Newtown (today, Newton), Sussex Co., NJ in the mid-1700's. These Skinners descend from Thomas Skinner of Malden, MA. They are not related to the family of Richard Skinner and Susannah Poulain.

Daniel Skinner, referred to here as Daniel #1, lived at Newtown, Sussex Co., NJ from about 1760 to 1763. His brother, Benjamin had settled there by that time as well.

Daniel did not stay long. He relocated further upstream on the Delaware River to an area called Cochecton. Cochecton straddles the Delaware River at Sullivan Co., NY and Northampton Co., PA. This land was first purchased by his father, Joseph Skinner, from the Indians. Daniel and another brother, Hagaii, were well-known in the timber business, transporting timber down the Delaware River.

Daniel's brother, Benjamin Skinner, stayed on in Sussex County, NJ until the Revolutionary War. Records (tax list-11b) show that Benjamin Skinner was recorded at Newtown, Sussex Co., during the census of 1773/4. Ultimately, he had lands confiscated at Hardiston in 1784 because he was a British sympathizer. Hardiston is about 8 miles northeast of the town of Newton. The British government compensated him for the loss with land in Ontario, where he relocated. There is much information relating to raids against British sympathizers in Sussex Co, and other eastern Jersey counties, going back to the earliest days of the Rev.War. (www.njstataelib.org)

Benjamin's offspring are unknown. However, it is widely assumed that his children included another Daniel Skinner (referred to here as Daniel #2). There is no proof of such and others have expressed reservations.

An overview of the descendants of Thomas Skinner of Malden, MA is contained in Exhibit-1.

A more detailed look at the branch of his family that relates to Sussex Co., NJ follows (per exhibits 9-11):

JOSEPH SKINNER (1/17/1708 - ) married 30 Apr 1729 Preston, CT MARTHA KINNE (1/20/1712 Preston, CT - )
Joseph was one of the proprietors of the Susquehanna Purchase; shot and killed Wayne Co., PA 1755-59.
1. JOSEPH SKINNER (b. Preston, CT - d. 9/13/1730 age 18)
2. BENJAMIN SKINNER (b. Preston - ) married MILLICENT ___

x. DANIEL SKINNER (Daniel #2) 
Private, Revolutionary War, Captain Hopkins Co., Sussex Co. Militia, 1776;
Also in service in PA and NY, resident of Sussex Co., age 28 years (record-9b)
b. Sep 22, 1746 Sussex Co., NJ (GAW-9a)
d. Nov 3, 1846 Eldred, Sullivan Co., NY, age 100, buried Eldred Cem.
lived at Otisville, Orange Co., NY (GAW-9a)
m. Apr 6, 1780 Presby. Church, Goshen, NY (GAW-9a)
w. MARY SMITH d/o David Smith Sr. (GAW-9a)
b. Mar 6, 1755 (GAW-9a)
d. Jul 6, 1846, age 90 Lumberland, Sullivan Co., NY, buried Eldred Cem.
Children:
JEPTHA SKINNER
HULDAH SKINNER - m. JOHN CURRENT; His sister Sarah Current m. James King Jr. in Sussex Co., NJ on June 24, 1798
STEPHEN SKINNER - removed to Welland, Ontario; daughter HULDA SKINNER (b. 1805) married JOHN DEAN.
MOSES SKINNER
AMELIA SKINNER
MARY (POLLY) SKINNER
ELIZABETH SKINNER
EUNICE SKINNER
KETURAH SKINNER - m. DRAYTON HOLCOMBE - moved in March 1819 from Connecticut to Cook's Mill, Crowland Twp., Welland Co., Ontario, Canada, where her brother Stephen Skinner lived. Keturah and her youngest children then removed to Vernon, Trumball County OH without her husband who followed later. Keturah died in 1847 in Ohio; Drayton died in 1887 in Cook's Mill and is buried in Doane's Ridge Cemetary.
ISABELLA SKINNER

3. DANIEL SKINNER (Daniel #1)
b. Mar 22, 1733 Preston, Windham Co., Connecticut; son of Joseph Skinner
d. Feb 23, 1813 buried St. Tammany cemetery, Northampton Co., PA
m. Mar 11, 1761
w1. Lillie Richardson - a widow, nee HEALY, with daughter Phoebe.
b. Nov 11, 1737 Preston, CO
d. Jun 7, 1807 buried St. Tammany cemetery, Cochecton, Northampton Co., PA
Children:
1. REUBEN SKINNER (11/27/1761 - ) married Anna M. Chase
2. DANIEL SKINNER (11/17/1763 - ) married Hannah Burleigh
3. LILLIE SKINNER (3/4/1767 - ) married John Land
4. MERCY SKINNER (3/12/1769 - ) married Reuben Hanckett
5. JOSEPH SKINNER (3/10/1771 - ) married Mercy Dunlop
6. WILLIAM SKINNER (3/22,/1763 - ) married (1) & (2)
7. SARAH SKINNER (2/15/1775 - ) married JOHN CONKLIN
8. NATHAN SKINNER (4/4/1777 - ) married SARAH CALKINS
9. CORTLANDT SKINNER (8/26/1779 - ) unmarried June 22, 1796
w2. Rosabelle Kinne, married May 4, 1808 no issue
b.
d.

4. ABNER SKINNER (b. Preston - ) married 4 May 1735 KESIAH GUSTIN
5. TIMOTHY SKINNER (3/2/1737 - ) married PATIENCE ___
6. MARTHA SKINNER married ROBERT COOK
7. HULDAH SKINNER married 27 Dec 1759 Pomfret, CT to ROGER KINNE
living 1776 Spencertown, NY
8. CALVIN SKINNER (4/9/1743 Goshen, CT - ) married 16 May 1743 PHEBE FREEMAN
9. LYDIA SKINNER married Sharon or Dutchess Co., NY 11 Feb 1773 SAMUEL GALE
10. KAZIA SKINNER (6/21/1747 Nine Partners, NY - )
11. JOSEPH SKINNER (b. 4/12/1749 or 11/19/1749 Armenia, NY - )
12. HAGGAI SKINNER ( 3/5/1750 Nine Partners, NY - d. Stamford, Welland Co., Ont., Can.) married ELIZABETH WESTBROOK
13. WILLIAM SKINNER - no record
14. JOHN SKINNER - no record

 


 
EXHIBITS/REFERENCES:
 

Exhibit 1 - Descendents of Thomas Skinner of Malden, MA:

Taken From -
"The Legend of Cushetunk: The Nathan Skinner Manuscript and the Early History of Cocheton, by Barbara J. Sivertsen and Barbara L. Covey, LDS Library System 974.35/Cl H2s.
"The Skinner Kinsmen: The Descendants of Joseph and Martha (Kinne) Skinner of Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania", Volume One, LDS Library System film #1321300.

1. Sergeant THOMAS SKINNER (circa 1617 Essex Co., England - 3/2/1703-4 Malden, MA)
came to America from Chichester County, Sussex, England about 1649-1651 with his wife MARY and two sons.
w1. MARY ___ (d. 4/9/1671 Malden, MA)
w2. LYDIA SHEPERDON CALL (7/24/1637 - )

Above Thomas Skinner history taken from:
"The Legend of Cushetunk: The Nathan Skinner Manuscript and the Early History of Cocheton, by Barbara J. Sivertsen and Barbara L. Covey, LDS Library System 974.35/Cl H2s.
"The Skinner Kinsmen: The Descendants of Joseph and Martha (Kinne) Skinner of Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania", Volume One, LDS Library System film #1321300
Except as otherwise noted with other source references.

DANIEL SKINNER #1 (OF SUSSEX CO.)

Exhibit 11 - "The Skinner Family of Cocheton, N.Y., by Nathan Skinner, available LDS library system, 3/14/98/KDS:

    p48 - "DANIEL SKINNER (5) Joseph (4) Ebenezer (3) Thomas (2) (1) - b. Preston, Windham County, Colony of Connecticut, March 22, 1733; baptized there, May 13, 1733.
    Daniel Skinner's will was dated February 22, 1813. He died Feb. 23, 1813 and is buried at St. Tammany Cemetery, but his tombstone is no longer there.
    He m. (1) Pomfret, Conn., by Jeremiah Hinna, March 11, 1761, MRS. LILLIE RICHARDSON, a widow with a daughter, Phoebe, who was then about seven years old. Lillie was b. Nov. 11, 1737 in Preston, Conn., the daughter of . . . . . Heli (or Healy). She was the mother of all of Daniel's children. She d. June 7, 1807 and was buried at St. Tammany Cemetery which was directly across the Delaware River from Calicoon, New York.
    Daniel m. (2) May 4, 1808, ROSABELLE KINNE, daughter of Henri and Martha Kinne, great granddaughter of Thomas Kinne.
    CHILDREN:
    1. Reuben (6) b. Nov. 27, 1761 - m. Anna M. Chase
    2. Daniel (6) b. Nov. 17, 1763 - m. Hannah Burleigh
    3. Lillie (6) b. Mar. 4, 1767 - m. John Land
    4. Mercy (6) b. Mar. 12, 1769 - m. Reuben Hanckett
    5. Joseph (6) b. Mar. 10,1771 - m. Mercy Dunlop
    6. William (6) b. Mar. 22, 1763 -m. (1) - (2)
    7. Sarah (6) b. Feb. 15, 1775 - m. John Conklin
    8. Nathan (6) b. Apr. 4, 1777 - m. Sarah Calkins
    9. Cortlandt (6) b. Aug 26, 1779 - d. unmarried June 22, 1796"
     
    p49 - "Contemporary Records
    1790 - Census - "Cosikton" District, Northampton Co. Pennsylvania
    Daniel Skinner: 3 males over 16 yrs, 2 males under 17 years, 4 females
    Daniel Skinner named his land "St. Tammany Flats" after the celebrated Indian Chief, St. Tammany. ..... "
    "The State of Pennsylvania has erected a State Marker at Milaville, Pennsylvania, which reads as follows:
    "Cushetunk - The first Connecticut settlement on the upper Delaware was made here in 1755, under the lead of Moses Thomas and Daniel Skinner, on lands called Cushetunk by the Indians. Settlement seized by the Indians and Tories, 1778." '
     
    pp27-29 - "Daniel Skinner was born in the town of Preston, Windham County, Colony of Connecticut. He had 7 brothers and 2 sisters, viz: Benjamin - Timothy - John - Abner - Haggai - Calvin - Joseph - Martha and Hulda. His father's name was Joseph. At what time he came to Connecticut we are unable at the present time to say, but we find by a certain writing that ..... on the 4th of Sept. 1755, then called Ackhake Place. His father was one of the 1200 Yankees that made the great Indian Purchase, July 11, 1754. ..... Daniel Skinner purchased of his father 2 acres of Ackhake Place ..... Sept. 11, 1755. ..... As buckskin breeches and check flannel shirts were altogether the fashion in those days, and as skins could be had very cheaply of the Indians, where Daniel Skinner then resided, and he could get flannel of the Yankees were he came, he followed peddling these articles throughout the settled part of Pa. and N.Y. Thereby he became acquainted with most of the inhabitants of these states. After Daniel Skinner's father was killed his step-mother returned to her residence in Connecticut which, I presume, was about the year 1759, he took up his residence in Newtown, Sussex County, N.J. This appears from a old Deed from Timothy Wints of Canterbury, Conn., to Daniel Skinner of Newtown, Sussex County, for half a right in the Delaware Purchase, for which he paid 4 pounds; dated January 2, 1760. On the 20th of February, 1760 he paid to Alpheus Gustin 5 pounds for one quarter of a right, in the Delaware Purchase, lying on both sides of the river, 100 acres thereof, being in the middle township This Alpheus Gustin was one of the Proprietors. On the 26th day of July, 1760, he paid 40 pounds to Benjamin Skinner of Newtown, Sussex County, N.J. for half right in the Susquehanna Purchase, which right the said Benjamin purchased of Joseph Skinner, one of the Proprietors of the said Purchase.

       
    This year Daniel Skinner became a sailor and made a voyage to several of the West India Islands. ......
     
    Daniel Skiner then moved to a place called Manbroken. He stayed there about 8 months and then moved to New Windsor. Early in the spring of 1763 we find him again at Cocheston, at the same Ackhake Place where his father first settled. ....
    [KDS note - describes his occupation as moving timber down the Delaware River to Philadelphia in the form of rafts for ship masts and spars.]
    Daniel Skinner, having navigated the first raft, was constituted Lord High Admiral of all the raftsmen on the Delaware, and Josiah Parks, was called boatswain. These titles they retained during their lives. 

Exhibit 11a - "Notices from New Jersey Newspapers, 1781-1790", Thomas B. Wilson, 1988, pp64-66, NJ State Library Archives, 1/5/1996/KDS:

    "19 July 1784 - Edward Dunlop, Agent for Confiscated Estates in Sussex Co., adv. for sale numerous tracts and parcels of land. ... Also, the half part of several lots and tracts having been taken up in partnership by the said Col. Oliver Delancy with Henry Cuyler Esq., deceased:
    - ...
    - In Hardiston, 37 and 7/100 acres which includes nearly all the possession of Benjamin Skinner.
    - ..."

    [KDS note - Hardiston is about 8 miles northeast of Newton.]

       

Exhibit 11b - Exhibit 41 - New Jersey Tax Lists, 1772 - 1822, Vol. 5, edited by Ronald Vern Jackson, computer print-out, Trenton State Library, 10/27/1995/KDS:

    Name / County / Division / City or Twp / Date

    Skiner, Benjamin [KDS note - sic] / Sussex / 005 / Newton / Sep, 1774

Exhibit 11c - Daniel Skinner Geneology per http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, 2003:

    Re: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48
    Posted by: J Hutter (ID *****6342) Date: March 27, 2003 at 16:01:44
    In Reply to: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48 by Sue Ramsey
    message 3711 of 3727

    I have this on Daniel:

    Daniel was a merchant sailor and logger. His son, Nathan, wrote the Nathan Skinner manuscript about the early history of Cochecton.

    On 4 Sept 1755 Daniel purchased 25 acres from his father near Cochecton, part of Joseph's 100 acre share of the Susquehanna purchase. He left about 1759 and took up residence in Newtown, Sussex Co, NJ. In 1763 he returned to Cochecton, and began a career rafting timber down the Delaware river to Philadelphia.

    Unable to get clear title to his property, and harassed by neighbours anxious to take over the timber business, Daniel moved to Shawngunk Kill in Nov 1772 where his brothers Timothy and Abner had property. He returned to Cochecton in 1777 just in time to run into a 'Committee of Safety'. His new house was plundered and burned.

    After the War, Daniel settled again in Cochecton and named his farm St. Tammany Flats.

    Mrs. George A. Wahl, The Skinner Kinsmen: The Descendants of Joseph and Martha (Kinne) Skinner of Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania, Vol 1 (Niagara Falls, NY: 1959).

    [KDS note - The above Daniel is Daniel #1; apparently by mistake, the topic switches to Daniel #2, who had daughter Keturah.]

    Daniels son in law, Drayton Holcombe, h/o Keturah had a minor role in the Insurrection of 1838 in "Lower Canada"; after the "Battle of Short Hills" many Canadians and Americans were condemned and transported to Tasmania. You might check on that insurrection for names in your family tree. I'm trying to chase down Samuel Chandler.

    "With his wife, one child and only one horse he moved in March 1819 from Connecticut to Cook's Mill, Crowland Twp., Welland Co., Ontario, Canada, where his wife's brother, Stephen Skinner, and their married sister lived. there he prospered and within a few years owned Cook's Mill and later had some of the best farms in Welland and adjoining counties. He gave to each of his large family of children a substantial property start in life.

    A rebellion broke out north of Toronto, Canada, in 1839, in which William Lyon MacKenzie was a leader. Samuel Chandler of Pelham was also a leading insurrectionist. One wet, cold midnight in December, Chandler guiding MacKenzie to the Niagara frontier arrived at Drayton Holdombe's home at Cook's Mill in Welland Co., Ontario for food, warmth and a short sleep. These being hospitably provided, these fugitives resumed their flight before day-break through by-roads and forest paths to McAfee's farm on the Niagara River where MacKenzie crossed to safety in Buffalo, NY.

    This Chandler was friend of the Holcombe family and their son, Norman Chandler Holcombe had his second Christian name from him. Drayton's kindness to MacKenzie and Chandler became a rumor in the Welland area whereupon Drayton considered it prudent to live in Buffalo until the feeling incident to the rebellion subsided. His son, Norman Chandler, made frequent visits to him in Buffalo from his family remaining on his Crowland farm.

    William Lyon MacKenzie became the first mayor of Toronto, Canada. Canada's premier during the 2nd World War, W.L. MacKenzie, is a descendant of the insurrectionist MacKenzie above.

    SOURCES:
    Hannah Elizabeth Weir McPherson, Holcombe Genealogy, Page 164.2/Item A-8-1-6-5-1-1..
    Michael C. Holcomb, Holcombes in Ashtabula.

    FROM A MEMORIAL:

    The battle of the Short Hills,
    The rebellion in Upper Canada,
    1838

    Failing to seize power by force in Toronto on December 5, 1837, William Lyon Mckenzie was led to the United States by Samuel Chandler, a wagon maker from St. John's.

    On June 12, 1838, a "patriot army" of some 29 armed Americans and Upper Canadians, including Samuel Chandler, left Grand Island In the United States to invade Canada.

    Early on June 21, 1838, the "patriot Army", now about 50 men, rushed Osterhout's Inn on this site where ten Queen's Lancers were posted to keep the peace in St. John's and the Short Hills.

    The lancers were captured, but later released unharmed. Chandler and other ring leaders were hunted down and tried for treason in Niagara (Niagara-On-The-Lake). James Moreau was hanged; the others were sentenced to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), the British Empire's penal colony then.

    This incident was one amongst many that would ultimately lead towards the peaceful establishment of responsible government in the late 1840's."

 

DANIEL SKINNER #2 (OF SUSSEX CO.)

 Exhibit 9 - "Genealogical Dictionary of New Jersey", by Charles Carroll Gardner, 10/25/1995/KDS:

    "Under date of April 24, 1955, Mrs. Gordon A. Wahl, 2475 Linwood Ave., Niagara Falls, N.Y., wrote asking for proof of a statement on a card in my file at the NJHS, stating that one Daniel Skinner was son of Richard (3), of John (2), of Richard (1), quoting or referring to Ruttenberg's Hist. of Orange Co., N.Y. She has a record of his family, showing that one Daniel Skinner, possibly the same, who was born Sept. 22, 1746 in Sussex Co., N.J., lived at Otisville, Orange Co., N.Y., and d. Nov. 3, 1846 in Sullivan Co., N.Y.; md. April 6, 1780 at Pres. Chh., Goshen, N.Y. to Mary Smith, b. March 6, 1755; d. July 6, 1846."

       

Exhibit 9a - "Revolutionary War Index", microfilm #568724/1592/roll 27, Trenton State library, 12/7/1995/KDS:

    "Skinner, Daniel
    Private, Captain Hopkin's Company, Sussex County Militia, 1776. Also in service in Pennsylvania and New York. Resident of Sussex County; age, 28 years; resided in Orange County, New York, 1834. (Invalid No. 10015.)
    WSP:W
    5-12-33."

Exhibit 9b - unsourced 1963 notes in files of VEM specifically concerning the Daniel Skinner who appears in the Stryker Revolutionary War lists:

    Daniel Skinner - Could be the Daniel who was b. Sussex Co., NJ, in 1746 and d. in 1846 in Sullivan Co., NJ, ancestor of compiler - lack of details prevents positive identification.
    [VEM was not a descendant of Daniel, she must have copied this from others; also, note that birth and/or death dates are unreasonable]

Exhibit 9c - "Official Register of the Officers & Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War", William S. Stryker, 1872, 9/24/1995/KDS:

    p755, Privates, State Troops and Militia:
    Skinner, Amos. Essex. [KDS note - Amos, brother of Captain Richard.]
    Skinner, Benjamin. Also Captain Asher F. Randoph's company, State troops. [not clear which Benjamin this is.]
    Skinner, Daniel

Exhibit 9e - Daniel Skinner Family per Skinner forum at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, 2003:

    DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48
    Posted by: Sue Ramsey Date: January 27, 2002 at 17:55:23
    message #3206 of 3727

    I am looking for information concerning Daniel SKINNER born in Sussex Co., NJ, Sept. 22 1746 or 1748. He married Mary Smith on April 6, 1780 in Goshen, NY. He fathered 10 children, Jeptha, Huldah, Stephen, Moses, Amelia, Mary(Polly), Elizabeth, Eunice, Deturah [KDS note - Keturah], and Isabella. This Skinner line. At some time this Skinner line migrated to Welland, Ontario.

    Can any one help me?

Exhibit 9f - Daniel Skinner Family per Skinner forum at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, 2003:

    Re: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48
    Posted by: Connie Mazerov (ID *****8140) Date: February 04, 2003 at 16:06:51
    In Reply to: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48 by Sue Ramsey
    message #3684 of 3923

    I am interested in any information you have on Hulda Skinner born 1805 Orange, NY married to John Dean. They both died in Welland, Ontario. I believe her parents are Stephen Dean 1783 and Clarissa Smith. Stephen parents may be Daniel Dean and Mary Smith. I am a descendant of John and Hulda's daughter Clarissa Dean who married Martin Hicks.

Exhibit 9g - Daniel Skinner Family per Skinner forum at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, 2003:

    Re: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48
    Posted by: susan ramsey (ID *****7455) Date: February 04, 2003 at 19:33:45
    In Reply to: Re: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48 by Connie Mazerov
    message 3685 of 3923

    Connie,

    I have Hulda Skinner, daughter of Stephen Smith [KDS note - Stephen Skinner] and Clarissa Smith. She was born May 30, 1805 in NY, died in Port Burwell, Ontario, Canada. I have no date of death or date of marriage. Children of Hulda and John Dean are Rebecca, James, Hiram, Mary Jane, Eliza, Clarissa, Stephen and George. Clarissa married Martin Hicks. Their children were Loranza, Almira, George, Nettie, Nancy and Aldophus.

    Please email me and tell me what else you need. I have the Sinner line back to the immigration to the USA. This information was sent to me by another researcher so I can not personally verify it.

    Sue

Exhibit 9h - Daniel Skinner Geneology per http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, 2003:

    Re: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48
    Posted by: J Bragdon Hutter (ID *****6342) Date: March 23, 2003 at 07:49:31
    In Reply to: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48 by Sue Ramsey
    message 3706 of 3727

    Daniel is my 4th GGfather; the son of Benjamin Skinner 7 Mar 1730/31-1801) who chose to support the British during the Revolutionary War. Altho Benjamin removed to Canada and was granted land there by the crown Daniel remained in Eldred, Sullivan Co, New York until his death.

    KETURAH, his daughter, married into the Holcombe family of Hartford CT and they removed to Cook's Mill, Welland Ontario to be near Keturah's brother Stephen and her married sister (which one I don't know) Keturah's husband Drayton was a veteran of the war of 1812 which may have created some tension with the Skinners.

    Keturah and her youngest children removed to Vernon, Trumball County OH without her husband who followed later. Keturah died in 1847 in Ohio; Drayton died in 1887 in Cook's Mill and is buried in Doane's Ridge Cemetary.

    The line is Thomas Skinner (the immigrant, born 1617) >Thomas > Ebenezer > Joseph > Benjamin > Daniel"

Exhibit 9i - Daniel Skinner Geneology per http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, 2003:

    Re: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48
    Posted by: J Hutter (ID *****6342) Date: March 27, 2003 at 16:01:44
    In Reply to: DANIEL SKINNER born 1746/48 by Sue Ramsey
    message 3711 of 3727

    I have this on Daniel:

    Daniel was a merchant sailor and logger. His son, Nathan, wrote the Nathan Skinner manuscript about the early history of Cochecton.

    On 4 Sept 1755 Daniel purchased 25 acres from his father near Cochecton, part of Joseph's 100 acre share of the Susquehanna purchase. He left about 1759 and took up residence in Newtown, Sussex Co, NJ. In 1763 he returned to Cochecton, and began a career rafting timber down the Delaware river to Philadelphia.

    Unable to get clear title to his property, and harassed by neighbours anxious to take over the timber business, Daniel moved to Shawngunk Kill in Nov 1772 where his brothers Timothy and Abner had property. He returned to Cochecton in 1777 just in time to run into a 'Committee of Safety'. His new house was plundered and burned.

    After the War, Daniel settled again in Cochecton and named his farm St. Tammany Flats.

    Mrs. George A. Wahl, The Skinner Kinsmen: The Descendants of Joseph and Martha (Kinne) Skinner of Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania, Vol 1 (Niagara Falls, NY: 1959).

    [KDS note - The above Daniel is Daniel #1; apparently by mistake, the topic switches to Daniel #2, who had daughter Keturah.]

    Daniels son in law, Drayton Holcombe, h/o Keturah had a minor role in the Insurrection of 1838 in "Lower Canada"; after the "Battle of Short Hills" many Canadians and Americans were condemned and transported to Tasmania. You might check on that insurrection for names in your family tree. I'm trying to chase down Samuel Chandler.

    "With his wife, one child and only one horse he moved in March 1819 from Connecticut to Cook's Mill, Crowland Twp., Welland Co., Ontario, Canada, where his wife's brother, Stephen Skinner, and their married sister lived. there he prospered and within a few years owned Cook's Mill and later had some of the best farms in Welland and adjoining counties. He gave to each of his large family of children a substantial property start in life.

    A rebellion broke out north of Toronto, Canada, in 1839, in which William Lyon MacKenzie was a leader. Samuel Chandler of Pelham was also a leading insurrectionist. One wet, cold midnight in December, Chandler guiding MacKenzie to the Niagara frontier arrived at Drayton Holdombe's home at Cook's Mill in Welland Co., Ontario for food, warmth and a short sleep. These being hospitably provided, these fugitives resumed their flight before day-break through by-roads and forest paths to McAfee's farm on the Niagara River where MacKenzie crossed to safety in Buffalo, NY.

    This Chandler was friend of the Holcombe family and their son, Norman Chandler Holcombe had his second Christian name from him. Drayton's kindness to MacKenzie and Chandler became a rumor in the Welland area whereupon Drayton considered it prudent to live in Buffalo until the feeling incident to the rebellion subsided. His son, Norman Chandler, made frequent visits to him in Buffalo from his family remaining on his Crowland farm.

    William Lyon MacKenzie became the first mayor of Toronto, Canada. Canada's premier during the 2nd World War, W.L. MacKenzie, is a descendant of the insurrectionist MacKenzie above.

    SOURCES:
    Hannah Elizabeth Weir McPherson, Holcombe Genealogy, Page 164.2/Item A-8-1-6-5-1-1..
    Michael C. Holcomb, Holcombes in Ashtabula.

    FROM A MEMORIAL:

    The battle of the Short Hills,
    The rebellion in Upper Canada,
    1838

    Failing to seize power by force in Toronto on December 5, 1837, William Lyon Mckenzie was led to the United States by Samuel Chandler, a wagon maker from St. John's.

    On June 12, 1838, a "patriot army" of some 29 armed Americans and Upper Canadians, including Samuel Chandler, left Grand Island In the United States to invade Canada.

    Early on June 21, 1838, the "patriot Army", now about 50 men, rushed Osterhout's Inn on this site where ten Queen's Lancers were posted to keep the peace in St. John's and the Short Hills.

    The lancers were captured, but later released unharmed. Chandler and other ring leaders were hunted down and tried for treason in Niagara (Niagara-On-The-Lake). James Moreau was hanged; the others were sentenced to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), the British Empire's penal colony then.

    This incident was one amongst many that would ultimately lead towards the peaceful establishment of responsible government in the late 1840's."

 

Exhibit 9j - Daniel Skinner Family per Skinner forum at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, 2003:

    Re: Robert Skinner/Mary Willets NJ/PA
    Posted by: Marilyn Current (ID *****1984) Date: December 02, 2003 at 11:59:19
    In Reply to: Re: Robert Skinner/Mary Willets NJ/PA by Kevin Skinner
    message 3883 of 3892

    Do either of you know if James King, Jr., who married Sarah Current in Sussex Co., NJ on June 24, 1798 was related to your Skinners and Kings? Sarah's younger brother, John Current, married Huldah Skinner, the daughter of Daniel Skinner, (who was in turn the son of either Joseph or Benjamen Skinner, depending on which theory you subscribe to.) I have for some time been trying to find out what became of Sarah and James, and thought you may have some information that might lead to their discovery, since you also have information about Skinners and Kings from NJ. Would appreciate any help you might give.

    Marilyn Current of Michigan

Exhibit 9k - Daniel Skinner Family per Skinner forum at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, 2003:

    Re: Robert Skinner/Mary Willets NJ/PA
    Posted by: Kevin Skinner (ID *****7661) Date: December 04, 2003 at 20:12:08
    In Reply to: Re: Robert Skinner/Mary Willets NJ/PA by Marilyn Current
    message 3893 of 3923

    I know little of the King family. I would think that all of the Kings of central Jersey likely descend from the same family, originally of Morris Co. By the 1790's, all of the Jersey families had grown and branched out to the point where many interactions take place.

    Some info you probably already have that I dreached up from my site - Joseph Skinner and sons Daniel and Benjamin apppeared in Sussex Co., NJ in the mid-1700's. Benjamin stayed on until the War.

    Both Daniel and Benjamin had sons named Daniel. Benjamin's son Daniel was the father of Huldah. Not sure of any alternative theories as you suggested, though I wonder how Huldah could still have been in Sussex Co in the late 1790's to have married John Current. Huldah's father moved to NY where he married there in 1780.

    Benjamin's life parallels that of William Current Sr. Both were of the same generation and both had NJ lands confiscated, with replacement land provided by the British government at Welland, Ontario. Both had children who did not follow them to Cananda. Benjamin's family ended up in Sullivan and Orange Co, NY, just north of NJ. Wonder if any of the Currents ended up there as well.

Exhibit 9l - Daniel Skinner Family per Skinner forum at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/, 2003:

    Re: Robert Skinner/Mary Willets NJ/PA
    Posted by: Marilyn Current (ID *****1984) Date: December 10, 2003 at 09:19:50
    In Reply to: Re: Robert Skinner/Mary Willets NJ/PA by Kevin Skinner
    message 3900 of 3923

    Hello Kevin,

    Thank you for the interesting parallels between William Current and Benjamin Skinner. That is good information to have.

    What I was referring to is the disagreement between the common theory that Daniel Skinner, of Orange Co., NY and m. to Mary Smith, was the son of Benjamin (and Millicent) Skinner, who in turn was the son of Joseph Skinner and Martha Kinney, as opposed to the theory held out by some of Daniel's descendants, that he was the direct son of Joseph and Martha. (I realize this last theory has problems, in that there is another Daniel Skinner, m. to Lille Healy, who is attributed to being Joseph and Martha's son.) But, at least, Joseph and Mary have a "hole" in their roster of children at the true date of Daniel's birth, whereas Benjamin was not yet of marrying age when Daniel was TRULY born.

    In order to make Daniel, h/o Mary, to fit into the family of Benjamin and Millicent, an incorrect birth date has been attributed to him. My connection with the family is through Daniel and Mary's daughter, Huldah, who was married to John Current. Huldah's obituary spent nearly as much time on her father's story, as to her own, so is very insightful. From this obituary we find that Daniel's correct birth and death years were 1746-1846, for he lived to be a hundred years old. (His daughter, Huldah, lived to be 101.) It is commonly known reported that Benjamin was b. in 1730, which would make him only 16 at the time of this Daniel's birth--highly unlikely. Benjamin's next son, (if, indeed, this Daniel was his son), was Jeptha, who was born 11 years after our Daniel-- hardly logical! [KDS note - Benjamin's children are unknown and do not include JEPTHA.] This obituary also explains how John Current and Huldah Skinner had the opportunity to meet and marry, while living in different countries (he was in Canada by the time of their marriage.)

    Here is Huldah (Skinner) Current's obituary, (which should be more widely distributed among Skinner family historians):
    (Source: Local History Dept., Welland Public Library, 140 King St., Welland, Ont., L3B 3J3)

      The Welland Tribune: Friday, April 27, 1883, p.7

      OBITUARY. DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN. MRS. HULDAH CURRENT.

      A lifetime of a hundred years! How few among us live it in this fast, busy age. And yet there are a few exceptions, and among them we note Mrs. Huldah Current, relict of the late John Current, of Crowland, who died at the residence of her son, W.N. Current, Esq., at Welland, on Friday last, April 20th, as [.......2 lines unreadable.....] daughter of Daniel Skinner, who, prior to the revolutionary war, lived in Stamford Township, this country. Taking strong sides with the colonists, Mr. Skinner threw in his lot with them and bore arms under Washington at the close of the war settled in Orange county, N.Y., naturally preferring to remain under the flag he had conscientiously and bravely striven to maintain. It was there that his daughter, Huldah, the subject of this sketch, was born. Whilst still Miss Skinner she came to Stamford, early in the present century, and stopped with a relative, a Mr. Biggar, and was in Stamford during the battle of Lundy's Lane. She was possessed of many remininscences of the war which she could detail readily, her intellect being, up to her death, unusually bright and keen. She married the late John Current, of Crowland Township, and lived on the old homestead until the death of her husband, and afterwards with her son, W.N. Current, Esq., who owned a part of the property, living with the latter until her death.

      Mrs. Current came of a long-lived family. Her mother died in July, 1846, aged 90 years, and her father a few months later, aged 100 years, retaining his mental and physical energies in a remarkable degree. As the chronicler of that time records it: "Together they lived for almost 70 years, and almost together they ceased to live: and their bodies repose side by side in the silent grave."

      The deceased had suffered from rheumatism for the past five years, the last two years being wholly unable to use her lower limbs. She bore her severe affliction with true christian patience and resignation, finding earthly comfort n the solicitude with which her son, W.N. Current, and his family ever cared for her, and, most important of all human concerns, hope and consolation in a clear conception and assurance of the promises of Him whose promises never fail. The funeral was held on Sunday afternoon, the services being conducted by Rev. Mr. Forman, who impressively testified that the deceased had no doubts or misgivings as to the greeting that would welcome her to her heavenly Father's mansions, but calmly awaited the fateful stroke, in her case so long delayed. Mr. John B. Doan acted as funeral director, and Messrs. H. Buchner, Jacob Griffith, David McEwing, T. Blanchard, T. Teakey and Alexander Asher as pallsmen. the casket containing the body was richly lined and trimmed with black cloth, the silver plate attached bearing the inscription:

      MOTHER

      HULDAH CURRENT

      aged 101 years.

      Interment took place at Doan's Ridge cemetery, a very large attendance of friends testifying their respect for the deceased, and her century of usefulness thus peacefully terminated. In her demise the county loses probably its oldest and certainly one of its most respected citizens.

    ----------

    Known dates and places for Daniel and Mary:

      Daniel b. Sept. 22, 1746, Sussex Co., NJ, d. Eldred, Sullivan Co., NY, bur. Eldred Cem., m. Mary Smith, d/o David Smith, Sr. Apr. 6, 1780, Presb. Church, Goshen, NY; b. Mar. 6, 1755, NY, d. July 6, 1846, Lumberland, Sullivan Co., NY, b. Eldred Cem.; 10 known children, all of those with known birthplaces were b. Orange Co., NY.

      Orange Co. and Sullivan Co. are both along the Delaware River which runs between NY, NJ, and PA.

      If you can shed any more light that will help clear up this puzzle, I would greatly appreciate it. I also have information about Daniel and his brother Haggai rafting logs down the Delaware River:

    Subj: [NJSUSSEX-L] River rafts were once timber, SKINNER, SMITH, BARNES
    Date: 5/12/2003
    From: webmomma@nac.net
    To: NJSUSSEX-L@rootsweb.com

      Editor's Note: In honor of the 250th anniversary of Sussex County, which was established in 1753, The New Jersey Herald will be printing a historic detail each day through the end of the year.

      "Cruising down the Delaware on a rubber raft is a popular way to spend a summer afternoon, but it is by no means a modern invention. In former days, however, those who braved the river did so on rafts made of timbers. Tradition has it that DANIEL SKINNER of Callicoon (NY) was the first to attempt this feat in 1764. The timbers came from trees that were chopped down in late fall or winter, when the river was too low for rafting. But when the river rose, rafting commenced in earnest on the Upper Delaware, with either Trenton (NJ) or Philadelphia (PA) as the destination. These trips took about three days. The rafters would return home on foot, carrying their equipment on a journey that could take four days. The raftsmen were known to stop at any of the numerous taverns in Sussex County for either food or lodging. A May 5, 1855 news article reported that "Rafts to the amount of at least 80,000 were tied up at the eddy a mile above Easton, and it was estimated that the value of the lumber floated down the Delaware during the spring exceeded $1 million. It wasn't all smooth sailing, however. A May 3, 1857 article reported "destructive freshets in the Delaware at Easton when the Delaware rose 23 1/2 feet and the current was so strong as to cause six heavy rafts to break loose. A son of Jacob SMITH of Belvidere and a raftsman named MOSER lost their lives in the flood." Source: Jennie Sweetman for The New Jersey Herald.

    (Russ McGillivray; russmcgillivray@hotmail.com; http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=russmcgillivray&id=I3342):

      "About 1767, Haggai was living with his brother Daniel in Cochecton, NY and shared with him a business of rafting timber down the Delaware river to Philadelphia (PA). He and Daniel were accused of having wounded several Indian chiefs at a party on Christmas Day, 1771 and potentially provoking a war, but were exonerated. Among those who testified to his and Daniel's good character were several named Westbrook."

    The Daniel Skinner who was married to Lille Healy was living in Wayne Co., PA in the years mentioned here. This is on the lower,rather than the upper, Delaware. Also, he was an admiral, seeming to identify him with the open seas, rather than with river rafting. Haggai Skinner, the one who did the river rafting, was living in Stamford, Welland Co., Ont., Can. at the time of his death, in 1823. This, too, seems to tie Daniel and Mary, parents of Huldah Skinner Current, to this Haggai, as brothers, sons of Joseph and Martha.

    If you have any other thoughts, or can shed more light onto the question, I would greatly appreciate it. Would also like to know who the other Daniel, married to Lille Healy, belongs to, if not to Joseph and Martha.

    thanks again
    Marilyn Current

Exhibit 9m - Family of William Current Sr. per http://www.familysearch.org/, 2003:

    FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 North America
    Family Group Record
    Search Results | Download
     
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    Husband
     WILLIAM CURRENT SR
      Birth: 1735 , , England
    Christening:
    Marriage: 1770 <Oxford Twp, Sussex, New Jersey>
    Death: FEB 1839 , Welland, Ontario
    Burial:
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Wife
     ESTHER LEMON
      Birth: 1740 Oxford Twp, Sussex, New Jersey
    Christening:
    Marriage: 1770 <Oxford Twp, Sussex, New Jersey>
    Death: Before 1835 , Welland, Ontario
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Children
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     1. Ann Current
      Female
      Birth: 1771 <Crowland Twp, , Sussex, New Jersey>
    Christening:
    Death:
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     2. Abigail Current
      Female
      Birth: 1772 <Crowland Twp, , Sussex, New Jersey>
    Christening:
    Death:
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     3. Sarah Current
      Female
      Birth: 1773 <Crowland Twp, , Sussex, New Jersey>
    Christening:
    Death:
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4. Charity Current
      Female
      Birth: 1774 <Crowland Twp, , Sussex, New Jersey>
    Christening:
    Death:
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     5. Joseph Current
      Male
      Birth: 18 APR 1775 Crowland, , Sussex, New Jersey
    Christening:
    Death: 1827 Crowland, , Sussex, New Jersey
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    6. James Current
      Male
      Birth: 1776 <Crowland Twp, , Sussex, New Jersey>
    Christening:
    Death:
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     7. William Current
      Male
      Birth: 1777 <Crowland Twp, , Sussex, New Jersey>
    Christening:
    Death:
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     8. Elizabeth Current
      Female
      Birth: 1778 <Crowland Twp, , Sussex, New Jersey>
    Christening:
    Death:
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     9. John Current
      Male
      Birth: 1779 <Crowland Twp, , Sussex, New Jersey>
    Christening:
    Death:
    Burial:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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