Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

SKINNER The ancestor from whom the Skinner line of this sketch starts was a very early settler in Connecticut, of whose antecedents nothing is known, and who does not appear to have been related to any of the Massachusetts families. (I) John Skinner first appears at Hartford, Connecticut in 1639. He married Mary, daughter of Joseph Loomis, and died in 1650. She married (second), Nov. 13, 1651, Owen Tudor, and died Aug. 19, 1680. The Loomis genealogy gives the names of the children of John and Mary as: Mary, Ann, John, Joseph and Richard (next mentioned). (II) Richard, son of John and Mary (Loomis) Skinner, was born in 1646. The name of his wife is not given. he had: John, Richard and Ebenezer. (III) Richard (2), second son of Richard (1) Skinner, married Hannah Pratt Nov. 24, 1708, and resided in Colchester. Children: Richard and Hannah. (IV) Richard (3), son of Richard (2) and Hannah (Pratt) Skinner, was born in Colchester in 1706, died Jan. 2, 1790, in Westchester. He married, Feb. 24, 1736-39, Patience Rowley, who died Aug. 22, 1784. Children: Richard (died young), Abigial, Deborah, Patience, Richard, Abigail, John, Stephen, Patience and Israel. (V) Stephen, fourth son of Richard (3) and Patience (Rowley) Skinner, was born March 18, 1753, and was baptized April 1, 1753. He married (first) Oct. 17, 1775, Mary Foote, who died April 14, 1785; (second) April 27, 1786, Mary Chamberlain, and resided in Westchester. Children: Mary, Stephen, Alfred, Amasa, Wealthy, David, Sophia and Justin. (VI) Justin, son of Stephen and Mary (Chamberlain) Skinner, was born Dec. 29, 1790, died in Jonesport, Maine, 1851. He was a seafarer engaged in the coasting trade, and is supposed to have settled in Maine. He married Rachel Cummings, of Jonesport, born about 1818, daughter of Samuel and ____ (White) Skinner. Children: 1. Elizabeth, married George W. Driscoll; one child, Julia. 2. Nancy, married Moses Leighton; one child, Melville L. 3. Austin R., mentioned below. 4. William D., married Mary Church; children: Nathaniel, Austin, William, Belle, Lizzie, Emma, Hannah and Carrie. (VII) Austin Ralph, the elder of the two sons of Justin Skinner, was born in Jonesport, Washington county, Maine, May 24, 1838. At thirteen years of age he went to sea as a cabin-boy. When opportunity offered, he assistged the carpenter and learned ship-carpentry. He sailed three years before the mast, was then made second and later first mate. During the civil war he was engaged in carrying coal from Philadelphia to Pensacola. In 1865 he was in command of his own vessel, and for some time was engaged in coasting. He took command of a merchantman sailing between Amiercan and European ports and continued till 1888. He then abandoned the sea and resumed work as a ship-carpenter. In the long period he followed the sea many adventures befell him, and being a good story-teller, the tales of life on sea and shore in which he often indulges have entertained his friends on many occasions. He is a member of various secret fraternal orders. He is a member of Portland Lodge, F. and A. M., which he joined in 1866; Bayard Lodge, No. 44, K. of P., Elizabeth City Lodge, I.O.O.F.; Masconoma Lodge, Improved Order of Red Men, of which he is a charter member and a past sachem; and the Golden Cross. In political affiliation he is a Republican, and in religious faith a Universalist. Austin R. Skinner married Carrie Emma, eldest daughter of Hiram and Frances (Romell) Tucker, of Jonesport. Children, six of whom lived to maturity: 1. Carrie E. L., born June 25, 1865, married Frank R. Jones, of Lubec; children: Frank Harold, Charles Green and Clara Mae. 2. Edmund Henley, born Sept. 10, 1867, married Isabel Spear; died Feb. 24, 1896. 3. Lizzie Elva, born Dec. 2, 1869, married N. D. W. Schoonmaker; children: N. D. W., William Van Buren and Ralph Erwin. 4. William A., mentioned below. 5. Andrew York, born Sept. 15, 1874, married Alie Grimstitch. 6. Bertha Willis, born Sept. 24, 1877, died May 6, 1901. 7. Lottie Helen, born March 28, 1882. 8. Julia Dyer, born Feb. 8, 1885. (VIII) William Austin, second son of Austin R. and Carrie E. (Tucker) Skinner, was born in South Portland, May 20, 1872. He attended the public schools until his graduation from the high school in 1886, and then entered the office of the Cape Elizabeth Sentinel, for the purpose of learning the printing business, and remained there two years and a half. Leaving that place, he entered the employ of the Portland Transcript Job Printing Company, where he was employed some time, and then went with the wholsale firm of Milliken, Cousens & Company, and had a place in the shipping department. Jan. 26, 1908, this firm was burned out and was soon after reorganized as a stock company, under the name of Clark Eddy Company. He still maintains his place in the shipping department. He is an ambitious, diligent and successful young man. His secret fraternity membership is confined to one order, the Knights of Pythias. He is a member of Bayard Lodge, No. 44, of which he is a pastg chancellor; also of the Grand Lodge, and the Past Chancellors Association. For one year he was a captain in the South Portland fire department. William A. Skinner married, in South Portland, May 16, 1902, Ida Florence, born Sept. 11, 1877, died Sept. 11, 1905, daughter of John W. and Mary A. (Sterling) Trefethen.