SKELTON, David D.
David D Skelton
Source: Weik, Jesse W., A. M. 1910:
History of Putnam County, Indiana
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, Indianapolis, INDIANA
Pages 630-631
The founders of the family of this name were Southerners. Allen and Elizabeth (KEYSEY) SKELTON, the former a Virginian, met and married in Kentucky. Soon after they removed to Indiana, living for a while in Morgan County, but later locating in Putnam County, near Reelsville, in about the year 1851. Allen was a shoemaker and worked at his trade in Reelsville, which was on the old National road. It contained a mill, a store and a blacksmith shop. The stage coaches made much travel both ways and the roads were enlivened with herds of hogs on their way to the packing house at Terre Haute. In 1853 the SKELTONs located on a farm in Madison township, situated on Snake creek in the southern part, and here Allen lived until his death in 1863. His widow continued to live with a son on the old place until her death, at past seventy-five years of age. They had five children: James H., who lived near the old home, died at the age of forty-five; David D.; Samuel, retired farmer in Monroe County, Indiana; Allen, a retired farmer of Monroe County, Indiana; Sarah, widow of Fred SIGEL, who was killed in a stone quarry, is a resident of Indianapolis. David D. SKELTON, the second child, was born in Morgan County, Indiana, April 14, 1842, and remained at home until the completion of his twentieth year. In October, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Forty-third Regiment, Indian Volunteere Infantry, under command of Capt. William LANE. He served until the close of the war, though ten months of the time was spent in a southern prison at Tyler, Texas. He was captured at Marks Mills in Arkansas, April 25, 1864, while serving under General STEEL, who was moving to relieve General BANKS. He was detailed as guard of the wagon train from Camden to Pine Bluff. The stockade at Tyler held three or four thousand prisoners and was a miserable den in which the Union soldiers suffered much. Mr. SKELTON was finally exchanged and left the stockage February 25th, went to New Orleans, drew a supply of clothing and was sent back to Indianapolis, where he recruited, reorganized and did guard duty. Mr. SKELTON was a good soldier, always ready for duty and was several times promoted, being a sergeant when he was captured. He re-enlisted in January, 1864, and was with General STEEL when he entered Little Rock. After his dischare, Mr. SKELTON returned to his old home and began farming with his mother. In 1867 he married Elizabeth JONES, daughter of John and Hannash JONES, born in Ohio, from which state she came with her parents when six years old. After marriage he soon began to buy out the interest of the heirs and in a few years owned the whole estate. It contained originally of one hundred and sixty acres, but Mr. SKELTON added to it until he owned two hundred and forty acres. All of this, however, he deeded to his children, and in March, 1903, came to his present home of seventy-five acres. His wife died May 14, 1897, and on October 19, 1898, he married Mrs. J. C. JONES, who two years before had come, a widow, from Roanoke City, Virginia. Her maiden name was Jennie DAVIS, and she was a native of Giles County, Virginia; she married Mr. JONES at Roanoke City. She came to Indianapolis in search of a brother who left Virginia when sixteen years old. She learned that he was in Kansas City, Missouri, where he has since died. In 1908 a twin brother of the one above mentioned visited Mrs. SKELTON after an absence of thirty years. Mr. SKELTON had five children: John Allen, a farmer in Madison township; George D., a stationary engineer in West Terre Haute; Ora D. married Henry V. THOMAS, of Clinton Falls, Putnam County; Sarah A. married Adam ELLIS and resides on on the old homestead; Charles O. is an engineer om West Terre Haute.