USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 3 > Part 23
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* He was great in his probity, patriotism and purity of life, and he wielded a vast influence for good. In public and in private life, like him who was loved of God, he walked uprightly before men. And with a full remembrance of all the honors which had been pressed upon him, of all the great successes of his life, no better or truer epitaph can be pro- duced over his grave than that which he himself would have desired: "A man of honor, and a Christian gentleman."
SKINNER, Colonel William Converse, Manufacturer, Financier.
A man of pleasing personality, kindly, considerate and courteous to all, a level headed, finely poised man of affairs, quick and decisive of action, conservative but determined, Colonel William C. Skinner,
president of the Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, is the capable executive of that corporation of world wide fame. His personal desire was for a professional career, but a throat trouble, which developed during his term at Al- bany Law School, thwarted that ambition and gave him to the business world in which he is so conspicuous a figure. He is of distinguished Colonial and Revolu- tionary ancestry, descending in direct line from Thomas Skinner, who came to America from England about 1650; from Samuel Roberts, an early settler of Strat- ford, Connecticut ; from John and Pris- cilla (Molines) Alden, of the "May- flower ;" from Deacon Edward Converse, of Charlestown and Woburn; from Sir Thomas Billing, of Rowell, England. His collateral lines are many, his membership in the Society of Colonial Wars being based on nine ancestors with seven addi- tional lines, and admission to the Sons of the American Revolution was gained on the service of Calvin Skinner and five additional lines.
(I) Sergeant Thomas Skinner, the American ancestor, was born in England in 1617, and came to New England be- tween the years 1649 and 1652, accom- panied by his wife Mary and two sons: Thomas (2) and Abraham. He settled at Malden, where in 1652 he was granted "libertye and license to keepe an ordinary there." He only kept the inn for a short time, but in 1654 bought a lot of fifteen acres with house, of Rowland Lahorne. He was admitted a freeman, May 18, 1633, and March 3, 1678-79, he with seven other proprietors and those interested in the destruction of property by the Indians during King Philip's War were present at a meeting of a committee of the Gen- eral Court held in Cambridge. In 1680 he was chosen selectman and given direct oversight of the town of Malden. The
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same year he was made sergeant of the Malden Company of the First Regiment, and in 1693-94, being then nearly eighty, he deeded the old homestead at the south- east corner of Cross and Walnut streets, Malden, to his son Abraham in consider- ation for the future maintenance of him- self and wife Lydia. Mary, his wife, died at Malden, and he married a second wife Lydia (Shepherdson) Call, widow of Thomas Call, and resided in the house above mentioned. The old house stood until torn down before 1798, but a large rock on the lot known as Skinner's Rock was not removed until 1887, it standing as a monument of the olden time and preserving the name of its former owner for two centuries after he first became its owner. Lydia Skinner died December 17, 1723.
(II) Abraham Skinner, son of Sergeant Thomas and Mary Skinner, was born in Chichester, England, came to New Eng- land with his parents, and died in Malden, Massachusetts, prior to 1698. His wife Hannah died January 14, 1725. He served in the Mt. Hope campaign against the Indians in 1675, and was in the Nar- rangansett Fort in 1676.
(III) Abraham (2) Skinner, son of Abraham (1) and Hannah Skinner, was born in Malden, Massachusetts, April 8, 16SI, and died in Woodstock, Connecti- cut, December 24. 1776. He married, prior to 1718, Tabitha Hills, born in Mal- den in 1690, and late in life they moved with their son William to Woodstock, where Tabitha (Hills) Skinner died July 13, 1771. They were the parents of Abra- ham, William, Isaac, Tabitha, Abigail, twin with Tabitha, Benjamin, Hannah, Ebenezer and Jonathan.
(IV) Deacon William Skinner, son of Abraham (2) and Tabitha (Hills) Skin- ner, was born in Malden, Massachusetts, July 16, 1720, and died in Woodstock,
Connecticut, January 30, 1807. When a young man he settled with his parents in Woodstock, and throughout his long after life was a pillar of the church and re- garded as one of the most useful and re- spected citizens of that community. He was elected deacon of the South Church in 1763, in which capacity he served with "singular discretion, wisdom and fidel- ity," for more than forty-three years. William Skinner served at the siege of Louisburg, in 1745, and in 1757 was com- missioned ensign in the Fifteenth Com- pany, Eleventh Connecticut Regiment. William Skinner responded to the call from Boston, Lexington Alarm, was a member of Captain Ephraim Manning's company, Woodstock (Connecticut) Militia, and also a private in Captain Paine's company, Eleventh Regiment, Connecticut Militia, in September, 1776, serving at New York. He married, in 1744-45, Thankful Mascraft, born Janu- ary 23, 1721, and died in Woodstock, April 16, 1805. They were the parents of Calvin, William (2), Bethesda, Thank- ful, Salva, Salva (2), Tabitha, Isaac and Luther.
(V) Calvin Skinner, son of Deacon William, and Thankful (Mascraft) Skin- ner, was born at Woodstock, Connecticut, October 12, 1746, and died at Thompson, Connecticut, July 15, 1777, from the effects of fever contracted in the camp at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He was a private in Captain Joseph Elliott's com- pany, Killingly (Connecticut) Militia, marching, on the Lexington Alarm of April, 1773, and a corporal in Lieuten- ant Paine Converse's company, Eleventh Regiment, Connecticut Militia. H served around New York, went into camp with General Washington's army at Val- ley Forge, and endured the sufferings of that terrible period until stricken with fever. He married, at Thompson, Con-
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necticut, February 12, 1775, Eleanor Porter, born there March 19, 1753, and died at Royalton, Vermont, September 15, 1813. They were the parents of two children, Sally and Calvin (2).
(VI) Calvin (2) Skinner, posthumous son of Calvin (1) and Eleanor (Porter) Skinner, was born at Woodstock, Con- necticut, November 23, 1777, and died at Royalton, Vermont, August 23, 1843. When a boy he was taken by his mother, sister, and stepfather, Lieutenant Zebulon Lyon, to Royalton, Vermont, and when he came of age made an indenture with his stepfather to care for him and his wife and his two half-brothers until they reached legal age. He later in life, by careful saving and industry, acquired con- siderable property. In 1809 Lieutenant Lyon deeded him a large farm on White river in Royalton, which has since been known as the "Skinner" farm and home- stead. He married, November 13, 1803, Sally Billings, a woman of keen intelli- gence and ready wit, who died in Royal- ton, April 25, 1850 (see Billings XIV). Both were devout members of the Con- gregational church, giving generously to the church of their means and personal service. They were the parents of Eliza, Susan, William, Lucretia, Lewis, Eleanor, Calvin, died young; Calvin, of further mention ; Martin and Richard.
(VII) Dr. Calvin (3) Skinner, son of Calvin (2) and Sally (Billings) Skinner, was born in Royalton, Vermont, May 22, 1818, and died in Malone, New York, Sep- tember 24, 1903. He began his education in the public schools at Royalton, Ver- mont, and he prepared for college at the Royalton Academy, later attending the University of Vermont. In 1837, he be- gan the study of medicine and graduated from Dartmouth Medical College in 1840, soon after taking a special course at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in
New York. He began active practice at Rochester, Vermont, but in 1842 removed to Malone, New York, where he built up a wide and lucrative practice, with special success in surgery for which he had a natural aptitude. In 1861, he was con- tract physician for the Ninety-eighth Regiment, New York State Volunteers, recruited at Malone, New York, and in 1862 was appointed by General Morgan one of the corps of volunteer surgeons to assist the regular surgeons on the Penin- sula. The same year, 1862, he was regu- larly commissioned surgeon of the One Hundred and Sixth New York Regiment, and was with that command in Virginia until disability compelled him to resign in 1864 and return home. The disease thus contracted gradually crippled him, finally forcing him to retire from active practice and confining him to the house for the last ten years of his life.
In politics, Dr. Skinner was a Repub- lican. His first vote was cast for Presi- dent Harrison in 1840, and his last vote for President Mckinley in 1896. He, with eleven others, organized the Republican party in Franklin county, New York, in 1850, and in 1860 he was an alternate dele- gate to the National Convention that nominated President Lincoln. He held many responsible positions. He helped to secure funds for St. Mark's, the first Episcopal church in Malone, and was one of the vestrymen for nearly fifty years ; postmaster fourteen years, 1861-75 ; mem- ber of the Board of Education, 1872-90; one of the organizers of the Malone Water Company and a director for over forty years; one of the original trustees of the Northern New York Deaf Mute Institution and attending physician as long as he was able; for sixty years member of the Franklin County Medical Association, and a charter member of the Northern New York Medical Association,
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and its first treasurer. He belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic, and during the last years of his life was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
Dr. Skinner married at Royalton, Ver- mont, September 15, 1842, Jane Blodgett, born at East Randolph, Vermont, March 21, 1818, and died at Malone, New York, May 2, 1893, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Converse) Blodgett, the latter a daughter of Jude and Abigail (Alden) Converse, and a descendant of John and Priscilla (Molines or Mullins) Alden, of the "Mayflower," and of Lieutenant Jo- siah Converse, Captain Josiah Converse, Major James Converse, Lieutenant James Converse and Edward Converse. Jane (Blodgett) Skinner inherited many of the sterling qualities of her New England forebears, and by her extraordinary intel- ligence, tact and sympathy proved her husband's helpmeet in every sense of the word. The gentleness, sweetness and kindliness that permeated everything that she said or did will ever be remembered by her family and her friends. Dr. Calvin and Jane (Blodgett) Skinner were the parents of Eleanor Porter, Samuel Blod- gett, Henry Carroll, Alice Leland, Wil- liam Converse, Elizabeth Caroline, and Emma Catherine, twin with Elizabeth.
(VIII) Colonel William Converse Skinner, son of Dr. Calvin (3) and Jane (Blodgett) Skinner, was born in Malone, New York, January 26, 1855, and there completed courses of grade and high school study, graduating with the high school class of 1872. He then entered Trinity College, whence he was graduated Bachelor of Arts, class of "76," later re- ceiving from his alma mater the degree of Master of Arts. During the next session of the New York Legislature, he was appointed clerk of the judiciary commit- tee of the House, and while in Albany
attended lectures at Albany Law School. He was deterred from further progress in legal study by a serious throat trouble and spent a year in Colorado to effect its cure. After his return he located in Hart- ford, Connecticut, there forming in 1882 a partnership with General Henry C. Dwight, which connection continued for eighteen years, Dwight, Skinner & Com- pany becoming one of the best known firms in the State in the wool trade. In May, 1899, Colonel Skinner withdrew from the firm and has since been con- nected with the Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company in official capa- city. He was elected a director and vice- president of the company, July 2, 1901, and January 5, 1909, was elected president of the company to fill the vacancy caused by the death of President Grover. Presi- dent Skinner resigned the office of presi- dent, January 1, 1911, becoming chair- man of the board of directors, holding that position until the death of President Charles L. F. Robinson, when he was again elected president of this company, July 13, 1916, whose position and import- ance in the industrial and business world is so well known.
In addition to his executive duties, Colonel Skinner is a director of the Con- necticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, Hartford Fire Insurance Company, Phoe- nix National Bank, Fidelity Trust Com- pany and Smyth Manufacturing Com- pany, director and vice-president of the Society for Savings and of Jay O. Ballard & Company, and trustee of Trinity Col- lege. He served for years upon the staff of Morgan D. Bulkeley, Governor of Connecticut, with the rank of colonel, and in political faith is a Republican. His clubs are Farmington Country, Hartford, Hartford Golf, the University and Union League of New York City, the Metro- politan and Army and Navy clubs of
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Washington, the Princess Anne of Vir- ginia and Republican of Hartford. His fraternity is I. K. A. of Trinity Col- lege, and he is affiliated with St. John's Lodge, No. 4, Free and Accepted Masons. From his father he inherits membership in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion; through his descent from John Alden and other Colonial ancestors membership in the Society of the May- flower Descendants and the Society of Colonial Wars, and from Calvin Skinner membership in the Sons of the American Revolution.
Colonel Skinner married, October 25, 1880, Florence Clarissa Roberts, born in 1857, died in 1904, daughter of Ebenezer and Clarissa (Bancroft) Roberts, her father a prominent business man of Hart- ford, grandson of Samuel Roberts, an officer of the Revolution, a descendant of Samuel and Mercy (Blake) Roberts, who settled in Middletown, Connecticut, as early as 1691. William C. and Flor- ence C. (Roberts) Skinner are the parents of three children : Marjorie Roberts, born August 6, 1881, married Walter S. Trum- bull, a grandson of Lyman Trumbull, and resides in New York City; Roberts Keney, born October 1, 1886, educated at Trinity College, married Marion, daugh- ter of Harry Stedman, of Hartford, and has a son, Roberts Keney (2), and a daughter, Florence; William Converse (2), born October 27, 1889, married Edith King, of Hartford, and has a son, Calvin Converse, and a daughter.
(The Billings Line).
(I) The word Billing is Saxon, mean- ing "place by the meadow." The family name was originally de Billing, and in England is traced to John Billing, of Rowell, a patron of the Church of Colly- Weston, also owning lands in Rushden. He had two sons, John and Sir Thomas.
(II) Sir Thomas Billing, of Rowell, was of the Inns Court and was called to the bar. He was made sergeant-at-law in 1453, and knighted in 1458 for taking a prominent part with the Lancastrian party. When the right to the crown was argued (1466) he appeared at the bar of the House of Lords as counsel for Henry VI., leading the attorney and solicitor- general. He was the principal law ad- visor to Edward IV., and in 1465 was made justice of the King's Bench, and in I468 lord chief justice of the King's Bench. In the spring of 1481 he was stricken with apoplexy and expired in a few days, after a tenure of office and seventeen years in the midst of the civil wars and revolutions. He was buried in Bittlesden Abbey in Oxfordshire, where a large blue marble slab was placed over his body, having on it the figures in brass of himself and lady. He is represented in his official robes. This slab, and the slab that covered his son Thomas, were taken from the Abbey after the dissolu- tion of monasteries, and placed at the upper end of the center aisle of Wappen- ham Church, where they now remain.
Sir Thomas, by his first wife, Catherine Gifford, daughter of Roger Gifford, of Twyford in Buckinghamshire, became possessed of Gifford's Manor in the ham- let of Astwell and parish of Wappenham in Northamptonshire, afterwards called "Billing's Manor," where he took up his residence. The ancient manor house, although curtailed in size, is still stand- ing and now occupied as a farm house. The eight children of Sir Thomas Billing were all by his first wife, Catherine (Gif- ford) Billing.
(III) Nicholas Billing, fifth and young- est son of Sir Thomas Billing, was of Middletown Malzor in Northamptonshire. He died in 1512, providing in his will for masses of requiem to be celebrated in
Conn-3-11
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Bittlesden Abey for five years on each anniversary of his death.
(IV) William Billing, fourth and youngest son of Nicholas Billing, died at Middletown Malzor in 1526.
(V) William (2) Billing, son of Wil- liam (1) Billing, died in Middletown Malzor in 1557, his wife Joan surviving him.
(VI) Roger Billing, son of William (2) Billing, inherited lands in Somersetshire from his father, moved from Middletown Malzor to Baltonsborough, where he died December 16, 1596. From a parchment document containing the names of the principal landowners in the parish, pre- served in the great chest in the Baltons- borough Church, it appears that he was possessed of considerable property there. By his first wife Katherine, who was buried at Baltonsburg, February 12, 1566-67, he had three children: Richard, called in his father's will "the elder ;" Elizabeth and John.
(VII) Richard Billing, eldest son of Roger Billing, moved to Taunton. Eng- land, from Baltonsburg, England, and was possessed of landed property. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Ebenezer Strong, of Taunton.
(VIII) William Billing, youngest son of Richard Billing, had by his father's will a house and land in Taunton, Eng- land, which passed to his son William who came to New England, and was sold by William to his brother Ebenezer, of Glastonbury.
(IX) William (2) Billing, son of Wil- liam (1) Billing, of Taunton, England, was of the ninth recorded English gener- ation and the founder of this branch of the family in New England. He was born in Taunton, England, and died in Ston- ington, Connecticut, March 16, 1713. He disposed of his lands in Taunton, came to New England about 1650, and is credited
with being one of the original proprietors of Lancaster, Massachusetts, in 1654. He was married at Dorchester, Massachu- setts, February 5, 1658, the record thus attesting : "William Billing was married unto Mary - - by Major Atherton, 5, 12.57." In the year 1658 he joined the company of William Cheeseborough at Stonington, Connecticut, where he be- came one of the largest land proprietors in that and neighboring towns. His wife Mary died in Stonington in 1718.
(X) William (3) Billing, son of Wil- liam (2) Billing, died in Preston, Con- necticut, and had by his wife Hannah a son Joseph.
(XI) Joseph Billings, son of William (3) and Hannah Billing (the "s" being added by Joseph), was born January 28, 1692. He was a magistrate of Preston, Connecticut. His wife Sarah was a daughter of Nathaniel Larrabee, of Nor- wich, Connecticut.
(XII) Samuel Billings, son of Joseph and Sarah (Larrabee) Billings, was born about 1718, and gave his life for his coun- try, being killed in action at Groton Heights, Connecticut, September 6, 1781. He enlisted as a private for three years service from Stonington, Connecticut, joining Captain James Eldridge's com- pany, First Regiment, Connecticut Line, Colonel Jedediah Huntington, and served his full term from January 15, 1777, to January 15, 1780, when the British, under command of Benedict Arnold, burnt the towns of New London and Groton ; Samuel Billings was one of the number of Connecticut militia who hastened to the defense of Fort Griswold and was one of the brave defenders of the fort massacred by the British, September 6, 1781. He married, October 14. 1744, Grace, daugh- ter of Henry Minor, of Montville, Con- necticut.
(XIII) John Billings, son of Samuel
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Billings, the Revolutionary martyr, was born at Montville, Connecticut, Novem- ber 10, 1751, and died at Royalton, Ver- mont, August 22, 1832. He was also a soldier of the Revolution, serving from May 7. 1775, to December 10, 1775, in the Fifth Company, Captain James Chapman, the Sixth Regiment, Continental Line, Colonel Samuel Parsons. The Sixth Regiment was raised at the first call for troops in April-May, 1775, and on June 17, was ordered into camp at Boston. They were posted at Roxbury, forming part of General Spencer's brigade, there remaining until the term of enlistment expired December 10, 1775. In 1776 the regiment was reorganized, John Billings leaving the service in 1778. He married, in New London, Connecticut, about 1754, Olive Noble, who died at Royalton, Ver- mont, May 14, 1843.
(XIV) Sally Billings, daughter of John and Olive (Noble) Billings, was born in Royalton, Vermont, January 21, 1782, and died there, April 25, 1850. She married, in Royalton, November 13, 1803, Calvin Skinner (see Skinner). Their son, Dr. Calvin Skinner, married Jane Blod- gett, and they were the parents of Colonel William Converse Skinner, of the six- teenth recorded generation of the Billings family in England and America.
(The Converse Line).
(I) Deacon Edward Converse, the founder of this line, was born in Wakerly, England, January 30, 1590, and died in Woburn, Massachusetts, August 10, 1663. He was trial justice for many years in Woburn, and in 1660 was a deputy to the General Court. He married, in England, before 1617, his first wife, Jane Clarke.
(II) Their son, Lieutenant James Con- verse, born in England, 1620, died 1715. He was a resident of Charlestown and Woburn, Massachusetts, lieutenant of the
Woburn Company during King Philip's War, and in 1679-83-84-85-86 and 8g deputy to the General Court. He mar- ried, October 24, 1643, at Charlestown, his first wife, Anne Long, who died Au- gust 10, 1691, at Woburn, daughter of Robert Long, of Charlestown.
(III) Major James Converse, son of Lieutenant James Converse, was born in Woburn, Massachusetts, November 16, 1645, and died there July 8, 1706. For his gallant defense of Storer's Garrison, 1691-92, he was promoted to the rank of major and placed in command of all the military forces of Massachusetts-in Maine. He represented Woburn in the General Court in 1679-92, 1699, 1702 and 1703, serving as speaker of the house dur- ing his last three terms. He married, January 1, 1668, at Woburn, Hannah Carter, born January 19, 1650.
(IV) Captain Josiah Converse, son of Major James Converse, was born in Wo- burn, Massachusetts, September 12, 1684, and died in Brookfield, Massachusetts, in 1771. He was captain of the Woburn Military Company, resided also in Leices- ter and Brookfield, Massachusetts, repre- senting the last named town in the State Legislature in 1740-42-43-45-47 and 1750. He married, December 30, 1706, at Wo- burn, Hannah Sawyer, born November 25, 1689, and died June 18, 1747, at Brook- field.
(V) Lieutenant Josiah (2) Converse, son of Captain Josiah (1) Converse, was born in Woburn, March 2, 1710, and died September II, 1775, in Stratford, Connec- ticut. He was a resident of Woburn and Leicester, Massachusetts, prior to his re- moval to Connecticut ; was lieutenant of the Leicester military company, and rep- resented that town in the State Legis- lature in 1730. He married, at Leicester, December 27, 1732, Eleanor Richardson,
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born in Woburn in 1712, and died in Stratford, Connecticut, August 6, 1785.
(VI) Jude Converse, son of Lieuten- ant Josiah (2) Converse, was born in Stratford, Connecticut, June II, 1750, and died in East Randolph, Vermont, October 23, 1816. He was a drummer boy at the Lexington Alarm and rendered nine days service under Captain Paul Blodgett, marching from Stratford in April, 1775. He was a private in the Third Company, Second Continental Regiment, under Captain Rogers Enos, Colonel Joseph Spencer, May 9-October 16, 1775. This regiment was raised at the first call for troops by the Connecticut Legislature, marched to the camps around Boston, took part at Roxbury and served during the siege. He married, about 1772, Abigail Alden, born in 1750 at Stratford, Connecticut, and died in May, 1814, a de- scendant of John Alden, of the "May- flower."
(VII) Hannah Converse, daughter of Jude and Abigail (Alden) Converse, was born in Stratford, Connecticut, August 2, 1786, and died in Forestdale, Vermont, June 10, 1855. She married in Randolph, Vermont, March 9, 1805, Samuel Blod- gett, born in Stratford, November 15, 1777, and died in Forestdale, Vermont. May 2, 1859.
(VIII) Jane Blodgett, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Converse) Blod- gett, was born in East Randolph, Ver- mont, and died in Malone, New York, May 2, 1893. She married, September 15, 1842, in Royalton, Vermont, Dr. Calvin Skinner, and they are the parents of Colo- nel William Converse Skinner, of Hart- ford, Connecticut.
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