Mark T. Skinner (September 13, 1813 – September 16, 1887) was an American politician, attorney, and philanthropist from
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
. The son of a Vermont politician and judge, Skinner decided to follow his father into the legal profession. He moved west to
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, and was named City Attorney for Chicago and
United States Attorney
United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...
for the Illinois District. In 1846, Skinner was elected to a term in the
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...
. During the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, during which he lost his only son, Skinner served on the
United States Sanitary Commission
The United States Sanitary Commission (USSC) was a private relief agency created by federal legislation on June 18, 1861, to support sick and wounded soldiers of the United States Army (Federal / Northern / Union Army) during the American Civil W ...
and oversaw a similar organization in Chicago. After retiring from law and politics, he managed real estate and focused on charitable endeavors.
Biography
Mark T. Skinner was born in
Manchester, Vermont
Manchester is a town in, and one of two shire towns (county seats) of, Bennington County, Vermont. The population was 4,484 at the 2020 census.
Manchester Village, an incorporated village, and Manchester Center are settlement centers within ...
, on September 13, 1813.
His father was
Richard Skinner, at the time a member of the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
and the future
Governor of Vermont
The governor of Vermont is the head of government of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of 2 years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every ...
. Skinner attended the Pittsfield Academy, studying under
Chester Dewey
Chester Dewey (October 25, 1784 – December 15, 1867) was an American botanist, antislavery activist, clergyman and educator.Makers of American Botany, Harry Baker Humphrey, Ronald Press Company, Library of Congress Card Number 61-18435
Early li ...
. He was accepted to the
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1791 and is amon ...
in 1830 and graduated three years later.
Skinner followed his father's profession and studied law in
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...
, under Esek Cowen and Nicholas Hill. He also attended the
New Haven Law School for a year, studying under
David Daggett
David Daggett (December 31, 1764 – April 12, 1851) was a U.S. senator, mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, Judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, and a founder of the Yale Law School. He helped block plans for the first college for Afri ...
and Samuel J. Hitchcock. Although he considered joining Hill as a partner, Skinner instead headed west to
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
. He was immediately admitted to the bar and started a practice, partnering with George A. O. Beaumont. In 1839, Skinner was elected City Attorney for Chicago.
In 1844 President
John Tyler
John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth president of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president dire ...
nominated Skinner to be
United States Attorney
United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...
for the
District of Illinois. Tyler reappointed Skinner in February 1845. When
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. He previously was the 13th speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and ninth governor of Tennessee (183 ...
succeeded Tyler in March,
Isaac N. Arnold
Isaac Newton Arnold (November 30, 1815 – April 24, 1884) was an American attorney, politician, and biographer who made his career in Chicago. He served two terms in the United States House of Representatives (1860–1864) and in 1864 introduce ...
challenged Skinner for the appointment. After extended debate, Arnold and Skinner agreed to defer to a third candidate, David L. Gregg.
[
In 1846, Skinner was elected to the ]Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...
as a Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
, serving one two-year term. Skinner formed a law partnership with Thomas Hoyne
His Honor, the Mayor, Thomas Hoyne, Esquire (February 11, 1817July 27, 1883) was elected Mayor of Chicago in 1876, but his election was later declared null and void by a Circuit Court. Prior to 1876, Hoyne had led a political career in which h ...
in 1847 that operated until 1851, when Skinner was elected Judge of the Cook County Court of Common Pleas. After his term expired, Skinner spent the rest of his life managing real estate.
Upon its founding, Skinner was named President of the Northwestern Sanitary Commission, which provided relief for sick and wounded soldiers of the Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
. He held the position until 1864. In 1862, Skinner was also named to the United States Sanitary Commission
The United States Sanitary Commission (USSC) was a private relief agency created by federal legislation on June 18, 1861, to support sick and wounded soldiers of the United States Army (Federal / Northern / Union Army) during the American Civil W ...
and served until it was disbanded in 1866.[
Skinner married Elizabeth Magill Williams on May 21, 1841. Their son Richard was killed during the Civil War at the ]Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road
The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, also known as the First Battle of the Weldon Railroad, was a battle of the American Civil War fought June 21–23, 1864, near Petersburg, Virginia, Petersburg, Virginia in the American Civil War, Virginia. It ...
. They also had four daughters. Skinner served on the Chicago Board of School Inspectors, and Chicago's Skinner West and Skinner North schools were named in his honor.
Skinner also helped to organize the Young Men's Association of Chicago, which later became the Chicago Library Association. He was a co-founder and first President of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Reform School. He also donated to Manchester, Vermont the Mark Skinner Library, which operated until 2013, when a larger, more modern community library was opened and the Skinner library building was sold to a private developer. There are also two Chicago Public Schools which use his name (Skinner North and Skinner West.)
He served at times on the board of directors of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illin ...
and Galena and Chicago Union Railroad
The Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU) was a railroad running west from Chicago to Freeport, Illinois, never reaching Galena, Illinois. A later route went to Clinton, Iowa. Incorporated in 1836, the G&CU became the first railroad built out ...
s. He was one of the original trustees of the Cook County Hospital
The John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County (formerly Cook County Hospital) is a public hospital in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Cook County Health and Hospital System, along with Provident Hospital of Cook County and ...
and was a trustee of the Illinois Charitable Eye & Ear Infirmary. Skinner was a charter member of the Second Presbyterian Church and served on its board of trustees.[
Skinner died on September 16, 1887, while visiting Manchester, Vermont and was buried at Manchester's Dellwood Cemetery.][
]
References
External links
*
*
Proceedings at the Opening of the Mark Skinner Library
'. 1897. R. R. Donnelley and Sons (Chicago), publisher.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skinner, Mark
1813 births
1887 deaths
People from Manchester, Vermont
University of Vermont alumni
Yale Law School alumni
Lawyers from Chicago
Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois state court judges
19th-century American businesspeople
Philanthropists from Illinois
Burials in Vermont
19th-century American philanthropists
19th-century American politicians
19th-century American judges
19th-century American lawyers