Dr. & Mrs. John William McIlhany of Warrenton

From Fredericksburg, Virginia, we stopped by the quaint town of Warrenton. My third great-grandmother, Margaret Bispham Skinker (known as Madge), was brought up here, in the county of Fauquier. Her father, James Keith Skinker, owned an estate there called Huntley.

Madge married Dr. John William McIlhany at Huntley in February of 1861. He was born at "Milton Hall" on July 25, 1835, in Loudoun County, VA. He studied engineering at the Episcopal High School in Alexandria, and received the title of M.D. in 1860 at Richmond School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Dr. McIlhany served during the Civil War as a private in Mosby's Company D (a "Partisan Ranger") and later as a surgeon under Lt. General James Longstreet. His second child, John Milton McIlhany, is my great-great grandfather.

Thomas Keith Skinker, author of Samuel Skinker and His Descendants, includes a sentimental letter written by Dr. McIlhany to Madge from the field infirmary, Anderson's Division Artillery Battalion, on May 4, 1863. (See my last post, Fredericksburg, for parts of this letter referring to Capt. James Keith Boswell). Here are some indicators of who Dr. McIlhany was:

"Oh Madgie, no one can imagine my anxiety about you all, and how crazy I am to see you and our darling little pet, [their daughter, Rose] a sad heart I have. I really don't believe that I can stand it much longer. If it was not that I think I would be laughed at and ridiculed by every body, I would most undoubtedly go directly home; this awful war causes much trouble....I will write you every time I have an opportunity. Do I beg of you write to me often--Madgie remember how lonely I am way off here...Kiss the dear little pet many times for me; don't let her forget her papa. You don't know the pleasure it would give me to hear your sweet and familiar voice today....Madgie my dear Child, try and be in good spirits...Give quantities of love to all and accept more for your dear self--kiss little Rose many times...Do write soon, my lovely wife.
                                          Your ever devoted husband,
                                          J.W. McIlhany"

Dr. John William McIlhany (1835-1891)

Our first stop in Warrenton was, of course, the Warrenton Cemetery!

It was a privilege to pay my respects to my ancestor-grandparents: 

These are actually the same grave marker. Madge's name is on one side; John's is on the other. It lies very close to the resting place of Col. Mosby.

This cemetery is also delightfully full of Skinker relatives!

Hugh Garland Skinker would've been a cousin. He was a farmer, contractor, and cattle trader.

Julian Hampson Skinker was Garland's son. He studied law at George Washington University and was a Kappa Alpha. He served in WWI and later lived in Dallas, TX.

Julian & Evelyn Skinker

James Keith Skinker and Elizabeth Eyre Chambers were the parents of Madge Bispham Skinker McIlhany. They are my 4th great-grandparents.

Another Skinker buried here is William Keith, Madge's brother:

He was a private in the Black Horse cavalry, Company H, under Capt. William Payne, but mostly under J.E.B. Stuart. He fought in many battles, including First Manassas and Williamsburg. There is a great account of him in Skinker's book, including this tragic excerpt: "Survivor of many battles, William K. Skinker was killed May 27, 1918, on the Pignut Mountain side, less than half a mile from his own home, in a fall from his buggy. It is believed he died of heart failure. He was alone at the time." 

Private William Keith Skinker

Warrenton, VA is a wonderful little town full of history. We enjoyed a walk down its Main Street after our cemetery visit, and dined downtown. Because it was Sunday, many shops were closed; we look forward to returning when we can stay longer. 

It is an honor to be a descendant of the Skinker, McIlhany, Keith, and Bispham families. I felt like I belonged in Warrenton!

Samuel Skinker and His Descendants

Originally published in 1923 by the author. This book is printed to order
by The Apple Manor Press.

My third great-grandfather, Dr. John William McIlhany of Warrenton, Virginia, served as a surgeon for the Confederacy during the Civil War. His wife was Margaret Bispham Skinker (1837-1896). I have spent fifteen years researching the McIlhany family, and am thrilled to have my own copy of this book.

A manuscript of about twenty pages of this book was passed down from my grandparents; perhaps it is original, but it seems to be a copy. I first laid eyes on the actual book about two years ago in Augusta, Georgia, when my Dad and I traveled to meet long-lost McIlhany relatives. I made a connection with Kristy Hyatt, granddaughter of Rob Milton McIlhany, who was the brother of my great-grandmother, Nellie Keith McIlhany Burtnett. We had a small group of McIlhany/Skinker descendants who met among scrapbooks, photos, and papers.

Kristy's sister, Kathy, owns a grand, old, hardback copy of this Skinker book. It was too much for me to pore over in one sitting, but I put it on my back burner and remembered to ask for it this Christmas. The trouble I'm having is where to start! Another issue is getting this volume away from my husband long enough to look at it!

What I enjoy most about the book is the balance of names and information. It's more than a list of pedigrees; one can get lost in the magic of letters, descriptions, and stories that make the lists of ancestors come to life. Thomas Skinker has given us the gift of getting to know our predecessors as souls with joys, fears, sorrows, likes, and dislikes. 

My husband, Jeremy, and I agree that the excerpts included from the diary of James Keith Boswell are a treasure. Boswell's mother was a Skinker, making him not only a cousin by marriage to Dr. John McIlhany, but also a personal friend. The two men mention each other in their individual writings: McIlhany in a letter to his wife, and Boswell in his diary. After being made Captain of Engineers, Boswell reported directly to General T.J. "Stonewall" Jackson, and in May of 1863, received a fatal wound from the same volley that hit Gen. Jackson, who later died of pneumonia.

I am overwhelmed by the store of information in this one publication. Another relative on the McIlhany side, Hugh Milton McIlhany, published a volume in 1903 entitled Some Virginia Families. Owning a copy of this in addition to Samuel Skinker is a privilege for anyone of these family lines. It's a sweet surprise to discover that my affinity for family history is actually inherited. Thomas Skinker himself describes the book as "An Account of the Skinker Family and All Their Kindred Who Have the Blood of Samuel Skinker in Their Veins." That's me; that's my children! 

Today's culture seems to have lost the importance of looking to our ancestors for lessons in wisdom and life. We think that "progress" means eschewing all things old, as they seem "outdated." I'm grateful for men like James Boswell whose chronicles are fascinating to read today, and to others like Thomas Skinker and Hugh McIlhany, who recognized the importance of preserving the words and lives of those who came before us. "There is a virtue in blood that stimulates the energies and preserves the honor of men" (Col. W.H. Stewart, 61st Virginia Regiment). I feel it, and itch to know more of it.