My Genealogy Hound

EDWARD A. SKINNER, a well-known business man and president of the National Bank of Westfield, was born in the town of Aurora, Erie county, New York, May 10, 1841, and is a son of Rev. Levi A. and Laura (Patterson) Skinner. His paternal grandfather, Levi Skinner, was a farmer, and a native of Massachusetts, from which he came to Oneida county, this State, where he died in 1850. He was of English origin and had been a member of the Presbyterian church for many years before his death. His son, Rev. Levi A. Skinner (father), was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian church, in which he became a minister in early life. After preaching for several years in Erie county, this State, his voice failed him, and he was thus compelled to retire from the pulpit. He then (July 1, 1854) came to Westfield and succeeded J. N. Hungerford as cashier of the Bank of Westfield, which position he held until 1864, when he became a stockholder and director of the First National Bank of Westfield. In October the bank commenced business and he was elected cashier, which position he held until 1875, when he was elected president and served in that capacity until his death, April 12, 1876, at sixty-five years of age. He was a man of moderate means, stood well in financial circles, and married Laura Patterson, a daughter of John Patterson, who was of Scotch-Irish descent.

Edward A. Skinner was reared in Erie County until he was twelve years of age, when he came with his parents to Westfield where he completed his education in the Westfield academy, from which he was graduated. At sixteen years of age he went into the Westfield Bank as book-keeper, remained two years and then was engaged in mercantile business until 1861, when he enlisted in Co. G, 9th N. Y. cavalry, and served as second lieutenant several months. In 1862 he was promoted to first lieutenant and shortly afterwards was commissioned regimental quartermaster, which position he held until March, 1864, acting as brigade quartermaster much of the time. He was then discharged on account of physical disability, returned to Westfield where he became assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Westfield, which position he held until 1870, when he helped organize the First National Bank of Ottawa, Kansas, with which he is still identified. He returned from Ottawa in 1874, was elected in 1875 vice-president of the First National Bank of Westfield, which position he held until 1886, when at the death of his father he succeeded him as president, and has acted in that capacity ever since. This bank was organized in 1848 as the Bank of Westfield, has a capital of fifty thousand dollars and its deposits average over two hundred thousand dollars. A well established and well conducted bank is a marked feature of progress in any community and the National Bank of Westfield has been so conducted that it has always commanded public confidence.

In 1864 Mr. Skinner married Frances M. Barger, who died in June, 1872. On August 19, 1874, he married Augusta Wheeler, of Portville, New York, who is a daughter of Hon. William F. Wheeler, president of the First National Bank of Olean, this State. By his second marriage he has three children: Flora, Egbert and Frances.

Edward A. Skinner is a republican in politics and was supervisor of Westfield several years. He has served since 1880 as treasurer of the Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum, and disburses nearly three million dollars per year of the funds of that organization which numbers over one hundred thousand members in the United States and Canada.