Beatrice Owings

Born: b 1928, Camas, Washington

Married: Cy Simpson, 1953, Oakland, California, Div 1980

Children: Cynthia Simpson, b 1955, Berkeley, California

Melissa Simpson, b 1957, Seattle, Washington

Silas K. Simpson, b 1959, Seattle, Washington

Information:

STORIES OF THE VARIOUS SKINNERS ..............................................

AS RECALLED BY "BEATSIE" OWINGS SIMPSON

Background on Will {Grandad). Tom {Uncle) and others.

Sam (Silas) Skinner (of toll-road fame), became ill in Jordan. (I have heard it may have been TB, but no one knows for sure, and I am not sure of the year). Great Grandma (Annie Callow) took him back to Napa, California as the climate was supposed to be better for him. They may have.gone to Berkeley first, but they ended up living in Napa. Apparently they traveled back and forth frequently. There was a house still standing near the University that Will & Ella and Momma and Hughie had lived in when they were small. It appears that property was owned at least into the early twenties, and perhaps was part of Skinner property in Berkeley Annie was a Callow and had come to America when married to Sam Silas. Both the Skinners and the Sacketts had lived on Big Ranch Road in Napa Valley. So that is where Annie returned to when Sam Silas got ill (Apparently there was land owned in both Berkeley and Napa). Uncle Tom also owned land on Shattuck at some point in his youth, because when I drove him and Grandad around, Tom would always rue the day he'd let it go for taxes. He would point out the same area on Shattuck, turn to Grandad and say, "Will, I should have come back down here and paid the taxes - that land would be worth plenty today" (AND, that was in the late 40's). Back to my story, Annie brought Sam Silas back to Napa for his health, but he continued to decline and subsequently died. He proceeded Annie by more than 20 years as she didn't die until 1928. So, here she is with Will, Tom, Carrie, Ray, Annabelle and Mona. She had to be one strong, determined woman. She started a horse breeding/raising business in Napa (heard that she purchased a stallion and some mares from Kentucky - to raise Kentucky thoroughbreds). I am guessing she sold some of the Berkeley property to care for Sam Silas and for capital to start the horse business. She did maintain herself and the children. It is possible there may have been money from other sources. Property I was told she had where the Cal Student Union buildings sit now, was a cow pasture (8/10 acres, I think that they owned). It was at the corner of Telegraph and Bancroft. Then about 5 blocks toward Oakland was the rather gingerbready house - white - two story (the one I spoke of earlier). The pasture was sold and ultimately the University bought it. I do not think she sold direct to the University. There must have been a number of pieces, as Aunt Carrie said that she donated the land for the Presbyterian church (again near the University) to build their church. She may have had other parcels of land but these are the ones that Grandad and Aunt Carrie mentioned. So, here she is up in Napa raising beautiful horses and six great children.

Grandad was her oldest son at this point and was 13. He drove their sale horses 50 miles down to San Francisco to sell to the "fine Gentlemen". This was not all that long after the Barbary Coast days and SF was a fairly wide open town. Imagine a 13 year old sharp enough to handle the horses, sell them to adults - mostly male - and take care of himself in the city. Grandpa told me himself that he had his first cigarette at Soscol House in Napa. It was still a bar and restaurant 5 years ago and not too far from the Cemetery. It was a stage stop at the time that Grandad was a boy.

Sacketts still reside in the bay area, Fred and Katie Callow (Fred was Grandad's, Carrie's & Tom's cousin) lived in Berkeley when we lived down there and we saw them frequently. Came Skinner Norton at some point had loaned Fred Callow Annie's piano. It stood in Fred's living room. Neither Fred nor Katie played. Carrie decided she wanted Momma to have it. Carrie went to Fred (Momma, Dad and I were with her) to speak to Fred about the piano. You all know what a genteel lady Aunt Carrie was. Fred flatly refused to part with the piano. I had never seen Carrie argue - or for that matter I had never seen her angry. She wanted Momma to have Annie's piano and Fred refused to give it up. Aunt Carrie was furious. She tried reason/family ties/ his fondness for Momma. Fred remained adamant and unmoved. Carrie sputtered and glared. It finally ended with Carrie telling Fred that Mother was to have that piano. I don't think she ever visited him again. Katie Callow died sometime in the 70's, and I checked on Fred once in the late 70's. He was in a nursing home and some "kindly and opportune" couple came to visit frequently, according to the people at the home. When I was visiting in the Bay area, I called one day to go see him. This "nice couple" had taken him for a ride and back to dinner at their house. My conclusion is that same "nice couple" now have Annie Callow's piano. Fred died soon after. Boy, is he getting it from Carrie now.

We are also related to the Kosters (one of them was a Sackett) who lived in SF at the time that we lived in the Bay Area. We are also related to Athelston Sackett who was the brother of Agnes Sackett Singer. Agnes is dead now. Athelston is probably also dead but his children and their children are no doubt still around. Agnes had two children a boy and a girl. As I recall the son was killed, but the daughter was mamed and had four children. Agnes had the Sackett bed and dresser. She had offered it to her daughter who wanted no part of this "old fashioned" bed set. Since Momma had been a good fiiend to Agnes she called Momma and offered it to her. Momma told her that I would love to have it. We paid to have it shipped to Georgia and refinished and repaired. We had to have the frame extended 2" inches to accommodate a standard size mattress. It turned out beautifully.

Great Grandma (Annie Callow), had to be some kind of lady. She was a full-charge, brave, moxy (and probably overbearing) lady. Today the feminists would claim her. Then, she was just a strong, self-reliant lady doing what had to be done Fortunately, Skinner men have never been intimidated by strong women. Not many young ladies went past high school then. Arulie sent both Mona and Carrie to college I think Annabelle also had some higher schooling. Arulie was preparing these young ladies for the possibility that they might have to support themselves. Both Carrie and Mona taught Aunt Carrie taught in a "young ladies" school and Mona was in the Berkeley school system for years. Both ultimately married Carrie to Lou Norton and Mona to Harold Piatt. Carrie did not teach after her marriage. I think Mona pretty much supported Harold. Grandad always sort of said "... whatever it is that Harold Piatt does". More about Harold Piatt later.

Will, Ray and Tom Skinner cut a wide social swath in Napa. Uncle Tom cut the widest, romantic swath of all.You've seen early pictures of him (and just look at his sons/grandsons), he was one handsome dude. Of course, Aunt Violet also contributed to their good looks. All of them were good dancers and one of Tom's MANY ladies told me he was a terrific flirt (Then she giggled At the time, she was 60 plus). Uncle Ray was very good looking, quite dashing, funny and a bit of an elbow bender. He died in the flu epidemic of '93. Aunt Carrie had a real soft spot for Ray. He must have been fun cause he had lots of friends and was enormously popular. I think he was just a bit scandalous. Aunt Carrie told me that one time Grandma (Annie) needed Ray, and Carrie had to go to a BAR to get him and bring him home. Aunt Carrie referred to it as "a place where many of Ray's friends were". She did not go in...she waited outside and sent someone in for him. This apparently happened more than once. I suspect Carrie "protected" Ray, to some degree, from Arulie. Carrie was devastated when he died. I think that Arulie saw Carrie as a woman who might never marry. Carrie told Momma that Arulie did not think she (Carrie) was very pretty. Carrie did NOT marry until she was 29. An extremely advanced age during her era. She finally married Lou Norton who was much older, widowed, with a daughter almost as old as Carrie. He would have been a "good catch" in Arulie's eyes. Especially since Carrie was SO OLD Lou owned the tannery in Napa and was also involved in one of the banks. No doubt this alliance was promoted by Arulie, as she may have decided it was Carrie's chance. So Aunt Carrie joined the Methodist church, gave up dancing and married Lou (Lou was a nice man, we stayed with them for three months in the 40's when we moved to California and he was crazy about Larry and great to all of us ). As it happened, however, Carrie loved someone else!! The family is vague on Carrie's involvement with John Imrie. You see Aunt Carrie told my Momma she had loved John Irnrie. It is my guess that - for some reason - Arulie did not approve. Otherwise, I can't imagine why that romance got short-stopped. John never married and later committed suicide. Once, at our house Carrie was dancing with Cy she looked up at him and said, "Oh, how lovely It's almost like dancing with John". Cy told me later that the look in her eyes almost made him cry. Mother told me that Carrie told her that she always felt sorry that she never felt '"that way" about Lou. She cared for him and bore him two children. Dan Norton,(later a professor at Chapel Hill, North Carolina -also an author) and Ruth Norton Donnelly, (Dean of Housing at the University of California-Berkeley). Lou adored Auntie and was very good to her. I wish I knew more about the John Imrie situation, because we later became related to the Imries, as Margaret Sackett (Ella's sister) married an Imrie and produced Wally, Lavelle and Janet.

Mona married Harold Piatt. He turned out to be "not much count" - according to Grandad. No one ever spoke much about what Harold did. Mona may have been the main support, but his true personality came to the forefront when Mona died. Annie was very fond of jewelry (earrings especially) and apparently Sam Silas gifted her with quite a bit. So each of her daughters had been given a number of pieces. Canie wore no jewelry at all except an occasional pearl necklace. Mona loved jewelry, so Canie loaned all of hers to Mona. I'm not sure where Annabelle stood on jewelry, but by this time she was living in England, and besides, her great love was china (That's another story to get from Anne Hampton). Anyway, when Mona died she still had all of Carrie's jewelry - from Annie. Lou took Carrie to Berkeley to get back what was hers. Harold refused to give any of the pieces back, insisting that ALL belonged to Mona. Lou was angry, Carrie was hurt. It was a mess. I heard some '"talk" about Lou wanting to take Harold to court. Aunt Carrie must have said no. A few years later a Berkeley pawn shop called Mother and asked if she was related to the Skinners (we think Harold Piatt must have given her name), specifically Mona Skinner Piatt. He said that he had some jewelry down there that had been pawned and was past time to reclaim, did she want any. Mother and Dad went down, but what was left was junk and none of it was Annie's (Carrie's). Mother was furious to think that Harold Piatt had pawned Mona and Carrie's jewelry and not at least given the family a chance to purchase from him.

Based on stories told, I have gathered that Annabelle was Annie's favorite. She was extremely pretty. All of the older children seemed to cater to her and wait on her. I met her on several occasions when she and RQ visited in Berkeley. She was still a very attractive lady. I think she was somewhat bothered by the fact that while she had been living in England, life had gone on in the States and changes had occurred. She seemed just a bit self-centered to me. She had not been back for years, yet she wanted everything to be the same. That was not possible and it upset her. As a child she had had long curls. Carrie used to tell how she had to comb Annabelle's hair into ringlets and it took at least an hour. Annabelle yelled during the entire process. Screaming that Carrie was pulling her hair. It was obviously a character building experience for Carrie. At some point Annie took Annabelle and some of the others - maybe Carrie - to England to visit. This is apparently when Annabelle met RQ Hampton. She ultimately married him and lived on the Isle of Mann. RQ was a charming, delightful man, and a member of the House of Keys. (This would have made him - at least - a minor peer of the realm). We'll have to check with Anne Harnpton on that.

When we moved to Napa in the '40's, I discovered that half the teachers in the school system and many other ladies (widowed or single) had dated Uncle Tom or Grandad, mostly Uncle Tom. Two of my 7th grade teachers had, and obviously had pleasant memories. This helped my grades. When they spoke of Tom, they grinned and their eyes sparkled. You could almost feel them' go back in time to some time years ago, when. Flora Mehl, still a maiden lady, came by the house to see Uncle Tom and he hid upstairs, and made Momma talk to her.

Grandad met Ella Sackett at a party on Big Ranch Road (Napa). My assumption is that Grandad went stag.because he told me, "I went to the party. Someone else brought your grandmother, but I took her home". I can't imagine Grandad not taking care of his own date, so he must have gone alone. The social ramifications of his taking someone else's date home (in that era) are staggering. My own Momma always told me that it was a true-love match with Will and Ella. Pretty obvious since they had 9 children, most of which Grandad delivered. He once told me that Grandma was very thoughtful, she had normal births and all babies were positioned properly. Anyhow, Grandad married this Napa flower and took her to Oregon and the ranch.

Now back to the "rake of Napa" - Uncle Tom. The story goes that Uncle Tom was already engaged to some lady in Napa when he went up to Oregon. He met Aunt Violet and never went back - except maybe to pick up his clothes. Carrie told Momma that Will tried to get him to do the honorable thing and "break off the engagement" in person. I never knew if he wrote a letter or just never said or did anything. Anyone who knows Uncle Tom, knows he did exactly as he pleased - protocol and propriety be darned. I don't recall the lady's name ever mentioned. There were so many that they would visit, it would have been difficult to tell. There were a pair of sisters, a Mrs Green, Hattie Proctor, and this doesn't count the teachers.

Ray had no children. Neither did Mona and Harold. Ray died in 1893 in the flu epidemic. He was young Carrie and Lou had Ruth and Dan, as previously mentioned. Both Dan and Ruth were childless and both are deceased. You all know the children of Will and Tom. Ruth Norton Donnelly was the Dean of Housing at the University of California in Berkeley. Dan Norton was a professor of English at Chapel Hill and authored a book on myths.

When we lived in Napa, the Sackett's home was still out on Big Ranch Road. The snapshot that Bob and Eleanor have of our Uncles (Bill and Harold) and one of the Imries, is in front of the former Sackett home. To my knowledge, the Imries may still live out on Big Ranch Road - as well Janet Imrie Barlow lives in St Helena.

I was extremely lucky to be in Napa and around Grandad, Uncle Tom and Aunt Carrie when I was growing up. Dick, Larry and I were the grandchildren that Aunt Carrie never had. Grandad usually spent a month or so in the winter with us in Napa. Uncle Tom came once or maybe twice. After we moved to Oakland they still came to visit in California. Aunt Carrie lived in Berkeley by then and I usually drove them up to Napa to visit their freinds. That drive was an experience all by itself.

Grandad sat in the front seat and kept a watchful eye on the speedometer. Uncle Tom and Carrie sat in the back. Grandad would say, "Carrie, that's the old Peterson place". Tom would say, "What did he say?" 'Carrie would turn to Tom and say, "He says that's the old Peterson place." Tom would say, "No, the Thompson's lived there, and had a few horses". Grandad would say, "What did he say, Carrie?". She would learn forward and say, "He says the Thompsons lived there: Grandad would say, "No, they lived just around this curve up here. Remember they had the horse barn toward the front, closer to the road". Tom would say, "What did he say?" Aunt Carrie would repeat to Tom. This discussion would continue all the way to Napa with every property and family listed. Almost the identical conversation would go on EACH time we drove the trip. When we arrived in Napa, Grandad always took us to lunch at the - then - only hotel in Napa. Tom and Grandad would go in and have a little highball and I would go with Carrie while she washed her teeth. Sometimes Russell Imrie would join us for lunch. They would visit with the Imries in town or we would go out to the Imrie Ranch or to one of Aunt Carrie's many freinds. How fortunate I was to have had all of this time with these three terrific people. All of you should be aware that the Napa Cemetery (second only to Caldwell) is filled with family including my brother Larry Owings - who is buried in the Annie and Sam Silas plot. We are related directly or indirectly to probably 25% of the people buried there. All the Nortons, many Sacketts, Skinners, Imries, etc.

FAMILY STORIES MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD A HUNDRED TlMIES

Jess & Maggie Winnemucca

Maggie was Chief Winnemucca's daughter. She was smart, talented and married to Jess. I guess since she was a Chiefs daughter, Jess took her name. Most of you are aware that Grandpa and Grandma bought supplies in huge amounts, especially toward winter. Flour and sugar came in 50 lb bags - and other staples were handled in much the same bulk. Because they bought in such large amounts - the Indians - and often others traveling through - would purchase from Grandpa. One day Jess and Maggie came down into the backyard (as it is now) to the ranch house, from over the hill where they were camped. Jess did the talking and told Grandpa that they needed 50 lbs of flour. Grandpa went into the cellar and brought up a bag. Jess handed the flour to Maggie. Grandpa said, "Jess, you're the man, and you're stronger, you carry that heavy flour." Maggie was pregnant at the time. Jess kind of looked at Grandpa and saw that he was serious. So he took the heavy bag and threw it up on his shoulder. Maggie kind of grinned at Grandpa. Grandpa stood there and watched to make sure Jess carried the flour. As they topped the hill and started down the other side, they disappeared from view Grandpa was not fooled. He said if he could have run up the hill and peeked over, he would have seen Jess hand Maggie the flour.

Hugh, Beata, Grandma and the Sled

A big snow made the hill out beyond the backyard at the ranch a terrific place to use a sled. Momma and Hughie coaxed Grandma out to watch and finally, the evil little plotters convinced her to take a ride down the hill. She asked to go at her own speed. As she sat down, they both pushed as hard as they could and Grandma took off like a bullet. The sled bounced crazily over sagebrush stumps and rocks and careened back and forth, occasionally becoming airborne. Grandma's size and weight caused the sled to move even faster and finally near the bottom it hit a rock, leaped to the side and overturned, throwing Grandma up, over and face down in the snow. Hughie and Momma were terrified as they ran down the hill. Grandma was not moving. They raced toward her, screaming and crying certain they had killed her. As they got to where Grandma lay in the snow, they found her, not dead - but laughing.. They didn't get spanked for this trick and both were greatly relieved to find Grandma alive.

Grandma, Verna, Beata and the Vicious Tom

Mother was afraid of anything feathered, birds, chickens, etc. I don't know what this phobia is called, but in Momma's case it was real. Even so, Momma had to feed the chickens and/or gather the eggs from time to time. One cold November morning Grandma sent Momma out to gather eggs. Momma came back to the house and told Grandma that the "old tom turkey" would not let her in the chicken yard. Grandma turned to Verna and asked her to go. Verna returned quickly. She had also been chased out of the yard. Grandma stood and said, "Well, he won't run me out". Verna and Momma followed to see Grandma get "chased out"' by the tom. Sure enough, the old tom took a run at Grandma. Feathers up, tail stiff and gobbling furiously. The kids watched wide-eyed as Grandma stood her ground and as he came within reach she hauled off and slapped him across the head - breaking his neck with one blow. The tom dropped in mid-gobble. I don't know if Verna and Momma cheered, but they ate him for Thanksgiving dinner and Momma said she never enjoyed turkey so much.

Beata, Hughie, Mudpies

Mother and Hugh played together the most because they were the youngest. Mother spent her time deviling Hugh and threatening not to play with him, She coerced him into eating sun-baked mudpies (dirt, water, bits of dried grass, sometimes fresh eggs), with that threat. When Uncle Hugh told this sad story, he would laugh until the tears came. Then he would say, "They weren't too bad"

Aunt Irma and the "Grown Up Line"

Mother spent her childhood trying to get her clothes hung on the ""big-folks" line. Aunt Irma made a big deal out of the fact that the "'older children's" clothes were hung on the line with the adults (Grandad & Grandma). BUT Beata and Hughie (and maybe Ella's) were hung on the "little folks line". Momma kept trying to graduate to the "big-folks" line. Never happened while Irma was hanging out the clothes.

Aunt Verna & the Gate

Apparently a family car was purchased and everyone was learning to drive. Verna left the ranch house with a group, including one of her beaus ( whose name escapes me George?). Anyway as they neared the gate of the ranch property, Aunt Verna didn't even slow down, just drove right through the gate. George turned to her and said, "Verna, if you had stopped, I would have been glad to go out and open the gate". When this story was told in front of Aunt Verna, she sputtered and insisted the brakes would not work.

Aunt Verna & the Squeaky Bed

When Ruby and Evan got married they stopped and stayed overnight at the ranch on their way to Berkeley or returning from there and their honeymoon. Next morning at breakfast with all the hired men - and all the family present, Aunt Verna said, "What in the world were the two of you doing all night last night, I could hear that bed squeaking and squeaking?". The entire dining room went absolutely still. Grandad (so says Momma), glared down the table - daring anyone to say anything, including the hired men). Later Grandma - or someone - had to get Verna aside Aunt Verna swears up and down she NEVER said that. "Why, I never said that, ever". When she said this, Momma, Ella, Ruby (and even Irma) would laugh till they cried.

Irma and the Beer Bottles

Aunt Irma - sweetheart that she was - was a charter member of the WCTU. Much to Momma's delight, she had no sense of humor about anything alcoholic. Uncle Cecil told Dad that Irma could smell beer on him two days after he'd had one and she would cry, so it just wasn't worth it to him. Anyway, she was so serious you would have thought she was surrounded by alcoholics -which simply was not so. Mother made and canned pretty good tomato juice and she had told Aunt Irma (who had indicated she quite liked it) that she would send her some. Months went by and Momma made the juice for Aunt Irma, but she put it up in beer bottles and sent it. The story goes that Aunt Irma never opened the first bottle, she took the entire box of beer bottles and threw them in the garbage. It wasn't' until the next family "do", when Momma asked her how she liked the tomato juice that it was disclosed that Irma had tossed it all. They teased her for the rest of her life.

Uncle Bill, Momma & the Hen

You have already heard that Momma was afraid of anything feathered. Well, Uncle Bill who was a terrible tease ( and a bit sadistic) would wait until Grandma and Grandad left for town and he would spend the next four or five hours chasing Momma up and down the three flights of the stairs at the ranch, holding a squawking setting hen in his hands - inches from Momma's back. Momma was screaming every step. Momma says she never told on him. Boy, I would have.

Other bits of information.

The great-grandchildren of Will and Ella Skinner need to be aware that our parents were very close, both emotionally and geographically. Uncle Kirt, Aunt Ruby, Aunt Ella, Uncle Harold, Aunt Verna, Uncle Hugh and Momma lived within about 100 miles of each other. Uncle Bill lived in Pocatella - but had no children. Aunt Irma lived in Spokane, but we ALL got together when the Palmers came to visit. Consequently, we 30 plus 1st cousins were - to a great degree - raised more like brothers and sisters, as our parents got together for a family "do" at any and every opportunity - or for any reason at all.. This constant closeness of our parents is why we all know each other so well and remain close to this day.

Frannie Palmer's dresses had the fullest skirts

Mary Palmer was always perfect and always clean. Once on the front lawn telling us a story, she reached back to pick up her hankie and picked up a small pile of dog do. She cried, we laughed

Cliff Jr and Aileen Gheen used to flash Morse code across the fields from their respective houses after dark. No one else could see, they insisted they could.

Margie and Ella Lee never let me be Sonja Heine when we played "movie star" because I wasn't Norwegian and they were - half.

Carolyn Gheen always had to play the piano for us - whether she wanted to or not, and she hated her braces - which we teased her about

Uncle Van could play one song on the piano, "Pony Boy" While visiting the Gheens, I requested the white meat of the turkey, Uncle Evan insisted I could NOT tell the difference. I was blind folded and I told the difference He never made me eat dark meat again.

Margie & Beatsie had a rolling/tumble hit and punch fight on the Carlsen lawn one 4th of July in front of Grandad and Grandma over who was the cutest, Ernie Van Matre or Larry Owings.. I always had to tap-dance for Grandma while Mother played the piano

Aileen used to be called "Diddy".

Cliff Jr = "Sonny" -

Ella Lee = "LeeLee"

I am gill called "Beatsie", by the family.

If anyone says "Beatsie", I know we're related ,

I have no stories about Uncle Harold, Aunt Ella, and some others. Either they were perfect or nobody told. If you know any, tell me. Also, if any of these need correction, tell me

When Ernie VanMatre returned his corrected family listing, he sent two "poems" that my mother (Beata Skinner Owings) had written to his mother (Verna Skinner VanMatre). I did not know these existed.. I don't know what year these were written, but either just before or just after Uncle Van and Aunt Verna met and married.

Ode To A Beautiful Lady

I have a sister, Verna Claire,Whose sexy charms made men despair,. She'd roll her eyes and swing her hips, And all the men she had in fits, And then one day along came Van, A really handsome, romantic man. She took one look and set her trap, Then pulled him down upon her lap, She used all of her wily charms, And soon he folded her in his arms, She settled down in heavenly bliss, This ends my tale of a sexy miss.

TO VERNA

Verna went to Caldwell, To see a Doctor there, He gave her many different tests, And said, My lady fair, With all this information, as far As I can see, You haven't been dancing near enough, So have yourself a spree, Grab yourself old jazzy Van and Take a whirl or two, You'll be amazed at the results, And what it does for you, Now Verna took his kind advice, And had herself a ball, Van is standing up pretty well, But he's taking Geritol -

Our branch of the Skinner clan was founded in this country by Silas K. Skinner and his bride, Annie Jane Callow, both of whom came from the Isle of Man. The story of their lives as pioneers in Idaho, Oregon and California is filled with the drama of the gold rush years, the last Indian war, their work running a stage station, toll roads and later, selling horses from the Jordan Valley ranch. The following brief chronolgy is an attempt to answer the questions "What did they do -- and when did they do it?". They arived in Winnemucca in 1870, the year after the transcontinental railroad was completed, following their ocean voyage from the Isle of Man where they were married.. Their story is our heritage.

Silas and Annie Skinner

1863

Silas Skinner arrived in south eastern Oregon. After gold was discovered in a creek (later named Jordan), mining began in the Owyhee Mountains above. He spent some time with mining and then put his efforts to working on a road into the area from the valley. By fall, he and two partners, James Jordan and Pete Donelly , were working on the roads to Jordan Valley (first called Baxterville) and also to improve the Reynolds Creek road,which they continued to develop for the next several years.

1865

Silas bought the rest of the toll road from the Reynolds Creek interests with partner H. Laughlin.

1865

Annie Callow came to Ohio from the Isle of Man with her father, who was captain of the ship. She came to visit relatives and lived there until her return home to be married.

1866

Idaho Territorial Legislature granted Skinner, Donelly and Jordan the franchises to build and maintain the roads from Silver City to the Owyhee River and from Silver City to Boise.

1867

Silas made a trip back to the Isle of Man. Probably stopped en route to visit relatives in Ohio and there he and Annie renewed acquaintance. Anne Humphreys says that the Skinners and Callows were neighbors in Andreas Parish and he was sent for the midwife to assist when Annie was born. He was about 13 years old then.

1870

Finds both Silas and Annie back at Andreas Parish for their wedding. They returned by ship to the east coast and traveled by train to Winemucca, the closest stop on their way to Silver Oty .

1871

They settled in Ruby City, Idaho,where Grandad Skinner was born on May 8 , 1871

1872

They located at Trout Creek, where they built and operated a stage station, serving meals to traders, teamsters and stage passengers as well as providing for the horses and other animals pulling freight wagons. Three of their six children were born here, Carrie in "73. Annabel in "75 and Thomas in "77. Silas and Clinton operated the toll road, tollgate and station until the spring of "78.

1878

The last Indian "uprising". This was the time of Annies' famous ride. After she had warned the men of the family, who returned with the horses, she went with the other women of the area and their children to the "Stone House", later called the Stateline House.

1878

Later that year Silas and Clinton together traded their business to C.D. Bachelor for the Goose Ranch. Son Ray was born there in "79. Silas began a herd of horses with Kentucky stock. Together he and Clinton operated the ranch and ran stock until 1884

1879

Silas moved his family to the house on Jordan Creek. Mona was born there in 1883

1882

Will and Carrie were sent to Ohio to live with relatives and go to school.

1884

Silas sold interest in the Goose Ranch to Clinton, keeping the stock. He moved the family to the ranch near Napa CA, for reasons of better educational opportunities for the children, and his failing health. He continued with shipping horses to California, selling some to the city of San Francisco where they pulled cars up the hills later serviced by cable cars.

1886

Silas died in April. The cause was said to be consumption. Both Ruby and Ella said that it began after he was injured in an accident with a horse. Will (W.S.) was almost 15 ( his birthday was in May) It was decided that he would join Clinton at the Goose Ranch and represent the family interests there. He shipped two loads of horses to CA that year and continued shipping and traveling back and forth until 1891, when he and Ella Sackett of Napa were married. Some years after Silas died Annie bought the Haste Street house, Berkely, where she and the girls lived so that they could attend the U. of California. Sons Tom and Ray were to join Will on the Jordan Valley property, where they could help. Will with the ranch work. They lived with him at that little house we have a picture of when he returned with his bride to Jordan Valley.

This chronology taken from letters and published material. CAROLINE BOYER DAVIS