From Bethersden MI's29. John SKINNER of this parish 2 May 1878 aged 83. Mary his second wife 25 October 1877 aged 71. Issue by first wife: John, George, Alfred, Charles, Frederick and Sarah and Elizabeth deceased. Issue >by second wife Herbert, Horace and Ellen. Erected by his son Charles Skinner, Kempton, Illinois, North America.
I am a descendent of the second wife of Charles and have the following information from my family tree that includes information on Elizabeth. Do you have much information on the Skinners in England?
"Charles Skinner was born September 17, 1827, near the town of Ashford and Maidstone, in the County of Kent, England. He came to the United States of America in 1850 along with two of his brothers, Al>fred and Frederick. Frederick was only 14 years old at the time. The three brothers first started working in New York State doing odd jobs.There, Charles worked as a farm laborer making 50 cents per m>onth. Charles could cut small grain with a sickle at the rate of three acres a day. Threshing was done with a flail at the rate of eight bushels a day. After a short time in New York, the three moved >on to Ottawa, Illinois in 1851. From there, Alfred went on to Michigan. Charles married Anna Barnes of Ottawa, Illinois in 1852. Four children, Elizabeth, George, John and Horace were born to this uni>on, and all four were born in a log cabin. Charles and his family resided near Ottawa, Illinois for several years. Elizabeth moved to Kansas after her marriage to John Middleton. Upon Elizabeth's husb>and's death, Charles Skinner drove to Kansas in a covered wagon to bring her and her children back to Illinois. A year later she married her brother-in-law and they lived on farms in Kansas and Nebras>ka. She was the mother of ten children. She died of a broken hip complicated by tuberculosis. She loved the wild west and took up claims. George became an attorney. John passed away at the age of two >
and Horace farmed in Illinois.

Marriage from David Hills INDEX

1871 Census
Tenterden Road, Bethersden
CD 6 RG10 Pc 959 195

1881 Census
Dwelling: Tunbridge Rd 7 Heath Cottages
Census Place: Maidstone, Kent, EnglandSource: FHL Film 1341221 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 0928 Folio 42 Page 39