On 8 September 1860, William H. Skinner of Wilson County, “weak in body,” penned a will whose provisions included:

• to wife Rebecca Skinner, during her natural life or widowhood, “the following Slaves & two children Randel & Judy a boy Peter a slave, a boy a slave Jo,” plus horses, hogs, oxen, cows, a wagon, a cart, furniture, fodder, pork, molasses, flour, coffee, lard, potatoes, peas, etc.
• “a Negro Girl Matilda & all the balance of my Property [be sold] & the proceeds after paying all my debts to be equally divided between Thomas H. Skinner Mary Ann Harrell Jane Skinner Lisha Skinner Wm Ann Skinner Florence Skinner Della Skinner & Martha Bass’s heirs”
• after wife Rebecca’s death, “the Slaves which I have lent to my wife be sold & the proceeds equally divided” between the people above.

Skinner apparently died within days, as his will was admitted to probate at October Term 1860 of the county court.

North Carolina Wills and Estates, 1665-1998 [database on-line], http://www.ancestry.com.

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Perhaps: on 31 March 1866, Peter Skinner and Cherry Sharp registered their cohabitation before Wilson County justice of the peace. In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Peter Skinner, 24, wife Cherry, 24, and sons Van, 7, and Fate, 3. In the 1880 census of same: Peter Skinner, 35, wife Sarah B., 35, and sons Van Buran, 14, and Lafayette, 13.