SAMUEL G. SKILES. This progressive and enterprising citizen of Chartiers township, one of the most extensive and best-known dairymen of Washington county, deserves prominent place in this work. He is a grandson of Gideon and Jane Skiles, early residents of Lancaster county, Penn., who came to Washington county about the year 1822, where they passed the remainder of their pioneer lives. Samuel Skiles, their son, was born July 25, 1810, on the old home farm in Lancaster county, and was, as will be seen, about twelve years of age when he came with his parents to this county. At the age of sixteen, he hired to drive a team, which business he continued to follow, handling freight to and from Pittsburgh, and afterward from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and Baltimore. In 1840 he was united in marriage with Sarah Guthrie, who was born July 5, 1820, and eight children were born to this union, viz.: Jane (deceased wife of John W. Gaston), Isaac L. (married to Miss Sydney Armstrong), Margaret Ann (deceased wife of Moses Ross), Belle (deceased wife of Joseph Kerr), Sarah Nancy (Mrs. Amos Anderson), Samuel G., George M. (married to Nancy Willard) and Agnes R. (deceased). The mother of these children died April 2, 1861, and on April 25, 1865, the father was married to Margaret Ann Watkins. He died May 6, 1888, a member of the Associate Reformed Church. Samuel G. Skiles, the subject of this sketch, was born May 3, 1852, near Bower Hill, Peters township, Washington Co., Penn. He resided on the farm during his early life, and attended the common schools. On September 12,1877, he married Emma Agnes McGibboney, born March 6, 1855, in Nottingham township, Washington Co., Penn., near Munntown, daughter of George and Rachel McGibboney, and the following children have been born to them: Rachel Agnes, Samuel McGibboney (deceased in early childhood), Flora Jane, Sarah Nancy, William Lytle (deceased), Mary Margaret, James Glenn and Georgia Alice. Mr. Skiles has taken an active interest in school and local affairs. His farm contains 130 acres of fertile, well cultivated land, where he pays special attention to the dairying business. At present he has a fine herd of Holsteins, and he is engaged in breeding that far famed variety of cattle. The milk from his cows he ships to the Pittsburgh market. In religious faith he and his family are all members of the United Presbyterian Church.

Text taken from page 1420 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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