1239. Henry (Harry) N.⁷ Skillings (Simeon⁶, Cpl Josiah⁵, Edward⁴, Josiah³, John², Thomas¹) (#17486) was born in Portland, Cumberland, ME 1845.⁽⁵¹¹⁶⁾ Henry died in Kosrae, Micronesia.⁽⁵¹¹⁷⁾ His body was interred in Sansrik, Kosrae, Micronesia, family cemetery.⁽⁵¹¹⁸⁾

He married Jenny (Sitato) (Skillings) in Nauru, Kosrae, Micronesia.⁽⁵¹¹⁹⁾ (Jenny (Sitato) (Skillings) is #17487.) Jenny was born in Nauru, Kosrae, Micronesia.⁽⁵¹²⁰⁾ Her body was interred in Sansrik, Kosrae, Micronesia, family cemetery.⁽⁵¹²¹⁾ Abstract from the Descendants of Thomas Brewer, Addendum: pp 537-538:

Henry came from a line of mariners and probably shipped out of Portland, ME, on a whaler about the time of the Civil War or just afterwards in 1866, as related by his fourth generation descendant and namesake, Harry H. Skilling of Kosrae. By 1866 his mother, father, three brothers, and a sister were all dead, and Henry was about 21 years old. His brother Theophilus went to CA to seek his fortune in the gold fields. Harry appeared on the island of Kosrae, one of the Caroline Islands, Micronesia, in the Southwest Pacific, prior to October 1873, as recorded in the book "Bully Hayes, South Sea Pirate," by Basil Lubbock. Harry is identified as a trader in the Hayes book, and most traders were deserters from whaling ships. Traders were also known to be pirates. Harry landed first on Nauru, one of the smallest islands in the Pacific. No data is available on his marriage, but it is believed his wife was Jenny, a native of Nauru, whose Nauruan name was Sitato. They removed to Kosrae and the king kindly offered them property for a homestead at Sansrik, where all the children were raised. Later, portions of the property were equally divided among the sons. Harry and Jenny are buried in the family cemetery on this property. Their descendants have Harry's family pictures of his mother, father, sister and brother, taken between 1860 and 1865. During the years of the Japanese occupation (1914-1945), the Kosraens lived in the hills, and the Skillings descendants attempted to hide their American connection by burying the book written by Harry's son Fred about his father and the family. Many younger members of the family have been educated in U.S. colleges, and have returned to Kosrae to take prominent places in the government there. Harry H. Skilling is Chief Justice with his cousin, Sidney Skilling, a public defender. Fred Skilling, brother of Sidney, is Director of the Department of Public Affairs, and Masayuki Skilling is the Postmaster General. A Skillings family reunion on 30 July 1989 in Portland, Maine, included thirteen of the Skillings family from Kosrae. They traveled 9000 miles to the home of their ancestor, Henry N. Skillings, who had left 122 years before. In 1990 the Skillings, who hosted families from Kosrae, traveled to Micronesia and had a reunion there with their cousins.

Sources used: Skillin Family Newsletter, III (Fall 1988), IV (Jan., April 1990); John W. Skillin; Michael A. Brewer, son of Herbert E. Brewer (153-v).

Abstract from Skillings Family Records of Thomas Henley:

17 Aug 2000 - Harry Skillings left Portland, ME in 1868 after the great fire that burned most of the city. Harry wound up in the south Pacific with a pirate called "Bully" Hayes (this is documented). Harry married the daughter of the last king of Kosrae. Today there are many persons on the island with the Skillings name, some of the older generations have been to Maine twice for family reunions. The story is better told in the SFN (Skillin Family Newsletter). Some of the North Yarmouth Skillin folks actually paid a return visit to Kosrae (prounced Koos rii).

Henry (Harry) N. Skillings and Jenny (Sitato) (Skillings) had the following children:

2034 i. Fred⁸ Skillings (#17488) was born in Sansrik, Kosrae, Micronesia.⁽⁵¹²²⁾ Fred died 3 Sep 1945 in Kosrae, Micronesia.⁽⁵¹²³⁾ He married Sepe (Skillings) in Kosrae, Micronesia.⁽⁵¹²⁴⁾ (Sepe (Skillings) is #17489.)

Abstract from Descendants of Thomas Brewer by Erickson, Addendum: pp 537-538:

Fred Skillings, married Sepe (?), of Kosrae. He died at Kosrae 3 Sep 1945, the day after Japan surrendered. He had a "military funeral" in that it was attended by the crew and soldiers from an American battleship anchored in the harbor. Fred wrote a book about his father and the family. He and Sepe had eleven children.

2035 ii. Hattie Skillings (#17490) was born in Kosrae, Micronesia.⁽⁵¹²⁵⁾ She married John Sigrah.⁽⁵¹²⁶⁾ (John Sigrah is #17491.) John was born in Kosrae, Micronesia. John Sigrah reigned as Kosrae's last king from 1910 to 1947

2036 iii. Nellie Skillings (#17492) was born in Kosrae, Micronesia.⁽⁵¹²⁷⁾ Nellie died in her teens.⁽⁵¹²⁸⁾

2037 iv. Lucy Skillings (#17493) was born in Kosrae, Micronesia.⁽⁵¹²⁹⁾

returned to the US

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