Sylvan Skinner
Sylvan Skinner, farmer, P. O. Mantua, was born February 16, 1845, in Mantua Township, this county, son of William and Delight (Pinney) Skinner, natives of Massachusetts (Mrs. Skinner had been previously the widow of Mr. Wait, by whom she had two children, one now living—Otis Wait, in Hiram). William Skinner, Sr., and wife came to this county in 1806, settling on the farm where their grandchildren now reside. William Skinner, Jr., was born September 9, 1804, a son of William Skinner, Sr., and by trade was a maker of scythes, snaths, rakes and wagons, but in later life turned his attention entirely to farming. He had a family of three children, two of whom are now living: Adelbert L. and Sylvan. Our subject was married, February 25, 1865, to Pastoria, daughter of John C. White Kirtland, by whom he has one son—William. The Skinner family was the twelfth to settle in Mantua Township, this county, and the land on which our subject resides was entered by his grandfather eighty years ago, who also built the house, and this property at his death descended to his son (our subject's father) encumbered with a mortgage of $1,800, which the latter cleared, and in the course of time, by industry and perseverance, he became a well-to-do man worth upward of $10,000. Our subject is a progressive man, highly esteemed by the community. He has filled the office of Constable for three years.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885