Mary Jane (Skinner) Barnes (1850 - 1923)

Born 25 Dec 1850 in Bakersfield, Franklin, Vermont, United States

Ancestors

Wife of John Austin Barnes — married 22 Dec 1870 in Bakersfield, Franklin, Vermont, United States

Died 3 Oct 1923 at age 72 in Bakersfield, Franklin, Vermont, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Skinner Name Study.

Mary was born Christmas Day 1850. She was the daughter of Charles Skinner and Lura Wheatley. Her father died when she was eleven years old. Her mother died a year later. After her parents died, she and her siblings lived with her mother's sister, Lydia, and Lydia's husband, Charles Maynard.

Mary was known by the nickname Jennie throughout her life. She married John Austin Barnes on 22 December 1870 in Bakersfield.^[1] They were the parents of nine children. Her husband was a farmer. Three of her children became teachers.

The Bakersfield, Vermont, Historical Society has several letters written by members of the Skinner Family, and several are by Jennie Barnes. Here is an excerpt from a letter dated 3 April 1880 addressed to her Aunt Arvilla, which gives a hint of Jennie's personality:

"I have been looking for Amanda every pleasant morning. You said she was coming home this Spring. Tell her we have plenty of Cider now. Sarah Hill, she that was Sarah Williams, came of a cross the other day. We had a pleasant visit. Effie Williams boards herself where they used to live in the village. She doesn’t seem to miss her mother very much. Aunt Lydia has been quite sick with a cold. Is some better now. We had a Sugar party last Tuesday and am going to have another next Tuesday. How I wish you could be here and help us eat it. The girls had a Sugar Party two weeks ago tomorrow. 19 little folks over here a pretty lively time we had you can imagine. But Maynard, I think, is Failing his medicine has no effect now, his appetite is poor he raises terribly he looks very bad. He was here the other day. I wrote to John the other day they have had an increase in their family. I hope they are well as myself will never have anymore I think we have quite enough all we are able to care for as they should be."

Jennie and her husband, John, lived on a farm owned by her Aunt and Uncle Maynard. Her aunt died in 1892. At this time, her Uncle Charles wrote a will naming Jennie, her husband, and their children, as beneficiaries. Shortly after this, Uncle Charles married again to a widow, Pruella Janes. When Charles died in 1898, he had not yet changed his will to include his new wife. Subsequently, the estate was in probate for some time, as Charles had left considerable property and money. The court made provisions for Pruella until the estate was settled. After the estate was probated, Pruella received the home farm of 30 acres and money equal to 25% of the estate. Jennie and John received the farm they had been living on, plus money as well. John Ward Skinner, Jennie's brother, also received a share of the estate, along with Charles's brother.^[2][3]

Her husband died 16 January 1916 when Jennie was 65 years old. Jennie died seven years later on 3 October 1923 in Bakersfield at the age of 72.^[4] She was survived by all nine of her children.

Sources

1. ↑ "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V8M1-VLJ : 5 November 2017), J Austin Barnes and Mary Jane Skinner, 22 Dec 1870, Marriage; State Capitol Building, Montpelier; FHL microfilm 27,686.
2. ↑ Vermont, Wills and Probate Records, Charles T. Maynard, probate dated 28 December 1898, Franklin County, Vermont.
3. ↑ It's interesting to note that only John Ward Skinner and Jennie Skinner Barnes received bequests among their siblings; however their sister Flora, brother Isaac, and brother Arthur had all died prior to their uncle's will being written. Their sister, Anna, was still alive; however, she appears to have been adopted by another family, so not included in Charles Maynard's will.
4. ↑ "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-2008," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KF59-4C2 : 6 December 2014), Mary Jane Skinner Barnes, Death, 03 Oct 1923, Bakersfield, Franklin, Vermont, United States; from "Vermont, Birth Records, 1909-2008," "Vermont, Death Records, 1909-2008," "Vermont, Marriage Records, 1909-2008," and "Vermont, Vital Records, 1720-1908." Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2010); citing Vital Records Office, Vermont Department of Health, Burlington and New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.