PARIS – Descendants of Katie Linder, daughter of Francis Henry Skillings, visited the Paris Cape Historical Society museum on July 12. Ben Conant, museum curator, conducted a tour of the museum and surrounding areas connected with Francis Henry Skillings.

The group viewed his gravesite in Riverside Cemetery, the site of his home place, the Congregational Church where his daughter, Cora Briggs, played the organ for many years, the gravesite of William Ryerson, his grandfather, in Pioneer Cemetery, the original painting of Paris that he did from the front porch of his house off Western Avenue (at Paris Public Library) and the soldiers’ monument in Moore Park, which was designed by him. At noontime they has a picnic lunch at the Paris Cape Historical Society museum.

Conant will speak on the life of Francis Henry Skillings at a meeting of the Paris Cape Historical Society at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 17, at 77 High St. The session is open to the public.

Francis Henry Skillings, prominent businessman of South Paris, was born May 21, 1834, the son of Robert and Caroline (Ryerson) Skillings. He was a descendant of a Scottish family. His mother was the daughter of Col. William Ryerson of Paris.

Skillings acquired a practical education. At age 17 he was a mailing clerk in the office of the Portland Advertiser. After 1 years he returned to Paris to work with his father and later worked in the mercantile business with C.P. Knight.

In 1861 he went to California and was in mining and carriage painting. In 1865 he returned east and was an agent of True Flouring Mills of Paris. In 1877 he became general agent for William Deering Machinery Manufacturing and traveled through the United States, South America and Europe. He returned to South Paris in 1892 and was in charge of True Mills.

Skillings married Ellen Dunn and had three children: Cora (married George A. Briggs), Katie (married L. M. Linder) and Roy, who died at age 7 months.

He was prominent in the Masonic fraternity and was a prosperous businessman. He taught art at Oxford Normal Institute and painted the view of Paris looking toward Singepole and Streaked mountains.

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