Biography - ISAAC SKINNER
Isaac
Skinner was born in Vermillion county, Indiana, January 5, 1829, and is a
son of Joseph Skinner, who was among the earliest settlers in the
neighborhood of Newman, coming, in 1839, from Vermillion county, Indiana,
and settling along the timber a mile and a half southwest of where Newman
now is. There were no schools in the vicinity when he first came to the
county. He worked for his father until of age and then engaged in farming on
rented land. In about 1853 he had saved money enough to enter one hundred
and sixty acres of land. His mother, whose maiden name was Polly Gaston, was
a daughter of Thomas Gaston, who lived in Meigs county, Ohio, and probably
was a native of Canada. His father, Joseph, was born in Maine. His
grandmother, Sarah Gaston, was born on the St. Lawrence river, while her
parents were held captives by the Indians.
Isaac Skinner was reared on a farm and received the limited school
advantages that were common in that day. He was first a Whig and since the
birth of the Republican party has been identified with that organization. He
has been three times married. First, in February, 1859, he married Miss
Mahala Drake, who died in 1865. His second wife was Mrs. Mary Hill, whose
maiden name was Lewis; her death occurred in 1869. His third wife was Mrs.
Catherine Barnes, whose maiden name was Bell. He has five children, one,
Robert, born of the first union, and four, Katie, Margaret, Elvin and
Arthur, by the last marriage. Mr. Skinner owns three hundred and twenty
acres of land adjoining the city of Newman, and has about retired from
active business pursuits. He joined the Methodist church in 1858. As a
Christian gentleman and public-spirited citizen, Mr. Skinner has an enviable
record, one upon which he and his friends can look with pride and
satisfaction.
Extracted 22 Jul 2019 by Norma Hass from the Historical and Biographical Record of Douglas County, Illinois, published in 1900, pages 238-239.
