The Skinner Kinsmen: Descendants of Thomas Skinner of Malden, MA Natalie R. Fernald Washington, DC 1926 THE SKINNER KINSMEN. DESCENDANTS OF THOMAS SKINNER. 1. Sergeant THOMAS SKINNER (1), born in Eng­ land, 1617, came to America from Chichester between 1649 and 1651. He married, first, in England, Mary, she died April 9, 1671; married, second, about 1680, Lydia, daughter of Daniel and Joanna Sh_pardson, of Malden, Mass., and widow of Thomas Call. Lydia was baptized July 24, 1637, married Thomas Call July 22, 1657, he died Nov. 1678. Thomas Skinner was admit­ ted Freeman at Malden, May 18, 1653; he died March 2, 1703-4, Lydia died Dec. 17, 1723. (Gravestone at Mal­ den). Children: 2. Thomas (2), bp. Subdeanarie Parish, Chichester, England, July 25, 1645, m. l\iary, daughter of Rich­ ard and Mary Pratt, of Charlestovvn, l\Iass. She ,vas born Sept. 9 or 30, 1643. They removed to Col­ chester, Conn., ,vhere she di2d March 26, 1704. 3. John (2), bp. North l\Iundham, England, April 19, 1647. 4. Abraham (2), bp. Pallant Parish, Chichester, Eng­ land, Sept. 29, 1649, m. Hannah. He died between 1693 and 1698. She died Jan. 14, 1725-6. THE SKINNER KINSMEN. CONTEMPORARY RECORDS. From \Vyman, Charlestown Genealogies and Estates. Thomas Skinner ( 1), Malden, victualler, from Chichester, County of Sussex, England. Estate.-Will: Testamentary document, no date, acknowledged Feb. 2, 1693-4, devised house to son Abraham, and he to pay Lydia and son Thomas. His ( Thomas ( 1)) maintenance to be provided, recorded Dec. 9, 1696 (p. 869). From Corey, History of Malden. Allotments and Settlements.-In the lower range was a lot number 12 of John Crow, 15 acres of this lot were sold by Wil­ liam Roberts to Rowland Lahorne in 1648. Six years later La­ horne transferred his purchase, with a house, to Thomas Skinner, "victualler," but it is soon found in the occupancy of Thomas Call, as a grantee or tenant of Skinner. The marriage of Skin­ ner with Call's widow, Lydia, after 1678, returned the house and land to their earlier possessor (p. 69). To the honrd Cort for the counti of Middlesex. Wee whose names are hereunder written doe well apprue Thomas Skinner for Keeping An ordinary for the Accommodation of Travellers and such like accasions: humbly desiring he may by you be licensed herunto for our Town of Malden. 22 :1 :mo, 1651. Thomas Squire; Jo. Vppam; Will Brakenbury; Jo. Wayte; Tho. Call, Selectmen. Richard Adams, Constable (p. 115). 1652, 26 May, In ansr to the petition of the inhabitants of Mal­ den, the Courte doth Graunt libertje and license to Thomas Skin­ ner to keepe an ordinary ther, in the roome and stead of John Hawthorne, who was formerly licensed there. Later the select­ men asked and received a broader license for "our Bror," as is shown in the following petition and reply: To the honrd 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. Malden 30th of ye 10th mo 1653. John Vppam; Will Brakenbury; Thomas Green; Joh Sprague; Joh Wayte, Selectmen. 3(11)1653 Vpon the request of the Select Men of Maulden, This Court doth grant License vnto Thos: Skinner to retale strong waters in their Towne. As Thomas Call was the first beer seller of Mystic Side, so to Thomas Skinner belongs the doubtful honor of being the first DESCENDANTS OF THOlVL.\S SKINNER. 3 recorded d-~ler in "strong ·waters" in ~1alden. .·\.lthough the latter remained in life and in 11alden until 1704, he appears to have soon retired from the "Ordjnarie" business. The following petition lies in the Court files: To the honoured Court at Char­ leto 16; 4th mo. 1657. The Tovm of Malden being desitute of An Ordinarie keeper for Accomodating the Tovm and Countrie. It is the desire of the Selectmen of the sayd Town that A Brot of the Church there; namely Abraham Hill may by this Court be licenced to keep an Ordinarie there. As Allso to draw wine for the better Accomodating both the Church and Countrie. Joh Wayte; John Sprague; John Vphame; Will Brakenbury. The Court Consents hereto 23; 4; 1657. There was a petition To the Honoured Court at Charlestown 19;4;1660 that a fine that had been imposed upon the Church members be remitted. Thos: Skinner is mentioned as one who could not bear the fine (p. 162) 4.10.82 voted. that the cutters and carts in ye Town cutt and cart one load of fire wood for Mr. Wigglesworth: on ye next sec­ ond day. voted. Corprl Jo Green and sergt Skinner overseers to se ye wood cutt and carted (p. 259). This "new plantation" at Quansigamug, which was the first attempt to settle the town of Worcester, is described as being "vpon the roads to Sprinkfield about 12 miles west ward from Marlborough. A petition, dated May 27, 1674, contains the names of 29 persons to whom lots had then been granted and laid out. Of these the following are the names of Malden men Philip Atwood; Simon Grover; Thomas Grover; Simon Meylin; John Provender; John Starkey; Phineas Upham; Pelatiah Whit­ temore; Lazarus Grover; Stephen Grover; Samuel Lee; Thomas Pratt; Thomas Skinner; Henry Swillaway; Daniel Whittemore (p. 304). In March 8, 1678-9, Thomas Skinner was one of those inter­ ested in the :pla~tation of Quansigamug, but it does not appear that he took personal part in the settlement (p. 305). In 1680 we hear of Sergt. Thomas Skinner in a Malden Com­ pany (p. 308). 11 3mo. 1680, Sergt. Thomas Skinner appointed tithingman (p. 344). In the next town meeting after the one held in 1678 Sergt. Tho Skinr was elected constable. Thomas Skinner was again chosen the next year and his compensation fixed. March 8, 1679, 4 THE SKINNER KINSl\IEN. voted Sergt. Shinner Constable for this yeare ensueing And the Towne to pay him three pounds. Thomas Skinner served alone as Constable in 1679 and 1680 (p. 346). In 1695 there was a division of land of 75 lots. The odd and last lot, containing 7 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. March 15, 1694-5 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. March 28, 1695 uoted 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. The house and land which Thomas Skinner and his wife Lydia gave their son Abraham in Feb. 1693-4 lUdd. Co. Deeds X, p. 534, had been the estate of her former husband, Thomas Call. The house stood near the southeasterly corner of Cross and Wal­ nut streets. Abraham Skinner died soon after, leaving a widow, to whom his father deeded the lot numbered 75 in the second division in consideration of maintenance "with meat, drink, and clothes for my life," May 27, 1698. Midd. Co. Deeds. XII, p. 749. Thomas Skinner died March 2, 1703-4 and his widow lived until Dec. 17, 1723, when she died at the age of about 87 years (p. 374). Besides that which was specially granted to Thomas Skinner, 6 lots of 6 acres each were "laid out on ye land at ye end of ye 300 acres. The grantees were John Chamberlin, Thomas Grover, Samuel Lewis, Thomas Dunnell, Benjamin Webb and William Teele (p. 378). Highways and Bridges.-A committee was appointed June 11, :!. 706, "to lay o~t a conu~nant highway for the inhabitants of ye East end of ye town to goe to ye meting hous: From Thomas Call's house, which stood near the present southeasternly corner of Cross and Wal nut streets, a narrow way called the Stoney Lane ran southwestwardly over the hill towards the ancient Green house, which is still standing ( 1899) on Appleton St., near the Everett line, and entered the Vlinnisimmet road 1653. Thomas Call died in Nov. 1678. His widow, Lydia (Shepherd­ son) married Thomas Skinner, and carried the house of her DESCENDANTS OF THOMAS SKINNER. 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. After the death of Han­ nah, Jan. 14, 1725-6 it was in the occupancy of Abraham Skin­ ner, 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 1693-4, comprised 3 acres of land, with the house and barn, on the northerly side of the road, running to a point at the easterly end, and 12 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 demol­ ished, it is supposed, many years before. Its cellar remained until within 60 years past [1899] and a large rock, which stood in ·the field near the southeast corner 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.