23 May 2012

Disagreeing Records: James Monroe Skidmore

I'm going to try to write a blurb on all of the children of Katherine Abernathy and William Skidmore. First up is James Monroe Skidmore.

My current research on James Monroe Skidmore, also known as "Mun" or "Uncle Mun", has shown me that a lot of records for Mun disagree on many of the basic events in his life.

The things I am sure of: Mun was born to Katherine Abernathy & William Skidmore. He married Susan Moody and had no children. And most, if not all, of his life was in the Riverbend area of Gaston County, NC.
James Monroe Skidmore
Photo from findagrave.com taken by Jennifer

Now for the disagreeing records.

Birth Date: I have found two different dates for Mun's birth. According to most of the census records his calculated birthdate is 1856, but that could be because of when his birthday falls in the year.

1. 5 Apr 1855 (Sources: 1,2)

2. 16 Apr 1855 (Sources: 3)

Marriage Date: Again I've found two dates. Biggest problem here is that I haven't found the actual marriage record, which would help me out a lot. According to one census record Mun's marriage to Susan Moody was about 1874. According to these dates James Monroe Skidmore was about 17 years old when he got married to Susan.

1. 4 Apr 1873 (Sources: 1)

2. 8 Apr 1873 (Sources: I found this on one website that doesn't state its original source for this date and after further looking on familysearch.org there is a marriage record for "W.M. Skidmore" to Susan Moody in Riverbend, Gaston, NC. )

Death Date: Once again, sources give two different dates. Either way, he died at the age of 81. He is buried in the Hickory Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Gastonia, Gaston County, NC.

1. 2 Jan 1937 (Sources: 3, 4)

2. 30 Jan 1937 (Sources: 1,2)

Other information on James Monroe Skidmore:

Census Records:
      In all of the census records I have found James lived in Gaston County, NC. By 1880, James was married to Susan and his brother William Washington Skidmore (age 9) lived with them. James' occupation was as a farmer.

This is a quote from another website about James & Susan. I have not verified where this information came from, but thought I'd provide it anyway.

Susan Moody (b. 26 Aug 1849. She married on 8 Apr 1873 to James Monroe Skidmore who was born 5 Apr 1855. "Uncle Mun" was quite a character in his day; an atheist and proud of it. He died on 30 Jan 1937 and Susan died at the age of 91 on 2 Nov 1940. They had no children.) (Source: 5) 
Sources:
1.Skidmore Rickmansworth, England--Delaware--North Carolina and west, 1555 to 1983
2.grave marker
3.North Carolina Death Certificates, 1909-1975
4.North Carolina, Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994
5.http://www.poetsvisions.com/genealogy/clemmer.htm

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