Thank you. I hope you're more successful than I have been. I've concluded that Arthur R. Skinner was not a blood offspring of Stephen Skinner. Can't seem to find his parents, where & when he was born, or where & when he died & where buried.

Ric

According to this 1860 census Arthur was born in New York State as were his brothers Henry Mead Skinner (1835–1907) & Marvin H Skinner (1841–1911).

Death of mother:
Lydia Skinner (Lydia MEAD)
Birth Date: 1805
Birth Place: New York, USA
Death Date: 9 Apr 1841
Death Place: Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA
Cemetery: Greenwood Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place: Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA
...........................................................................

Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860
Report issue
Name: Stephen Skinner
Spouse: Mrs. Fanny Reed
Date: 19 Oct 1841
County: Winnebago
State: Illinois
Source: County Court Records at Rockford, IL
..............................................................................

1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Stephen Skinner
Age: 56
Birth Year: abt 1794
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Home in 1850: Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, USA
Gender: Male
Family Number: 293

Stephen Skinner 56
Fanny Skinner 43
Caroline Reed 19
Henry Skinner 16
Marvin Skinner 9
......................................................................
United States Census, 1860
Name Arthur R Skinner
Event Type Census
Event Year 1860
Event Place The City Of Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States
Gender Male
Age 29
Race White
Birth Year (Estimated) 1831
Birthplace N Y State
Page 219
Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Affiliate Publication Number M653

Stephen Skinner M 66 Massachusetts
Fanny Skinner F 53 Vermont
Arthur R Skinner M 29 N Y State
Mary J Skinner F 29 N Y State

This info in the Census is misleading, if not totally incorrect. Stephen and any of his 3 wives (Sophia Butler, Lydia Mead, Fannie Reed) never had a son Arthur R Skinner. Arthur is not mentioned in any of the wills I've found. He doesn't show up in any other censuses. I suspect he may have been adopted and took the Skinner name. I have not found any Arthur R Skinner in any of the Stephen's siblings families. He is a mystery.

It would appear that Arthur and Mary had a daughter Emma Bertha Skinner (Crisp*). I assume from this* she was previously married. It might help to find what happened to Arthur if you search for the daughter in census after 1861

Marriage
Name Arthur R Skinner
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 01 Mar 1857
Event Place Winnebago, Illinois, United States
Gender Male
Spouse's Name Mary J Skinner
Spouse's Gender Female


Illinois, County Marriages
Name Harry Steven Robinson
Titles and Terms Mr
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 04 Jun 1891
Event Place Winnebago, Illinois, United States
Gender Male
Age 37
Birth Year (Estimated) 1854
Father's Name Henry Robinson
Mother's Name Mary Jackson
Spouse's Name Emma Bertha Skinner Crisp
Spouse's Titles and Terms Mrs
Spouse's Gender Female
Spouse's Age 30
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1861
Spouse's Father's Name Arthur R Skinner
Spouse's Mother's Name Mary J Skinner
Page 124

I've been chasing that trail too. Emma Butler (not Bertha) Skinner married William Crisp. I have their marriage license. She does list Arthur R and Mary Jane Skinner as her parents.