Emma Skittreal was born in Burbage, just outside of Marlborough, Wiltshire, England in 1836. She removed four years from her age when she married John Croot who was eight years younger. So her gravestone age is incorrect. She was the daughter of Rebecca Skittreal and was raised by her aunt and uncle, Harriet Skittreal and Thomas Hailstone, in Westcourt, Burbage. Her father is unknown. Her mother left the area when she was a child and was in domestic service in Exeter, Devon before her marriage.
Note that there are several spellings of Skittreal used interchangeably including Skitral and Skitteral. The Skittreal family is found in the Burbage, Wiltshire area back to the beginning of parish records in the 16th century and probably before.
Emma is found in the 1841, 1851, and 1861 Censuses in Burbage and in her baptism record. She is also found in Burbage in the baptism records of her first two sons, John Thomas b.1858 (son of John Snatchwell of Plymouth) and Albert b.1860 (son of James Eagle). William, her third son, was baptized 16 Sep 1864 at St. Marychurch, Torquay. His father is unknown.
A single mother, she is listed in the 1861 census in Burbage as a dressmaker. In 1862, she successfully sued James Eagle, the father of her son Albert, for child support but it is not known if she actually collected money. Testimony establishes that they had an on-going relationship.
By 1864, she moved with her eldest sons to Torquay, Devon to join her mother Rebecca Skittreal Haynes and her husband John Haynes, a cabinet maker. It is not known why she did this, but perhaps the fact that she was expecting a third illegitimate child was a factor. He was baptized in 1864 at St. Marychurch.
In Devon she met John Croot and they married 14 March 1865 at St. Marychurch, Torquay, Devon. (Some records show 1860 as the date of their marriage. This was a fiction, probably to account for Albert who was adopted by John Croot.) They moved to John's hometown, Moretonhampstead, Devon, on Dartmoor, in 1865 and remained there until after the 1871 census. Likely they originally went to John's parents at Bowen Farm. After his father's death, they lived on Court Street between the 17th century Court House and Battenbury, near what was then Borohayes and is now Coppelia House. I think their now-gone house was about on the site of the Motor Museum.
Their first child was born in Moretonhamptead at the end of 1865.
They immigrated in the summer of 1871 with their first three children and Emma's second son Albert (later Albert Croot). John and Emma's first American child was born in August 1872 in New Jersey. They lived in Hacklebarney, NJ and then Ironia, NJ in Morris County, near John's brother Joseph and sister Ann Croot Stone. About 1877 they moved to nearby Bernardsville in Somerset County. She and John purchased a farm in 1879 that is now Kennelston, 48 Post Kennel Road on Mine Mountain near Bernardsville, NJ and lived there until they sold it in 1901. They acquired additional land as it became available, some in his name, some in hers. The original 18th century stone house in which they lived was incorporated into a later house that burned in 1939. Pictures of it exist--it was a classic two story 18th century stone farm house. They then built a still-standing house at what is now 570 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, where she lived for the rest of her life. It was later owned by a daughter Clara Terry who purchased her siblings' shares and then by a granddaughter. The house remained in their family until the 1980s.
Emma gave birth to 12 children:
* John Thomas Skittreal b.1858, born Burbage, remained in England, last found in 1871 in Torquay working as an errand boy at a dairy. According to a Skittreal researcher, he married a woman named Elizabeth and had a daughter Rebecca but I have found no trace of him after 1871.
* Albert Skittreal Croot 1862-1934, born Burbage, immigrated with Croots
* William Skittreal Haynes b.1864, born Torquay, remained in England. He was adopted by Emma's mother Rebecca Skittreal Haynes and her husband. Became a cabinet maker like John Haynes. In 1871 Census as their nephew and in 1881 Census as their son. In 1891 Census boarding near them in Torquay. Not found afterwards although there was a William Haynes running a seaside hotel/boarding house there in 1914. Not sure if it was him or another man. No record after 1891.
* George Croot 1865-1879, born Mortonhampstead, Devon
* Anna Maria Croot Collins 1868-1890, born Mortonhamptead, Devon
* Mary Jane Croot Lewis 1870-1853, born Mortonhamptead, Devon
* John Robert Croot 1872-1938, born Morris Co NJ
* James Croot #1 b/d 1874, born Morris Co NJ, burial location unknown
* Clara Croot Terry 1875-1960, born Morris Co NJ
* James C. Croot 1877-1951, born Somerset Co NJ
* Samuel Robert Croot 1879-1941, born Somerset Co NJ
* Ernest Grover Croot 1884-1895, born Somerset Co NJ
In the 1900 Census, Emma said she had nine children living which would imply that she believed John Thomas and William were both alive. She gave birth to 12 children, but three Croot children died young
Emma inherited a life-interest in her husband's estate with it reverting to their children at her death with her son Albert receiving a full share. As a widow she lived at her house on Mine Brook Road next door to her daughter for 12+ years. Then she rented her house and moved in with her daughter for the last two years of her life. There are a number of newspaper accounts of family parties there, and an existing picture of a 1907 family gathering, probably at her daughter's house on Mine Brook Road. (The porch in the pictures is now gone and that house had its Victorian detail removed. Emma's own house remains more or less as it was in her day.)
My sense is that she was born with many disadvantages and became a Victorian "bad girl," but changed her ways after her marriage and became a "worthy matron" and the matriarch of her large family.
Note that there are several spellings of Skittreal used interchangeably including Skitral and Skitteral. The Skittreal family is found in the Burbage, Wiltshire area back to the beginning of parish records in the 16th century and probably before.
Emma is found in the 1841, 1851, and 1861 Censuses in Burbage and in her baptism record. She is also found in Burbage in the baptism records of her first two sons, John Thomas b.1858 (son of John Snatchwell of Plymouth) and Albert b.1860 (son of James Eagle). William, her third son, was baptized 16 Sep 1864 at St. Marychurch, Torquay. His father is unknown.
A single mother, she is listed in the 1861 census in Burbage as a dressmaker. In 1862, she successfully sued James Eagle, the father of her son Albert, for child support but it is not known if she actually collected money. Testimony establishes that they had an on-going relationship.
By 1864, she moved with her eldest sons to Torquay, Devon to join her mother Rebecca Skittreal Haynes and her husband John Haynes, a cabinet maker. It is not known why she did this, but perhaps the fact that she was expecting a third illegitimate child was a factor. He was baptized in 1864 at St. Marychurch.
In Devon she met John Croot and they married 14 March 1865 at St. Marychurch, Torquay, Devon. (Some records show 1860 as the date of their marriage. This was a fiction, probably to account for Albert who was adopted by John Croot.) They moved to John's hometown, Moretonhampstead, Devon, on Dartmoor, in 1865 and remained there until after the 1871 census. Likely they originally went to John's parents at Bowen Farm. After his father's death, they lived on Court Street between the 17th century Court House and Battenbury, near what was then Borohayes and is now Coppelia House. I think their now-gone house was about on the site of the Motor Museum.
Their first child was born in Moretonhamptead at the end of 1865.
They immigrated in the summer of 1871 with their first three children and Emma's second son Albert (later Albert Croot). John and Emma's first American child was born in August 1872 in New Jersey. They lived in Hacklebarney, NJ and then Ironia, NJ in Morris County, near John's brother Joseph and sister Ann Croot Stone. About 1877 they moved to nearby Bernardsville in Somerset County. She and John purchased a farm in 1879 that is now Kennelston, 48 Post Kennel Road on Mine Mountain near Bernardsville, NJ and lived there until they sold it in 1901. They acquired additional land as it became available, some in his name, some in hers. The original 18th century stone house in which they lived was incorporated into a later house that burned in 1939. Pictures of it exist--it was a classic two story 18th century stone farm house. They then built a still-standing house at what is now 570 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, where she lived for the rest of her life. It was later owned by a daughter Clara Terry who purchased her siblings' shares and then by a granddaughter. The house remained in their family until the 1980s.
Emma gave birth to 12 children:
* John Thomas Skittreal b.1858, born Burbage, remained in England, last found in 1871 in Torquay working as an errand boy at a dairy. According to a Skittreal researcher, he married a woman named Elizabeth and had a daughter Rebecca but I have found no trace of him after 1871.
* Albert Skittreal Croot 1862-1934, born Burbage, immigrated with Croots
* William Skittreal Haynes b.1864, born Torquay, remained in England. He was adopted by Emma's mother Rebecca Skittreal Haynes and her husband. Became a cabinet maker like John Haynes. In 1871 Census as their nephew and in 1881 Census as their son. In 1891 Census boarding near them in Torquay. Not found afterwards although there was a William Haynes running a seaside hotel/boarding house there in 1914. Not sure if it was him or another man. No record after 1891.
* George Croot 1865-1879, born Mortonhampstead, Devon
* Anna Maria Croot Collins 1868-1890, born Mortonhamptead, Devon
* Mary Jane Croot Lewis 1870-1853, born Mortonhamptead, Devon
* John Robert Croot 1872-1938, born Morris Co NJ
* James Croot #1 b/d 1874, born Morris Co NJ, burial location unknown
* Clara Croot Terry 1875-1960, born Morris Co NJ
* James C. Croot 1877-1951, born Somerset Co NJ
* Samuel Robert Croot 1879-1941, born Somerset Co NJ
* Ernest Grover Croot 1884-1895, born Somerset Co NJ
In the 1900 Census, Emma said she had nine children living which would imply that she believed John Thomas and William were both alive. She gave birth to 12 children, but three Croot children died young
Emma inherited a life-interest in her husband's estate with it reverting to their children at her death with her son Albert receiving a full share. As a widow she lived at her house on Mine Brook Road next door to her daughter for 12+ years. Then she rented her house and moved in with her daughter for the last two years of her life. There are a number of newspaper accounts of family parties there, and an existing picture of a 1907 family gathering, probably at her daughter's house on Mine Brook Road. (The porch in the pictures is now gone and that house had its Victorian detail removed. Emma's own house remains more or less as it was in her day.)
My sense is that she was born with many disadvantages and became a Victorian "bad girl," but changed her ways after her marriage and became a "worthy matron" and the matriarch of her large family.
Emma Skittreal was born in Burbage, just outside of Marlborough, Wiltshire, England in 1836. She removed four years from her age when she married John Croot who was eight years younger. So her gravestone age is incorrect. She was the daughter of Rebecca Skittreal and was raised by her aunt and uncle, Harriet Skittreal and Thomas Hailstone, in Westcourt, Burbage. Her father is unknown. Her mother left the area when she was a child and was in domestic service in Exeter, Devon before her marriage.
Note that there are several spellings of Skittreal used interchangeably including Skitral and Skitteral. The Skittreal family is found in the Burbage, Wiltshire area back to the beginning of parish records in the 16th century and probably before.
Emma is found in the 1841, 1851, and 1861 Censuses in Burbage and in her baptism record. She is also found in Burbage in the baptism records of her first two sons, John Thomas b.1858 (son of John Snatchwell of Plymouth) and Albert b.1860 (son of James Eagle). William, her third son, was baptized 16 Sep 1864 at St. Marychurch, Torquay. His father is unknown.
A single mother, she is listed in the 1861 census in Burbage as a dressmaker. In 1862, she successfully sued James Eagle, the father of her son Albert, for child support but it is not known if she actually collected money. Testimony establishes that they had an on-going relationship.
By 1864, she moved with her eldest sons to Torquay, Devon to join her mother Rebecca Skittreal Haynes and her husband John Haynes, a cabinet maker. It is not known why she did this, but perhaps the fact that she was expecting a third illegitimate child was a factor. He was baptized in 1864 at St. Marychurch.
In Devon she met John Croot and they married 14 March 1865 at St. Marychurch, Torquay, Devon. (Some records show 1860 as the date of their marriage. This was a fiction, probably to account for Albert who was adopted by John Croot.) They moved to John's hometown, Moretonhampstead, Devon, on Dartmoor, in 1865 and remained there until after the 1871 census. Likely they originally went to John's parents at Bowen Farm. After his father's death, they lived on Court Street between the 17th century Court House and Battenbury, near what was then Borohayes and is now Coppelia House. I think their now-gone house was about on the site of the Motor Museum.
Their first child was born in Moretonhamptead at the end of 1865.
They immigrated in the summer of 1871 with their first three children and Emma's second son Albert (later Albert Croot). John and Emma's first American child was born in August 1872 in New Jersey. They lived in Hacklebarney, NJ and then Ironia, NJ in Morris County, near John's brother Joseph and sister Ann Croot Stone. About 1877 they moved to nearby Bernardsville in Somerset County. She and John purchased a farm in 1879 that is now Kennelston, 48 Post Kennel Road on Mine Mountain near Bernardsville, NJ and lived there until they sold it in 1901. They acquired additional land as it became available, some in his name, some in hers. The original 18th century stone house in which they lived was incorporated into a later house that burned in 1939. Pictures of it exist--it was a classic two story 18th century stone farm house. They then built a still-standing house at what is now 570 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, where she lived for the rest of her life. It was later owned by a daughter Clara Terry who purchased her siblings' shares and then by a granddaughter. The house remained in their family until the 1980s.
Emma gave birth to 12 children:
* John Thomas Skittreal b.1858, born Burbage, remained in England, last found in 1871 in Torquay working as an errand boy at a dairy. According to a Skittreal researcher, he married a woman named Elizabeth and had a daughter Rebecca but I have found no trace of him after 1871.
* Albert Skittreal Croot 1862-1934, born Burbage, immigrated with Croots
* William Skittreal Haynes b.1864, born Torquay, remained in England. He was adopted by Emma's mother Rebecca Skittreal Haynes and her husband. Became a cabinet maker like John Haynes. In 1871 Census as their nephew and in 1881 Census as their son. In 1891 Census boarding near them in Torquay. Not found afterwards although there was a William Haynes running a seaside hotel/boarding house there in 1914. Not sure if it was him or another man. No record after 1891.
* George Croot 1865-1879, born Mortonhampstead, Devon
* Anna Maria Croot Collins 1868-1890, born Mortonhamptead, Devon
* Mary Jane Croot Lewis 1870-1853, born Mortonhamptead, Devon
* John Robert Croot 1872-1938, born Morris Co NJ
* James Croot #1 b/d 1874, born Morris Co NJ, burial location unknown
* Clara Croot Terry 1875-1960, born Morris Co NJ
* James C. Croot 1877-1951, born Somerset Co NJ
* Samuel Robert Croot 1879-1941, born Somerset Co NJ
* Ernest Grover Croot 1884-1895, born Somerset Co NJ
In the 1900 Census, Emma said she had nine children living which would imply that she believed John Thomas and William were both alive. She gave birth to 12 children, but three Croot children died young
Emma inherited a life-interest in her husband's estate with it reverting to their children at her death with her son Albert receiving a full share. As a widow she lived at her house on Mine Brook Road next door to her daughter for 12+ years. Then she rented her house and moved in with her daughter for the last two years of her life. There are a number of newspaper accounts of family parties there, and an existing picture of a 1907 family gathering, probably at her daughter's house on Mine Brook Road. (The porch in the pictures is now gone and that house had its Victorian detail removed. Emma's own house remains more or less as it was in her day.)
My sense is that she was born with many disadvantages and became a Victorian "bad girl," but changed her ways after her marriage and became a "worthy matron" and the matriarch of her large family.
Note that there are several spellings of Skittreal used interchangeably including Skitral and Skitteral. The Skittreal family is found in the Burbage, Wiltshire area back to the beginning of parish records in the 16th century and probably before.
Emma is found in the 1841, 1851, and 1861 Censuses in Burbage and in her baptism record. She is also found in Burbage in the baptism records of her first two sons, John Thomas b.1858 (son of John Snatchwell of Plymouth) and Albert b.1860 (son of James Eagle). William, her third son, was baptized 16 Sep 1864 at St. Marychurch, Torquay. His father is unknown.
A single mother, she is listed in the 1861 census in Burbage as a dressmaker. In 1862, she successfully sued James Eagle, the father of her son Albert, for child support but it is not known if she actually collected money. Testimony establishes that they had an on-going relationship.
By 1864, she moved with her eldest sons to Torquay, Devon to join her mother Rebecca Skittreal Haynes and her husband John Haynes, a cabinet maker. It is not known why she did this, but perhaps the fact that she was expecting a third illegitimate child was a factor. He was baptized in 1864 at St. Marychurch.
In Devon she met John Croot and they married 14 March 1865 at St. Marychurch, Torquay, Devon. (Some records show 1860 as the date of their marriage. This was a fiction, probably to account for Albert who was adopted by John Croot.) They moved to John's hometown, Moretonhampstead, Devon, on Dartmoor, in 1865 and remained there until after the 1871 census. Likely they originally went to John's parents at Bowen Farm. After his father's death, they lived on Court Street between the 17th century Court House and Battenbury, near what was then Borohayes and is now Coppelia House. I think their now-gone house was about on the site of the Motor Museum.
Their first child was born in Moretonhamptead at the end of 1865.
They immigrated in the summer of 1871 with their first three children and Emma's second son Albert (later Albert Croot). John and Emma's first American child was born in August 1872 in New Jersey. They lived in Hacklebarney, NJ and then Ironia, NJ in Morris County, near John's brother Joseph and sister Ann Croot Stone. About 1877 they moved to nearby Bernardsville in Somerset County. She and John purchased a farm in 1879 that is now Kennelston, 48 Post Kennel Road on Mine Mountain near Bernardsville, NJ and lived there until they sold it in 1901. They acquired additional land as it became available, some in his name, some in hers. The original 18th century stone house in which they lived was incorporated into a later house that burned in 1939. Pictures of it exist--it was a classic two story 18th century stone farm house. They then built a still-standing house at what is now 570 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, where she lived for the rest of her life. It was later owned by a daughter Clara Terry who purchased her siblings' shares and then by a granddaughter. The house remained in their family until the 1980s.
Emma gave birth to 12 children:
* John Thomas Skittreal b.1858, born Burbage, remained in England, last found in 1871 in Torquay working as an errand boy at a dairy. According to a Skittreal researcher, he married a woman named Elizabeth and had a daughter Rebecca but I have found no trace of him after 1871.
* Albert Skittreal Croot 1862-1934, born Burbage, immigrated with Croots
* William Skittreal Haynes b.1864, born Torquay, remained in England. He was adopted by Emma's mother Rebecca Skittreal Haynes and her husband. Became a cabinet maker like John Haynes. In 1871 Census as their nephew and in 1881 Census as their son. In 1891 Census boarding near them in Torquay. Not found afterwards although there was a William Haynes running a seaside hotel/boarding house there in 1914. Not sure if it was him or another man. No record after 1891.
* George Croot 1865-1879, born Mortonhampstead, Devon
* Anna Maria Croot Collins 1868-1890, born Mortonhamptead, Devon
* Mary Jane Croot Lewis 1870-1853, born Mortonhamptead, Devon
* John Robert Croot 1872-1938, born Morris Co NJ
* James Croot #1 b/d 1874, born Morris Co NJ, burial location unknown
* Clara Croot Terry 1875-1960, born Morris Co NJ
* James C. Croot 1877-1951, born Somerset Co NJ
* Samuel Robert Croot 1879-1941, born Somerset Co NJ
* Ernest Grover Croot 1884-1895, born Somerset Co NJ
In the 1900 Census, Emma said she had nine children living which would imply that she believed John Thomas and William were both alive. She gave birth to 12 children, but three Croot children died young
Emma inherited a life-interest in her husband's estate with it reverting to their children at her death with her son Albert receiving a full share. As a widow she lived at her house on Mine Brook Road next door to her daughter for 12+ years. Then she rented her house and moved in with her daughter for the last two years of her life. There are a number of newspaper accounts of family parties there, and an existing picture of a 1907 family gathering, probably at her daughter's house on Mine Brook Road. (The porch in the pictures is now gone and that house had its Victorian detail removed. Emma's own house remains more or less as it was in her day.)
My sense is that she was born with many disadvantages and became a Victorian "bad girl," but changed her ways after her marriage and became a "worthy matron" and the matriarch of her large family.
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