This document lets us know that Samuel, who had already published two well known genealogies was working on a genealogy of the immigrant ancestor jointly with two other SHACKFORD descendents two years before he died. Perhaps he left the notes related to this important genealogy research with a family member or at a library -- hopefully they weren't destroyed!
We found the descendants of Samuel's daughter Elizabeth Lincoln Shackford Otis (1857-1947) and learned that they had some wonderful family items but do not think they have a copy of Samuel Shackford's genealogy records. So we decided to contact the libraries in the area where Samuel lived. With the help of the Winnetka Library Reference Desk and one of their genealogy volunteers, we learned discovered that the Winnetka Library at 768 Oak Street, Winnetka, Illinois has a copy of a bound book containing the genealogy of William Shackford compiled by Samuel Shackford! We've spoken with and corresponded with the genealogy volunteer who is looking through the files that accompany this book and learned that the files also include numerous notes written by Samuel. The notes explain that a copy of the book was sent to Samuel B Shackford and that Samuel Shackford's grandson Samuel Shackford Otis traveled to New England in 1929 and verified that a copy is also stored in a library in New England.
We've added a trip to Winnetka to our list of future genealogy research trips and also plan to research more about who Mrs Mary Morse, the third author of this book was.
A huge thanks to the Winnetka Reference Librarian for forwarding my request and to the genealogy volunteer who found this fabulous resource!
REFERENCES
Kilby William Henry, Eastport and Passamaquoddy: A Collection of Historical and Background Sketches (Eastport, Maine: Edward E Shead & Company, 1888), ; digital images,, Chapter, XIV. CAPTAIN JOHN SHACKFORD AND FAMILY. By Samuel Shackford, of Chicago, Ill., Google eBooks (http://books.google.com : accessed 1 September 2014.
The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Vol. LX. 1906 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1906), page 276 [July 1906]; digital image, Google Books (http://books.google.com : accessed 16 November 2014
Shackford Samuel, of Chicago, Ill. The Lineage of President Abraham Lincoln. Reprinted from the New-England Historical and Genealogical Register for April, 1887