Skinner Family

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Skinner, Dolbair, Godden, Mitchell, Pratt, Shepardson

Cynthia Skinner, wife of Oliver Eggleston


Compiled by Judy & Gary Griffin, 2007 - email address



Thomas Skinner

Thomas Skinner was born in 1617 in Sussex, England and died on March 2, 1703/04 at Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts (Malden is now just north of Boston). Thomas is said to have married first, Mary Godden before 1645 in England. (1) Mary, daughter of William Godden, was born circa 1620/1627 in Essex, England, and died on April 9, 1671 at Malden. Thomas married, second, Lydia Shepardson Call circa 1680 in Charlestown, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Lydia had previously married Thomas Call, Jr., who died in November 1678. Lydia, daughter of Daniel and Joanna Shepardson of Malden, was born on July 24, 1637 in Charlestown and died on December 17, 1723 in Malden, age 87, buried at Bell Rock Cemetery in Malden.

Thomas is said to have been baptized at the Subdeanery parish, Chichester. Subdeanery Parish is a parish within Chichester Cathedral itself circa 1538 – Chichester St. Peter the Great (alias Subdeanery) (1558). The only proof that Thomas was ever living in Chichester is the record of his son John’s baptism at North Mudham in 1647. One researcher corresponded with the West Sussex Record Office in 1984 and received this reply: (2) “. . . The baptism entries of Thomas Skinner at Subdeanery parish, Chichester, in 1645 and that of Abraham Skinner at Subdeanery or All Saints in the Pallant, Chichester in 1647 are not in the surviving parish registers which are in this office . . .” This researcher stated that there is a listing for a Thomas Skinner, son of John, born April 6, 1618 at Debden, Essex, England. He wrote the Essex Society for family history to verify this city name and the reply stated that there was a Debden, but also a Dedham, both in Essex (see Deacon John Skinner of Hartford below).

Thomas, sometimes called Sergeant Thomas, came to America between 1649 and 1651 with his wife, Mary, and two sons, possibly from Chichester County, Sussex, England. He was a victualler and on May 31, 1652, was licensed by the Massachusetts Colony to keep an Ordinary (Inn) for traders at Malden. He was granted a liquor license at the establishment in 1653 and became the first dispenser of liquor in the city of Malden. He must have retired soon from the business because the town fathers in 1657 said that they were in desperate need of an orinarie keeper.

“To the hon’d Cort for the counti of Midlesex – Wee whose names are herunder written doe well App’ue Thomas Skinner for Keeping An ordinary for the Accomodation of Travellers & such like accasions : humbly desiring he may by you be licenced herunto for our Town of Maldon [January 22, 1651/52] Selectmen Thomas Squire, Jo. Vppam, Will Brakenbury, Jo. Wayte. May 26, 1652: in ansr to the petition of the inhabitants of Maiden, the Courte doth graunt libertje and licence to Thomas Skinner to keepe an ordinary there, in the roome and stead of John Hawthorne,” who was formerly licensed there. Later the selectmen asked and received a broader license for “our Bro’,” as is shown in the following petition and reply: ‘Malden, 30th of ye 10th mo 1653. To the hon’d Court Wee whose Names are vnderwritten, Desyre that our Bror Thomas Skinner, may be lycenced to sell Strong waters And Wine to Supplie the necessitys of the Towne, and Travellers, paying the Accustomed fees.’ Selectmen John Vppam, Will Brakebury, Thos. Green, Job Sprague, Joh. Wayte. 3. (11) 1653. Vpon the request of the Select Men of Mauldon, This Court doth grant Licence vnto Tho: Skinner to retale strong waters in there Towne.”

As Thomas Call was the first beer seller of Mystic Side, so to Thomas Skinner belongs the honor of being the first recorded dealer in “strong waters” in Malden. Although the Thomas remained in in Malden until 1704, he appears to have soon retired from the “Ordjnarie” business. The following petition is in the Court files: “To the honoured Court at Charlet. 16 4th mo. 1657: The Town of Maldon being destitute of An Ordinane keeper for Accomodating the Town and Countrie. Jt is the desire of the Selectmen of the sayd Town: that A Bro? of the Church there: namely Abraham Hill may by this Court be licenced to keep an Ordinarie there. As Aliso to draw wine for the better Accomodating both the Church and Countrie.”

Thomas was admitted a freeman at Malden on May 18, 1653. During the colonial period, the town functioned with only one constable, although two were chosen in 1678, Thomas Skinner served alone in 1679 and 1680. He was a selectman of Malden in 1680 and the same year was made a Sergeant of the Malden Company in the First Regiment of Major Gookin. The Middlesex Regiment, consisting of sixteen companies, was under the command of Major Daniel Gookin of Cambridge, who was commissioned May 5, 1676; but in 1680 it was divided, and Malden, with neighboring towns, formed the First Regiment under Major Gookin, while the western towns of the county were transferred to a new regiment under Major Peter Bulkley of Concord. In 1680 Sergeant Thomas Skinner was listed in the Malden company. (3) Listed as Clerk, he served under Captain Wm. Turner 1675-76 during King Philip’s War. According to the payroll on April 24, 1676, Thomas Skinner, soldier under Capt. Turner was paid ₤3 4s. 9d. It is not certain which Thomas this was.

His house in Malden was situated at the southeast corner of Cross and Walnut Streets. It was given to his son Abraham on March 15, 1694-5. In March 1678/79 he was one of those signing as interested in settling Quansigamug but there is no proof that he ever lived there. Twenty-nine people were granted lots in Quansigamug, the first attempt to settle the town of Worcester. (4)

The Skinner Kinsmen states that Thomas sold his land and house to Thomas Call. When Call died, Thomas married his widow, Lydia (Call) Pratt and again owned the property (note conflicts with Lydia Shepardson Call above). In March 1678/9 he was in Malden and was appointed tithingman. In 1678 he was appointed constable, pay three pounds. He also served in 1679/80. On October 4, 1682 the town voted that the “cutters and carts in ye Town cutt and cart one load of fire wood for Mr. Wigglesworth: on ye next second day. Corp’rl Jo Green and serg’t Skinner overseers to se ye wood cutt and carted.”

On March 15, 1694/95, the town voted that “Sargent Skiner shall have seuen akers of land in the common for his life time next to Joseph flids lote after the 2,000 ackes is lade out and after his death to Returne to the towne.” On March 28, 1695, the town voted “That Sargent Skinners seuen accars of common wood land formerly granted him for his life time is now giuen to him and his wife and then to Return to his children.” This is the land which in 1695 Thomas, then an old man, gave to his son, Abraham, for future maintenance. Thomas’ will, undated, was acknowledged on February 2, 1693/94. He devised his house to his son Abraham, and he [Abraham] to pay Lydia and his son Thomas. His [Thomas] maintenance to be provided for. Recorded on December 9, 1696. The house and land that Thomas and Lydia gave their son Abraham in February 1693/94 (5) had been the estate of Lydia’s former husband, Thomas Call. The house stood near the southeasterly corner of Cross and Walnut streets. Abraham Skinner died soon after, leaving a widow, to whom his father, Thomas, deeded the lot numbered 75 in the second division, granted in consideration of maintenace “with meat, drink, and clothes for my life,” May 27, 1698. (6)

The Skinner Kinsmen gives information on Thomas’ land transactions and deeding his property to his son: “Thomas Skinner of Maldon, husbandman, upon a valueable Consideration moveing hereunto conveyed unto Abraham my Son all my housing and Lands lying and being in Malden, That is to Say my Dwelling house & Barn with three acres of land adjoining bounded southeast upon Goodman Whittemore, northeast by Abraham Hills land and comes out easterly with a point. Also 12 acres in Malden bounded southeast upon ye land of Nathanel Nickolls formerly William Larbey’s land, northeast by Ensign Lines and Goodman Whittmore. Provided yt ye abovesd Abraham Skinner provide comfortable meat, drink, lodging, apparrell and Physick during his naturall life according to his degree and age and at his death a Convenient and decent funerall then do I give and bequeath unto my [son] Abraham all my moveable estate within doors and without to him and his heirs as aforesaid Hannah his wife and her Children by him. If the above-mentioned conditions are duly attended and performed by Abraham Skinner to ye above mentioned Thomas Skinner during his naturall life then this deed remain in full force and virture. Signed, Thomas Skinner, the mark of Abraham Skinner in presence of Sam’ll Sprague Sen’r, William Green, Thomas Green.

“I Thomas Skinner Sen’r have given possession of all my housing and lands unto my Son, Abraham Skinner, lying and being in Maldon all which Lands I have given my Son, Abraham possession of by Turf & Twig [note below] according to ye Tenor of ye within mention Deed. In prsents of Sam’ll Sprague Sen’r, Jacob Parker, Nathan’ll Nickolls. Memorandu. I Thomas Skinner have formerly given unto Son Thomas Skinner about ye time of marriage and Since ₤35 in Rents, goods, & cattell besides the forty shillings above mentioned. Thomas Skinner, Sen’r, and Abraham Skinner acknowledged this Instrument, 2, Feb. 1693/94, before Will’m Johnson, Justice.

“William Green Sen’r aged about 50 years & Benjamin Whittamore aged about 44 years both Inhabitants of Malden Being sworne do say that they were present and did see Thomas Skinner late of Malden but now of Malden in New England deliver & possession by Turfe & Twigg unto William Green Jun’r of Malden & unto his wife Elizabeth all the lands mentioned in the Deed hereunto annexed w’ch was done upon the 18 Dec. 1685. Deposed before us 15 da. 12 mo. 1685. Joseph Hills, of Newbury, gave power of attorney and appoint my loving ffriend Thomas Skinner, of Maulden to give legall possession by Turfe & Twigg to Ebenezer Hills,William Green & Elizabeth his wife, John Hills, also to the use of Samuel Hills and Joseph Hills my Grandchildren, 12 Nov. 1685, in the presence of Jonathan Sprague, Mary Sprague, her mark, Henry Short.

“Thomas Skinner, Sen’r, husbandman, now liveing in Maldon, conveyed to my well beloved Daughter-in-Law Hannah Skinner the Relict widow of my Dear Son Abraham Skinner, land in Malden in Consideration hereof for ye Said Hannah Skinner mainting of me the said Thomas Skinner with meat dring and clothes for my life, - being 7 acres the last Lott in ye Second Division No. 71, bounded east by ye land of Joseph Lynde, west on ye land of Isaac Wilson to the said Hanna and her now Children. Signed Thomas Skinner his mark, 27 May 1698, in the presence of John ffloyd, Rachell ffloyd. Acknowledged by Thomas Skinner, 28 May 1698.

“Ralph Green of Maldon, Planter, for divers good considerations moveing me hereunto and especially for ₤16, conveyed unto Thomas Skinner of the same town and county aforesaid a parcell of Land lying in Maldon afores’d w’th a house thereupon, bounded south on ye highway, west and north the land of Thomas Call, east ye land of Sam’ll Pierce. Signed Ralph Green, 23 Feb. 1655, in the presence of William Brackenbury, John Waite.”


Note: In Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman England, land transfers were governed by the doctrine of livery of seisin, which was “the appropriate ceremony at common law for transferring the corporeal possession of lands or tenements by a grantor to his grantee.” The ceremony took place either on the land being transferred or within its view and in front of transaction witnesses. The grantor would produce a knife, cut a sod of turf, break a twig off a tree, and then hand the turf and twig to the grantee. The turf and twig symbolized the land in miniature and in this way the land passed from hand to hand.

The children of Thomas and Mary were:

In Malden, the first lot of the lower range was the forty acres of the Rev. Zechariah Symmes . . . Next was the unnumbered portion of Increase Nowell . . . In the same range was the lot, numbered twelve, of John Crow. Fifteen acres of this lot were sold by William Roberts to Rowland Lahorne in 1648. Six years later Lahorne transferred his purchase, with a house, to Thomas Skinner, “victualer;” but it is soon found in the occupancy of Thomas Call, as a grantee or tenant of Skinner. The marriage of Skinner with Call’s widow, Lydia, after 1678, returned the house and land to their earlier possessor [Thomas Skinner]. The second division of the two thousand acres, containing nine hundred and forty-two acres and twenty-eight poles, was laid out in six ranges and seventy-five lots. Beginning “by elle ponde,” it stretched over the highlands towards the Boston line, covering the country east of the Reading Road and north of Swain’s Pond. Some of the ways reserved for passage between the ranges in this division became highways in time and still exist. It will be noticed that there were seventy-five lots in this division. The odd and last lot, containing seven acres, had been previously granted by a vote of the town to Sergeant Thomas Skinner, then an old man, who having, according to an old custom, made a deed of gift of his estate for future maintenance to his son Abraham, had no part in the general allotment. Abraham Skinner died soon after, leaving a widow, Hannah, to whom his father deeded the lot numbered seventy-five in the second division, in consideration of maintenance “with meat drink and clothes for my life.” (16)

Thomas Call died in November, 1678. His widow, Lydia (Shepherdson), married Thomas Skinner, and carried the house of her former husband into the Skinner family. The process by which it came into the possession of Abraham Skinner, and finally of his widow, Hannah, has been described above. After the death of Hannah Skinner, January 14, 172?, it was in the occupancy of Abraham Skinner, perhaps her son; and it afterwards passed into the hands of the Parkers in some way of which I have found no record. This estate, when deeded to Abraham Skinner in 169?, comprised three acres of land, with the house and barn, on the northerly side of the road, running to a point at the easterly end, and twelve acres on the southerly side of the road. The removal of the highway in 1729 left the house on the southerly side of the new way. The old house was not standing in 1798; and it had been demolished, it is supposed, many years before. Its cellar remained until within sixty years past; and a large rock, which stood in the field near the southeast comer of the present Cross and Walnut Streets, bore the name of Skinner’s Rock, and preserved the name of its former owners long after they had passed away. It was removed in 1887.


William Godden

Although William Godden, father of Mary, is said to have died in England, there is a mention of a William Godden in Corey’s History of Malden: “William Godden, or possibly Gooden, as Goodwin was then and long afterward pronounced, was perhaps a roving trader who exchanged sugar and tobacco for beaver pelts and other merchantable productions of the country. He seems to have had no stated place of residence. In 1652, being, as he wrote, ‘at present in Nuingland [New England?] but leaving the land,’ he left the value of sixteen pounds in the hands of Ralph Shepard of Malden [Shepard, a tailor, resided in Malden in 1652]; (18) and about the same time he witnessed, with Ralph Shepard, the unfortunate bargain of John Lewis with Paul Wilson, which, being unrecorded, afterwards gave Mr. Wigglesworth much trouble.

“There was one Paul Wilson, a rollicking blade, whose evil propensities brought him often to the notice of the Court. After a real estate transaction, which eventually involved the Rev. Michael Wigglesworth in law and losses, he appears to us as a drunkard. Being, by his own confession, convicted of excessive drinking, he was fined. Mr. Wigglesworth purchased of Paul Wilson, December 31, 1657, for thirteen pounds, six and one-half acres of land . . . The land had been sold to John Allen who sold it to Lewis March 16, 1656/57. John Lewis died the following September, having deposed, executed a writing, or deed, by which he conveyed to Paul Wilson his dwelling house, with the five acre lot upon which it stood, and his 20 acre lot of land that was sometimes Mr. John Allen’s lot. The land Wigglesworth purchased was the northern part of the twenty acres. The title of Wilson to the Lewis property was early considered to be somewhat doubtful is evident. No record of the transfer was ever made, and it’s documentary evidence could not be produced a few years later, though several witnesses testified in 1662-63, to its previous existence. If any adverse claim was then made, it was allowed to rest for more than thirty years, and was revived in 1695, when Mr. Wigglesworth, by a payment of ten pounds, obtained a quitclaim from the Lewis heirs.

“William Godden was again in Massachusetts Bay in 1662, being then about sixty-four years of age; and he afterwards wrote a will, which he signed in the presence of Samuel and Mary Blanchard, of Wilson’s Point, in which he speaks of himself in the following terms: ‘Jn the Name of God Amen, and through the strength of Jesus christ my alone Saviour. J William Godden being Sicke and weake, but of Sound memory and understanding, Do vpon the 9th day of the 12th mo comonly called febr. 1663. Do make and constitute my last Will & testament in mann following.’

“To Mary, the witness, wife of Samuel Blanchard, he gave fifteen pounds in money, ‘if it may be found of my estate in New England, or else to be made vp 15 of the best of my estate in any place where it is due to mee in New England, where shee please or in what shee please.’ To Mary, the wife of Thomas Skinner of Malden, and to Simon Mellens and Thomas Barruce he also made devises. There were sums of money due him from Edward Wiar and William Egar, Scotchmen, and James Green, amounting to two pounds and two shillings, which he set apart, — ‘all wch money is to be payd to my Excecutors, these money is to be disposed for my buriall, Also J give to the foure yt cary me to my grave 2s a peece, to be payd by my Excecutors.’ For the rest, he says: ‘my debts and fun’all charges first discounted, J give the remainder of my estate that can any way be found in New England, by bill, bond, or otherwise due to mee, J say J give the remainder of my estate to be disposed of for the schooling of the Poore children of charlestowne, & Mauldon, into equall pporccons to be payd by the direccon of the Select men of each Towne, under their hands to my Excecutors.’

“His friend, Samuel Blanchard, and another whom he might choose were made executors. In March, 1665/56, he was found drowned. ‘March 10, 1665/66. Beinge Jnformed that William Godwin is Lately drowned.’ (19) The inventory shows a balance of L122, 16s, 1d. Soon after Samuel Blanchard, having proved the will as executor, brought a suit against Ralph Shepard for the sixteen pounds which he owed in 1652. What benefit the poor children of Charlestown and Malden received from the good intentions of William Godden is neither a matter of record nor of tradition. Only the fact remains that his name is the first connected with the idea of free education in Malden. It may be supposed that a school of some kind, humble though it may have been, was established here at an early day . . .”

This may have been the first public funding of education in New England; however there is no record of the expenditure of the funds. Samuel Blanchard was to choose another person and the two were made executors. There is mention of a William Godden, servant of Mr. Comfort Starr, of Duxbury, Massachusetts in Court on August, 3, 1640, possibly Mary Godden’s father. (20)


Family of Lydia Shepardson (21)

Daniel Shepardson, father of Lydia, was a blacksmith, first found in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1633. “Daniel Shepheardson” was admitted to Charlestown church on June 8, 1633. (22) Daniel had little to no formal education, he signed his will by mark. Daniel was born circa 1612, based on the estimated date of his marriage. He died in Charlestown on July 26, 1644. (23) Daniel married Joanna by 1637. Joanna was named as the mother at the baptism of all three children. She married, second, between 1644 and 1651 (called “Joanna Call” in a petition of 28 October 1651 to the general court in support of Rev. Marmaduke Matthews) as the second wife of Thomas Call. (24) Joanna died at Malden on January 30, 1660/61.

In 1637 “Dan[ie]ll Sheaperdson” was recorded as having one and three-quarters cow commons. (25) In the land laid out on Mystic Side on 23 April 1638 Daniel Shepardson received shares of ten, twenty and zero acres. (26) On 30 December 1638 he was recorded as having one and one-third cow commons on the stinted common. (27) In the 1638 Charlestown Book of Possessions Daniel Shepardson held seven parcels: house with garden plot; five roods arable in East Field; one acre of meadow in High Field Mead; one and three-quarters cow commons; five acres in Line Field; ten acres woodland in Mystic Field; and twenty-five acres in Water Field. (28)

In his will of July 16, 1644 “Daniell Shepardson of Charlestown in New England blacksmith” left his estate to his wife during her life, and then after her decease “my house, with the garden, yard, & three acres of ground in the neck with my arms & tools to my son Daniell, whom I would have brought up in the trade of a smith,” the rest to be divided between “my two daughters Lydia & Johanna,” wife to be sole executrix, and “my Mr. Nowell, with brother Heburne & brother Cutler” overseers; witnesses Thomas Carter and Rice Coles. (29) Final settlement of the estate was delayed for three years, at which time the General Court ordered a distribution different from that in the will, and probably for that reason the file for Daniel Shepardson includes two copies of his will along with the original. On one of these copies Increase Nowell, who wrote the original and both copies, adds at the bottom the following note: “If his wife & 3 children die he gave me Incr: Nowell his house & house plot, at the same time before the same witnesses.”

In 1646 several Charlestown residents sold to Henry Dunster their shares in Wenatomie Field; among these was “Joanna Sheperson,” selling five acres. (30) (Mary Walton Ferris was misled in interpreting this document, taking the recording date [17 January 1654(/5)] as the date of sale. (31))

The inventory was taken May 25, 1647 by John Greene and Faithful Rouse, and totalled £49 17s., to which was added £7 12s. in miscellaneous items; of the total £35 12s. was seven parcels of real estate, of which the first and the last four match exactly his holdings in the Book of Possessions, and the second and third are close in description. The inventory also included “smith’s tools £3 5s.” and “a pair of smith’s bellows £1 10s.” (32) On the next day, May 26, 1647, the General Court made the following order: “Upon presentment of the will & inventory of Daniell Shepardson it is ordered that the land should go according to the father’s will to the son or recompense to the value of £25 10s. & because the mother hath been at great charge in educating the son three years & is still to be she should be allowed the tools & bellows & arms for that & that the daughters shall have of what their father hath given them only to the value of nine pounds each of them for their part.” (33)

The children of Daniel and Joanna were:

Despite Daniel Shepardson’s early appearance in the Charlestown church records, he does not show up until some years later in the town records. He is not in any of the early lists of inhabitants, nor is there a record of his admission as a townsman. He does not share in any of the earliest divisions of land, and first appears in 1637, when his share in the cow commons was recorded. (39) In his will he refers to “my Mr. Nowell,” and (according to Nowell) makes Nowell his legatee should his wife and children all die. He was, then, apparently Increase Nowell’s servant, and had completed his servitude by 1637, by which time he was married. Since he is not formally admitted as a townsman, but does receive later grants and has a full complement of proprietorial grants at the time of the Book of Possessions, he must have purchased the share of someone else leaving town, perhaps one of the many families who moved to Hingham in 1635. Closer analysis of the land might reveal the identity of this earlier holder of Shepardson’s land. In 1943 Mary Walton Ferris prepared a brief sketch of the life of Daniel Shepardson. (40)


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Deacon John Skinner of Hartford

There is a Deacon John Skinner who may belong to a Hartford, Connecticut family, who also resided at Colchester. He also resided at Colchester and died on August 27, 1740 “Dea. John Skinner, died August 27, 1740 in 66th yr.” (41) His ancestor is said to have been a John Skinner, born 1600 in Braintree, Essex, England, married Mary Loomis in 1637, died October 30, 1650, Windsor, Connecticut. Just how this John Skinner is related, or not, is not known. However, he and some of his children resided in Colchester. Some of his Skinner children and their descendants have the same names as our Thomas Skinner descendants, and may be confused in the records below. Some researchers state that Deacon John Skinner of Hartford is a brother of our Thomas Skinner.

His children are said to have been An [Ann] Skinner, born October 1, 1700, married Seth Dean, October 29, 1721; Joanah Skinner, born January 27, 1707, married Caleb Loomis, February 28, 1728/29; Joseph Skinner, born October 7, 1710, married Elizabeth Williams; Aaron Skinner, born June 14, 1713; Noah Skinner; Mary Skinner; Elizabeth Skinner.

Deacon John Skinner’s will: (42) Deacon John Skinner, Colchester, Invt. 413-10-09. Taken 11 September, 1740, by Nathaniel Foot, Ebenezer Kellogg and Andrew Carrier. Will dated 12 February, 1739-40. “I, John Skinner of Colchester, in the County of Hartford, do make this my last will and testament: I give to my wife Sarah Skinner (whom I make sole executrix to this my last will and testament) 1/3 part of all my moveable estate after my just debts be paid out of the whole, then she to take ye third part for herself clear forever; and also half the use of my dwelling house and barn so long as she remains my widow; and also 1/3 of all my orcharding and improved lands during the term of her natural life. Nextly, to my son John Skinner I have given him several tracts of land by deed, which makes his full portion of my estate which belongs to him; also to my son Daniel Skinner, and to Joseph Skinner, and to Aaron Skinner, and to Noah Skinner, I have given them their portions by deed. It is to be understood that when I was in health I considered the state of my lands, and with advice and to the satisfaction of all my sons I give them each one his portion of my estate, and my will is that they shall not have any more. But the remaining part of my estate my will is that my wife shall have 1-3 part clear as is above written, and the remaining part to be paid out by my executrix in manner following, that is to say, to be divided into five equal parts according to the number of my daughters, but considering my daughter Sarah wt married to Nathaniel Loomis is dead and left three children, one daughter and two sons, my will is that the two sons shall each of them have 10 shillings paid to them by my executrix out of the 1/5 part of the whole, and the remainder of that 1/5 part to be paid to Sarah Loomis, daughter to my sd. daughter Sarah deceased. And my will is that the other four equal parts be paid out to my other four daughters now surviving, namely, Ann Dean, Joanna Loomis, Mary Kilbourn and Elizabeth Sextone, to be paid to each of them out of my estate as it shall be apprised, at the discretion of my executor. I make my wife Sarah my sole executrix.” John Skinner. Witness: Nathaniel Foot, Ebenezer Kellogg, Israel Foot. Court Record, Page 71, 18 September, 1740: Will proven.

The Colchester records: “The Loomis family came from Windsor. Samuel Loomis, first Deacon of the First Church in this town, died May 19, 1754 in 88th yr. His son Caleb Loomis married Joanah, daughter of Dea. John Skinner who died August 27, 1740. Caleb and Joanah were married on February 28, 1728/29. Caleb Loomis was born September 20, 1707. Their son was Caleb Loomis, born November 28, 1729.”

John Skinner Jr.’s son, Aaron Skinner was a Deacon of the First Church in Colchester. Aaron was born on June 14, 1713 and died on November 17, 1766, age 54, at Colchester.


William Skinner, born ca 1542, died August 1616 at Braintree, Essex, England, married Margerie White circa 1565. Children: Anne Skinner, William Skinner, John Skinner, Richard Skinner, Margery Skinner, Rachel Skinner. John Skinner [no wife listed] was born in 1575 and may be the John of Debden, possible father of Thomas Skinner of Malden, though this has not been proven.

According to the Loomis Family in America, (43) “William Skinner of Braintree (Essex) yeoman. 14 Aug 1616, proved 26-7-1616. The poor of Braintree twenty six shillings eight pence. To wife Margery my freehold lands, messuages, tenements, shops &c. in Braintree for life; afterwards to second son John. To John copyhold lands &c. in Braintree, he to secure his mother the rent it now goeth for &c. To John twenty pounds and to his son John, my grandson (silver). To eldest son William one hundred and sixty pounds. To his daughters Rebecca and Francis Skinner (silver) and thirty pounds apiece at eighteen years of age, and to his son Richard forty pounds. To my youngest son Richard (inter alia) my book of my brother Allyn's works. To John and Mary Skinner children of said son Richard (household stuff). To son Richard ten pounds for use and benefit of Mary, Ellyn and Richard, his children, at ages of eighteen. To eldest daughter An, wife of Moyses Wall, forty pounds. To John Taylcoate, Sara Taylcoate and Rachell Taylcoate, Moyses Wall, Lidia Wall and Mary Wall, the children of my said daughter An five marks apiece, to be paid to the said Moyses Wall my son in law to their use &c. To my son in law Moyses Wall ten pounds to be employed about a building which he did intend to do within the house wherein he now dwelleth. To Sara Taylcoate my bible. To John Gill my son in law twenty pounds to the use of Mary Gill and An Gill, children of my daughter Margery. To my said daughter Margery Gill two silver spoons. To my son in law Edmund Allstonne ten pounds. To Rachell Skinner my daughter, the wife of Edmund Allstonne (household stuff). To my brother Allin "my new hatt turft wth velvett." To Mr. Collen ten pounds for a sermon to be preached at my burial. To Edmund, Rachel and Mary Allstone children of my said daughter Rachel five marks apiece. To said my daughter Rachel my book of Mr. Perkin's works after wife's decease. Susan wife of Joseph Man and her daughter Susan. Godson William Skinner son of William Skinner of Bocking. Godson William Winterflood, godson William Skinner son of Martin Skinner. Cousin Martin Skinner. To Mr. Daniel Rogers ten shillings. To Cousin Richard Barnard ten shillings. Wife Margery to be executrix and friends Martin Skynner, sons in law Moyses Wall and Edmund Alstone, and Richard Barnard to be supervisors. Com. Court of London for Essex and Herts, Unnumbered will, File for 1616.”

The grandson of William and Margerie, son of John born 1575, was John Skinner, born circa 1610-15 in Braintree, died October 30, 1650 at Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut. He married Mary Loomis before 1637-38 at Hartford, Connecticut. The children of John and Mary (Loomis) Skinner were: Mary Skinner, Ann Skinner, John Skinner, Joseph Skinner, Richard Skinner.


Thomas Skinner

Thomas Skinner, Deacon Thomas, (Thomas1) was baptized on July 25, 1645, possibly at Subdeanery Parish, Chichester, England, and died on March 26, 1722/23, probably at Colchester, New London, Connecticut. He married, first, Mary Pratt in 1665/66 at Charlestown, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Mary was born on September 9 or July 30, 1643 (44) and died on March 26, 1704 in Colchester, New London, Connecticut. Mary was the daughter of Richard and Mary Pratt of Charlestown, who came from Malden, Essex County, England (see below). Thomas married, second, Joanna _?_ after 1704.

According to The Skinner Kinsmen, Thomas and Mary moved from Malden, Massachusetts to Colchester, Connecticut circa 1700, where Thomas was one of the original proprietors of Colchester, a constable, a Way Warden (surveyor), and built a meeting house. His sons, Abraham and John, had moved to Taunton, Massachusetts. Richard, Benjamin, Ebenezer, Nathaniel and Abigail went to Colchester with their parents. Thomas held various town offices and served on important committees during his residence in Colchester. He and his son Benjamin were granted lots on January 21, 1702, and in May 1702, he drew his house lot. The diary of this Thomas is said to have been preserved and gives many interesting details of family history (not located).

From Colchester, Connecticut, Land Records: (45)

Town Meeting held in Colchester, Conn., January 31, 1702. Further it was granted to Thomas Skinner and his son Benjamin, Samuel Fuller, Micael Taintor, Sen. & Micael Taintor Junr. the Little Round meadow lying West from the town with the Swamp; the Swamp to be accounted 2 acres for one of meadow so as to make up their 1st Division of meadow except the Town see cause to take a piece for clay. They are to lay it out within 1 year and to make Recompence Elsewhere.

1709, December 13. Granted to Deacon Skinner to exchange about one acre of his second division for convenience of building.

1705, April 10. Samuel Fuller lo Thomas Skinner, senr, both of Colchester, Conn., Five acres of meadow in the little meadow.

Further to Thomas Skinner his 2nd Division 100 Acres, on the north­west side of Moodus Road and on the West side of Charles Williams second Division; beginning at bounds set in Moodus Road and so South west near the road 100 rods to a black tree marked; then North­west eight score rods to a bound set in the swamp on the west side of a maple tree marked; then Northeastly 100 rods to a bound set in the valley; then Southeasterly, leaving a way between it and Charles Williams land, 8 score rods to first bound. Laid out February 13, 1706/07.

1709, March 29. Thomas Skinner of Colchester to son Nathaniel Skinner of same place, my home lot of 21 acres, also meadow in the Round meadow, 30 acres of upland and one half of all my other div­isions laid out to my £200 right in Colchester. Witnesses, Mary Butler, Hannah Butler.

1713, December 3. Deacon Thomas Skinner of Colchester exchanges lands with Richard Skinner of Colchester, 30 acres bounded by common land, highway, Micaei Taintor’s &c.

1715, July 19. Thomas Skinner to his son Ebenezer Skinner, both of Colchester, one home lot in Colchester bounded East on Town St., West with commons. North on home lot of John Waters. South on home lot of said Ebenezer, 21 rods wide by half a mile in length, with house, &c.

1716, March 29 Laid out for Deacon Thomas Skinner 50 acres of 4th Division of land on West side of Charles Williams land, to tree marked T S, to Brook, &c.

At a Town meeting held in Colchester March the 20th 1705/06. The Town voted to build a meeting house forty foot square, provided that there be money given enough to procure the nails and glass further the Town choose a committee to carry on the building the said House; Namely Sergt. Rowlee, Deacon Skinner, John Skinner, Joseph Chamberlain, Thomas Brown.

January 15, 1710. further the Town chose Lieut. Wells, Samuel Northam, Samuel Loomis, John Skinner, and Deacon Skinner to lay out highways where they are wanting in all parts of the town as also to inspect those that are already laid out that they may not be intruded into and make return to the Town.

The children of Thomas and Mary, all born in Malden, were: (46)


line

Family of Mary Pratt (99)

John Pratt 1565 – 1619 + Elizabeth Webb 1567 – 1615
… 2 Richard Pratt 1615 – 1691 + Mary _?_
…… 3 Mary Pratt 1643 – 1704 + Thomas Skinner 1645 – 1722/23
…… 3 John Pratt – 1708 + Mary _?_
…… 3 Thomas Pratt 1646 – 1717-18 + Alice _?_
…… 3 Elizabeth Pratt 1649 - + Greshom Hawks
…… 3 Martha Pratt 1651 – 1742 + John Pratt
…… 3 Hannah Pratt 1653 - +Joseph Hovey
…… 3 Mercy Pratt 1650 –

John Pratt was born in 1565 in Maldon, Essex, England and died July 30, 1619 in Maldon. John married Elizabeth Webb circa 1590 in Maldon. Elizabeth was born in 1567 in Maldon, Essex, England and died in 1615 in England. They are said to have had nine children. Researcher Stanley Pratt believes that Richard Pratt’s father was Joseph Pratt, brother of John. (100)

According to William Cutter, (101) “John Pratt, of Malden, county Essex, England, is given as the progenitor of this family by Wyman’s Charlestown Genealogies, an excellent authority. If this is correct, we probably have the will of John's father, dated February 1, 1618/19, proved August 11, 1619, at Chelmsford, county Essex, of which an abstract follows : ‘John Pratt of Maiden, in the parish of All Saints, to Mr. Hunsden his minister 20 pounds; minister of St. Mary’s ten pounds; to the poor of the parishes of All Saints, St. Mary’s St. Peter’s each parish ten pounds; son-in-law, Mr. Thomas Celhirst; Mr. Samuel Temple; brother, Joseph Pratt; to son Elisha lands in Steple, county of Essex, and his house in Malden, when twenty-one and 150 pounds; to son Jeremy ten pounds when twenty-one; son Samuel, son Elisha to be made Master of Arts; daughter Elizabeth not twenty; daughter Marah not twenty; wife Mary; wife’s son Mr. Samuel Temple; wife’s daughter Elizabeth Celhirst.’”

Their son was Richard Pratt, baptized June 29, 1615 in Maldon, christened at All Saints Church, and died May 8, 1691 in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts. It is not known where Richard first settled in America, but he may have immigrated in 1635. A Richard Pratt was listed as “[Regi]ster of the names of all ye Passinger wch Passed from ye Port of London for on whole yeare Endinge at Xpmas 1635.” A Richard Pratt, age 18, was aboard the ship Expedition that sailed from Gravesend, England for Barbados on November 20, 1635. (102) Richard married Mary _?_ in 1642 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Mary was born in 1617 in Malden, Essex, England. Richard Richard’s will, dated May 8, 1691, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Wills:

I, Richard Pratt, senr. of Malden*** to wife Mary, dwelling house etc. in Malden; mentions son John, son Thomas; and to my three daughters now living***my daughter Mary the wife of Thomas Skinner, my daughter Elizabeth wife of Gershom Hawkes, and my daughter Martha wife of John Pratt, grandchild James Hovey son of daughter Hannah Hwards [sic?]; wife Mary and son Thomas Pratt executors. (103) The will was proved on October 6. The inventory included a house valued at twenty pounds and four acres of land.

According to Savage: (104) “Richard, Charlestown, b. it is said, youngest of nine ch. to John of Malden in Co. Essex, and there bapt. 29 June 1615, by w. Mary, had Mary, b. 7 or 30 Sept. 1643; Thomas, 5 Mar. or May 1646; Mercy, 15 June 1650, d. young; John, 1655; Elizabeth; Martha, 1663; and Hannah. He liv. on Malden side, and d. 1691. Mary m. Thomas Skinner; Elizabeth m. Gershom Hawkes; Martha m. 18 Nov. 1686, John Pratt; and Hannah on slight report is call. w. of a Hovey.” The John Pratt who married Martha Pratt “it may be, that this long liv. John was s. of Phineas, and that his w. Martha was d. of Richard Pratt. The decision is not easy upon Geneal. Reg. IX. 325.” Another source states that John Pratt was the son of Thomas Pratt.

The children of Richard and Mary were:

According to William Cutter, “The surname Pratt occurs among PRATT the earliest English family records, before the year 1200, and indicates the family came with the Normans to England. John Pratt (or de Pratellis, or de Pratis, as then generally spelled), held the manor of Patrickborne ( Merton Bridge and Pelham Hundred) in 1200. Four brothers – John, William, Engebraw and Peter de Pratellis – figured prominently in the reigns of Richard I and John, all living in 1201. John was a favorite minister. In 1191 William and Peter both made a gallant record in the Crusade. John Pratt was in parliament from Beverly, 1298 and 1305. Before the year 1300 the family was well known and widely scattered through England, and the shortened form of the name Pratt was the common spelling. The other forms – Pratte, Pradt, Praed, Prate, Praer, and Prayers – are also found. The surname means meadow, and was a place-name before it became a surname.”


Nathaniel Skinner

Nathaniel Skinner (Thomas2, Thomas1) was born on January 27, 1685/86 at Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts and may have died May 12, 1750. Another source lists his birth as April 5, 1672. Nathaniel moved to Colchester, Connecticut with his father. Nathaniel married Mary Gillett on June 13, 1706 at Colchester. Mary, daughter of Josiah Gillett, was born on March 8, 1687 and died on October 11, 1740 at Sharon, Connecticut (see Gillett history). Another source states she died at Colchester. After Mary died, Nathaniel married Content Fuller on September 20, 1741. Content, born in February 1698, died before May 27, 1754 in Salisbury, Connecticut, was the great granddaughter of Samuel Fuller, Mayflower pilgrim.

Nathaniel was the owner of the water right in Colchester in 1725: (106) “One of the oldest water rights in the State of Connecticut is located on the small but beautiful tributary of the Salmon River which has long been known as Jeremy’s Stream. . . . The power produced by this ancient water right has run some mill continuously through the years . . . The first owners of the water right were Andrew Carrier and Nathaniel Skinner and the grant was made to them by the Town Meeting of Colchester on December 13, 1725. The power was used to run one of those old-time feed mills . . .”

Nathaniel and his sons, as well as Mary Gillett’s brothers, were among the first purchasers of land at Sharon, Connecticut: (107) “At the session of the Assembly in May, 1738, it was ordered that the township should be sold at public auction at New Haven on the second Wednesday of the following October. Samuel Eels, Esq., Joseph Whiting, and Capt. Isaac Dickerman were appointed a committee for that purpose. It was divided into fifty-three rights, or shares, as they were called, one of which was given to the first minister, one was reserved for the use of the ministry in the town, and one for the support of schools, and the debts accruing from the sale were secured by the bonds of the purchasers, and when collected the avails were divided among the other towns in the colony for the support of schools therein. The following is, a list of the original purchasers of the town: . . . Nathaniel Skinner, Thomas Skinner, Nathaniel Skinner, Jr., Joseph Skinner, Samuel Gillet, Joseph Skinner, and Josiah Gillet, Jr. . . . These purchasers formed a legal corporation, whose designation was and is, The proprietors of the Common and Undivided Land in the Township of Sharon. The clerks of the corporation have been Nathaniel Skinner . . .

“The corporation had power to set out to each proprietor in severalty his share of the lands, and at different times they have been thus deeded, and each right has furnished to its owner nearly seven hundred acres of land. The average price of each right was about one thousand dollars, and each deed to the purchaser contained the following condition, which would ensure the speedy occupancy of the lands: ‘Always provided, and these presents, are upon this condition, that if the said ______, shall by himself or his agent, within the space of two full years next after the date hereof, enter upon the said granted premises, build and finish an house thereon not less than eighteen feet square, and seven feet stud, subdue, clear, and fence six acres of said land, and continue thereon for the space of three successive years, commencing after the two years aforesaid, (unless prevented by death or inevitable Providences,) and do perform all duties and orders, pay all taxes that shall be granted, then the aforesaid deed shall remain in full force and virtue.’ . . . Of the original proprietors these became inhabitants of the town: Nathaniel Skinner, Nathaniel Skinner, Jr., Joseph Skinner . . .

“The first division was into lots of about eighty acres each, which was to furnish the Home lot or residence of the proprietor. A Committee was appointed to lay out a lot of eighty acres, which was called the Standard lot, and all the other lots were made to conform to this in value, the quantity to be more or less according to the quality. . . . The settlers principally located on the main street leading from Jackson’s Patent, now Hitchcock’s Corner, to Salisbury. Some, however, settled on the mountain and some in the valley, and in the course of a year or two nearly the whole territory of the first society was occupied. A large proportion of the first inhabitants of Sharon were from Lebanon and Colchester, in the county of Windham . . .”

The history of Sharon, Connecticut includes more information on Nathaniel (some of the information may be about Nathaniel Jr.): (108) “During the process of locating and settling the township, the inhabitants enjoyed no corporate privileges, nor had the town received any other name than that given it by the committee who laid it out in 1733. After so many inhabitants had removed into the town as came in the Spring and Summer of 1739, it became important that they should be invested with the usual privileges of Towns, and they should receive a corporate name. A meeting was accordingly holden, and Captain Jonathan Dunham was appointed agent to make application to the assembly for a charter, with the usual privileges of Towns. The character, principles and expectations of the settlers are forcibly illustrated in their petition to the Assembly for an Act of Incorporation . . .

“The Inhabitance of Sharon aplying Themselves to the Genral assembly in October Last Past for Town Priviledges Cap Dunham was mad Choice of to Represent the Town to the Assembly, and having obtained the Desiar of the town he being ordered by the Assembly to Warn the Inhabitance in order To Chuse town officers which Being Dune the Inhabitance being met on the 11 day of December In ye yeare 1739 at the house of Nathll. Skinner In Sharon And then opened the meeting as the Law Dricts . . . Nath Skinner Was Chosen town Clark [clerk] . . . Nathi Skinner Jun Was Chosen Leather Sealer. Nathi. Skinner Jonathan Dunham and John Sprague Was Chosen a Com’tt. to go after a Minister. Nathi. Skinner and Lew. Jabez Creppen chosen a Com’tt. to Lay out a Beuring Place. It was further voted that a Note or Warning In writing set up at The house of John Sprague and Nathi. Skinner and at Garrit winegars mill Six Days before a town meeting Given Reasons of Said Meeting, Shall be a Lawful Warning for a town meeting. . . .

The records of the Congregational Church in Sharon for the first fifteen years are lost. The exact date of the organization of the Church cannot, therefore, be determined. One record names Nathaniel and his sons – at a meeting of the Church in Westchester, a parish of Colchester, Conn., on the 28th day of April, 1740, Nathaniel Skinner (deacon), Jonathan Dunham, Jabez Crippen, Benjamin Fuller, Nathaniel Skinner, Jr., Thomas Skinner, David Skinner, Jonathan Skinner, Jabez Crippen, Jr., Samuel Mudge, Micah Mudge, Cornelius Hamlin, Alexander Spencer and Josiah Skinner “received letters of recommendation, in order to be embodied into a Church at Sharon, where they have for some time resided.

“At a meeting of the same Church, on May 18, 1740, (about three weeks after the former meeting) Jeremiah Foster, Mary Foster, Mary Skinner, Content Fuller, Elizabeth Skinner, Abigail Mudge, Mary Hampton, Mary Dunham, Mary Skinner, Jr., Eunice Mudge, Elizabeth Dunham, Lydia Crippen, Deborah Crippen, Thankful Crippen, Waitstill Heath, Abigail Skinner, Patience Fuller, Hannah Dunham and Martha Mudge received a letter of recommendation “to the Church in Sharon,” which indicates that this Church was organized between the meetings of the Church in Westchester. . . . Nathaniel Skinner was elected to the office of deacon in the church in 1739. (109)

“The first death recorded of those residing in Sharon is that of Miriam, the wife of William Goodrich, Jun., which occurred on the 22d of April, 1740. The following persons also, as appears of record, departed this life during the same season, viz.: Asa Rood, David Skinner, Mary, wife of Nath. Skinner Esq., Deacon Hezekiah King, Benjamin Fuller, Jonathan Dunham, Jun., Daniel Boziton, Daniel Boziton, Jun., in all nine persons. . . .

The children of Nathaniel and Mary were (Skinner Family Association):

It is very difficult to keep the Nathaniels distinct. There were at least two of adult age at a time, sometimes three, and the wives are not mentioned in the records, so no help can be had from their names. With this in mind, below are the records for Nathaniel Skinner.

From Colchester, Connecticut deeds: (112)

•1709, March 29. Received a deed from his father, Thomas Skinner.
• Nathaniel Skinner his Mark is a Swallow tail on the near Ear and a half penny Cut on the upper or foreside of the same ear.
• 1712, November 10, Nathaniel Skinner of Colchester for £12, sold to John Skinner of same place, land in Colchester, lying on W. side of Pine Swamp brook, bounded by Samuel Northam’s 2nd Div.; Stearn’s land and little swamp containing 50 acres.
• 1714, January 8. Laid out to Nathaniel Skinner in right of his father’s 3d Div., 50 acres, north side of Highway, touching land of Josiah Gillet. Jr.
• 1715, Nathaniel Skinner sold land.
• Nathaniel Skinner of Colchester, by way of exchange with Benjamin Sterns of Colchester. 30 acres at Round Meadow.
• 1716, April 7. Nathaniel Skinner of Colchester, to Samuel Gillet, of Colchester, 50 acres which is my 3d Div. on my father’s right.
• Nathaniel Skinner of Colchester, to Thomas Carrier of Colchester 30 acres lying westerly from ye town plat.
• 1716, April 7. Nathaniel Skinner of Colchester, to Josiah Gillet, Jun., of Colchester, 25 acres being 1/2 of my 4th Div. of upland.
• 1717, November 4. Nathaniel Skinner of Colchester, to Elizabeth Wilson of Hartford, part of my 4th Div. not yet laid out.
• 1737, July 14. Nathaniel Skinner of Colchester for £400 sold to George Saxton, Junr., of Colchester 70 acres of land being the farm my Sons now live on near Pine Swamp, bounded by land of Jonathan Gillett and Daniel Chamberlain.
• 1738, April 25. Nathaniel Skinner of Colchester, to Benjamin Fuller of same place 9 acres in Colchester on west side of Pine Swamp bounded by land of Caleb Loomis.
• 1739, June. He sold land in Colchester, to Bulkley.
• 1739, August 7. Nathaniel Skinner of Sharon, County of New Haven, Conn., for £500 sold to Richard Skinner of Colchester 16 acres on Jeremy’s River, with Mansion house, grist mill &c. also the privilege of erecting Mills, Damms, &c. on sd Jeremy’s River.

From Sharon, Connecticut records:

• 1740, July 27. At a meeting held at the house of Capt. Dunham of Sharon, it was voted that Nath’ll Skinner & 4 others shall be a Court to attend upon the town when they shall come to fix a Place for the meeting house. (113)
• 1742, May 4. Nathaniel Skinner of Sharon for £100 by my son Thomas Skinner of Sharon 30 acres of land in Sharon being a part of my home lot that is to say 30 acres on the South side of my home lot. (114)
• 1742, May 5. Nathaniel Skinner of Sharon for £52 10s, to Joseph Skinner of Sharon land of 40 acres lying in common with the Proprietors of Sharon. (115)
• 1742, July 9. Nathaniel Skinner of Sharon for £400 to Joshua Gibbs of Warham County of Plymouth. Mass., Bay in New England land in Sharon it being my house lot on which my dwelling house now stands. (116)
• 1743, November 28. Nathaniel Skinner of Sharon, for £150 to son Thomas a tract of land in Sharon 1/2 of the 2nd 100 acres division that is land of my right in Sharon together with 1/2 of all the undivided land that yet remains to be laid out in Sharon. (117)
• 1744, December 11. Sharon. I. Nathaniel Skinner being of lawful age Being Desired by John Bouten to testify &. Declare what I know Relating to an agreement made between his brother Daniel Bouten Late of Sharon Deceased & himself in the life time of his brother Daniel & sometime in the later end of the winter in the year 1739-40, or the Beginning of that Spring Concerning Division of the Home lot that was in Partner ship Between them, about the time above the sd Daniel & John Bouten came to my house & thence Declared that Daniel Bouten had for his part 1/2 of sd Lot that which was the South half of sd Lot & John should likewise improve on the North Side of sd Lot to my knowledge sd Daniel did Build & Improve on the Southern Side of sd Lot & John Did Likewise Improve on the North Side of sd Lot which is to the best of my Remembrance. John Pettit of lawful age testified to the above written evidence. (118)

From Salisbury, Connecticut records:

• 1762, May 28. I Nathaniel Skinner Sr., & Josiah Skinner both of Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn., for £130 lawful money of Province of N. Y., paid by Samuel Egelston of Dutchess Co., N. Y., land in Salisbury containing 20 acres being in the 4th end of Nath’l Kelsey’s land adjoining on Sharon line also the Grist Mill etc. and the new Dwelling house of the above said Nathaniel. (119)
• 1751, October 24. Nathaniel Skinner of Salisbury for £1000 sell to heirs of Moses Reed of Salisbury 1000 acres of land in Salisbury. (120)
• 1750, September 22. Nath’ll Skinner of Salisbury to Richard Chapin of same town for £120 Old Tener Have Demized etc, unto sd Richard Chapin his heirs & assigns for ye fall Term of 999 years from Date land in Salisbury containing 37 1/2 acres & is 1/2 of that 75 acre Pitch that I & Hutchinson Purchased of Salisbury on Ye School Right of Nathaniel Skinner. (121)
• 1751, January 7. Nathaniel Skinner of Salisbury for £100 paid Timothy Burbank of Salisbury land in ye 6th Lott in ye 3d Div. (122)
• 1752, April 29. Nathaniel Skinner of Salisbury to John Gay of Sharon for £25 ?? acres of Pond in Sharon called Beeslake Pond in Salisbury.
• 1762, August 3. Rec’d of Nathaniel Skinner within named by the Hand of Cornelius Dutcher the Sum £252, l0s, money due upon a Bond and Sundry Notes given by sd Skinner to Burbank. I, Abraham Burbank of Sheffield, Hartford Co., Conn., hereby consent to the above discharge in witness thereof we sd Timothy &. Abraham set our hands & seals. (123)
• 1766, February 18. Mathias Kelsey of Salisbury to Nathaniel Skinner and Josiah Skinner of Sharon for £70 current money of N. Y, Sold land in Salisbury Bounded by the land of Mr. Loomis & Mr. Dean, containing 20 acres. (124)


Nathaniel Skinner

Nathaniel Skinner (Nathaniel3, Thomas2, Thomas1) was born on July 10, 1707 at Colchester, New London, Connecticut (Barbour), died on May 12, 1750 at Salisbury, Connecticut. He married, first, Susannah _?_, second, Mary _?_. Nathaniel was chosen a leather sealer in 1739 at Sharon, Connecticut. In 1740 Nathaniel and Susannah were “in full Communion with Church of Christ” in Sharon, receiving a letter to the church at Sharon on May 18, 1740. Nathaniel was found in various land records from 1740 to 1743 in Sharon, and from 1743 to 1745 in Salisbury. It appears that Nathaniel was living in Salisbury by 1745.

The history of Sharon, Connecticut includes information on Nathaniel: (125) “. . . Nathi Skinner Jun Was Chosen Leather Sealer . . . The records of the Congregational Church in Sharon for the first fifteen years are lost. The exact date of the organization of the Church cannot, therefore, be determined. One record names Nathaniel and his sons – at a meeting of the Church in Westchester, a parish of Colchester, Conn., on the 28th day of April, 1740, Nathaniel Skinner (deacon), Jonathan Dunham, Jabez Crippen, Benjamin Fuller, Nathaniel Skinner, Jr., Thomas Skinner, David Skinner, Jonathan Skinner, Jabez Crippen, Jr., Samuel Mudge, Micah Mudge, Cornelius Hamlin, Alexander Spencer and Josiah Skinner “received letters of recommendation, in order to be embodied into a Church at Sharon, where they have for some time resided.

“At a meeting of the same Church, on May 18, 1740, (about three weeks after the former meeting) Jeremiah Foster, Mary Foster, Mary Skinner, Content Fuller, Elizabeth Skinner, Abigail Mudge, Mary Hampton, Mary Dunham, Mary Skinner, Jr., Eunice Mudge, Elizabeth Dunham, Lydia Crippen, Deborah Crippen, Thankful Crippen, Waitstill Heath, Abigail Skinner, Patience Fuller, Hannah Dunham and Martha Mudge received a letter of recommendation “to the Church in Sharon,” which indicates that this Church was organized between the meetings of the Church in Westchester. . . .”

Land records for Nathaniel Jr.:

• 1740, Jan 27 Nathaniel Skinner, Jun, of Sharon, for £155 to Alexander Spencer of Sharon sold 1/2 of his whole right in the town of Sharon exclusive of the home lot and the sd Spencer to have the first pitch in the Draught of the Proprietors for the next Division after the Home Lot is made out. p 149.
• 1741, Mar 9 Nathaniel Skinner, Jr. of Sharon for £15, to Joel Harney of New Milford, CT, 10 acres of land that is to be laid out and the same is part of my 40 acre Pitch or Draft of land to be laid out in the undivided land in Sharon. p 317
• From Sharon, CT, land records 1742, Feb 23 Nathaniel Skinner, Jr, of Sharon to Berzeliel Fyler of Brandford for £490, release, etc. unto Abigail Fyler, wife of sd Berzeliel Fyler land in Sharon of 14 acres, a highway through the lot. (vol 2 p 34)
• 1743, Mar 20 Nathaniel Skinner, Jr, of Sharon, to Joel Harney of New Milford, Ct, for £110 a 1/2 right to and, unto all the undivided land in Sharon with the 50 acres to be laid out on sd Right and granted by the Proprietors of Sharon. (vol 2 p 52-3)
• From Salisbury, CT, land records 1743, Apr 22. Thomas Lamb of Salisbury, New Haven County, CT, sold for £600, to Nathaniel Skinner, Jun, of Sharon, same county, and John Hutchinson of Lebanon, Windham County, a tract of land in the township of Salisbury, containing 300 acres near the stream called fell kill and is the 14th lot in the 4th division, So called, Witnesses: James Smith, Samuel Clark. Recorded Apr 23, 1743 (vol 1, p 178).
• 1743, Apr 23 John Hutchinson quit claimed to Nathaniel Skinner, Jun, his right of the above land for £100. Witnesses: Peter Pratt, Sarah Metcalf. Recorded May 31, 1743 (vol 1, p 206)
• 1745, Nov 19 Nathaniel Skinner of Salisbury, sold for £480 to Reuben Chapin of Salisbury, the farm where he, Nathaniel was then living, containing 150 acres, butting on land of Lieut John Hutchinson. Witnesses: Thomas Chipman, John Chipman. Recorded Nov 29, 1745 (vol 1 p 30)

Nathaniel Jr. may have been a Justice of the Peace: March 29, 1743-4 Benjamin White buys from Thomas Newcomb of Salisbury, half of a certain sawmill in Salisbury, and half of the stream and the liberty to build dams. This document is witnessed by Peter Pratt and Samuel bellowes (not capital “b”), before Nath. Skinner, J. P. (no source).

According to the Historical Address, Before the Congregational Church in Salisbury, Conn., “Nathaniel Skinner came from Sharon in the spring of 1743. He was the eldest son of Esquire Skinner of the same name, who was the first magistrate, the first town clerk, and the first deacon of the church in that town. He purchased in company with John Hutchinson, from Thomas Lamb, the farm lately owned by John Brinsmaid; and he owned also ‘the farm on the side of the mountain about one mile and a half north-west of the meeting house, and since owned by Reuben Chapin.’ He was elected a Selectman the same year in which he moved into the town, and continued to be one of our most prominent men for many years His daughter Rebecca was married to Moore Bird, and, after his death, to Capt. Timothy Chittenden, the ancestor of the present Chittenden family.” (126)

The children of Nathaniel were: (127)


Family of Mary Dolbair, wife of Nathaniel Skinner, Sr. (130)

Robarte Dolbere 1542 – + Agnes Samson ca 1550 – ca 1613
… 2 Rawkey/Rockye Dolbere bef 1571 – 1641 + Mary Mitchell 1576 – 1648
…… 3 Mary Dolbair 1607 - 1685 + Jonathan Gillette – 1677
……… 4 Josiah Gillett ca 1650 – 1736 + Joanna Taintor 1657 – 1734/35
……….. 5 Mary Gillett 1686/87 – 1740 + Nathaniel Skinner 1685/86 – 1750


Robarte/Robert Dolbere was born in circa 1530 or 1542, Cadden or Cadhayne, Colyton, Devonshire, and died on January 25, 1614/15. He married Agnes Samson on April 26, 1563 at Colyton, Devonshire. Agnes was born circa 1540 or 1550 at Devonshire, died circa 1613 at Devonshire. Their son was Rawkey/Rockye Dolbere, born before August 17, 1571 at Colyton, Devonshire, England, buried November 12, 1641.

The father of Agnes Samson was Nicholas Sampson, born in 1520 or 1530, at Hawkschurch, Dorset, England, children: Agnes, Gregory, Edde. (131) Hawkchurch was not far from Colyton, it was in Dorset until transferred to Devon in 1896. Nicholas’ mother may have been the widow Johan Sampson. (132) Johan’s children, all born Hawkchurch, may have been: Robert, born 1521; Nicholas; William, born 1523; Walter, born 1524; Elizabeth, born 1526; George, born 1528; Margery, born 1530; and Thomas, born 1532.

Rawkey/Rockye Dolbere married Mary Mitchell on October 10, 1602 at Colyton, Devonshire, England. Rawkey, Rockye, Rokie, Rokye or Rochee Dolbere or Dolbiar, was a yeoman, of the hamlet of Cadhayne in the parish of Colyton. (133) Mary Mitchell, daughter of John Mychell and Emlyn Weekes, was baptized on December 4, 1576 at Barretshayes [Barritshayes], Colyton and buried on September 20, 1648 at Colyton. Their daughter was B>Mary Dolbair, who married our Jonathan Gillett. See Gillett history.

Mary was born on June 7, 1607 or baptized on June 17, 1607 at Colyton, Devonshire, (134) and died at Windsor on January 5, 1685/86. (135) She was a daughter of Rawkey & Mary (Michell) Dolbere. (136) The register of St. Andrew’s Church at Colyton, Devonshire, reads “29 March 1634 Jonathan Gillet, sonne of Rev. William Gillet, and Mary Dolbere of Colyton, County Devonshire, England.” (137)


Family of Mary Mitchell/Mychell

Lytle John Mychell of Cotford, born 1410
… 2 _?_ Mychell, born 1440
…… 3 _?_ Mychell, born 1465
……… 4 John Mychell ca 1490 – ca 1539 + Agnes _?_
……….. 5 John Mychell ca 1520 – + Agnes Vye 1518 –
………….. 6 John Mychell + Emlyn Weeks – 1628
...…………… 7 Mary Mitchell 1576 – 1648 + Rawkey/Rockye Dolbere bef 1571 – 1641
............……….. 8 Mary Dolbair 1607 - 1685 + Jonathan Gillette – 1677
...........………….. 9 Mary Gillett 1686/87 – 1740 + Nathaniel Skinner 1685/86 – 1750

The parents of Mary Mitchell, who married Rawkey/Rockye Dolbere, were John Mychell and Emlyn Weekes, married on November 26, 1569 at Colyton. Emlyn Weekes was born in Gittisham, Devonshire, England, buried August 1628 at Colyton. Emlyn’s father is said to have been Roger Weeks, born 1519, Gittisham, Colyton, Devonshire, married September 1548 at Gittisham, died 1554, age 35. The children of John and Emlyn are said to have been: (138) Johan, born April 8, 1571; John, born November 15, 1573; Mary, born December 4, 1576, died September 20, 1648; Elizabeth, born April 18, 1579, died between 1602-1603; Phillip, born September 3, 1583; Beatrix, born September 29, 1583; Robert, born November 12, 1585; Christian, born March 24, 1588; and Dorothy, born April 30, 1592.

The parents of John Mychell were John Mychell (born circa 1520) and Agnes Vye. Colyton Parish Registers record that on October 5, 1539, “John Mychell sonne of John Mychell of Rawkerayne was married unto Agnes Vye, the daughter of of Harrye Vye of Caddhayne.” Agnes was born circa 1518 at Rawkerayne, Devonshire, England. The father of Agnes Vye was Henry/Harrye Vye, born 1496 at Cadhayne, Colyton, Devonshire, England, died August 11, 1558 at Colyton, Devonshire. A Henry Vye was listed on the Colyton Hunderd Subsidy Tax for 1524. Henry/Harrye is said to have been a resident of Rockerhayne. He was found in Devon, date unknown, “Henry Vye of Colyton, husbandman, v. William Combe, Detention of deeds relating to lands in Shute.” (139) [A husbandman was a farmer, probably one who had land.]

“. . . ‘John the younger’ married Agnes Vye and had six children. His son, John, born 1541 or 1544, married Emlyn Weeks in 1569 and had issue, including sons John and Robert. This Robert, born in 1585, was mentioned in a will of 1653 as still living in Colyton. The family of ‘John the younger’ hived off and did their own thing. Amongst the properties they held, there was a toft (roofless house) and a piece of ground near Whitford Bridge. Entries on the lease from 1557 to 1625 bear the names of John, father and son, Agnes, Emlyn and Robert. . . .” (140)

John Mychell, (141) son of John and husband of Emlyn, was baptized 1538, Colyton, where he was also married and buried. He was a yeoman in Cadhayne where he and his wife first lived. For a while he occupied the farm of Michinholme, near Cadhayne. In 1605, this farm was occupied by his son-in-law, Rawkey Dolbair, and the latter’s daughter Anne Dolbair, was born there that year. John Mychell moved to Barretshayes [Barritshayes]. He was a Church Warden in Colyton in 1596.

The father of John Mychell born circa 1520 was John Mychell, born circa 1490 at Rawkerayne, Devonshire, England, died 1539 at Colyton. His wife was Agnes _?_, Agnes Mychell, widow of Rawkerayne, was buried in Colyton on 12 March 1564/5. The father of Agnes Vye was Henry Vye, born 1496 at Cadhayne, Colyton, Devonshire, England, died August 11, 1558 at Colyton, Devonshire.


Mitchell/Mychell Family (142)
By Kevin Mitchell

This is the latest version of the Rawkerayne Mitchell family tree which dates from around 1410. Disentangling the early 16th century Mitchell family tree based in Rawkerhayne is still ongoing but it appears that the peculiar naming patterns; i.e. sons were invariably called “John” including brothers, probably as a result of the high child mortality in an era when fathers wanted a son named after them; as well as similiar wifes’ names has meant that the IGI has two brothers called John mixed up in the 15th century family tree. Basically, it has now been established that a John Mychell born c1465 inhabited Rawkerhayne in Devon, he had a son also called John born around 1490 who marries an Agnes (surname unknown). We know that this couple had 4 sons of whom the third son was known as John Mychell the elder and the fourth son as John Mychell the younger.

We know this because according to the subsidy roll of 1524 there were two adult John Mychells living in Colyton at that time who were father and son. In 1525 a lease of land in the Manor of Shute names a John Mychell, Agnes his wife, John his 3rd son and John his 4th son who probably under 18 at that time. Twenty six years later, in 1551, the Shute lease is now held by John Michell, senior, and his sons John and William. This is John Mychell the elder of Colyton and his sons. John Mychell the younger is off the lease and with his own family and premises. Their father and grandfather, given on the 1524 subsidy roll have since died. There is an Agnes Mychell widow appearing on the 1545 subsidy roll for Colyton who would be the John Mitchell brothers’ (elder and younger) mother. John Mychell the elder married before 1538 and had a son William also born before 1538, he then had a son John who is believed to have died as a baby and another son John in 1544. He had two more children, Marye or Marryan, born in 1545 and Robert born in 1547, who is my direct ancestor. In his will of 1587, John the elder mentions, William, John and Robert, but not his wife or daughter Marye. Both wife and daughter died before 1587. . . .

John the younger of Rockerhayne, to whom many families have traced their ancestry to via the IGI married Agnes Vye and had six children. His son John married Emlyn Weeks in 1569 and had issue, including sons John and Robert. This Robert, born in 1585 was for a long time the mistaken ancestor that this line of the Mitchell family had been traced to. He was mentioned in a will of 1653 as still living in Colyton. The family of John Mychell the younger hived off and did their own thing. Amongst the properties they held, there was a toft (roofless house) and a piece of ground near Whitford Bridge. Entries on the lease from 1557 to 1625 bear the names of John, father and son, Agnes, Emlyn and Robert – all names, of course, appearing on the John Mychell the younger’s family tree.

The Mitchell family and their branches lived in different manors adjacent to Rawkerhayne, including Shute, Barrethayes, Northleigh, Dalman, Cadhayne, Farway, Watchcombe and Sidbury. The family had also strong links with Colyton and Gittisham. My ancestor split from this family and moved to Ottery St Mary some 15 miles to the west. . . . It is known that the Mitchells owned Rawkerhayne and nearby Barrithayes but they sold them on some two hundred years ago.



Sources

Doris Seymour Wahl, The Skinner Kinsmen, The Descendants of Joseph and Martha (Kinne) Skinner, Niagara Falls, NY, n.d., pp. 1, 5.

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William Richard Cutter, Genealogical and Family History of Central New York: a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the building of a nation, Baltimore, MD: Reprinted for Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Pub. Co., 1994, p. 55. Originally published: New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co., 1912.

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Hobbies, The Magazine for Collectors. September, 1958. Another Skinner, Thomas, was born 1617 in Chichester Co., Sussex, England, and died March 2, 1703-4 in Malden, Mass. He came to the colonies between 1649 and 1652. He married twice and by his first wife had two sons, both born in Chichester, England: Thomas born 1645, and Abraham born 1649. He was admitted freeman in Malden May 18, 1653 and was there licensed to keep an ‘Ordinary’ or Inn.

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Endnotes

1 Thomas Skinner of Malden’s wife, Mary. According to the book, The History of Malden, Massachusetts 1633-1785, by Deloraine Pendre Corey, copyright 1898, page 600, is factual information that Mary’s father was William GODDEN, also spelled GOODEN and later GOODWIN. This information is documented by Middlesex County Court Files, 1666, xv.4, and Middlesex Probate files.

2 Skinner Kinsmen Update, Volume 1 Number 1, Summer 1984. Published by Skinner Family Association.

3 Deloraine Pendre Corey, The History of Malden, Massachusetts 1633-1785, self published, Cambridge, MA: University Press, 1898.

4 The Settler a Quarterly Magazine or History and Biography, Published by the Bradford County Historical Society, Towanda, Pennsylvania, Volume XIV No.2, p. 304.

5 Midd. Co. Deeds X, p. 534.

6 Midd. Co. Deeds, XII, p. 749.

7 New England Genealogical & Historical Register, Vol. 20, p. 328.

8 New England Genealogical & Historical Register, Vol. 37, p. 280.

9 Deloraine Pendre Corey, The History of Malden, Massachusetts 1633-1785, self published, Cambridge, MA: University Press, 1898.

10 Births, Marriages and Deaths in the Town of Malden, Massachusetts, 1649-1850, Deloraine Pendre Corey, author, 1899. Cambridge: University Press. Emes, Anna m. Abraham Skinner, both of Mald. Rev. J. Emerson. March 13, 1739.

11 Lewisiana, Vol. 8, pp. 90, 91.

12 Middlesex County Deeds, Lib. 13. p. 425.

13 Middlesex County Deeds, Lib. 13, p. 532.

14 Middlesex County Deeds, Lib. 13, p. 646.

15 Middlesex County Deeds, Lib. 19, p. 117.

16 May 27, 1698. Midd. Co. Deeds, xii. 749.

17 Chapter XVIII. The Town School, Deloraine Pendre Corey, The History of Malden, Massachusetts 1633-1785, self published, Cambridge, MA: University Press, 1898.

18 Midd. Court Files, 1666 XV., 4.

19 Midd. Probate Files, in loco. Gooden’s original will, with other papers is in Midd. Probate Files, in loco; and a copy is in Midd. Courtt Files, 1666, XV. 4, with papers relating to the case with Ralph Shepard.

20 Pioneers of Massachusetts, a Descriptive List Drawn from Records of the Colonies, Towns and Churches, and other Contemporaneous Documents, by Charles Henry Pope, Boston, 1900.

21 Robert Charles Anderson. Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Original data: Robert Charles Anderson. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. Vol. 1-3. Boston, MA, USA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995.

22 Records of the First Church in Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1632-1789, James Frothingham Hunnewell, ed. (Boston 1880), ChChR 8.

23 Vital Records of Charlestown, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850, Volume I, Roger D. Joslyn, ed. (Boston 1984) ChVR 1:9.

24 Deloraine Pendre Corey, The History of Malden, Massachusetts, 1633-1785 (Malden 1899) Malden Hist, citing “Massachusetts Archives,” being bound volumes of loose papers at the Commonwealth Archives of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts MA Arch 10:79.

25 Charlestown Town Records (see “Sources: Town Records: Charlestown”) ChTR 32.

26 Charlestown Town Records (see “Sources: Town Records: Charlestown”) ChTR 36.

27 Charlestown Town Records (see “Sources: Town Records: Charlestown”) ChTR 42.

28 Charlestown Land Records, 1638-1802, Third Report of the Boston Record Commissioners, 2nd ed. (Boston 1883) ChBOP 15.

29 Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Probate Records SPR Case #28.

30 Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Deeds MLR 1:104.

31 Mary Walton Ferris, Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines, 2 vols. (n.p., 1943, 1931) Dawes-Gates 1:546.

32 Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Probate Records SPR Case #28.

33 Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Probate Records SPR Case #28; Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1628-1686, Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, ed., 5 volumes in 6 (Boston 1853-1854) Massachusetts Bay Colony Records 2:194

34 Records of the First Church in Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1632-1789, James Frothingham Hunnewell, ed. (Boston 1880) ChChR 47.

35 Malden VR, citing gravestone.

36 Records of the First Church in Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1632-1789, James Frothingham Hunnewell, ed. (Boston 1880) ChChR 49.

37 Thomas Bellows Wyman, The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, Massachusetts: 1629-1818, 2 volumes (Boston 1879; rpt. in 1 volume Somersworth, New Hampshire, 1982) Wyman 166.

38 Records of the First Church in Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1632-1789, James Frothingham Hunnewell, ed. (Boston 1880) ChChR 50.

39 Charlestown Town Records (see “Sources: Town Records: Charlestown”) ChTR 32.

40 Mary Walton Ferris, Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines, 2 vols. (n.p., 1943, 1931) Dawes-Gates 1:545-46.

41 Transcription of “Memoranda of All the Inscriptions in the Old Burying Ground at Colchester, Conn. With some notes from the Town Records,” by Frank E. Randall, 1886. Reprinted from the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, January 1883.

42 A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, pp. 198-199.

43 Piacentini, Lorraine, Loomis Family in America. New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Genealogical Gleanings in England, July 1896, p. 418.

44 Charlestown Births & Burialls recorded in Boston 1632 – 1644, Transcribed by Coralynn Brown. A Register of the Births & Burials in CHARLESTOWNE from the yeare 1630 untill the yeare 1644. Mary the daughter of Richard Pratt & Mary his wife was borne 30 (7) 1643.

45 Colchester, Connecticut, Land Records, Vol. 1, pp. 1, 56, 70, 120, 182; Vol. 2, pp. 33, 55, 154.

46 Pat Thomas worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=tyrilla&id=I3963, Accessed 2007.

47 From the New England Genealogical & Historical Register, Vol. 7, p. 183.

48 New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 53, October 1899, p. 150.

49 D. H. Hurd, History of Bristol County (Philadelphia, 1883) p. 436.

50 Clark, History of Norton, Mass., pp. 88, 255.

51 Bristol County, Massachusetts Deeds, Lib. 21, p. 124.

52 Bristol County, Massachusetts Deeds, Lib. 30, p. 271.

53 Bristol County, Massachusetts Deeds, Lib. 59, p. 272.

54 Deloraine Pendre Corey, The History of Malden, Massachusetts 1633-1785, copyright 1898.

55 Colchester, Conn., land records, Vol. 5, p. 2.

56 Bristol County, Massachusetts deeds, Lib. 25, p. 209.

57 Bristol County, Massachusetts deeds, Lib. 54, p. 401.

58 Bristol County, Massachusetts deeds, Lib. 32, p. 290.

59 Bristol County, Massachusetts deeds, Lib. 45, p. 33.

60 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 2, p. 1. Richard Skinner & hanah prat were married Novemb 24: 1708.

61 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Hannah Daughter to Richard Skinner & Hannah his wife was born Aprall ye 16th 1714

62 Trumbull, Connecticut Colony Public Records, Vol. 6, p. 511.

63 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 15.

64 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 46.

65 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 47.

66 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 12.

67 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 164.

68 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 269.

69 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 400.

70 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 2, p. 26.

71 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 2, p. 36.

72 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 2, p. 121.

73 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 2, p. 136.

74 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 2, p. 285.

75 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 3, p. 385.

76 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 4, p. 217.

77 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 165.

78 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 309.

79 Middletown land records, Vol. 7. p. 118, Vol. 9, p. 248.

80 East Haddam land records, Vol. 1, p. 172, 497, 519, 525, 619.

81 East Haddam land records, Vol. 2, p. 249.

82 Haddam, Connecticut land records, Vol. 3, p. 113.

83 Haddam, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, p. 111.

84 Haddam, Connecticut land records, Vol. 4, p. 5.

85 Haddam, Connecticut land records, Vol. 4, p. 160.

86 Haddam, Connecticut land records, Vol. 6, p. 24.

87 Colchester, Connecticut, land records, Vol. 1, pp. 4, 12, 118, 199, 318, 371; Vol. 2, pp. 35, 26, 50, 56, 58, 68, 86, 148, 204.

88 Hebron, Connecticut town records, Vol. 1. pp. 9, 117, 126, 147, 157, 158, 249, 268, 274; Vol. 2, p. 198; Vol. 3, pp. 16, 57; Vol. A, pp. 13, 57, 85.

89 History of Tolland County, Connecticut, pp. 314, 350.

90 Probate records, Hartford, Connecticut.

91 Transcription of “Memoranda of All the Inscriptions in the Old Burying Ground at Colchester, Conn. With some notes from the Town Records,” by Frank E. Randall, 1886. Reprinted from the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, January 1883.

92 Transcription of “Memoranda of All the Inscriptions in the Old Burying Ground at Colchester, Conn. With some notes from the Town Records,” by Frank E. Randall, 1886. Reprinted from the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, January 1883.

93 New England Historical and Genealogical Register, October 1899.

94 Colchester, Connecticut land records, Vol. 1, pp. 166, 193, 133, 209, 218, 329; Vol. 2, pp. 33, 37, 210, 400, 413, 510; Vol. 3, pp. 46, 111, 185, 342, 414; Vol. 4, p. 307; Vol. 6, p. 63.

95 Hebron, Connecticut town records, Vol 1, pp. 142, 361; Vol. 3, p. 66.

96 Bolton, Connecticut, land records, Vol. 2, pp. 9, 12, 13, 39, 346, 349, 413, 414, 445, 638; Vol. 3, pp. 141, 340; Vol. 4, p. 256.

97 East Haddam, Connecticut land records, Vol. 2. p. 402; Vol. 3, pp. 22, 331.

98 worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=witchtrials&id=I1324, accessed 2007.

99 Information on Mary Pratt’s ancestors from: Thorns among the roses Updated: 2005-02-03 Contact: Holly Forrest Tamer, online; longislandgenealogy.com.

100 Stanley E. Pratt, familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/p/r/a/Stanley-E-Pratt/index.html.

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103 Will No.17925, East Cambridge, Mass.

104 James Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England, Vol. 3.

105 Early Records From Boston, copied by Mr. David Pulsifer, extracted from New England Historical & Genealogical Register, Vol 8, Oct 1854, p 349 and subsequent. Note: While the series as printed by the NEHGS is titled simply “Records of Boston”, the introductory notes state that the records “embrace not only Boston, properly so called, but all the towns in its vicinity.” PRATT: Thomas sonne of Richard Pratt borne 5 (3) 1646.

106 By Jeremy’s Stream. A Short History of the C. H. Norton Company 1886 - 1935. North Westchester, CT, 1935.

107 General History of the Town of Sharon, Litchfield County, Conn. From Its First Settlement, by Charles F. Sedgwick, A. M., Amenia, N. Y., Charles Walsh, Printer And Publisher. 1877, Chapter II.

108 General History of the Town of Sharon, Litchfield County, Conn. From Its First Settlement, by Charles F. Sedgwick, A. M., Amenia, N. Y., Charles Walsh, Printer And Publisher. 1877, Chapter III.

109 General History of the Town of Sharon, Litchfield County, Conn. From Its First Settlement, by Charles F. Sedgwick, A. M. Amenia, N. Y. Charles Walsh, Printer And Publisher, 1877.

110 www.gencircles.com/users/serr8/1/print/6705, no further information available.

111 Norton from Essex Co, MA - Grimes from Meriden,CT - Colchester, CT, 2005-10-19, Frank Grimes, http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=fegrimes&id=I13648.

112 Colchester, Connecticut deeds, Vol. 1, pp. 11, 37, 115; Vol. 2, pp. 55, 127, 146, 154, 169, 252; Vol. 4, p. 90; Vol 5, pp. 34, 38, 81.

113 Sharon, Connecticut records, Vol. 2. p. 3.

114 Sharon, Connecticut Prop. Rec., p. 321.

115 Sharon, Connecticut, Prop. Rec., p. 320.

116 Sharon, Connecticut Prop. Rec., p. 328.

117 Sharon, Connecticut Land records, Vol. 2. pp. 129-30.

118 Sharon, Connecticut Land records, Vol. 2. p. 141.

119 Salisbury, Connecticut records, Warrantee deed vol. 4, p. 132.

120 Salisbury, Connecticut records, Vol. 3 p 140.

121 Salisbury, Connecticut records, Lease Vol. 3. p. 147.

122 Salisbury, Connecticut records, Mortgage Vol. 3, p. 14?

123 Salisbury, Connecticut records, Release, Vol. 3, p. 157.

124 Salisbury, Connecticut records, Vol. 3. p. 548.

125 General History of the Town of Sharon, Litchfield County, Conn. From Its First Settlement, by Charles F. Sedgwick, A. M., Amenia, N. Y., Charles Walsh, Printer And Publisher. 1877, Chapter III.

126 A Historical Address, Before the Congregational Church in Salisbury, Conn., at Their First Centennial Celebration November 20, 1844, By Adam Reid, Hartford, CT: Press of E. Greer, 1845.

127 Extracts from the Records of Colchester, With Some Transcripts From the Recording of Machaell Taintor, of “Brainford,” Conn.; Transcribed by Charles M. Taintor; Hartford, 1864, p. 107. Samuell son to Nathaniel Skinner Jr. b. Sept. 11: 1735-- John b. Sept 7: 1738-- Rebecca daughter to Nath & Mary Skinner b. Dec 3: 1730-- Nathaniel b. June 23: 1732.

128 Genevieve S. Skinners, Descendant of Thomas Skinner of Malden, MA, p. 83; Cole, Chloe and Samuel Skinner, both of Sal., m. Mch. 20, 1760, at Colchester, by John Waters, J. P. Vital Records of the town of Salisbury, CT. A through E. from Historical Collections Relating to the Town of Salisbury Litchfield County, Connecticut, Volume I. Arranged and published by The Salisbury Association, Inc., 1913.

129 Lebanon Vital Records, Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Vol. 1, p. 52.

130 King Genealogy Homepage, Stan King, king-of-tx.com/people/p000000x.htm#I854.

131 John Insley Coddington, “Jonathan Gillett of Dorchester, Mass., and Windsor, Conn., and Mary Dolbere or Dolbiar, His Wife,” in The American Genealogist, Vol. XV, Whole Number 60, No. 4, April, 1939, pp. 208-217. “She was almost certainly a daughter of Nicholas Sampson, of Hawkchurch, and elder sister of Gregory and Edde Sampson.”

132 The American Genealogist, 17:137.

133 Chronicles of the Family Baker, Lee C. Baker, privately published, n.d., online www.asrite.com:8080/chronicles/Chronicles_of_the_Family_Baker.pdf

134 The American Genealogist, 15:208-17.

135 Births Marriages and Deaths Returned from Hartford, Windsor and Fairfield and Entered in the Early Land Records of the Colony of Connecticut..., Edwin Stanley Welles, ed. (Hartford 1898), 56; The American Genealogist, 15:210.

136 Kuhns, Maude P., “The Mary & John: A Story of the Founding of Dorchester, MA” (1971), 35.

137 Latham, Esther Gillett, “Our Family Tree: Gillet-Gillett-Gillette, Descendants of Jonathan, Nathan & Jeremiah Gillett” (1953).

138 David Kipp Conover, www.conovergenealogy.com/ancestor-p/p235.htm.

139 1377-1588 Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office: Early Proceedings, Richard II to Philip and Mary . C 1/1080/93. Henry VYE of Colyton, husbandman, v. William COMBE.: Detention of deeds relating to lands in Shute.: DEVON. (4) Extractions from Public Records Office (PRO) Catalogue, Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office: Early Proceedings, Richard II to Philip and Mary [22 Jun 1377 - 17 Nov 1558] (C 1).

140 Mitchell family Devon Research Notes, compiled by Colin and Olan Style. www.insula.vecta.btinternet.co.uk/Mitchell_Family_Research.html.

141 The American Genealogist, 15:217 cited in Search for the Passengers of the Mary and John.

142 www.insula.vecta.btinternet.co.uk/MIT2.html.