Seventh Generation

1367. Theodore Skillman was born on 29 November 1838 in Phillipsburg, Warren, NJ. He served in the military about 1864 at Civil War. He appeared in the census in 1920 at 29 Hutson St. in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, PA. Theodore died on 1 August 1921 at the age of 82 at 29 Hutson St. in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, PA. He was buried at Mount Greenwood Cemetery in Trucksville, PA. A surgical marvel in the Wilkes Barre Record recalls the fact that he had a silver tube in his windpipe. The death of Theodore Skillman, Civil War veteran, at his home recalls the fact that he was one of the first persons in United States to undergo the critical operation of having his windpipe cut, an obstruction removed and a silver tube inserted in the pipe, through which he breathed for more than thirty years. His case was such a remarkable one, the operation having been so successfully performed by the late Dr George W. Guthrie that Mr Skillman for a long time after recovering traveled about from one medical college to another and to surgical clinics and the work of Dr Guthrie was exhibited. Mr Skillman for many years was employed as a carpenter at the Jersey Central car shops at Ashley, being one of the company's expert workmen. One summer day in the middle 80's, while seated on a pile of lumber outside of the shop, after having eaten his noon-day luncheon, he was seized with a severe spell of sneezing. He had a toothpick in his mouth at the time, and his sneezing drew the toothpick back into his throat. It caused him great pain and he at once sought medical attention. The doctor who attended him managed to take out part of the toothpick, and at the time thought he had removed all of it. In a few weeks Mr Skillman experienced more severe pain than ever and he returned to the doctor, who failed to find any more trace of the toothpick. Mr Skillman continued to grow worse, lost flesh until he was reduced to a mere skeleton and finally lost his voice. Some physicians said he had tuberculosis and sent him to the seashore claiming that the salt air would bring back his health. He continued to grow worse, weakened so much that he was unable to walk, and he was finally brought home on a stretcher to die. On reaching home he sent for Dr. Guthrie, and by writing on a slate told the doctor that he wanted him to operate on him and remove a part of the toothpick that was still lodged in his throat. In those days the X-ray was unknown and Dr. Guthrie , after an examination, told the patient that he would have only one chance out of 5,000 to recover. Mr Skillman pluckily wrote on the slate "I'll take it, as I can not suffer any more than I have already and I am a soldier. Dr Guthrie had read in medical journals of similar operations having been successfully performed in St. Petersburg Russia, Berlin, London and Paris, but none in the United States. He studied patient carefully and performed the operation. In the windpipe he found a portion of the toothpick, deeply imbedded in a cancerous growth, which was removed and the windpipe carefully cleaned and the silver tube inserted. The operation was a complete success. Mr Skillman rapidly regained normal weight and was able to perform manual labor until a few years ago, when owing to his advance in years he had to relinquish all toil. For many years Mr Skillman was the ticket taker at the West Side baseball park, but very few persons were aware of the silver tube being in his windpipe, as he always wore a long beard that covered the hole in the tube, which he covered with his finger when he wanted to talk.
Sent by Charles Skillman

Theodore Skillman and Elizabeth H. Hutson were married on 28 January 1869 in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, PA. Elizabeth H. Hutson, daughter of James Hutson and Francis Unknown, was born on 26 September 1845 in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, PA. She died on 12 May 1912 at the age of 66 at 29 Hutson St. in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, PA. She was buried at Mt. Greenwood Cemetery in Trucksville, PA.

Theodore Skillman-11028 and Elizabeth H. Hutson-11029 had the following children:

Lydia Unknown (private).

Theodore Skillman-11028 and Lydia Unknown-84901 had the following children: