52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS#22: REVEREND SAMUEL SKELTON

Fellow geneablogger Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small has issued the
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge. Basically, we have to post something every
week on a different ancestor, whether a story, picture, or research problem. For
this prompt I've tried to concentrate on ancestors I haven't researched as much
as I have others in my family tree.This week my subject is my 10x great grandfather
Samuel Skelton.

I thought I had a double descent from Rev. Skelton. One of them is through my great
grandmother Clara Ellingwood but something I've discovered had caused me to reassess
that line of descent. I'll discuss that in a later post. For this post, I found this on Samuel
Skelton in a Marsh family genealogy by Lucius Marsh:

"A sketch of the father of John Marsh's first and only wife will help us to understand the social position of John Marsh Rev. Samuel Skelton is supposed to have been bom in Yorkshire, England about 1584. He entered Clair Hall, Cambridge, about 1599. He graduated about 1G06. He received College degree 1611. He became minister to the regular English established church in Lincolnshire about 1608, married about 1612. Mrs. Skelton died in Salem, Mch. 15, 1631. He died in Salem Aug. 2, 1634. His history is very interesting. At the earnest solicitation of John Endicott, who had just been appointed Governor of the New Colony, called The London Plantation in the Massachusetts bay in New England, Rev. Samuel Skelton while in England accepted the position on Governor Endicott's staff, of Minister to the Colony. There was very near and dear relationship existing between the two, as Governor Endicott said that he was converted under the preaching and teaching of Rev. Samuel Skelton. whom he regarded as his spiritual father. As soon as the charter for the new Colony was promised, Gov. Endicott with his wife and not more than fifty others sailed, the last of June, 1628, and arrived in Salem Sept. 6, 1628. Mr. Skelton and family, "3 daughters and 1 son," waited in England to receive a copy of the charter, and full instructions in regard to all matters appertaining to the administration of the Colony. Mr. Skelton with his family sailed in the George May 4, and arrived in Salem June 23, 1629. He organized the first church of the Puritans July 30, 1629. Then he, Rev. Samuel Skelton, was installed Pastor, and Mr. Higginson was instilled as teacher, Aug. 6, 1629, they having been ordained in England, and Mr. Skelton having been a Minister for many years of the Established English Church in Lincolnshire. This Salem church was organized as one of the Established English churches and continued so up to Jan.1, 1630. The Prayer Book was then dispensed with and the church became the 2d Independent Congregational Church in New England. This change was one of the first In make it possible for the Pilgrims and the Puritans to unite as one colony. Gov. Endicott saw full well the importance of this union. It cost him his office, for Gov. Winthrop was appointed, in the spring of 1630 to succeed him. Mr. Skelton greatly assisted to bring about the union of the two colonies. Of him it is said "He was of gracious speech." Gov. Bradford, who had sent Doctor Fuller to take care of some sick ones in Gov. Endicott's family in the winter of 1628, was greatly pleased with'the straightforward and manly character, and integrity of Gov. Endicott who reciprocated by writing to Gov. Bradford, June 10, 1629, expressing warm and cordial feelings in regard to the simple mode of public worship by the Pilgrims. Mr. Skelton arriving a few days later, June 23, 1629, the way seemed to be opened for a mutual conference, which finally resulted very happily for the two colonies."-pp16-17

Genealogy of John Marsh and his descendants, 1633-1888 (Google eBook)  J.E. Williams, pub., Amherst, Ma 1888

I thought this gives a good backround of the relationship between the Endicotts and Skeltons which resulted in the marriage of their grandchildren Hannah Felton and
Samuel Endicott, my 8x great grandparents.

I'll discuss that question of the other line of descent in my next post.

To be continued.