Hi all-
Shadrach is my other brick wall. He was born in 1779 in Rhode Island, married Mary Fowler in Uxbridge, MA in 1812, they had 11 children.
According to a Steere Genealogy Book compiled by a direct descendent of Shadrach's in 1971, his grandfather is acknowledged to be Anthony Steere, his aunt was Catherine Steere Mowry(an abstract of her will indicates that Shadrach was her nephew), according to his death record his mother was Rachel Steere, nothing for his father.
According to the book, Anthony had a daughter Rachel, born circa 1753, nothing else is known about this Rachel, no marriage listed, no death record for her.
In 1803, Judge Daniel Mowry deeded what I consider his family farm to Shadrach, his nephew by his marriage to Catherine. Judge Mowry died 3 years later. Shadrach lived the rest of his life on this farm, and it was in the family until the 50s. I am making the assumption that Shadrach was raised by his aunt Catherine and uncle Daniel after Rachel died in childbirth. I can find no proof of this.
I am trying to locate the deed that is referenced in the genealogybook, to see if there is an indication of the relationship between Daniel and Shadrach. I have found many references to Shadrach online, in older RI histories, and journals that dealt with economics from this time period. I have communicated with many of the writers of the books/papers and they did not research Shadrach's genealogy. They were more interested in his water wheel/furniture making than his personal history.
I have contacted the Burrillville Hist. Society, the ladies had researched Shadrach and come up with the theory that Judge Daniel was Shadrach's father, not uncle, due to the deed of the farm to him.
There is a brief obituary for Shadrach on Google Books in a Quaker journal. He was Quaker.
I have spoken to the Steere archivist, he doesn't know from the records available who Shadrach's father was. I spoke to the daughter of the man who compiled the book in 1971, she thought her father did not know either.
So, any other ideas where to look? I will attach the abstract of Catherine's will.
Kate