A pioneer resident of Bemidji, Mr. Skinvik played an active part in the organization of Bemidji and Beltrami county. Coming here from Crookston before the village of Bemidji was organized, he served as the first village attorney and at various times he served as judge of probate, deputy sheriff and court commissioner.
Born in Norway, Nov 1, 1857, where he lived until 16 years of age, Mr. Skinvik came to the United States in 1873. He received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1888 and moved shortly afterward to Northern Minnesota, settling first at Thief River Falls where he edited a Norwegian newspaper for several years. In 1896 he moved to Crookston where he was in the land office when part of the Red Lake Indian Reservation was opened for settlement. He came to Bemidji in February 1898 and was apponted village attorney in March 1899. In 1901 he was appointed by Governor John Lind as judge of probate court for Beltrami county. A year later he took up a homestead in Koochiching county and after several years he returned to Bemidji where he served as deputy sheriff under Andrew Johnson and Julius R. Johnson for 12 years. After the death of Judge H. A. Simons who had held those offices for several years, he was appointed U. S. Commissioner for Beltrami county, an office he held until his death in 1931. He passed away at his home at 900 Minnesota Av. after an illness which began last October with a throat infection. He was 73 years of age. Interment was in Greenwood cemetery.