Ellen (Riffle) Skinner's Family

Ron Skinner provided this photo of his grandmother, Ellen (Riffle) Skinner and children by her two marriages.
standing, l-r Thomas L. Skinner, Rhoda J. Skinner, Thursia Skinner, Andrew Frank Foster. seated l-r Gidion Draper Skinner, Charles Emery Skinner, Ellen Riffle Skinner.

The 1880 census tells us that 17 year old Thomas N. was living with the Cox family of Gilmer County and Ellen Riffle, 23, was working as housekeeper for the family. Ellen was the granddaughter of Orlando first settlers Isaac (s/o Jacob Sr.) and Elizabeth (Wash) Riffle. We haven't figured out who Thomas' parents were. Thomas was Ellen's first husband. Andrew Foster was her second husband.
To the left is a later portrait of Ellen (Riffle) Skinner.

This 1960 Obituary tell us a little more about the family.
Gidion Draper Skinner, 80 of Orlando, died March 23 at 5:30 pm. at the Weston State Hospital. Survived by two brothers, Charles Emorey Skinner and Thomas Lee Skinner both of Orlando, one sister Mrs Rhoda O'Dell of Leivasy. Funeral services were conducted at 1:30 pm. Saturday March 26 at the funeral home. Burial was in the Casto Cemetery on Knawles Creek. Alkire Funeral Home in charge.

Note: Gidion Draper Skinner is not the Gideon Columbus Skinner who was the son of Jackson (McWhorter and Patience (DuVall) Skinner and married Sarah Bennett

When the Burnsville Bruins Roared

During the late 1930s and the early '40s Burnsville High School had a remarkable football team. Several Orlando boys are in this 1939 photo of the Burnsville Bruins.

Peggy (Skinner) Morris recognizes brothers Jack (middle row, 1st on the left) and Arnold Heater (top row, 4th from the left) and Fred Kuhn (bottom row, first on the left).

David Parmer recognizes one of Ruddle Posey's1 grandsons, Leonard Lindsay who was a talented running back who, with his brothers Donnie and Paul "Chub", was a star player who helped to make the Burnsville Bruins roar.

Front row, seated, (L to R) Fred Kuhn, Harold (Red) Singleton, Louis Caplinger, Andy Knight, Jim Marple, Joe McPherson, Closs Stalnaker.
Second row, kneeling, (L to R) Jack Heater, Leonard Lindsay, Harold Barnett, Charles (Junior) Crutchfield, Paul (Chub) Lindsay, Grant Mick, Roy Godfrey.
Third row, standing, (L to R) Coach Rich McKinney, Sammy Conley, Lawrence Brown, Arnold Heater, George Collins, Lawrence Whytsell, Ed Blake, Ray Crutchfield, Charles Rucks, John Chester Brown, “Peck” Mick, Manager Jerry Heater

Thanks to Charles McNemar for sharing this photo.

1. Ruddle and Mary (Murphy) Posey lived on Posey Run. See 31 Oct '06 Getting Together at Cousin Ruddle's Place on Posey Run

An Heirloom from Patience Duvall

by Donna Gloff

Patience Duvall was born in 1846 at the Indian House, located at the top of the ridge that separates the Oil Creek watershed from the West Branch of the Monongahela River (that goes up through Weston). Several of her great-great grandparents, including John P. & Martha Duvall, and John & Sarah (Roby) Godfrey were pioneers of this area, during the time of the Indian Wars.

Patience was the oldest of 10 kids. When she was 21 she married one of Alexander and Phoebe Skinner's boys, Jackson McWhorter Skinner. They married on Christmas Eve in 1867, He was a Confederate veteran, wounded in the leg at the Battle New Market in 1864. His wounds never really healed and much of his life he was an invalid. Still, she and Jackson set to farming on Clover Fork and had 12 children.

The water goblet above was part of the set Patience had when she "went to keeping house." It is molded glass.

In the 1960s her grandson (my great uncle) Hayward Skinner told me a little about her. He said that because Jackson was Confederate, a traitor, life was very difficult for them. He told me they had a little peek-hole shuttered window in the door to the home. I later learned that in 1869 Jackson was tried & convicted in a kangaroo court of Confederate sympathies.

Uncle Hayward also said that because of Jackson's disability, Patience took care of the farm and raised the family pretty much single handed.

Jackson died in 1891 at the age of 46. Patience, 44 at the time, would live another 40 years. In time their second oldest son, Gideon Columbus, took over the family farm on Clover Fork. Patience and her oldest son, confirmed bachelor Dick (George Delbert) Skinner moved to town and went into the restaurant business. She worked behind the counter, with her grown kids and growing grandkids around her. She and Dick lived just a few steps from the restaurant in the rooms above Charley Knight's store. In her last years she was an invalid and she died in 1931.

For more on Patience, see
Feb 27, '06 Confederate Soldier Jackson Skinner
July 11, '06 William Otto & Clara Onetta Skinner Clara was Patience's daughter