Skelton, Zachariah

(1784-1856)

submitted by Sidney Vaccaro

Zachariah Skelton was born 24 sep 1784 in Union County, South Carolina and died 10 Feb 1856 in Warrick County, Indiana. On 10 Mar 1803 in Elbert County, Georgia he married Nancy Jane Scales, daughter of Thomas Scales, Sr. and his wife Ann. Nancy Jane was born 02 Feb 1783 in Union County, South Carolina and died 24 May 1839 in Skelton Twp. of Warrick County. This marriage produced eleven children. Zachariah moved to Warrick county, near present day Selvin in 1813, then into Skelton Twp. where his homestead consisted of about 400 acres.

Zachariah married the second time on 19 Dec 1839 to Elizabeth Scales, daughter of Thomas Scales, Jr. and niece of Nancy Jane. Elizabeth was born in 1814 in Alabama and died in April, 1880 in Eagle Rock, Missouri. Zachariah had six more children by Elizabeth.

He was a member of the Regular Baptist Church and was clerk of Little Zion Baptist Church, a sister church where the Lincolns attended. He was closely acquainted with the Lincoln family due to reason of his political affiliations and prominence on the bench of Warrick County. For his country, Judge Skelton fought under William Henry Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe. He also served in the War of 1812. He is buried with his first wife in Garrison Cemetery in Warrick County.
Last Will And Testimony Of Zachariah Skelton
An inventorial of the last will and testimony of Zachariah Skelton, Sen., towit:

I will and bequeath my son John forty acres of land as follows towit: to be taken off the west end of my land part in section eleven and part in secton fourteen in township no. five south of range no. seven west.
I will and bequeath to my son Jacob forty acres of land as follows to wit: the north west quarter of the south west quarter of section no. thirteen in township no. five range no. seven.

I will and bequeath to my wife, Elizabeth all the balance of my land to have and hold as her own, so long as she remains my widow, and at her death or marriage I want all the land she holds to be equally divided between my four daughters to wit: Ellen and Mary and Martha and Purlina Jane.

I will and bequeath to my son John a certain last spring colt it being the only colt I now own, of that age, also one rifle gun, it being the only gun I now own.

I will and bequeath to my sons, Thomas and William and my daughter Elizabeth and my son Zachariah and my daughter Julian and my son Robert and Elizabeth there being my first set of children all they have had of me as a father which is an equal portion to what I have just given to my second set of heirs. I want all my just debts paid out of my personal property, and after my wife Elizabeth has taken what is allowed by law, if there is any remainder, I want it equally divided amongst my last set of children.
I hereby appoint Elijah Skelton and Henry Hart my administrators to see to carring out this my will. Given under my hand this November 19th in the year of out lord AD 1856
Zachariah (his mark) Skelton
Ref. Will Book I, 1831-1859, Warrick Co. , IN
I have some information about Jacob Skelton that I can pass on. He was the son of Zachariah Skelton(1784-1856) and his second wife Elizabeth Scales. Zachariah came to Warrick Co in the early 1800's and established himself as a local pioneer. He is known to have had at least 20 children and the county abounds with his descendents. Skelton Township is named for him.

Jacob married Margaret Mariah Hart in 1873, daughter of Lewis A. Hart and Sarah Hodges. Lewis was the son of Henry Hart (my direct ancestor) who also arrived in IN about 1817. He was a Baptist preacher who helped to establish the early Little Zion Church in Warrick Co. Henry also had a large family. If you would like specific dates, etc. contact me at my email address and I can fill you in with what I have put together.

Sidney Vaccaro
Daly City CA