SKINNER, William Rev ¹²

   General Notes:

Reverend William Skinner,Rector of St. Peter's Church in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA, from 1722-1758. In 1727 he married Elizabeth Van Cortlandt. He was born in 1687 and died in 1758, aged 71.

Note: Pastor, first rector of the Episcopal Church at Perth Amboy, NJ. His true name was McGregor, and was one of that clan who was proscribed for supporting the Pretender, in 1715.

"WILLIAM SKINNER, b. Scotland, ca. 1687; Ord. London, Autumn of 1722; fought in the battle of Preston-Pans, Scotland, 1715; K.B. to Philadelphia, Pa., 10 June 1718; schoolmaster at Philadelphia, 1716-1722; occasional preacher at Freehold (Mercer) N.J., St. Peter's Chh., 1718-1733; sett. Perth Amboy (Middlesex) N.J., St. Peter's Chh., 22 Nov. 1722-1758; S.P.G. missionary; Piscataway (Middlesex) N.J., St James's Chh. 1722-1758; Shrewsbury (Monmouth) N.J., Christ Chh. 1722-1725; Woodbridge (Middlesex) N.J., Trinity Chh. 1722-1752; New Brunswick (Middlesex) N.J., Christ Chh., 1742-1749; Spotswood (Middlesex) N.J., St. Peter's Chh. at East Brunswick, 1756-1758; Mr. Skinner built the Chh. at Spotswood; a Rev. William Macgregor Skinner, perhaps a descendant, was matriculated tn the Lyon Register of Arms, 1810; Ep.; d. Perth Amboy, N.J., 1758, a. 70." (1)

"WILLIAM SKINNER (Rev.) was sent by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to Woodbridge (having arrived at Perth Amboy 1722), where he preached for thirty-six years; he was b. 1688, d. 1758, at 70; left five children, of whom GERTRUDE, the only daughter, m. James Parker; and Cortland, the eldest son, was attorney-general of the Colony at least from 1756 to 1769, and became a British general during the Revolutionary War. The names of the other three sons are unknown". (2)

"The Rev. Mr. Skinner, born in 1687, married first, Mrs. Mary Brooks, widow of the former Rector and daughter of Christopher Billop, of Staten Island. She died about 1725. Married second, Elizabeth Van Cortlandt, youngest daughter of Stephen Van Cortlandt, of New York. Children of the Rev. Mr. Skinner, all by his second wife

   Marriage Information:

William married Mary Billop BROOKE, daughter of Christopher BILLOP and (CHRISTOPHER BILLOP), about 1709 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey. (Mary Billop BROOKE was born about 1692 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey and died in 1725.)

   Marriage Information:

William also married Elizabeth Gertrude VAN CORTLAND, daughter of Stephanus VAN CORTLANDT and Geertruj VAN SCHUYLER, in 1727 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA. (Elizabeth Gertrude VAN CORTLAND was born on 24 May 1694 in New York City USA, christened on 28 May 1694 and died about 1766.)