Edith,

Thanks for your suggestion. No, I haven't yet looked at other parishes, other than in the IGI. My plan is to look at the possibilities, and try to eliminate the wrong James', one by one. I am aware that while James may have been born in German, that doesn't mean he was christened there. Actually, I wish he had stayed on the Isle of Man for another census, but he emigrated to the U. S. with his family about 1856. Records here give his place of origin as Lonan, or Laxey.

So far, from the IGI, the candidates for James Skillicorn (age 31 in 1851 census, born German) who married Ellen Skillicorn are:

(1) James, christened Lonan 8 September 1811, son of Edward/Esther Corkill. He mostly likely died before 1817, when Edward and Esther had a second son James.

(2) James, christened Lonan, July 21, 1816, son of Philip/Isabella Collister. They were not in Lonan in 1841, 1851, 1861 census. I need to locate them.

(3) James, christened Lonan, December 21, 1817, son of Edward/Esther Corkill. Actually, he seems born a little early to have been 31 in the 1851 census. However, in the 1841 census there is a James Skillicorn 20, living with Patrick and Ann Corkill. Hmmmm. I haven't yet identified Patrick Corkill or Esther, but I noted that there were many Corkills in German, where James in the 1851 census is said to have been born. He might be a good candidate.

(4) James, christened Lonan, July 18, 1819, son of John/Jane Kelly. He was living with his mother in 1851 census.

(5) James, christened Lonan, March 24, 1822, son of Thomas/Jane Kelly. He might have been the James, son of Thomas, buried Lonan, June 11, 1841, age 22. He is not in Lonan in 1851, but I haven't looked at the other parishes. Haven't yet found his parents either.

(6) James, christened Lonan, September 24, 1826, son of Charles/Ann Collister. He was with his parents in the 1851 census.

(7) James, christened Lonan, December 24, 1826, son of James/Ann Callow. He was with his parents in 1851.


I am putting together Skillicorn family groups, based on the census, Lonan monumental inscriptions, and parish registers. I plan also to look at the wills, and see if that helps, but I find, looking at the will index, that many did not leave wills or estate administrations.

And, of course, there are the Skillicorns in other parishes besides Lonan! (So far I have only looked at Lonan.)

Nonetheless, I have quite a thick pile of family group sheets of Skillicorns.

I will gladly share any Skillicorn information I have. Is there any chance "your" Skillicorns and "mine" are connected in the not-too-distant-past?

Thanks again for your help.