TIME LINE OF SKEEN FAMILY OF PROVIDENCE TWP. 1745-1769

1745 - Peter Skeen I signs petition for a road. He is living on London Co. land, in the area that was part of Providence Twp. adj. to the Land of Edward Roberts, near the Lane land. (See Providence township map.) The wording of the petition indicates he was there pre 1742. There are no Skeens on the 1734 tax list of the Mont. Co. area.

(Records of the Court of Quarter Sessions of Philadelphia County that pertain to later Montgomery County, 3 Volumes, plus Index compiled by Edward W. Hocker, LDS Film # 0021595.)

1754-1762 - Peter Skeen I, James and Jonathan serve as Vestrymen at St. James. As there are no Vestry lists from 1745-1754 it is possible they were Vestrymen earlier.

1754, Jun 27^th - Jonathan Skeen [Sheen] m. Susannah Rees, Christ Epis. Church

(PA. AR, Second Series, Vol. VIII,⁷ "Marriages of Christ Episcopal Church", possibly performed at St. James)

1760, April 9^th - Rachel Skeen m. Arnold Von Fossen [Van Fossen], son of John Von Fossen.

(PA. AR., Second Series, Vol. VIII,⁷ "Marriage Records of Old Swede's Church")

1761, April 2^nd - Advertisement of sale of leased land by the London Company in their Tract in New Providence includes the land leased by Peter Skeen and James Skeen.

(ITEM #26373 of The Pennsylvania Gazette, Philadelphia, Accessible Archives [online subscription service], 2004)

1761, Nov 20^th - Jonathan Skeen purchased from the London Co. the lease of Peter Skeen I, adj. to land to be sold to James Skeen. (Mont. Co. Deed Book 323 p. 172: History of land.)

Peter Skeen I does not appear in the Mont. Co. recs. again. This record indicates that Jonathan was the son of Peter I. James was either the son or brother of Peter I, probably the son, as he did not share in the signing of the 1745 petition.

1762, May 12^th - James Skeen buys the 145 acres in plot D that he had been leasing from the London Co.

(Perkiomen Region, Vol. 6, 1928, pp. 66-77 by Ralph Johnson; Phila. Co. Deed Book H-16:117, 1770: History of Land.)

1763, Aug. 8^th - Jonathan and Susanna Skeen sold land in New Providence township to Samuel Roberts on August 8, 1763. Not recorded until April 14, 1888, over 100 years later.

(Mont. Co. Deed Book 323 p. 172.)

1767 - Agreement for purchase of a piece of land "on the south side of South Mountain." by James Skeen, Jonathan Skeen and Rachel (Skeen) Von Fossen, widow of Arnold Von Fossen, for her support.

(Quoted by Carol Day, Robert Skeen of Pennsylvania and Virginia and Some of his descendants, 1998, National Genealogical Society Library {ST1.S623} p. 23.)

1769 - Tax List shows James Skeen, 145 acres, adj. Samuel Skeen (no acres), Providence Twp.; Jonathan Skeen, Upper Merion Twp., no acreage. This is the last record of Jonathan in PA. He removed to Orange Co. NC, in the area that was to become Person Co. in 1777. There are no tax rec. of Orange Co. in this time frame prior to 1777. He appears on the 1777 tax recs. of Person Co. His children, all b. PA between 1755 and 1765 include: Peter, James, Hannah, Susanna, and Jonathan (b. 1765, PA)

(Pension File of Sarah Skeen, as copied from the Russell Co., VA Website by Barbara Wentz, the research of Debra Dodson of NC, Umstead Family Research Team.; 1850 census of Russell Co., VA.)

TIME LINE OF JAMES SKEEN FAMILY OF PROVIDENCE TWP. 1770-1808

 

1770, May 26^th - James and Barbara sell 145 acres to Joseph Boys (Boyce). Land is adjacent to Arnold Von Fossen, Edward Roberts, across Skippack from land of Daniel Rees and Jacob Umstead. Richard Umstead was living on the other part of Jacob's land, which contained a mill. (See Providence township map.)

(Phila. Co. Deed Book H-16:117; Plot Map of Lane Land, Barbara Wentz Cartographer, Eleanor Mayfarth, Land Recs., 2003.)

1770, Nov. 15^th - James renews mortgage to Hugh Roberts on land of John Umstat, containing 162 and 3/4 acres (100 acres part of Lane Tract sold to Jacob Umstead 1737, and adjacent 62 and 3/4 acres, also part of Lane Tract), which John had mortgaged to Hugh Roberts in 1768. (A note of this "remortgage" in a note added to John's mortgage record is apparently the only record of this transaction.)

(Phila. Co. Mortgage Book X 13:169-175: 1768 mortgage of 162-3/4 to Hugh Roberts by John Umstat and Winifred (Evans).

See Lane Tract Map #6

1772-1788 - James appears in Providence Twp. on this land.

1772 & 1774 - Samuel Skeen (no acres) is listed next to him....

1776 - a "crippled son" is added to James's entry, and Peter Skeen is added with one cow....

1779 - Tax List: Abraham Skeen (single) is listed, (Peter and Samuel are not single)....

1780 - James testifies for his son Abraham. See St. James Families-Rev. War.
(the 1781-1782 tax lists are incomplete because of Rev. War service).

1783 - James Sr, is listed with 150 acres- 2 horses- 4 cows, and son James is listed with no acreage or animals. During this time Abraham, James [carpenter] Joseph, Peter, and Samuel Skeen are shown as having served in the 8th Co. 6th Batt. (Francis' Co., Col. Bull's Batt.). They also appear on the 1785 and 1786 Providence Muster Rolls.

(PA. AR., Third Series, Vols. XIV, XV; "Soldiers of the American Revolution, Philadelphia County, PA, Including Montgomery County, 1776-1777 {from PA. AR., Sixth Series, Vols. 913-916"}, PHL, US/Can 974.811m2wr.)....

1784 - First burial in Skeen Cemetery plot K: Richard, "son of Peter and Mary Skeen", where Barbara, Samuel, Jemima, and probably James (stone unreadable) were later buried.

1788 - Samuel and Jemima (Newberry) and Abraham and Rebecca (Newberry) sell John Newberry land as part of estate settlement of Henry Newberry, Peter Skeen, Wit.

(Mont. Co. Deed Book 10:287)

1790 - "MONTGY PLEAS MARCH TERM, George Roberts & al. (Executors of Hugh Roberts vs. James Skeen & Uxr.) Debt £200 Costs 76/ A Levari facias Retble June Term 1790 And now to wit the thirteenth of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety Francis Swaine Esquire high Sheriff of County of Montgomery Acknowledges in open Court a Deed Poll under his hand Seal bearing Date the twenty first day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety conveying unto Samuel Skeene....Exd Deld to Order of Francis Swaine JAN 8, 1794."

(Mont. Co. Sheriff Docket A:74)

See Lane Tract Map #6

1791 - 1790 Census (enumerated 1791) lists only one James Skeen in Providence: James, [carpenter] with 3 m., 1f., which would be Joseph and "Crippled Son" Benjamin plus their mother, Barbara.

1794-1796 - The years of settlement of the estate of James Skeen

(No written estate recs., but land recs. tell the story:)

See Lane Tract Map #6: Notes and References.

1795, June 15^th - Peter, Cordwainer/Shoemaker purchased 53+ acres of land that he had been paying taxes on since 1787, and which had been in his possession since 1793. This land was on the East side of the Perkiomen, Lane Tract.

(Mont. Co. Deed Book 9:64) See Lane Map #5, Edward Lane to Welker.

1796, Sept. 19^th - Samuel Skeen sold 83 acres and 152 perches to Abraham Skeen by unrecorded deed. Abraham sold 26+ acres to William and Eleanor Fitzgerald 26 Oct., 1796.

(Mont. Co. Deed Book 10:55)

1800-1802 - Estate Settlement of Mary Toy, widow of Phillip Fitzsimmons and Wm. Toy, Peter Skeen, Adm., James [carpenter] Appraiser, Samuel Skeen Vendue Crier.
[Who was Mary Toy? Research continues..]

(Mont. Co. Archives, RW17015: Peter Skeen, Adm., OC19267, Appraisal and Vendue.)

1802, Apr. 6^th - Abraham sold 39 acres to Samuel Bard. History of land shows 4 acres reserved for James Skeen and 1 acre for Joseph Skeen 6th April 1802.

(Mont. Co. Deed Book 21:305)

1802, Nov. 16^th - Abraham Skeen sold the 4 acres to James Skeen and the 1 acre to Joseph Skeen.

(Mont. Co. Deed Book 24:61)

1806, Apr. 3^rd - Samuel Skeen sold to Jacob Jackson 75+ acres of his land. Included in the sale was the following: "Whereas James Skeen, LATE of the township aforesaid, by virtue of certain conveyances in the law duly made or assurances in the law duly had and executed became lawfully seized in his demesne as of fee of and in, a certain messuage a tenement and two tracts and parcels of land situated in the said Township of Providence by marks and bounds therein particularly described containing one hundred and sixty two acres and three quarters..." "And whereas Francis Swaine Esquire, High Sheriff of the County of Montgomery aforesaid, by Deed Poll under his hand and seal bearing date the twenty-first day of September", ...1790.. "did by virtue of a certain writ of Levari Facias therein recited grant and confirm unto the said Samuel Skeen... the said messuage and tenement and two tracts of land aforsd recited with the appurtenances ..."

(Mont. Co. Deed Book 22:395)

1808, Jan. 2^nd - "Whereas Samuel Skeen & Jemima did grant & confirm to Joseph Skeen a certain Messuage containing 10 A more or less with Appurtences". Unrecorded land record in the 1839 sale of Elisha and Sarah (Heiser) Skeen to Sarah's brother, John Heiser.

(Mont. Co. Deed Book 142:335, rec. 1866)