Mary (Unknown) Skinner (abt. 1617 - 1671)

Born about 1617 in Chichester, West Sussex, England

Wife of Thomas Skinner — married about 1644 in Subdeanerie Parish, Chichester, Sussex, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Sean Benjamin [send private message]

Biography

Born: About 1617.

"She called herself about 46 in 1663." Chamberlain, George W., comp. Malden Families 1640 - 1800. Vol. 4. Malden: Malden Historical Society, n.d. Print. Page 759

Died: 9 April 1671. ^[1]

Note: It is presumed that Old Style dating was being used in the listing of Mary's death date, day 9 mo 2, which, in old style would be 9 April rather than 9 February.

Marriage date and location are presumed based on birth of children. No verifying record has been found.

Research Notes

Last name is not Godden:

Attached is a copy of the will that has confused family historians of the ancestry of Mary, wife of Thomas Skinner of Malden for decades. This is the original document as written on 9 February 1663, transcribed by Thomas Danford, Esq.

Thomas Danford had transcribed many wills of the citizens of Malden, Massachusetts during this time. In all of them, he was very precise in listing relatives who were mentioned in other wills, i.e. "To my wife, Elizabeth..., To my son Martin..., To my daughter Helen.... Designations such as these are not included in William Godden's will, thus concluding that neither Marys listed first and second in his will were of any relation. More on this to follow.

June, 2014. In the book, Genealogy of the Goding family, by Frederic Webster: Genealogy of the Goding family, by Frederic Webster Goding...with a biographical sketch of the author by Mrs. A. M. Taylor and Hon. Stewart Keightley...with nineteen plates. Pub. by the author. Main Author: Goding, F. W. b. 1858. Language(s): English Published: Richmond, Ind., Press of Nicholson printing & mfg. company, 1906. And which is available at the Hathi Trust Digital Library: http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008685348 Lists the family of William Godden, who has been repeatedly mis-named as father of Mary, wife of Thomas Skinner based on her mention in William's will. Webster's book indicates NO children for William Godden, nor any daughter named Mary as a niece in the listing of William's brother Henry. The book indicates that William died unmarried.

• Further: "He was apprentice in 1640, to Comfort Starr, of Cambridge and Duxbury, Mass., but later returned to Middlesex county where he died..."
• According to the book (page 13), William's father, listed as Henry Goding, indicates he had two children, William, b about 1630; d in 1666; unmarried; and Henry, b. in 1642; m. April 7, 1663, Elizabeth Perry; d. Oct. 13, 1720.
• While this information neither confirms or disproves Mary's relation to William Godden (if any), it provides NO PROOF or evidence that she IS related to him.

Further records of Malden during this time frame indicate that William Godden, of will fame, was a seafaring man and quite often went on sailings. It appears from the town records that he had a number of loans among the people in Malden. As best as I have determined from my research, William would go out on a seafaring job, and when he returned, spent his money. There appear from the town records that occasionally he ran out of money, and borrowed from his friends until his next job. He always paid his debts when he returned.

Records indicate that William Godden had a premonition that he was going on his last job, and, as such, wrote his will before he left (1661). His premonition came true, and his money was dispersed upon notice of his death (1663).

Mary, wife of Thomas Skinner of Malden, owned and operated the inn (ordinarie) at Cross and Walnut Streets in Malden. It is most likely that the money he left to Mary was money owed to her due to a "tab" before he left.

UPDATE: November 26, 2016: The complete will of William Godden has finally appeared online. It states, "A bill to Thomas Skinner...5 shillings" the same amount that was promised in the will. (See copy of will disbursements in documents.)

CASE CLOSED!

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9069/007553467_01004/2184725?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/11899526/person/120045175082/facts/citation/540165293352/edit/record

Probate Records 1648--1924 (Middlesex County, Massachusetts); Author: Massachusetts. Probate Court (Middlesex County); Probate Place: Middlesex, Massachusetts Description

Notes : Probate Papers, No 9179-9298

Source Information

Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Massachusetts County, District and Probate Courts.

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QY-H323?cc=2061550&wc=Q4DM-K6D%3A353350601%2C353362601%2C353362602 : 13 July 2016), Middlesex > County records > Births, marriages, deaths 1651-1793 > image 136 of 652; town clerk offices, Massachusetts.

• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hutch/EGGLESTON/Skinner.htm
• U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 Ancestry.com 2012