Eighth Generation

3098. Edward Barkley Skillman was born on 27 September 1854 in Oswego, NY. Ancestry Skillman/Ryan family tree has born 27 Sep 1851 in Mechanicsville, NY. He died on 11 June 1932 at the age of 77 in Memphis, Shelby, TN. On 11 June 1932 he was a Locomotive Engineer in Memphis, Shelby, TN. Edward was buried about 13 June 1932. EDWARD B. SKILLMAN, a well known engineer in the passenger service of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley division of the Illinois Central, has been connected with the company since 1885. He began his railroad career, on the New York Central R. R. as a fireman between Syracuse and Buffalo, where he was employed from 1870 to 1876, and received his promotion to engineer on that road. He then went to Texas, and entering the service of the Texas Pacific R. R. worked as engineer for that company on the accommodation train between Marshall, Texas, and Shreveport, La., for seven months. From the latter road he went to the New Orleans & Pacific R. R. for five months, and was in the construction service of that road when it was being built. His next work was on a new road being built at Laredo, Texas,in 1880, and where he had charge of the first engine to cross the Rio Grande river. Going from Laredo to Palestine, Texas, he there became identified with the International & Great Northern R. R., which was then owned by the Goulds. He was in the passenger service of that road, and in charge of the train on which Jay Gould and Talmage made a tour of the southern roads, many of which were afterward absorbed by the Gould system.
In 1885 Mr. Skillman went to Vicksburg and entered the service of the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas R.R. (now the I. C.) in the freight department between Vicksburg and Memphis. He then took charge of the engine "R. E. Lee" that carried the pay car special over that road, and from there to a passenger run between Panther Burn and Greenville, Miss., and later between Wilson and New Orleans.
In 1891 he was transferred to Memphis, since which time he has had a regular all night run, in the passenger service between Memphis and Vicksburg. During his service Mr. Skillman has made some fast runs, among them a run of fifty miles in fifty-three minutes, on one of the old low-wheel freight engines. He has had several wrecks, the most serious one being at Rolling Fork, Miss.,when his engine jumped the track and rolled down an embankment. In this accident both he and his fireman were severely injured, and he was"laid up for repairs" for forty-two days afterward. He had other experiences of the kind, but no lives were lost on any train of which he was in charge.
Mr.Skillman is a native of New York state, born within a hundred milesof New York city, on September 27, 1854. He is a son of Daniel Skillman, who was an extensive farmer of that state, and died thereafter a retired life of several years. He married Miss Belle Reid, of New Orleans, and they have one child, Claude, a fine boy. Of the social orders, Mr. Skillman claims membership with Kellerstone Lodge No. 154, A. F. & A. M., of Wilson, La. He is also identified with Division No. 281, B. of L. E., of Vicksburg, Miss. His family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Their home is at No. 51Gholson avenue in Memphis,where they have the friendship of a large circle of associates, and where Mr. Skillman is looked upon as a worthy citizen of the community.

Edward Barkley Skillman and Matilda Isabella "Belle" Reid were married on 11 October 1887 in New Orleans, Orleans, LA. They appeared in the census in 1910 at 1218 Snowden Ave. in Memphis, Shelby, TN. They appeared in the census in 1920 at 1218 Snowden Ave. in Memphis, Shelby, TN. Edward and Belle appeared in the census in 1930 at 1218 Snowden Ave. in Memphis, Shelby, TN. In the 1930 Census his son, Vincente E., his wife, Irene, and their son, Vincent E. Jr. were living with them. Matilda Isabella "Belle" Reid, daughter of Frederick Reid and Francis Unknown, was born on 4 July 1865 in Livingston Parish, LA. She was born in 1866 in New Orleans, Orleans, LA.

Edward Barkley Skillman-84478 and Matilda Isabella "Belle" Reid-84479 had the following children: