Descendants of WILLIAM SKINNER

of Nansemond County, Virginia

William Skinner1 | William Skinner Jr2 | Benjamin Skinner3 | Edward Skinner4 | Asa Skinner5 | Ariss
Skinner6 | Asa Hunter Skinner7

2nd Generation: William Skinner Jr (c1724-1785/86)

Compiled by Bob Skinner

William Skinner Jr was a son of William Skinner Sr and Ann. He was born probably in
Nansemond Co VA around 1724 and died 1785/1786 in Dobbs County, NC. He may have married Sarah?
(Note 1). William probably came of age around 1745 when he received a deed of land from his father (2)
not long before the senior William died. In 1746/47 he was a legatee in his father’s will. About 1750
William moved to Edgecombe County, NC and five years later to that part of Dobbs County that would
become Lenoir and Greene Counties, NC after his death. He spent his last years in Dobbs County.

William is listed in the Dobbs County Tax Lists for 1780 along with his sons Benjamin and Jesse.
William’s taxable property was valued at £6,329. This places his net worth in the top ten percent of the 750
or so taxable males in the county; the average valuation was £1,850. His land was in district 6: Greene
County, north of Great Contentnea Creek from Hookerton, Maury vicinity and west to near Snow Hill.

In 2/2000 I received an intriguing email from Al Skinner with the following information: "My
grandfather Payton Shelton Skinner, born 1872, said that he thought we descended from Jesse, one of three
brothers from N.C., one of which stayed in SC. This would have been "Old" Benjamin. Two crossed the
Savannah River into Georgia. One of these became a Ga Congressman. That would have been William that
lived in Screven, Co. and later moved to Richmond County (Augusta, Ga.). Jesse is found in Montgomery
County, Ga. in the 1790's. All three of these brothers were from old Dobbs County, N.C. Jesse may have
been Anna Skinner's husband. Huxford, in volume 6 of 7 volumes, Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia, states
that Anna's daughter Elizabeth was born in Cheraw District, SC in 1789. Her son Randall, from whom I
descend, was born in1802 in Bullock County, Ga." I've found considerable information on the Georgia
William but nothing to link him back to North Carolina. Benjamin had a son Jesse who was born around
1772 in Dobbs County, but he lived in SC and KY and not GA to my knowledge.

William and Sarah? may have the following children based on deeds:

i. William Skinner [III]. Cf 1785/86. Dobbs County deed (Book 13, p76) deed
transfers land from Grantor Skinner, Sarah to Grantee William Skinner,
presumably Sarah's son.
ii. Benjamin Skinner Sr. cf The 1783, 13 Jan. Deed between John Smith and
Benjamin Smith which states that Benjamin and William Skinner are brothers.
 iii. Jesse Skinner. I don't know of deeds specifically listing Jesse's relationship to
anyone else. His inclusion as a possible son of William is probably because his
land was adjacent to William Skinners' property (whether this is the father or
brother I don't know).
iv. Sarah Skinner? She is listed in several genealogies as a daughter. However, the
only Sarah I'm aware of is the 1785/86 deed which seems to make more sense if
Sarah was William's wife rather than daughter.

Notes:

(1) 1785/86. Dobbs County deed (Book 13, p76) implies that he was married to Sarah.
Specifically, the deed transfers land from Grantor Skinner, Sarah to Grantee William Skinner. Is this son
William Skinner III?

(2) 1745. William Skinner Jr receives land from William Skinner. The deed states that William Jr.
is the son of William Sr. Deed gives the plantation on the south side of the main Cyprus branch which said
land is part of a patent granted to Henry Baker in the year 1668. Deed is signed by William Skinner and is
witnessed by Thomas Harrell, E? Jones. Deed states that both Williams are of Chowan County.

(3) Unless otherwise noted, most of this information is from "Cynthia Rummel Ancestry: William
Skinner Descendants Generation 2 Samuel Skinner [CMCY 1004]",SKU 15:1 (pages 2-4, 26). Chowan
records were abstracted by Cynthia W RUMMEL in the Register of Deeds Office in the Court House in
Edenton, NC April 27, 1961. Many of the other records abstracted by William Perry JOHNSON (WPJ),
dec'd, of Raleigh, NC - professional genealogist, editor of The North Carolinian which became Journal of
North Carolina Genealogy. Also Abstracts of the Wills of Edgecombe County North Carolina 1733-1856
by Ruth Smith WILLIAMS and Margarette Glenn GRIFFIN, Rocky Mount, NC 1956

Sources:

[D] 1745. William Skinner Jr receives land from William Skinner. The deed states that William Jr.
is the son of William Sr. Deed gives the plantation on the south side of the main Cyprus branch which said
land is part of a patent granted to Henry Baker in the year 1668. Deed is signed by William Skinner and is
witnessed by Thomas Harrell, E? Jones. Deed states that both Williams are of Chowan County. 1745, Book
E, Page 89. Cross Index. Grantee 1695-1878. Microfilm roll no. C 024-49505. Transcribed by Howard
Skinner August 1986 from records of Shirley Ihnen reproduced in [missing title], page 42.

[L] 1748 Jul 21. William Skinner member of Grand Jury. Chowan County Court Minutes 1730-
1745, p. 198-174. Chowan County Court Minutes 1746-48, p. 198.

[D] 1749, 10 January. Will of James Harris; February, Court 1749. Wife Cherry, Sons, James and
Eli; Matthew Joyner and wife, Exrs; Test William Skinner, John Blount, John Crisnysher (Crumpton?)
(Edgecombe County 1, page 224; item #210 in Bradley. Early Records of NC, v.6 Wills 1739-49.)

[D] 1750, 5 Nov. Deed Edgecombe Co, NC 250 acres more or less on the south side of Tar River
joining the river part of 640 acres granted to said Richard Horn where the said Richard Horn formerly
lived, the said tract joining the river being the land William Skinner bought from Richard Horn of
Edgecombe Co to William Skinner of Chowan Co, 70 pounds current money of Virginia (Deed Book 4,
page 75) Wit: E. Richard, Kalum Ross, William Taylor.
 [D] 1753, 28 April. A Granville grant to William Skinner. See 26 Feb 1763.

[D] 1753, 28 April. Edgecombe Co, NC 245 acres beginning at a pine on both sides of Kirby’s
Creek.

[D] 1754, 3 Jan. William Skinner of Edgecombe Co, NC to Wathesby. Deed incomplete.

[D] 1754, 27 October William Skinner of Edgecombe Co sold [back] to Richard Horn of
Edgecombe Co (Deed Book 2, p. 210; registered Edgecombe Co Feb Court 1755)Wit: Duncan Lamon,
Samuel Williams.

[D] 1755, 22 May James Williamson of Edgecombe Co. deed to William Skinner of Chowan Co.
for 47 pounds 10 shillings Virginia Current Money. Edgecombe Co, NC. 300 acres on the north side of Tar
River, joining George Belcher, a creek the head of Pessimon Branch, Howell and the river. Part of 2000
acres granted to John Green, 20 June 1729 (Reg., Edgecombe Co, May Court, 1751) Wit: Laurence Toole,
Thomas Norse, Sabra Toole.

[D] 1763, 26 Feb. WILLIAM SKINNER of Dobbs Co., NC to SAMUEL SKINNER of

Edgecombe Co., Feb. 26, 1763 for £13 Virginia money a tract of 467 acres on the north bank of Stoney
Creek adjoining Joseph Strickland and Braswell, it being a Granville grant to said William Skinner bearing
date April 28, 1753. Deed Book C. Wit: Dan'l Ross, William Taylor, Moses Speight. Source: Watson,
Joseph W. Abstracts of Early Deeds of Edgecombe Co, NC 1759-1772, page 129.

[D] 1768, 28 April, Craven Co/Dobbs Co NC. 160 acres by patent to William Skinner. 100 acres
joining Cowards Corner, David Jones, and both sides of Pole Cat Swamp. See also 29 November 1800

[D] 1768. William was granted 2 tracts: (1) 100 acres and (2) 160 acres. In the same year, Jesse
Skinner, William's son, was granted 200 acres. Cf 1772 Newbern petition.

1769. Tax List - Dobbs County, NC contains the following taxables for the Skinner surname:

SKINNER Benjamin 1 [white male; no slaves]

SKINNER William 1 [white male; no slaves]

SKINNER William 1 [white male; no slaves]

("Source: Story of Kinston by Talmage Johnston & deeds, Wills, & Bibles" as transcribed for use
in the USGenWeb Project Archives by Jerome Tew.)

[D] 1772, 12 May. cf Newbern petition of William Skinner (of Dobbs Co.) to the Governor in
Council to change county named in deed from Craven to Dobbs; Moseley Hall Townships in Lenoir. In
1768 William was granted 2 tracts: (1) 100 acres and (2) 160 acres. In the same year, Jesse Skinner,
William's son, was granted 200 acres.

[D] 1772, 12 May. cf Newbern petition of William Skinner (of Dobbs Co.) to the Governor in
Council to change county named in deed from Craven to Dobbs;

[D] 1778, Jan 6. Dobbs County deed of William Hooker indicates that Hooker’s land adjoins
William Skinner’s line and Zachariah Rice’s plantation. This land is now in Greene County. State of NC
Entries of Claims for Lands within Dobbs County, Book 1,6.

[D] 1780. Dobbs County Tax List. #52 William Skinner, Senior 16329 [page 13], valuation £6,329
tax = 63 1/4 bu. Indian corn. Son Jesse Skinner is #53. Source: Two 1780 Dobbs County NC Tax Lists by
Wm. L. "Bill" Murphy as reported in Skinner Kinsmen Update, Spring 1995, vol. 12, no. 2, page 31, by G.
Howard Phillips [UN 2028]
 [D] 1785/86. Dobbs County deed (Book 13, p76) implies that William was married to Sarah.
Specifically, the deed transfers land from Grantor Skinner, Sarah to Grantee William Skinner. Is this son
William Skinner III?

[D] 1786 Jan 2. Dobbs county deed of Thomas Dail/Deal indicates that Dail’s land adjoins
William and Jesse Skinner’s lines. This land is in the area of Cattail Swamp and Porter Branch and now lies
in Greene County. The exact location today is unknown, but appears to be on the north side of Contentea
Creek near State Roads 1419 and 198 according to William L. “Bill” Murphy. See also footnote 64.

[D] 1800, 29 Nov. William Ormond Sr., of Greene Co., to son Thomas, Deed of gift, 250 acres in
Greene Co., on both sides of Pole Cat Swamp, 75 acres of which was granted to Thomas Deal 1 July 1779
and by him sold to said William Ormond. The other 175 acres is to include all the land lying within the
lines of two patents, one to Thomas Deal 4 May, 1769; the other to William Skinner, 28 April 1768, except
some land...Pr, Feb, 1801 Greene Co. NC (Book C, Folio 237)

Last updated 12/2009.

©1998-2009 Robert Skinner and Sherry Noden. This site may be freely linked to but not
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