RICHARD SKINNER - _____

ROBERT SKINNER - _____

PHINEHAS SKINNER - _____

file updated 1/2004

KDS Commentary

Source References

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KDS COMMENTARY:

Richard, Robert and Phinehas Skinner subscribed to an Episcopal church at Pluckamin, Somerset Co. in 1756 (exhibit-4). Based only on that, I presume them to be brothers. Ben Manning ?Senior, brother-in-law to both Cornelius Skinner Sr. and Nathaniel Skinner Sr., was also a subscriber. My guess is that Richard, Robert and Phinehas are siblings to, or sons of, either Cornelius or Nathaniel Skinner, both of whom lived in that region of central Jersey.

Cornelius Skinner was one of the earliest settlers of Tewksbury, Hunterdon Co., NJ. Richard also purchased land there in 1763 - in a land transaction identical to that of Cornelius (exhibit-7). Phinehas also appeared in Hunterdon Co. (exhibit-4a). Richard, Robert and Phinehas appear to have a close relationship with Cornelius - I assume them to be brothers or offspring of Cornelius, as opposed to Cornelius' brother Nathaniel.

The birth date of Cornelius is unknown, but his brother Nathaniel was born about 1705 or 1706, based upon age at death. And presumed sister, Susannah Skinner Manning, was born 1703 or 1704, also based upon age at death. 

Lester Holcombe researched the descendents of Cornelius, but his work seems incomplete, including relatively few offspring in each generation. For example, he shows just three children for Cornelius - Cornelius Jr., Nathaniel (born 1740) and Richard Alexander (born 1748). And the birth dates for Nathaniel and Richard Alexander seem late to represent children of Cornelius Sr.

Richard, Robert and Phinehas, not researched by Holcombe, are likely brothers to, or children of, Cornelius Sr.

Per Skinner genforum discussion #1968 from M. Gentry (exhibit-18), there was a Phineas Skinner who was born about 1730, based upon age at death. He died in Loudon Co., VA, the same location where Cornelius and his offspring relocated in the 1760's. Phineas would likely be a son of Cornelius, and could refer to the Phinehas discussed here. Richard Alexander, the son of Cornelius identified by Holcombe, would then correspond to the Richard discussed here.

Note that Phinehas, later Phineas, is a common name in later generations of the family of Cornelius (per genforum.geneaology.com discussions involving later generations - not covered here).

 

EXHIBITS:

 

Exhibits 1-3 - removed

 

Exhibit 4 - "History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey", compiled by James P. Snell, 1881, 12/8/1995/KDS

 

p716 - A subscription list was started to build a church at Pluckamin, Bedminster township, Somerset Co., to be called St. Paul's Church:

"Bedminster, Ye 7th Day of December, 1756

A Subscription for Raising a Sum of Money For Building a Church In Bedminster town.

Whereas, the Memers of the Lutheran Congregation In and near Bedminstertown Being Necessitated For a Place of Public Worship Think it a Proper Place to Erect a House for To Worship God and it is further Agreed by us the Subscribers That one-half of the Preaching on Every Other Sermon Preached By any Minister Chosen by the Said Lutheran Congregation Shall be in the English Language And the other in High Dutch. We therefore the underscubscribers Do Promise To Pay or Cause to be Paid The Sum or Sums Annexed to our Names for the uses abovementioned To any Person or Persons Chosen Collector of Said Money by the Said Congregation. The Money is not To be paid until Said Church is a Building and the Money Wanted for that Use. We most Humbly would Desire the assistance of all our well Minded friends and Neighbors That are well wishers for Promoting So Good a Deseine (KDS - sic) To be helpful to us and Subscribe such a Matter To this our undertaking which will be Excepted with Greatest Humility and thankfulness and will be Attending to the advancement of ye Glory of God.

[KDS note - 130 names follow, many of them Dutch, and not in alphabetical order]

 

[*KDS note - money paid in pounds, shillings, pence?; Mary Alexander was a part of a large landholding family in NJ that I have shown for interest only.]

The amount subscribed was about L350. Degroot ... and others were residents of Bound Brook. ... Mary Alexander was the daughter of Dr. John Johnston (who purchased large tracts of land in this region) and the wife of James Alexander, who with D. D. Dunstar bought 538 acres of land, including the site of Lamington and other tracts north.
The church was built on land donated by Jacob Eoff, and stood in the roadway of the churchyard, southeast of the present building. In 1760 the Rev. Paul Bryzelius settled in Germantown as rector of Zion [KDS note - located in Tewksbury township] and St. Paul's Churches. He was succeeded in 1767 by the Rev. Henry Muhlenberg. In this year a charter for the two churches was obtained, a part of which is here quoted: "

Exhibit 4a - "Abstracts of Wills, 1761-1770", NJ Archives, Vol XXXIII, p479, 1/5/1996/KDS:

"1762, Oct. 4. Willet, Samuel, of Monmouth Co. Int. Adm'r - William Willett, eldest son of said Samuel. Fellowbondsman - Phinehas Skinner; both of Hunterdon Co. Lib. H, p. 189."
[KDS note - The descendents of Nathaniel Skinner, brother to Cornelius, include a Willets Skinner.]

Exhibits 5,6 - removed

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:

"Cornelius Skinner from Crane, Stephen, et als; book F-3, p216; 3 May 1763; rec'd 8/8/1770, Twksby, Htdn Co."
"Cornelius Skinner from De Hart, Jacob et als; book f-3, p218; 5 May 1763; rec'd 8/9/1770, Twksby, Htdn Co."
"Skinner, Richard from Crane, Stephen, et als; book F-3, p218; 5/10/1763; rec'd 8/9/1770, Twksbry., Htdn Co."
[KDS note - Richard Alexander Skinner, son of Cornelius, Sr. would have been too young to be this Richard Skinner; In addition, Richard Alexander married in Virginia in 1764, the following year, also making this unlikely. I assume this record indicates the existence of a Richard who would be of the same generation, and likely a brother to, Cornelius.]

Exhibit 17 - Somerset County Historical Quarterly, 1917, Vol. VI, p35, 10/26/1995/KDS:

from the "Old Stone House" papers - daybook of 'Gilbert' Sutphen, a magistrate in 1774 and Judge of the Courts from 1778. The daybook extends from 1760 to 1775. The list of names included in the daybook includes Richard Skinner.

Exhibit 18 - per genforum.geneaology.com:

 "Home: Surnames: Skinner Family Genealogy Forum
Re: Cornelius Skinner of Loudon Co. VA
Posted by: mgentryDate: September 26, 2000 at 05:37:36
In Reply to: Re: Cornelius Skinner of Loudon Co. VA by Joyce Chiles Hines
1968 of 3336

Hi Joyce: I have the following list of Phinea's children....I will have to check my hard copy to see where I got that info....Phineas b c1730 and d1794 Loudon, Va at age 64...Married 3x's....Lastly, m. Violinda Simpson, Loudon Va., 1790...Children were: Cornelius III...Salley...Molly....Judy....Elizabeth....Nathaniel....and Margaret...These were children prior to Violinda....He and Violinda had Elijah b 1758...My ancestor was Elijah who m Elizabeth Jackson, in Culpepper Co Va and they had 2 children (at least that is all I am aware of) Elijah II and Nelly...Elijah II was my ancestor...What is your line? You had also asked about Cornelius being in Greene County Ind....It was not Cornelius that was there, it was Elijah II....
Keep in touch.
Marilyn Gentry "

Exhibit 19 - http://genforum.genealogy.com/skinner/messages/1248.html, 2003:

Re: Phineas, Cornelius Skinner
Posted by: Joyce Chiles Hines Date: November 17, 1999 at 04:56:35
In Reply to: Phineas, Cornelius Skinner by mgentry
message #1248 of 3336

I too, a working on trying to connect up to Richard and Susanne. I descend from Cornelius Skinner III m. Jane Carr (who migrated to Clark CO. Kentucky), who was born in Loudon CO. Virginia and who I now believe was the son of Phineas Skinner s/o Cornelius Skinner, Sr. s/o Richard and Susanne. See "Skinner Family Bible" I posted earlier which gives the descendents of my GGG Uncle Phineas Skinner who ended up in Platte CO. MO. I descend from Azubah Skinner Chiles, his sister.