Skillman, William, P.O. Parkersburg, Farmer, Section 12; was born March 30, 1816, in Highland County, Ohio; son of William Skillman, born in Loudon County, Va., March 30, 1777, and Mary Henton-Skillman, born in New Hampshire County, Va., in 1789; he settled in this county and township [Russell] in 1850. Married, December 17, 1843, Elizabeth Swank, born in Hardin County, Ky., July 7, 1819 daughter of David and Elizabeth Swank; children were born as follows: Benson, November 2, 1845 (died March 7, 1864 in the army); Eliza Ann, October 9, 1847; Byron, January 22, 1850; James, August 23, 1852; Mary, November 6, 1854 (died December 11, 1857); Nora, born November 23, 1857, died December 6, 1867; and Clarendon, June 10, 1861. Mr. Skillman owns 222 acres of land in this county, and 93 in Hendricks County; is a Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church. His father and mother emigrated to Ohio with their parents when quite young, and there grew up; had a family of eleven children; seven are living; his mother died in Ohio in 1852, his father in Hendricks County, Ind., September 18, 1862. Mrs. Skillman's grandparents, John and Rosanna Swank, were natives of Germany, and settled in Kentucky, where he was killed by the Indians, while going from one station to another with his wife; she barely escaped with life, being compelled to run to the woods for protection, her horse having been shot under her; her parents came to this county in 1822, and settled on Section 12 of this township [Russell], which section her father owned, besides land elsewhere, he built the first grist-mill in the township, on Raccoon Creek; both he and his wife were members of the M.E. Church; his son, Cornelius, was a minister of that denomination; he (David Swank) died February 20, 1842; his wife in 1851, October 16.
"Benson Skillman, age 18, enlisted as a Pvt. in Co., K, 11th Regiment of Indiana
Calvary on 26 Oct 1863 in Parkersburgh, Scott Twp., Montgomery Co., IN. This
regiment, the 126th from the state, was organized at Indianapolis in the fall
and winter of 1863-64 with Col. Robert R. Stewart in command, and was mustered
(assembled) in 1 Mar 1864. At some point prior to the 1 Mar muster, Benson was
promoted to Corporal. The Regiment would leave for Nashville, TN on 1 May 1864,
but Benson would not be with them. For every three soldiers killed in battle,
five more died of disease. An amazing 64% of Civil War deaths were from disease
not battle. Such would be the fate of Benson, for he died of disease on 7 Mar
1864 while still in Montgomery Co., IN."