Sixth Generation

488. Abraham Terhune "Abram" Skillman was born on 27 October 1788 in Rocky Hill, Montgomery Twp., Somerset, NJ. He died on 26 October 1858 at the age of 69 in Lexington, Fayette, KY. Obituary: Kentucky Statesman, October 26, 1858

Abram T. Skillman, an old and highly esteemed citizen of this place died in this city this morning. We trust some friend will furnish a fitting tribute to the memory of one so worthy. His funeral will take place from the Second Presbyterian Church tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon, at 3 o'clock. He was buried on 27 October 1858 at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Fayette, KY. Grave in Section F, Lot 32. Abram was a bookseller and stationer in Lexington, Fayette, KY. His SOA Number is 105. The family came from New Jersey to Lexington, KY in 1822

In March 1832, they bought a house vintage 1800 at 177 N. Limestone St., Lexington, Fayette, KY, "Battle Row" Source: Old Houses of Lexington. They sold the house in Dec., 1852 to his son-in-law Merit P. Lancaster.

Susan DeGroote on Ancestry.com 11/20/2000 says "In 1842 he bought a house on 156-158 N. Upper Street." (Lexington, KY)

Abraham Terhune "Abram" Skillman and Magdalene Davis were married on 23 September 1809 in Somerset Co., NJ. Magdalene Davis was born on 28 July 1788 in New Jersey. She died on 14 August 1822 at the age of 34 in Lexington, Fayette, KY. She was buried at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Fayette, KY.

Abraham Terhune "Abram" Skillman-970 and Magdalene Davis-1552 had the following children:

1530	i.	Thomas Skillman was born on 2 November 1811. He died on 10 March 1835 at the age of 23 in Lexington, Fayette, KY. He was buried at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Fayette, KY. Thomas was a proprietor of the Western Luminary.
+1531	ii.	William Davis Skillman-1554.
1532	iii.	Capt. Henry Skillman was born on 9 February 1815 in New Jersey. He died tracked and killed. on 15 April 1864 at the age of 49 at Spencer's ranch in Presidio, TX. SKILLMAN, HENRY (ca. 1814–1864). Henry Skillman, military scout, pioneer mail carrier, and stage driver, was born in New Jersey in late 1813 or early 1814, according to the El Paso County census of 1860. He probably grew up in Kentucky and came west in his twenties. He first appears in written accounts as a courier on the old - Santa Fe Trail </handbook/online/articles/exs03> in 1842, and he later drove the Santa Fe-to-Chihuahua route as a trader. When the Mexican War </handbook/online/articles/qdm02> broke out, Skillman served as wagonmaster in the Doniphan expedition into Mexico in 1846–47, and at the battle of Sacramento in 1847 he distinguished himself as captain of Company B, the Traders Battalion. Later that year he was interpreter and guide for American troops in Mexico. Upon Skillman's return to Santa Fe, he was chosen by Col. Sterling Price to command a party of scouts that traveled from El Paso toward Chihuahua ahead of the American forces. In 1849 and 1850 Skillman was among the first horseback mail carriers between San Antonio and El Paso. In 1851 the United States postmaster general awarded him the first contract for mail delivery between Santa Fe and San Antonio. He ran the route bimonthly until March 1852, when it became a monthly run. That first run was made with six mules and a Concord coach and was accompanied by eighteen well-armed mounted men, but as time went on the route utilized freight wagons, often accompanied by horsemen leading pack mules. Although there was little call for passenger service initially, the postmaster general began to insist that the service be offered on a regular basis. Skillman could not afford to build and provision the stage stations required for such service. Evidence indicates that he tried to maintain his contract under the new orders, for he had an announcement printed (dated December 6, 1851, but not published until September 1852) offering bimonthly passenger service on the Santa Fe-San Antonio route. Passengers could endure a nineteen-day journey in makeshift canvas-topped farm wagons for twenty-five dollars. But improvements were too little and too late, and in 1854 the postmaster general awarded Skillman's contract to David Wasson. Skillman was residing in Concordia at that time and continued to drive the route occasionally for Wasson. His name appears only sporadically in the logs until the late summer of 1857, when he is recorded as the supervisor of the first coach mail delivery route from San Antonio to San Diego, California. Henry Skillman is remembered as the driver of the first west-bound Butterfield Overland Mail </handbook/online/articles/egb01> stage, which arrived in El Paso on Thursday, September 30, 1858. Skillman took over the reins of the stage at the Horsehead Crossing station on Sunday morning and arrived in El Paso before dawn on Thursday, having spent ninety-six hours at his position, with no rest or relief. When the Civil War </handbook/online/articles/qdc02> erupted, Skillman ran espionage for the Confederate forces between old El Paso del Norte and San Antonio. After several successful trips he was tracked and killed on April 15, 1864, at Spencer's Ranch, near Presidio, by a detachment from Company A, First California Cavalry, led by Albert H. French. -------------------------------------- According to the Historical Marker in St. Francis Park in Presidio, he was killed on April 3, 1864. This Henry is likely the Capt. Henry Skillman - Hero of Far West Texas. Story at http://www.rootsweb.com/~txbcgs/skillman.html From Big Bend Now online: Tavarez restores historical marker in downtown Presidio August 15th, 2013 under Features PRESIDIO – Alcee Tavarez, a Presidio County Historical Commission Member, restored the Captain Henry Skillman Historical Marker that is located at St. Francis Park at 300 W. O'Reilly St. in Presidio. Alcee Tavarez with the Captain Henry Skillman historical marker. Tavarez was trained on How To restore historical markers by the Texas Historical Commission and was authorized to do the restoration by taking the class years ago. The marker was place in 1964 making it nearly 50 years old. Brad Newton, Presidio Tourism Director said, Mr. Tavarez did a wonderful job on the marker and I appreciate his volunteering to take on such a big job with no pay. He is an inspiration for all of us to take care of our past for new generations to learn and enjoy. Thank you Alcee. Newton went on to say, The Captain Skillman story is a Testament to the rugged people who braved the early dangers of the Big Bend until it killed him. I would like to invite everyone to stop by the St. Francis Park to read the marker and see his handy work.
+1533	iv.	Mary Duryea Skillman-1556.
1534	v.	John Skillman was born on 29 November 1818. He died on 26 July 1844 at the age of 25 in Lexington, Fayette, KY. He was buried at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Fayette, KY.
+1535	vi.	Anne Elizabeth Skillman-1558.

Abraham Terhune "Abram" Skillman and Elizabeth "Betsy" Robb were married on 11 August 1828 in Lexington, Fayette, KY. Joseph Robb (father of bride) was surety. Consent of father. Elizabeth "Betsy" Robb, daughter of Joseph Robb, was born in 1800 in Kentucky. She died on 13 October 1873 at the age of 73 in Lexington, Fayette, KY. She was buried on 15 October 1873 at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Fayette, KY. Grave is in Section F, Lot 32.

Abraham Terhune "Abram" Skillman-970 and Elizabeth "Betsy" Robb-1559 had the following children:

1536	i.	Julia Ellen Robb Skillman was born on 17 July 1830. She died on 26 March 1831 at the age of 0. She was buried at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Fayette, KY.
1537	ii.	Ellen Robb Skillman was born on 22 March 1832. She died on 5 December 1836 at the age of 4. She was buried at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Fayette, KY.
1538	iii.	Julia Ann Davis Skillman was born on 13 November 1834. She died on 13 January 1849 at the age of 14. She was buried on 1 April 1950 at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Fayette, KY. Grave is in Section F, Lot 32.
+1539	iv.	Elizabeth Bonneau "Lizzie" Skillman-1560.