John Skiff Sr (1728 - 1825)

Born 1728 in Chilmark, Dukes, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 22 Oct 1825 at about age 97 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

[Material taken from Charles Edward Banks's History of Martha's Vineyard; to be redrafted into an original biography:]

JOHN SKIFFE, (Benjamin,3 Nathan,2 Jamesl), b. about 1728; res. C., cordwainer; rem. to Dartmouth, Mass. after 1763 and d. there 21 Oct. in 1825 at the great age of 97 years. According to family tradition, which is substantiated by record evidence, he married, probably about 1753, MARY CLAGHORN, (_____), sister of Col. George Claghorn, the builder of the "Constitution." (See Additions and Corrections.) She was b. about 1731 and she is the mother of most of the "nineteen or twenty" children credited to him by the statements of descendants. When she died is not known, and it is believed that his second marriage was to WEALTHEA MAKEPEACE, dau. of Thomas and Charity Makepeace of Taunton 4 January 1781 (Dartmouth Rec.). The following named children compiled from state, town, and private records are believed to nearly complete the record of this, the largest single family of the Skiffe tribe.

HANNAH, b. (1754); m. CALEB WEEDEN, of New Bedford l Oct. 1778.

ABIGAIL, b. (1756); m. JOHN RIPLEY 25 June 1784.

BATHSHEBA, b. (1758); m. ELNATHAN TABER 10 Oct. 1784.

JOHN, b. 14 Jan. 1762. (Pension record.)

EXPERIENCE, b. (1764); m. ZIBA FULLER of N. B. Feb. 1785.

PEGGY, b. (1766); m. JOHN BLY 6 June 1787.

MIRIAM, b. 1768; intention of marriage to William Winslow was entered 16 Aug. 1799, but she d. as "single" 16 Aug. 1862 at Fairhaven.

BENJAMIN, b. 18 July 1769; m. AMY TABER abt. 1796.

ELIZABETH, b. (1770); m. LOUIS HARDOUIN (int.) 6 Oct. 1792.

NATHAN, b. (1772); m. REBECCA DEAN of Taunton 6 Dec. 1798. It is stated that he rem. to New York.

JACOB, b. (1774); m. ABIGAIL SKIFFE (int. 9 Oct. 1802).

ALMY, b. 31 July 1776; d. 11 July 1857; res. N. B., prob. unm.

JAMES, b. 1777; res. Mattapoisett; m. ELIZABETH FREEMAN AMES 23 Aug. 1798, who was b. 13 Apr. 1775 and d. 18 Mch. 1847 (g. s.). He d. 7 July 1816 (g. s.). They had issue: SARAH C., b. 21 Apr. 1800; m. Joseph Edson Smith 23 Mch. 1830 [* His son, Nathan Smith, b. 1835, m. Martha M. Dexter 15 Oct. 1861 and had issue, a daughter, Jessie Prince, b. 1869, now Mrs. Theodore C. Keller of Evanston, Illinois. Through her courtesy the author has been enabled to use the results of research, made for her in England regarding the English ancestry of the Skiffe family.]; NATHAN, b. 17 June 1801; d. 6 June 1822; JAMES, b. 18 Feb. 1803; m. Asenath Hitchman; GEORGE, b. 6 Feb. 1811; m. Elizabeth Cowing.

ABRAHAM, b. 18 July 1778; res. Fairhaven; He m. CHARITY MAKEPEACE, dau. of William and Lois (Taber) Makepeace of Raynham, Mass., who was b. June 1781, and d. 31 Dec. 1855. He is credited with eighteen children, a worthy scion of a prolific sire.

ISAAC, b. (1780); m. MARTHA BRIGGS 8 Apr. 1800.

By Second Wife:

BATHSHEBA, b. (1782); m. SETH AMES, Jr., (int. 31 Jan. 1800).

THOMAS, b. (1784); m. ANGELINE DE MARANVILLE, and had THOMAS, b. 13 Aug. 1830; res. New Bedford.

WILLIAM, b. 15 Apr. 1785.

Sources

The History of Martha's Vineyard by Dr. Charles Banks: Volume III Family Genealogies: pp. 432-440 THE SKIFF(E) FAMILY Compiled by Dr. Charles Banks, c. 1925. Transcribed and prepared for the web by C. Baer 1999. http://history.vineyard.net/skiffe.htm