# Skinner Family Genealogy: Mexico, Oswego County, New York

## Documented Family Members

### Timothy W. Skinner
- **Position:** Village President of Mexico, NY (1890)
- **Business:** Banking industry connections; succeeded O. H. Whitney and Cyrus Whitney in banking business
- **Significance:** Leadership role in village governance during late 19th century

### Avery Skinner
- **Birth:** June 9, 1796, Westmoreland, New Hampshire
- **Death:** November 24, 1876, Union Square, Oswego County, New York
- **Political Positions:**
  - New York State Assembly (1831-1832)
  - County Treasurer (1826-1838)
  - County Judge (1828-1839)
  - New York State Senate, representing Oswego County (1838-1842)
- **Community Service:** Secretary of the Board of Trustees for Rensselaer Oswego Academy (Mexico Military Academy)
- **Academy Connection:** Rensselaer Oswego Academy incorporated April 13, 1826

### Charles Rufus Skinner
- **Birth:** August 4, 1844, Union Square, Town of Mexico, Oswego County, New York
- **Death:** June 30, 1928 (pneumonia)
- **Political Career:**
  - New York State Assembly (Jefferson Co., 1877-1881)
  - U.S. Representative, 47th Congress (filled vacancy from Warner Miller election to Senate)
  - New York State Superintendent of Public Instruction (1895-1904)
  - President, National Education Association (1897)
- **Newspaper Career:**
  - Editor, Watertown Daily Times (1870-1874)
  - Owner/Partner, Watertown Daily Times and Reformer
  - Editor, Watertown Daily Republican (1885-1886)
  - City Editor, Watertown Daily Times (1886)

## Family Timeline and Property Context

### 19th Century
- **1826:** Rensselaer Oswego Academy established in Mexico with Skinner family involvement
- **1796-1876:** Avery Skinner's lifetime - major political figure in Oswego County
- **1844-1928:** Charles Rufus Skinner's lifetime - congressman and state superintendent

### 20th Century
- **1870s-1890s:** Skinner family involvement in newspaper and banking industries
- **1890:** Timothy W. Skinner serving as village president
- **1899:** Skinner lot documented on Railroad Street in Mexico (Mexico Independent, August 16, 1899)
- **1928:** Charles Rufus Skinner's death; possible related family documentation in archives
- **1930s-1950s:** Subsequent Skinner family activities documented in Mexico Independent (1936-1958)

## Property Holdings Context

The documented Skinner family prominence suggests:
- Substantial real estate holdings throughout Mexico and surrounding Oswego County
- Long-term family residence and investment in the region (at least 1796-1928+)
- Banking and political influence indicating significant wealth and status
- Connection to educational institutions (Rensselaer Academy)
- Properties on Railroad Street (documented 1899)
- Possible connections to 5707 Scenic Ave area through broader family land portfolio

## Research Implications

### Timeline Alignment
The discovered genealogical information aligns with newspaper documentation:
- T.W. Skinner (likely Timothy W., village president 1890) would be documented in period newspapers
- Charles Rufus Skinner's death in 1928 corresponds with referenced family documentation in archives
- 1930s-1950s articles about "W. Skinner" and "A.W. Skinner" likely refer to relatives in the generational chain

### Family Continuity
Three generations documented:
1. **Avery Skinner** (1796-1876) - State senator, county judge
2. **Charles Rufus Skinner** (1844-1928) - Congressman, state superintendent
3. **Subsequent generation** (1900s-1950s) - Referenced in Mexico Independent articles as property owners, wedding announcements

## Research Sources

- FamilySearch Oswego County Genealogy
- WikiTree Skinner Family Records
- Oswego County Genealogy and Historical Society resources
- New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
- Mexico Town Clerk records

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**Captured:** 2026-03-30
**Status:** Genealogical research compilation from multiple sources
**Format:** Markdown source capture
**Relevance to 5707 Scenic Ave Property:** Establishes family generational context and property ownership patterns in Mexico, NY region from 1796 through 1950s