My Genealogy Hound

NATHAN SKINNER, one of Porter’s leading citizens and a prominent farmer of the township, was born in Perry County, Ohio, June 15, 1822. His parents, George and Mary (Gooden) Skinner, were both born in Pennsylvania in 1781. The names of the grandparents are unknown to us, as is also the origin of the families. The parents were married in the Keystone State and in an early day removed to Ohio, settling in Perry County, and later entering one thousand acres of land in Sandusky County. The mother died on the 24th of September, 1831, when Nathan was a child of nine years; the father passed away on the 25th of September, 1838.

The parental family consisted of twelve children: Rhoda, who was born on the 26th of April, 1800, married William Black and reared a family of six children in Sandusky County, Ohio; she died in the spring of 1890, at the age of ninety years, having been a widow during the last forty-one years of her life. David, whose birth occurred on the 17th of February, 1802, married Abigail Bulla in Perry County, Ohio, later moved to Delaware County, the same State, and died in Van Wert County, Ohio, in November, 1879; he and his wife were the parents of eight children. Fanny was born October 5, 1803, and died October 15, 1818, at the age of fifteen years. Elizabeth was born October 1, 1805, and died on Christmas Day, 1824. John, who was born December 7, 1807, married Hannah Brown on the 12th of July, 1828, and went to Livingston County, Mich., in 1845, where he died March 6, 1888. His wife had passed away thirteen years prior to his demise. They had four daughters and two sons, all of whom are living with the exception of one son. Jane was born March 21, 1810, and died August 1, 1825. Rebecca, who was born April 22, 1812, married Samuel Black in Perry County, Ohio, and later went to Sandusky County, where Mr. Black died April 1, 1846. She afterward married Hugh Furgeson, of Cass County, Mich., and removed to Illinois, where she died April 6, 1889. Samuel, whose birth occurred on the 10th of May, 1814, married twice and had one son and nine daughters, all of whom are living and have families, there being at this time one hundred and ten descendants. Samuel is a wealthy retired farmer residing in Fremont, Ohio. George, who was born August 22, 1816, married Elizabeth Kimes in 1840, and lives in Williams County, Ohio, where he has been engaged in farming; he lost two sons in the late war. Aaron, who was born September 20, 1819, married Elizabeth Fickel and settled in Effingham County, Ill., where he follows agricultural pursuits. The next in order of birth is the subject of this sketch, who was born June 15, 1822. Mary Ann, born June 13, 1825, married John W. Walter in Sandusky County, in September, 1845, and died in Tiffin, Ohio, October 6, 1865, having become the mother of two sons and one daughter.

In his early life Nathan Skinner had but meagre advantages for obtaining an education, as his parents died when he was quite young, his mother when he was nine years old and his father when he was sixteen. At that age he was thrown upon his own resources to work his way in the world. For a time he worked in the employ of others and attended school at such opportunities as were afforded. By diligence in his studies he obtained sufficient education to enable him later to teach school.

November 27, 1842, Mr. Skinner married Miss Sophia Dayhuff, who was born in Richland County, Ohio, July 23, 1824. Her father, Moses Dayhuff, was born September 15, 1793, in the eastern part of Pennsylvania. When quite young he accompanied his father to Maryland, and in the city of Baltimore learned a trade. During the War of 1812 he and an older brother went into the army and remained until the close of the conflict. Afterward he began preaching as an itinerant in the Evangelical Church, and joined the first conference in that denomination. For six years he labored as an itinerant preacher, usually speaking in the German language, although he also used English fluently. He had five brothers and two sisters. In 1820 he married Miss Barbara Blough, of Berlin, Somerset County, Pa., and three years afterward he moved to Ohio, where he resided until 1851. During that year he came to Michigan, and afterward lived with his children until his death at the home of his son-in-law, the subject of this sketch, which occurred in 1870, when he was seventy-seven. His ancestors, as well as those of his wife, were of German origin. They were the parents of eight children, three sons and five daughters.

The grandfather of Mrs. Skinner, John Dayhuff, was a man possessing great energy and force of character, and was particularly zealous in religious matters. When he considered that the time had come for building a church, he went to work himself, without asking assistance of any one. He erected the edifice on his own land, deeding it to the Methodists, Dutch and English. Being a splendid singer, his services were frequently called into requisition for public occasions, and he was chorister for several different denominations at the same time. For many years he kept a notebook and the writing in it was so beautiful as to attract general attention. Upright and honorable, he won the esteem of all who knew him and his memory is revered by his descendants.

Coming to Michigan in 1845, Mr. Skinner settled in Porter Township two years later, and here improved a farm that he sold in 1865. During the same year he purchased his present place and has embellished it with the best of improvements. He spent twelve years in Jones, this county, having retired from his farm, but again returned to this place and has since made it his home. He served for five years as Justice of the Peace, for four years was Supervisor from Porter Township, and while in Jones he served as Supervisor from Newburg Township and was also Township Clerk. When he was but seventeen years of age he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, but his wife became a member of that denomination when she was sixteen. Since that time he has lived an exemplary Christian life, and has been quite prominent in the church. He has served as Class-leader and Superintendent of the Sunday-school. He has also been a lifelong temperance man.

For many years Mr. Skinner has done but little work on his farm. He has been largely interested in settling estates and has been administrator and guardian for seven or eight important ones. Now he is living in quiet retirement on his farm. Mr. and Mrs. Skinner have had four children, as follows: Mary Ann, who was born October 6, 1844, and died October 7, 1845; Rhoda, who was born April 6, 1846, married Henry T. Cutler and now, widowed, makes her home with her parents; William H., who was born September 24, 1850, is unmarried and resides with his parents; Samuel F., who was born October 16, 1853, married Maria R. Roof, and lives on a farm adjoining that of his father, having the management of both estates.