Ninth Generation

6058. Wilbur Newton "Skilly" Skillman was born on 30 May 1900 at 23 Hart Avenue in Hopewell, Mercer, NJ. He was educated from September 1913 to June 1917 at Hopewell High School in Hopewell, Mercer, NJ. Excerpts from "Class Book H. H. S. 1917"

The class of 1917 had two boys and twelve girls.

Jokes:

The Difficulty
Glady - "Going to plant 'potatoes' in your garden this year?"
Skilly (farmer)-"I thought I would, but when I looked up the way to do it, I found that potatoes have to be planted in hills, and our yard is perfectly flat."

CLASS WILL

Third-Wilbur Skillman leaves his fondness of the girls to that woman hater, William Guinness.

Class Primer

W is for Wilbur, for whom Sara Pines.

SUPERLATIVES

The smallest: WILBUR N. SKILLMAN

CLASS ROLL

And last on our list is Wilbur Skillman. A rather bashful lad, 'tis true, but I wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to be a heart breaker some day. He also likes farm life better than going to school and the only objection is that he seldom sees Sarah any more.

CLASS PROPHECY

.....To my joy the next instant I was back in Hopewell, and many familiar sights appeared before me. On the Broad street I found the people in great commotion, and in front of the drug store, who should I see but "Skilly," who was at present campaigning for Mayor of Hopewell on the Democratic ticket. In his speech I recognized the strong eloquence so much used by him in history in former years. I noticed that most of the crowd was made up of ladies, and among them I saw a great many of the Freshmen girls. This, of course, did not surprise me, for "Skilly" was always very fond of the fair sex, especially those of the Freshman Class.

REMEMBERS

Remember Wilbur's opinion of the girls.
Remember how "Skilly's" class pin was lost.
Remember how Wilbur sang solos in English classics.

CLASS ROAST
Nickname: Skilly
Occupation: Being near the girls
Appearance: Bashful (?)
Noted For: Perfect recitations (?)
Favorite Expression: "For cat's sake"
Needs Most: To recover his class pin
Hobby: Seeing several girls home from parties

CLASS POEM

Now here's "Skilly" who likes the girls,
Grey-eyed dames and those with curls,
He finds them in Hopewell, Pennington and Woodside-
We wonder which he will take for his bride.

"Skilly" is always up to stunts,
Has lost his belongings more than once;
Now what he misses is his class pin--
Wonder how long with Virginia that's been?
He was educated from 1917 to 1918 at New York Electrical School in Kings Co., NY. Skilly was educated from 1919 to 1920 at Brown Preparatory School in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. He was educated between 1920 and 1923 at Drexel Inst. of Tech. in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. From a transcript of his grades supplied by Drexel in 1942.

His Freshman year shows no grades in the fourth quarter.

The first and third quarter of his Sophomore year were spent in coop with industry: Public Service Elec. Co., Newark, NJ. He withddrew from the fourth quarter "on account of illness."

The first two quarters of his Junior year were spent in Industry with the Philadelphia Electric Co. The third quarter he was "absent because of illness." The fourth quarter he has grades in six subjects. Between 1926 and 1967 he was an Administrator at Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, Ocean, NJ. Skilly lived at 7 Spruce St. in Toms River, Ocean, NJ from 7 February 1941 to 20 August 1985. He died cardiopulmonary arrest on 20 August 1985 at the age of 85 at Community Memorial Hospital in Toms River, Ocean, NJ. He was cremated on 22 August 1985 in Toms River, Ocean, NJ. Skilly had Social Security Number 139-30-4786. He was a Methodist. Hopewell Herald, 7/31/1935: "Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Skillman and son Billy, of Toms River, spent Friday with the former's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.N. Skillman, on Hart avenue."

Ibid, 4/13/1932: Wilbur Skillman and son William, of Lakehurst, spent the weekend with Mr. and Mrs. W.N. Skillman, on Hart avenue. After returning with his parents to Lakehurst for a day, William is spending the current week here.

Hopewell Herald, 4/20/1927, page 2:
"Wilbur Skillman Takes Merchantville Bride
Miss Greta A. Ekman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Ekman, of Merchantville, and Wilbur N. Skillman, son of Mrs and Mrs. William N. Skillman, of Hart avenue, this place, were quietly married on Saturday last.
The bride is a graduate of the Heimbach Business School, of Trenton. Mr. Skillman was graduated from the local high school and Drexel Institute, of Philadelphia. Mr. and Mrs. Skillman are also attaches of the naval air station, at Lakehurst.
The couple will reside at Lakehurst."

Hopewell Herald, 5/30/1917, page 4:
"Surprise For Wilbur Skillman
In honor of his 17th birthday anniversary Wilbur Skillman was tendered a surprise party last Saturday evening, by a number of his young friends. Games and music constituted the evening's program. Refreshments were served and a most delightful time was had.
The guests were....Elsie Skillman...Newell Golden, ..."

Ibid, 6/19/1935, page 1
"Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Skillman and son Billy, of Toms River, were Sunday guests of the former's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.N. Skillman, on Hart avenue."

Wilbur Newton "Skilly" Skillman and Greta Alfrida Eleanora Ekman lived in Lakehurst, Ocean, NJ from 1927 to 1933. They were married on 16 April 1927 in Elkton, Cecil, MD. Marriage performed by R.T. Westren, witnessed by Fern J. Westren.

New York Times in 1921 reported that Westren had been dismissed from the M.E. Church for performing illegal marriages.

On June 28, 1927 the Cumberland Evening Times reported

NEW 'MARRYING MINISTER' GOES TO ELKTON, MD.

....Dr. Colona recently filed a protest against Rev. Richard T. Westren performing marriages on the ground that the Methodist Episcopal conference had asked him to surrender his orders though he has not done so.

January 6, 1928, same paper reported the "Marrying Preacher" was saved from jail by his friends after found guilty of performing illegal marriages and fined $500 (later reduced). They appeared in the census in 1930 at Union Ave. in Lakehurst, Ocean, NJ. 1930 Census was taken by Greta A. Skillman on April 11th. Skilly and Greta lived at 98 S. Main St. in Toms River, Ocean, NJ from about 1933 to 1938. They lived at 7 Madison Ave. in Toms River, Ocean, NJ from about June 1938 to 7 February 1941. They appeared in the census in 1940 at 7 Madison Ave. in Toms River, Ocean, NJ. Skilly and Greta were divorced on 16 January 1941 in Miami, Dade, FL. Greta Alfrida Eleanora Ekman, daughter of Alfred Waldemar Ekman and Elin Charlotta Heljestrand, was born on 6 February 1901 in Stockholm, Sto., Sweden. She emigrated about 23 October 1901 from Sweden. Permission to leave Sweden, Flyttningsbetyg, dated 23 Nov., 1900. Departure from Sweden unknown. Departure from Liverpool England on S.S. New England scheduled for Oct 24, 1901, arrive in Boston, MA abt Nov. 5, 1901. She was naturalized on 8 January 1920 in New Brunswick, Middlesex, NJ. Certificate of Naturalization, Vol 17, No 4126, Jan. 8, 1920, New Brunswick, N.J., Alfred, Helen(sic) and Greta, all of RFD #1, Old Bridge, N.J. From 8 December 1925 to 24 September 1927 Greta was a clerk at Naval Air Station Lakehurst in Lakehurst, Ocean, NJ. From 14 November 1941 to 30 June 1961 she was a clerk at Naval Air Station Opa Locka in Miami, Dade, FL. She retired on 30 June 1961. Greta died of atherosclerosis on 24 October 1980 at the age of 79 at at her apartment in Miami, Dade, FL. She was cremated on 30 October 1980 in Miami, Dade, FL. Her ashes were sprinkled at the Middletown Overlook, Gambrills State Park, Frederick, MD. Just a few weeks before she had admired the Autumn leaves at that overlook. She had Social Security Number 262-26-6034 (FL). Hopewell Herald, 8/23/1933: "Mrs. Wilbur Skillman and son Billy, have returned home after spending a few days with Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Skillman, on Hart avenue."

She left the port of New York on May 12, 1923 on the Drottingholm for a three month visit to Sweden. Bill has a copy of her passport application completed March 27, 1923. Also her diary of the trip - in Swedish.

Wilbur Newton "Skilly" Skillman-2 and Greta Alfrida Eleanora Ekman-3 had the following children:

Wilbur Newton "Skilly" Skillman and Ethelyn Wager were married on 7 February 1941 at Presbyterian Church in Toms River, Ocean, NJ. Marriage to Ethelyn Wager Russell performed by Rev. Ainsley G. VanDyke. Ethelyn Wager, daughter of Eli D. Wager and Kate Unknown, was born on 6 November 1903 in High Falls, NY. She lived 7 Spruce St. in Toms River, Ocean, NJ between 1937 and 1988. She died on 18 August 1988 at the age of 84 in Toms River, Ocean, NJ. Ethelyn had Social Security Number 139-36-3205. She was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Toms River, Ocean, NJ.