Résumé

Master carpenter, Brooklyn, NY, 1880. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York; Roll: 844; Page: 511d; Enumeration District: 068, accessed 10/16/2025.)

Principal, H.J. Skinner, Building Contractor, Spokane, WA, c. 1898-1928. Skiiner leased office space in Room #417 of the Rookery Building in 1906. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1906, p. 673,) In 1912, Skinner maintained an office in Room #12 of the Sherwood Building in Spokane. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1912, p. 1316.) The firm continued in business into the

Relocation

Harry James Skinner was born in London, England on 04/10/1852. According to the 1851 English Census one year before his birth, his parents James and Elizabeth resided in the London vicinity in Islington, Finsbury, England. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: HO107; Piece: 1501; Folio: 506; Page: 27; GSU roll: 87835 Source Information: 1851 England Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 10/16/2025.)

He arrived in the US as an infant, sailing aboard the full-rigged ship Devonshire with his family from London to New York, NY, arriving on 03/07/1853. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897; Microfilm Serial or NAID: M237; RG Title: Records of the U.S. Customs Service; RG: 36, accessed 10/16/2025.) In Harry Skinner's 1920 naturalization documentation, it indicated that his family left England in 12/1852 and arrived in 01/1853, although this was about two months off. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (Nara); Washington, D.C.; Naturalization Records of the U.s. District Court For the Eastern District of Washington, 1890-1972; Microfilm Roll: 29; Microfilm Serial: M1541, accessed 10/16/2025.)

The NY State Census of 1865 indicated that Harry lived with his parents James and Elizabeth and two siblings in Brooklyn, NY. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New York State Archives; Albany, New York, USA; Census of the State of New York, 1865, accessed 10/16/2025.)

Records from the time of his marriage in 1875 indicated that Harry lived in Babylon, NY, on Long Island. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., Marriage Newspaper Extracts, 1801-1880 (Barber Collection) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 10/16/2025)

Judging from the birth locations of his three children, Skinner and his wife resided in NY State (likely in Brooklyn) in 1878, 1883 and 1886. In 1883, one of Harry's daughters Bertie, was born in VA. He, Ella and their Elsie lived on 44th Street in Brooklyn, NY, in 1880. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York; Roll: 844; Page: 511d; Enumeration District: 068, accessed 10/16/2025.)

Like many others, Skinner arrived in Spokane in 1889, likely seeking construction work following the disastrous Spokane Fire of 08/04/1889, according to naturalization paperwork filed on 01/13/1920. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (Nara); Washington, D.C.; Naturalization Records of the U.s. District Court For the Eastern District of Washington, 1890-1972; Microfilm Roll: 29; Microfilm Serial: M1541, accessed 10/16/2025.)

Skinner and his family lived at 3221 Madison Avenue in Spokane in 1900 in what would become the Emerson-Garfield neighborhood. His eldest child Elsie worked as a stenographer at the time, a popular office vocation for young women at the time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Spokane Ward 4, Spokane, Washington; Roll: 1751; Page: 22; Enumeration District: 0071, accessed 10/16/2025.) Skinner and his family resided at 709 Waverly Place in 1906. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1906, p. 673,)

In 1920, Skinner and his wife lived at 711 Waverly Place in Spokane, perhaps in the same house as they resided in during 1906. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (Nara); Washington, D.C.; Naturalization Records of the U.s. District Court For the Eastern District of Washington, 1890-1972; Microfilm Roll: 29; Microfilm Serial: M1541, accessed 10/16/2025.)

Parents

His parents James Skinner (born c. 1825 in Daventry, Northamptonshire, England-d. 03/27/1898 in Queens, NY) and Elizabeth Smith (born 1821 in Culworth, South Northamptonshire Borough, Northamptonshire, England) wed on 06/13/1847 in Northampton, England. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Northamptonshire Record Office; Northampton, England, UK; Register Type: Parish Registers; Reference Numbers: 223p/14, accessed 10/16/2025.)

As per the 1851 English Census, James worked as an omnibus conductor in 1851, in the London area. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: HO107; Piece: 1501; Folio: 506; Page: 27; GSU roll: 87835 Source Information: 1851 England Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 10/16/2025.) On the ship's manifest that brought James and his family to the US, it noted that he worked as a carpenter.

James registered for service in the Civil War in 06/1863. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General's Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110; Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 5 of 5, accessed 10/16/2025.)

The 1865 New York Census indicated that by this time James worked as a carpenter in Brooklyn. His profession influenced the occupation of both of his sons. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New York State Archives; Albany, New York, USA; Census of the State of New York, 1865, accessed 10/16/2025.)

Harry had at least three siblings: Kate Skinner Gallandet (born c. 1847 in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England-d. ), Bertha Skinner Edmonds (born 12/04/1849 in Daventry, Northwamptonshire, England-d. 04/09/1918 in Brooklyn, NY). and Walter Scott Skinner (born 1861 in NY-d. 06/02/1926 in Brooklyn, NY). Walter Skinner worked as a carpenter in Brooklyn during his lifetime.

Spouse

He wed Ella H. Warnock (born 03/31/1854 in Brooklyn, NY-d. 12/25/1932 in Spokane, WA ) in 1874. Her parents Andrew Warnock (born c. 1807 in Scotland-d. 04/11870 in Kings County, NY) and Eleanor Wilson (born c. 1814 in Scotland-d. 02/17/1880 in Kings County, NY) wed in 07/1849 and were both of Scottish descent. Andrew had married once previously.

At the time of her death in 1932, Ella lived at 2913 West Oval Street with her daughter Elsie S. Hyslop. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Death Index, 1940-2017, accessed 10/16/2025.)

Children

He and Ella had five children, one likely died in infancy or childhood. They included: Else M. Skinner Hyslop (born 09/03/1878 in New York, NY), Bertie A. Skinner (born 11/27/1880 In VA), Harry J. Skinner, Jr., (born 09/1883 in New York, NY-d. 12/06/1906 in Spokane, WA) and Robert Warnock Skinner (born (04/13/1886 in Brooklyn, NY). According to Find a Grave.com, Harry, Jr., had been born in WA, but this contradicted the 1900 US Census which listed his birthplace as having been NY. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Spokane Ward 4, Spokane, Washington; Roll: 1751; Page: 22; Enumeration District: 0071, accessed 10/16/2025.)