| William Skinner | |
| Birth Date: | 25 December 1728 |
| Death Date: | (age 70) |
| Birth Place: | Berkely, Perquimans County, North Carolina, British America |
| Death Place: | Perquimans County, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Placeofburial Label: | Place of burial |
| Allegiance: | United States |
| Branch: | North Carolina militia |
| Serviceyears: | 1775-1779 |
| Rank: | Brigadier General |
| Unit: | Perquimans County Regiment, Edenton District Brigade of militia |
| Commands: | Edenton District Brigade of militia |
| Battles: | |
William Skinner (December 25, 1728 – January 26, 1798) was a Province of North Carolina official, planter and brigadier general in Edenton District Brigade of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolution.[1] [2]
William was born on December 25, 1728, in Perquimans County, Province of North Carolina.[3] He was the son of Richard Skinner and Sarah Creecey. He first married the widow Sarah Gale Corprew on May 28, 1752, and they had four known children-William Gale, Penelope, Elizabeth, and Lavinia. He married a second time to the widow Dorothy Black McDonald, and they had two known children-William and Caroline. He owned several farms in Perquimans County and was a slave owner. He died on January 26, 1798, in Perquimans County, North Carolina. He was buried at the General Williams Skinner cemetery in the Yeopim section of Perquimans County, on a farm four or five miles from the town of Hertford.[1]
He held the following political offices:[1]
He served in the following units during the American Revolution:[2]
His statement about why he resigned his commission was "As my experience in military matters is very small, my continuing in that office might, perhaps, be a public injury, as well as fatal to those whose lives might in a manner depend on my conduct. For these reasons I take the liberty at this time of resigning that appointment which I heretofore with reluctance accepted."[1]