Daniel Mowry, Jr.
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Daniel Mowry, Jr. (August 27, 1729– July 6, 1806) was an American cooper and farmer from Smithfield, Rhode Island. He served as a delegate for Rhode Island in the Continental Congress from 1780 to 1782.
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[edit] Early life
Daniel Jr. was the son of Captain Daniel (1697-1787) and Mary Steere (c.1700-1776) Mowry. His family had been and remained prominent in Smithfield for a number of years. Besides his father, the family included farmers, militia leaders, and tavern keepers. Young Daniel learned a trade as a barrel maker, entered commerce, and later opened a tavern of his own. He never attended school, but his parents taught him to read at an early age.
Daniel Jr. married Anne Phillips in 1749. They had at least two children: Daniel (1750-1839) and Anne (born 1751). Daniel would follow his father as the town clerk and in the state's General Assembly.
[edit] Public Service
Mowry began public service in 1760 as the town clerk. He represented Providence County in the colony's General Assembly for many years, and he became an active supporter of revolutionary activities. He was first elected in 1766 and served until 1779. During the Revolutionary War he served in the local militia, first as a Captain and later a Major in Peleg Arnold's Battalion.
For many years he had also served as a Justice of the Peace in Smithfield, and from 1776 he served as a judge in the county's court of Common Pleas. He was named by the Rhode Island assembly to represent to state in the Continental Congress in 1780. He returned home in 1782 and engaged in farming for the rest of his life.
[edit] Death
Mowry died at home in Smithfield and was buried in a family plot. His home for many years still stands on Farnum Pike in Smithfield, but is privately owned. The family graveyard is located nearby on John Mowry Road.
