John Skinner father of Francis, was born in Highland of Scotland, in 1757. He remained among the hills and mountains of his native country until 20 then came to America, which at that time was rent and torn by civil war and seemed to be in the death struggle of it's national existence.

The young Scotsman settled in Va., where he witnessed the final dawn of peace after the dark and bloody night of war, and lived to see the new republic in its grandest and purest era. He married in 1785 in Culpepper Co, Va., to a daughter of John and Nancy Story, who were among the first English families to come to America after the revolution. Mr. Skinner and his wife had ten children, eight sons and two daughters, all of whom lived to be grown, and all but one, the eldest, Sneed who died in Va., came to MO.

Two of the sons, Francis and Hugh married sisters, daughters of Robert Jasper, and came to to MO. in 1820, their object being to obtain cheap lands for their rising families. They came by land and water to St. Louis, crossing the river at the latter place on a ferryboat propelled by horse power, they found the place to be nothing more than a French village, built principally along one street, called Main street.

They camped near the old market on Broadway, which at that time was a forest of young timber. About one hundred Indians were camped near them, and as they had never seen any red men before, they slept but little that night. Just north of old market there there was a steep, rocky bluff, with a cabin built of cedar logs on the summit. The cabin remained there about twenty years afterward, when the bluff was quarried away,and the stone used in building warehouses.

E95.0521.17 SKU 12(3)53 Tyler, Johnnie THE SKINNER FAMILY Big Men Physically With History Dating Back to the Revolutionary Days. Jonesburg Journal Page 9 Dec. 1915 ~

John Skinner, the great grandfather, was born in Scotland and came to America with Lord Cornwallis? army to subdue the colonies. One night while guarding some prisoners he asked them why they fought for a government that could not feed and clothe her armies.

They explained the cause they were fighting for which made such an impression on him he espoused the cause of the colonists and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis to George Washington. After the war he married and settled in Culpepper CO, Va. After his family was grown and married he and four of his sons and their families moved to Mo. and settled on Camp Creek, 5 miles west of Warrenton in Warren Co.

There were four sons of John Skinner, namely Daniel who died in a few years after coming west, William who settled on South Bear Creek, in western part of Warren Co; Hugh who settled on Loutre Island in Warren Co; Frank who lived on Little North Bear Creek in Montgomery Co.

Johnnie Tyler Revolutionary War Soldiers Who Are Buried In Our County. Wellsville Optic-News 14 Apr 1976~

John Skinner had the unusual distinction of serving on both sides in America Revolution. Born in Scotland in 1752, he went to England at age 17 and joined the English army. He advanced to Sergent; arrived in New York in May 1776 with Lord Cornwallis. He was ordered to Charleston Va. area. While guarding some American prisoners, he tried to reason with them, telling them how foolish they were to be fighting for a country which could not feed and clothe them properly. The prisoners convinced him, how right they were to be fighting for Their homes, farms and families.

Skinner arranged a daring escape for his prisoners and went home with them, deserting the English army. After resting up, the former prisoners organized a company of infantry of local men from Culpepper Co. Va. As a trained soldier, John Skinner would relate how he fought in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse The Americans were defeated, but managed to wreak such havoc with the English men and supplies, that historians generally regard this battle as one of the turning points of the war.

Skinner was with Washington at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. The fighting was not over yet; and in skirmishes in northern Va, Capt. Skinner was captured by the British. Had he been recognized, he would have been shot for a deserter. He Managed to escape. The English soon realized their error, and sent troops with special orders to recapture him. Discretion being the better part of valor, Skinner and some fellow Culpepper contains, made their way down the Ohio River to St. Louis, and St Charles, knowing they would be safe under Spanish rule.

After the war, Skinner returned to Culpepper Co., engaged in farming, married Susanna Storey, and raised a family. In 1829, at the age of 68, he returned to MO., after an absence of 36 years. He settled on Camp Branch, about 3 or 4 miles north of Pendleton. John Skinner lived to the age of 97, dying in 1849. He is buried on the farm settled by his son Hugh A., about 1 1/2 miles north of Case, Mo.

Tyler, Johnnie A HISTORY THE JONESBURG CHRISTIAN CHURCH The history of the Christian Church (disciples of Christ) at Jonesburg, Mo. is coincident with that of the Skinner and Camp families. In 1820 John Skinner, a revolutionary war patriot, about five miles west of Warrenton, Mo.....

Both the Skinner and the Camp families had been connected with the Christian Church in their native states, and as soon as they arrived in this new land, like Abraham of old, they erected an altar to God, in the form of a church. This place of worship became known as the Old Camp Branch Church, which was in reality a Christian Church, the first one in this section of the country.

With the passing of these two patriots, veritable patriarchs of the early church, their sons, respectively Francis Skinner and Hiram Camp moved a little farther west and settled at Jonesburg, Mo. With them went the congregation of the old Camp Branch Church and a new church was built. That church, built in 1869, is our present church, where we worship today, 98 years later.
Fleener, Betty

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Burial: 28 Apr 1849, Warren County, Misouri