|
|
|
|
Biographical Sketch Of Thomas P. Skaggs
By Toni Norman
Thomas P. Skaggs was born in July of 1825 in Barren County, KY. He is the second son of John (born 16 Oct 1800, KY) and Edna (Ennis, b 18 Jan 1801, KY) Skaggs. We know that these are his parents as Thomas gave his parents names as John and Edna Ennis Skaggs on the marriage record in Crawford, Illinois when he was married the second time. His parents moved shortly after the birth of Thomas as his sister Mary born in 1826 was born in Jackson, Indiana. By 1831 the family had moved to Morgan, Indiana as his brother John Sims was born in Morgan, Indiana in 1831. This is where Thomas lived until after his marriage. Thomas was married about 1844 or 1845 to Mary Thompson. Mary is the daughter of John Wesley (born 1784, NC) and Mary Elizabeth (Nichols) Thompson. I have not been able to find a record of their marriage yet, but I assume they were married in or near Morgan, Indiana, as this is where both of their families were living and their first two children were born in Morgan, Indiana. Mary Thompson Skaggs was born the 29 Oct 1823 in KY. Confirmed by census, birth record? Thomas and Mary had the following children, Elizabeth Ann (Eliza) born 16 Nov 1845 in Morgan, Indiana, John Milton born 1847 in Morgan, Indiana, Mary Adeline born 12 Feb 1849 in Indiana and Martha Jane born 19 Sep 1856 in Vincennes, Knox, Indiana. I believe the family must have lived in Crawford, Lawerence or Richland, Illinois for a short time as Blanche Kephart Schwartz said her grandmother (Martha) was born just over the border in Knox, Indiana. In the 1850 census, Thomas and Mary are living in Taylor, Owen, Indiana. Owen, Indiana is the county southwest of Morgan, Indiana. Thomas was a farmer according to all the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 and 1900 census records. In 1860, Thomas and Mary are living in Green Township, Morgan, Indiana. In 1870 they had moved to Martin Township, Crawford, Illinois. They most likely moved to Crawford, Illinois between 1862 and 1866 as their first daughter was married in 1862 in Morgan, Indiana to Daniel Avery. Their son John Milton was married to Lavina Bailey on 1 November 1866 in Robinson, Crawford, Illinois. It is also interesting to note that James Skaggs (Thomas’ elder brother) was in Owen, Indiana in 1860. James was in Morgan, Indiana in 1850 and I wonder if these brothers had purchased land in Owen, Indiana Thomas may have farmed the land in Owen, Illinois for awhile and then James took it over. By 1870 James was also in Crawford, Illinois. These brothers must have been close. In the 1880 census they are listed on the same page (page 436), so they obviously lived close to each other and must have been good friends Mary Thompson’s father, John Wesley died in 1859. Thomas and Mary may have moved back to Morgan because of her father’s death. Mary’s mother, Mary Elizabeth Nichols, died sometime before 1843 as her father John Wesley Thompson married Lydia Jones on 28 Sep 1843 there in Morgan, Indiana. The last child I have for John Wesley Thompson and Mary Elizabeth Nichols is Jane Thompson who was born in 1839. I don’t know Mary Elizabeth Nichols’ birth date but John and Mary Thompson’s first child was born in 1808. If Mary Elizabeth Nichols were 20 years old in 1808, then in 1839 Mary Elizabeth Nichols would have been about 51 years old. Mary Elizabeth Nichols may have died in childbirth with Jane Thompson. Lydia Jones, who was married to John Wesley Thompson, was born in 1817. John and Lydia had many children. One son named Henry was born in 1849. In the 1870 census, Henry Thompson is listed with Thomas and Mary Skaggs in Crawford, Illinois. Thomas and Mary Skaggs also had a Sanford Thompson age 8 born in Indiana living with them. This would indicate that Sanford was born about 1861 or 1862. Through another researcher who descends through Sanford Thompson, Sanford is the son of Lydia Jones Thompson. Obviously, if John Wesley Thompson died in 1859 then Sanford could not be his son. At this point we don’t know who Sanford Thompson’s father is, but Thomas and Mary Skaggs are the ones who obviously raised Sanford. At what age they started raising Sanford we don’t know, but it appears that to Sanford Thompson, Thomas and Mary Skaggs were his parents. In 1880 Sanford Thompson was still living with Thomas Skaggs even though Mary Thompson had died and Thomas had married Margaret A. Thomas. In 1900 Sanford can be found living near Thomas and Margaret Skaggs in Oregon, Missouri with Sanford Thompson’s own family. Sanford Thompson married Sarah Elizabeth Bailey and eventually had 11 children. Through another researcher who descends through Sanford Thompson, in 1920 Sanford Thompson is living in Jasper, Illinois In 1871, Thomas and Mary Skaggs’ daughter, Mary Adeline Skaggs married Tilford Bailey, whose family was also from Morgan, Indiana. Mary and Tilford Bailey had one daughter Fietta who was born about 1872 in Indiana. Sadly, Mary Adeline Bailey died in 1873 and is buried in the Oblong Cemetery in Oblong, Crawford, Illinois. Sanford Thompson, interestingly, also married a Bailey, Sarah Elizabeth Bailey. Sanford Thompson married Sarah Elizabeth Bailey about the year 1865. Sarah Elizabeth Bailey’s father, Allison (1820, KY-1867, Crawford Co. IL), and Tilford Bailey’s father, Amos (born 22 Aug 1814 in KY), were brothers and sons of Benjamin Bailey (1786, NC-1819, Adair Co. KY). In 1874, Thomas and Mary Skaggs’ daughter, Martha Jane Skaggs married Robert Watts Jr. On the 15th of March 1878 Mary Thompson Skaggs passed away and she is buried in the Oblong Cemetery in Oblong, Crawford, Illinois. On the 28th of August 1879 Thomas P. Skaggs married to Margaret A. Thomas. Margaret had a son Stephen Douglas Thomas out of wedlock when she was 20 years old. Margaret’s parents must have helped raise him as he was living with them in the 1870 census. I haven’t found Margaret Thomas in the 1870 census, but believe she was still in Crawford, Illinois. On the 18th of April 1872 Margaret married Edward Neeley whose wife had recently passed away. Margaret and Edward Neeley had 3 daughters, Emily born in 1874, Lillabella born in 1875 and Lucinda born in 1878. Edward Neeley died on the 7th of February 1879 leaving Margaret with 3 young daughters, some of his other unmarried children from Edward’s first marriage and her son Stephen Douglas Thomas to raise. Edward Neeley and Thomas P. Skaggs were neighbors, so I am sure this was a sad time when Edward died. Thomas P. Skaggs, I am sure was lonely and must have known Margaret A. Thomas fairly well as they married 6 months after Edwards Neeley’s death. In the 1880 census Emma and Lillabella Neeley are listed with Thomas and Margaret Skaggs, so I think that Lucinda Neeley must have died. Thomas and Margaret Skaggs also have Debora Neeley living with them. This is one of Edward and Drucilla Neeley’s daughters. Stephen Douglas Thomas is also living with Thomas and Margaret Skaggs. Thomas and Margaret Skaggs had a daughter, Julia born on the 30th of November 1883. One record says that Thomas and Margaret Skaggs had three daughters, but in one of the census it says that Margaret Skaggs had 5 children all living. Since Margaret had Stephen Douglas Thomas, 3 daughters with Edward Neeley and 1 daughter with Thomas Skaggs, that makes 5 children. One daughter’s name is supposed to be Betty Skaggs who married a Calbert, but I can not find any record of them. I think that since Emma and Lillabella Neeley were young they were considered Thomas P. Skaggs’ children and that would make 3 daughters. Lillabella Neeley married Thomas Marion Plummer. Emily (Emma) Neeley married James Thomas Skaggs who is Thomas P. Skaggs’ grandson through John Milton Skaggs and Lavina Bailey. Lavina Bailey is also a daughter of Allison Bailey (1820, KY-1867, Crawford Co. IL) and Margaret Ennis. In the 1900 census, Julia Skaggs is still living with Thomas and Margaret Skaggs. They have a hired hand living with them named Richard Silas Bennett. Julia Skaggs married him the next year. There is no Betty Skaggs living with Thomas and Margaret Skaggs in 1900 and if she were born after Julia Skaggs then she would have been 15 or 16 years old and most likely would have been living with Thomas and Margaret Skaggs. I think Betty Skaggs might be Lillabella Neeley. I found one record that states the following: Thomas P. Skaggs, born in Jackson County 1819-1825, was the son of John and Edna (Ennis) Skaggs. According to family tradition, Thomas never married and moved to Missouri. Nothing more is known of his life. I am not sure who wrote this article, but as can be seen, much of this information is incorrect. As we can see Thomas P. Skaggs raised 5 children of his own and many other children. I can not find Thomas and Margaret Skaggs in the 1910 census. Thomas P. Skaggs is buried in the Oblong Cemetery in Oblong, Crawford, Illinois. Thomas P. Skaggs’ tombstone says 1825-1915. Margaret (Thomas) Skaggs can be found in the 1920 census in Jasper, Illinois. Margaret (Thomas) Skaggs is buried next to Thomas P. Skaggs and her tombstone says 1840-1921. I don’t know where Thomas P. Skaggs died. I think Thomas P. Skaggs probably died in Oregon, Missouri. In the 1920 census, Richard Silas Bennett and Julia (Skaggs)’s children were born in Missouri. Their last child was 3 years old, which meant he was born in 1917. I found records of land patents that shows the government selling land to Thomas P. Skaggs of Richland, Illinois in 1848 and 1850. There is also a land patent for a James Skaggs of Morgan, Indiana in 1839 and 1841. There is also a land patent for James Skaggs of Lawerence, Illinois. All of these patents were purchasing property in Palestine, Illinois, which is in Crawford, Illinois. I believe this is Thomas P. Skaggs since James Skaggs also purchased land. In the 1860 census though there is another Thomas Skaggs married to an Elizabeth, but I do not find them in later census. Also, I have many land deeds of Thomas P. Skaggs selling land in 1867, 1871 and 1878. Thomas P. Skaggs did own land. I just wonder why it says that Thomas P. Skaggs was from Richland, Illinois and on one of James Skaggs’ land patent says that he was from Lawrence, Illinois. Thomas P. and James Skaggs may have owned land in those counties. Remember that Martha was born just over the border in Knox, Indiana (presumably the Illinois border), but she was not born until 1856. In 1871 Thomas P. Skaggs sold land to Daniel Avery, his daughter Elizabeth Ann Skaggs (Eliza)’s husband. In 1878 Thomas P. Skaggs sold land to a William Thompson. I wonder if this is Mary Thompson’s brother? In 1878 Thomas P. Skaggs also sold land to a Thomas Watts. His daughter Martha Jane Skaggs married Robert Watts, whose father was Thomas S. Watts. In 1867 Thomas P. Skaggs also sold land to a James Neeley. On the census of 1870 James Neeley is listed on page 72 and Thomas P. Skaggs is listed on page 75 as well as Edward Neeley, James Neeley’s father. I personally think Thomas P. Skaggs must have been a wonderful person. Just the fact that he helped raise so many children that were not his own shows what a compassionate person he must have been. Also, Sanford Thompson always stayed close to Thomas P. Skaggs. Thomas P. Skaggs’ daughter, Martha Jane Skaggs was a very religious person. In her journal she mentions every day that she read in her Bible and attended church every Sunday. She also mentions the church where her husband, Robert Watts Jr. was baptized which I am sure she had some role in helping him feel he needed to be baptized. Thomas P. Skaggs’ oldest daughter, daughter Elizabeth Ann Skaggs (Eliza) had a very difficult marriage to Daniel Avery, as he drank. Yet she stayed with him until he died and helped raise many children. Her children loved their mother and she taught the children at home. They all learned to read and write. As to the wonderful characters of these two daughters (Martha Jane and Elizabeth Ann Skaggs), it has a reflection on the type of home that they must have been raised in.
The following are the things I would really like to find about Thomas P. Skaggs.
I think there is a possibility that some of Thomas P. Skaggs’ grandchildren through his daughter Julia (Skaggs) Bennett may still be alive. If anyone knows anything about Richard Silas and Julia (Skaggs) Bennett’s children, I would love to get in contact with them.
|
|
Send mail to normansc@aaahawk.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|