Hello, always nice to meet a relative of Capt John Skidmore-family. this is what i have listed in my records for Capt John Skidmore. I also have many photos and newspaper articles in my section for the battle of point pleasant. I have never been to the national monument at point pleasant.
John A. Skidmore:
Parents: Joseph Skidmore Jr. & Agness Ann Skidmore
Born: June 10, 1736 (Kent County, Delaware)
Died: October 12, 1809 (Rockingham County, Virginia)
Buried: John Skidmore Cemetery (Pendleton County, West Virginia)
Mary “Polly” Magdalena Henckel (spouse):
Parents: Johann Justus Henkel & Maria Magdalena Eschmann
Born: February 1, 1743 (Bucks County, Pennsylvania)
Married: About 1762 (Augusta County, Virginia)
Died: October 18, 1829 (Rockingham County, Virginia)
Buried: John Skidmore Cemetery (Pendleton County, West Virginia)
Children:
• James Skidmore (Born: about 1763);
• Phoebe Skidmore (Born: 10/22/1765);
• John Skidmore (Born: about 1767);
• Ezekiel Skidmore (Born: about 1769);
• Hannah Skidmore (Born: about 1769);
• Elijah Skidmore (Born:1/9/1773);
• Nancy Skidmore (Born: 1/10/1775);
• Rachel Skidmore (Born: about 1777);
• Andrew Skidmore (Born: 5/10/1779);
• Levi Skidmore (Born: about 1781);
• Isaac Skidmore (Born: about 1783);
• Mary “Polly” Skidmore (Born: 12/18/1784);
• Susannah Skidmore (Born: 6/4/1788);
• Edith Skidmore (Born: 9/15/1789).
Genealogical Sketch:
John A. Skidmore was believed to have been born on the “Fishers Delight” Plantation along the Murderkill River (known as “Murderkill Hundred“) in Kent County Delaware. Not long after his birth, his family relocated to the western frontier of Augusta County, Virginia (need cite).
On March 2, 1762, Captain John Skimore married Magdalena Hindoll (Mary Madedalena Henckel) by Reverend Alexander Miller at the Peaked Mountain Church in Augusta County, Virginia.[1] (see Tracing Millers Migration from Pennsylvania to South Carolina) After their marriage, John Skidmore and Polly settled near Mud Lick on the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River (about two miles from the Mouth of the Seneca).
After the defeat of Braddock’s army in 1755 the militia of Augusta, Frederick, and Hampshire Counties were called out to protect the border. John Skidmore and his two older brothers served in the Augusta Company of Militia. According to the expenditures Minutes of the Virginia House of Delegates, the Skidmores were paid 7 shillings each for their service in the company commanded by Captain Abraham Smith (need cite). In August 19, 1767, John Skidmore was appointed as a Captain of a Augusta County militia company (Peter Veneman was his Lieutenant).[2]
In 1774, Captain John Skidmore and his militia company were among the 400 men mobilized under General Andrew Lewis to face the Indian hostilities.[3] On August 1 the company departed for Camp Union and September 27 the company was camped on the Elk River. At this time Captain Skidmore’s company consisting of Lieutenant Robert Davis, Ensign Nicholas Harpole, three Sergeants, and 32 men fit for duty.[4]
Early in the morning of October 10, two men came alerted the camped army of the approaching war part of Shawnee and Mingo warriors under the Shawnee Chief Cornstalk. Two columns of 150 men under Colonel Charles Lewis and Colonel William Fleming quickly marched out and were attacked after only advancing about half a mile from camp. The militias broke ranks and Colonel Charles Lewis fell mortally wounded almost at once. Reinforcements were sent from the camp and the engagement wore down to a series of skirmishes that lasted the rest of the day. During the battle, Captain Skidmore and his company was pocketed in between the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers and Crooked Creek with no apparent avenue of escape.
Late in life Captain Skidmore recounted how Captain Mathew Arbuckle organized volunteers to attempt to maneuver behind the enemy along the high bank of the Kanawha River. Just before Arbuckle was in position Captain Skidmore was shot a second time and his company gave way. Captain Skidmore called to them that he was not dead and to stand firm. As his men made a charge to secure him the flanking detail of Arbuckle opened fire and the Indians retreated. Captain Skidmore was hit by two bullets that day. The first passed through the calf of his leg and did no great harm. The second, late in the day, hit him in the hip and passed through his body missing any vital organ. It lodged in his clothes on the other side; “caught in the waistband of his pants” as it was later put by Billie Thompson.[5]
• During the Battle of Point Pleasant (also known as the Battle of Kanawha) the Virginia militia lost an estimated 46 dead and 80 wounded.
• On April 19, 1775, around 700 British troops fired on about 70 militiamen that had assembled at Lexington (Massachusetts) killing eight before an estimated 400 militia “minutemen” rallied and repulsed the British at Concord triggering the start of the Revolutionary War.
After the Royal Governor of Virginia fled to the British (May 1775), the Virginia General Assembly (Safety Committee) called for the militias to be organized. Apparently in response, the local militia was mustered in Fort Henckel in June and again in September 1775. The fort was under the command of Captian John Skidmore’s father-in-law Johann Justus Henckel, and the militia company was under his (Captain John Skidmore) command. Included in the 46-50 man company were his brother-in-law Johan Justus Henckel Jr, his brother-in-law Moses Elsworth (married to Polly’s sister Anna Maria), his brother-in-law Paul Teter (married to Polly’s sister Rebecca), brother-in-law Phillip Teter (married to Polly’s sister Susanna), brother-in-law George Peter (married to Polly‘s sister Anna),and son-in-law Andrew Johnson (married to Polly‘s sister Hannah).
In 1777, Captain John Skidmore commanded a company of militia (Greenbrier Militia) in the Revolutionary War. His brother-in-law, Isaac Henkel, served as his Lieutenant and younger brother Samuel Skidmore served as Ensign. In May, the company marched to Fort Westfall in Tygart Valley to protect the settlements from attacks by Indians supported by the British. The company was disbanded in December without seeing action.[6] The paymaster in Richmond reported over £350 as having been sent in 1777 to Captain Skidmore to pay his men in the Greenbrier Militia (need cite).
• On October 20, 1777, Rockingham County was formed from the western portion of Augusta County. Pendleton County (Virginia) was formed on created December 4, 1787, from portions of Augusta, Hardy and Rockingham Counties.
On March 7, 1791, John Skidmore gave a bond to serve as High Sheriff of Pendleton County with William Gregg and Francis Evick as his sureties. The sheriff was the chief Tax Collector and County Treasurer in addition to his other duties. John Skidmore would serve two terms in this office.
The will for John Skidmore was recorded in Pendleton County, Virginia (now West Virginia) on December 12, 1809 (Will Book 1, pages 70-2).
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I John Skidmore Senr. of the County of Pendleton and the State of Virginia being weak in body but of sound mind and Memory do make and ordain this Instrument of Writing as my last will and testament and hereby bequeath of my worldly Estate as follows to wit.
First I will and bequeath unto Mary Magdalene my Dearly beloved wife the place I now live on and all my moveable Estate till her Death to use as she may think proper and after her death my moveable Estate to be sold and Equally divided among my sons and Daughters.
Secondly I will and bequeath unto my son James and my Daughter Hannah all my lands on Reeds Creek and Wolf Hollow More or Less.
Thirdly I will and Bequeath unto my two sons John and Levi two hundred and forty acres of land more or less at the thorny meadows.
Fourthly I will and Bequeath unto my son Elijah Ninety two acres on the west side of the town Frankford.
Fifthly I will and bequeath unto my son Andrew and my daughter Susannah the lands I bought off Peterson on Alleghany and Andrew is to have the South End To wit one tract of one hundred and three acres and thence adjoining the same N37 E at 100 Poles to a Sugar and red oak on the top of Alleghany and then thro the tract.
Sixthly I will and bequeath unto my Daughter Phebe the place I bought of Clifton and one hundred and fifty acres adjoining the same.
Seventhly I will and bequeath unto my Daughter Nancy the Ballance of the Folk place be it more or less.
Eighthly I will and bequeath unto my Daughter Rachel the old mill place and all the remainder of my lands adjoining the Same.
Ninthly I will and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary the Smith place & a tract adjoining the same on the East side More or less.
Tenthly I will and bequeath unto my son Isaac and my daughter Ede the home place and all the lands belonging to me adjoining the same and a tract at the little meadows after the death of my wife by their paying thirty pounds to each of my three daughters namely Phebe & Rachel and Mary and
twenty pounds to my son Levi and ten pounds to my son John one year after the death of my wife. I also bequeath & will unto my son James two hundred acres of land on Seneca Waters known by the same name of Graggs Entry and I do constitute and Confirm this Instrument my Last Will and Testament. In Testimony where of I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this 16th day of September 1809.
Witness present his
Jacob Coonrad Senr John Skidmore (Seal)
Georg Coil mark
Ulrey Conrod
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Gravestones:
John A. Skidmore and his wife, Mary “Polly” Magdalena, are buried in the family plot (John Skidmore Cemetery) on their old family home. Located three miles north of Ruddle (Pendleton County, West Virginia) on the east side of the South Branch of the Potomac River along US Route 220. There are between 15-18 unmarked graves, with Captain John A. Skidmore having the only marked grave (the new stone was dedicated by the West Virginia Hills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Colonists on August 2, 1969).
