WILLIAM HARRISON SKINNER - MARY ELIZABETH SPARKS

Local Pages:
Richard Skinner Jr. - Elizabeth Corson
George Skinner - May Leap
Earl Skinner - Lillian Showalter

 

WILLIAM HARRISON SKINNER ("Harry"), son of Richard Skinner, Jr. and Elizabeth Ann Corson
b. Aug 16, 1846 Harrison Twp., Glo. Co., NJ
d. April 5, 1935, age 88, at home of daughter Elizabeth Ungerbuehler, Wilmington, DE
buried Manahath Cem., Glassboro, NJ (pub. 4/10/1935, Wood. Const., Woodbury, NJ)
m. Dec 21, 1871 Gloucester Dity, NJ by Rev. Henry Reeves (pub. Wood. Const. 1/17/1872)
 
w. MARY ELIZABETH SPARKS ("Lizzie")
dau. of Robert C. Sparks and Mary Rice of Gloucester City, NJ
Robert Sparks was a Glassboro builder [KDS]
b. July 29, 1851
d. Oct 19, 1926 at home, Main St., Glassboro, NJ, buried Manahath Cem. 10/25/1926
(pub. Wood. Const., 10/27/1926)

CHILDREN:

1. URSULA A. SKINNER [KDS note - 'Erzula' per 1880 census]
b. Dec 7, 1873 Glassboro, NJ
d. Jan 23, 1965 age 91, Woodbury, NJ, buried Manahath Cem., Glassboro, NJ
(pub. Woodbury Times, 1/28/1965) Davis, F. D.
m. July 10,1893 Monday evening at the residence of the bride’s father, William Skinner
(pub. Glo. Co. Dem., Glassboro News 7/13/1893)
h. HORACE HAMMEL THOMAN, son of Frederick G___ Thoman and Matilda Ann Thompson
b. Aug 12, 1871 Glassboro, NJ
d. Aug 5, 1925 Woodbury, NJ, buried Manahath Cem., L. N. Shreve, F.D.

2. GEORGE WARREN SKINNER
b. Feb 8, 1877 Glassboro, NJ
d. Aug 22, 1970 Sanibel Island, FL, buried Manahath Cem. (KDS - I’ve heard the obituary says 8/23; H. Earl Skinner’s calendar indicates 8/22, the funeral invoice indicates 8/23 but was typed over to say 8/22)
m.
w. VIOLA MAY LEAP adopted dau. of Mary S. Leap and ___
b. May 19, 1875
d. Jan 1, 1963 Camden, NJ, Lady of Lourdes Hosp., buried Manahath Cem.

3. LORA (ELLORA) SKINNER [KDS note -'Elinora' per 1880 census]
b. Nov 25, 1879 Glassboro, NJ
d. Mar 24, 1957 Elmer, NJ, buried Wilmington, DE
m. Jun 14, 1905, Wed. Evening at home of bride, Glassboro, NJ
by Rev. S.M. Nichols (pub. Glo. Co. Dem. 6/22/1905)
h. CHARLES CORSON SHEPPARD, of Wilmington, DE
b. Jul 18, 1882 Quinton, NJ
d. Mar 24, 1957 Elmer, NJ, both killed in same auto accident, buried Wilmington, DE
Charles Corson Sheppard was employed as a Railway Mail Clerk, living at Wilmington, DE
[Per DES, their old Packard pulled out from a stop sign in Elmer, accerlerating slowly as usual. Fast car killed both.]

Child:
Charles Francis Sheppard
b. Jun 30, 1906 Wilmington, DE
d. living 1966 19 Perry Rd, Bloomfield, NJ
m. Jun 20, 1937 Accomac, Accomack Co., VA
w. Sarah Helen Adams
b. Oct 31, 1905 Gargotha, Accomack Co., VA
d. living 1966
Child - Paul Adams Sheppard

Ref: Card file Rm 202 Woodbury Court House, NJ
Mrs. Gladys Hughlett, 611 Orchard, Lansdown, PA
Mrs. Elizabeth Ungerbuehler, 107 Gordy Place, New Castle, DE
Mrs. Helen Babcock Jacobus, 62 Fortieth St, Irvington, NJ 07111

4. OMAR SKINNER
b. Oct. 1882 Glassboro, NJ
d. May 11, 1886 age 3 years 7 months Glassboro, NJ, buried Manahath Cem. (pub. Wood. Const. 6/2/1886; Jacob Iszard, M.D.)
[KDS note - died of a fractured skull - fell and hit back of head, per notes of Earl Skinner]

5. ELIZABETH RICE SKINNER
[HES - Aunt Beth]
[KDS note - maternal grandparents were Robert Sparks and Mary Rice]
b. Feb 25, 1887 Glassboro, NJ
d. living 1966; deceased 1970’s (KDS - many artifacts I have come from her estate)
m. May 16, 1908 Saturday by Rev. S. Lee Gaul, Methodist minister at the Methodist parsonage, 29th & York Sts., Phila., PA
h. FRANKLIN MARSDEN UNGERBUEHLER, son of William Ungerbuehler and Amelia ___
b.
d. [KDS note - deceased mid-1960’s at his home; I recall visiting the house shortly after his death]

Children:

1. Charles Marsden Ungerbuehler ('Marsden')
living 1966, 107 Gordy Place, Llangollen Estates, New Castle, DE
w. Evelyn _____
children: Marsden Jr. - twice married [this entry per HES]

2. Ben C. Ungerbuehler
living 1966, Blue Rock Manor, North Wilmington, DE
w. Dorothy _____ ('Dot')
children: Richard, Jane - both married [this entry per HES]

Ref: Mrs. Elizabeth R. Skinner Ungerbuehler

 
6. FRANKLIN SKINNER - died in infancy
[KDS note - M. Smith recalls three boys died young]
 
7. TUBOR SKINNER - died in infancy
[KDS note - M. Smith recalls three boys died young]
 

Wiliiam H. Skinner, died April 5, 1935; Will dated Apr 6, 1927; Probated May 18, 1935, Vol W, p195: wife - not mentioned; children: Ursula Thoman, George Warren Skinner, Laura Sheppard (lora), Elizabeth Ungerbuehler; Executors - Ursula Thoman, George Warren Skinner of Glassboro, NJ. [KDS note - doubt Warren still lived at Glassboro in 1935]

References for above:
Mrs. Elizabeth R. Skinner Ungerbuehler, 107 Gordy Place, Llangollen Estates, New Castle, DE
Mrs. Gladys Skinner Hughlett, 611 Orchard Way, Lansdowne, PA
Manahath Cemetery, Glassboro, NJ
Mr. Charles Francis Sheppard, 19 Perry Rd., Bloomfield, NJ
 
------------------------------

All of the above information per files of VEM dated 7/1/1976/VEM and 3/21/1966, except as noted otherwise.

 
 
KDS COMMENTARY (2003):
 

Written note from Lillian to son David:

"Dear David: Your great grandfather and great grandmother Skinner, Harrison, nicknamed Harry and (Elizabeth?) Harry went to barber shop Saturday morning to get his shave using this mug & straight razor. Little Harry Earl was at his house most weekends from Phila and was quite Buddy Buddy with his grandfather. Got a lolly pop at the barbers - this couple had 4 chilren Ursula, Lora, Elizabeth and Geo. Warren. Ursula had Horace and Marion. Lora - Paul and Charles Francis. Elizabeth Marsden and Ben. George Warren had Harry Earl & Gladys. When Kevin has his first son he should be named Harry!!!"

My grandfather H. Earl Skinner referred to Harry as a hoop-maker. Cousin Marion Smith also recalls Harry used to go to PA for a month at a time to cut straps. Straps would be the young wood just under the bark utilized to make barrel hoops. They lived on the west side of Main St. In Glassboro [my notes say 66 Main St.]. They had a deep lot and a garden. They lived across from Thoman’s pharmacy. A son of the Thoman’s married Ursula, first child of Harry.

Rennie, a sister of Harry, had married Louis Shreve, who was a Glassboro undertaker. The Shreves lived just down the street (S. Main St.). According to Linda Adams, a Shreve descendant, the business passed to Mr. Kengle, husband of Beatrice Shreve - a daughter of Rennie and Louis. There is still a mortician there today.

Harry sang in the Glassboro Methodist Church for 55 years as a tenor. Harry was also a custodian of the church for a long time. His wife used to do dusting there when she was younger. The Methodist minister lived on a corner of Main St., just to the right as you walk out of the Skinner home and on the same side of the street.

Both Harry and Lizzie were very short people. Marion recalls Lizzie used to ride trains for the half-price children’s fare. Per Earl, Lizzie contracted scarlet fever later in life which affected her memoy.

Harry had a horse named "Charlie". Marion recalls mistakenly calling cousin Charles Sheppard - "Charlie Horse".

Marion recalls that Harry and Lizzie lost three sons, which is verified by the above family tree. Marion also recalls a story that the grief-stricken parents took a posthumous photograph of the eldest child to die who was "about a year old at death." [KDS Note - the eldest died at three years of age].
 
 
 
Artifacts (9/14/1995/KDS):
 

Marriage Record from the 1869 Bible of Elizabeth Skinner, mother of Harry, commemorating the marriage of Harry to Lizzie Sparks.
The certificate is written in one hand - probably that of the minister, except for the name of Hadie Heritage, which was added later in pencil.
marriage witnesses named - C.W. Corson, Ella Skinner, C. Warner, Haddie Heritage
minister - Henry Reeves
[KDS note - C.W. Corson would have been Charles W. Corson, b. Dec 11, 1841, brother of Harry's mother Elizabeth Corson Skinner.]

photographs - Willlaim Harrison Skinner and Lizzie Sparks

photographs - William Harrison Skinner

photographs - children of Harry Skinner and Lizzie Sparks

photographs - Urusla and Horace Thoman with child Ralph

photographs - Lora Skinner Shepherd

photographs - Elizabeth Skinner Ungerbuehler

photographs - the Sparks family - Lizzie, Jenny and Helems Sparks

photographs - Helems Sparks, his wife, and presumed child [child has same picture frame as Helems' wife]

photographs - Ed and Chris Rice of Bridgton [I assume Ed Rice to be a brother of the Mother of Lizzie Sparks] 

 
EXHIBITS:
 
Exhibit1 - 7/13/1976/VEM:

William H. Skinner, died April 5, 1935
date of Will April 6, 1927
date of probate May 18, 1935, Book W. p195
wife - not mentioned
children: Ursula Thoman, George Warren Skinner, Laura Sheppard (Lora), Elizabeth Ungerbuehler
Executors: Ursula Thoman and George Warren Skinner, of Glassboro, NJ [KDS note - Warren not of Glassboro at this time]
 

Exhibit 2 - 1880 census per www.familysearch.org, 2003:

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace

Wm. H. SKINNER Self M Male W 32 NJ Laborer NJ NJ
 Mary E. SKINNER Wife M Female W 29 NJ House Keeping NJ NJ
 Erzula SKINNER Dau S Female W 6 NJ At School NJ NJ
 George W. SKINNER Son S Male W 3 NJ NJ NJ
 Elinora SKINNER Dau S Female W 7M NJ NJ NJ
Census Place Glassboro, Gloucester, New Jersey