APHGA Bi-Weekly Report 12/15/2009

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Nancy welcomed new APHGA member David P, whose Pomeroy line descends from Peter and Keren-Huppuch (Pilcher) Pomeroy. Peter was born about Jan 1838 in either Canada or England. He and Keren married 27 Jan 1864 in Plainfield, Will County, Illinois and Peter died 26 Sep 1916 in Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas. Peter and Keren had 5 children we know of, namely Ida May Pomeroy, b. 19 Dec 1865 in Lockport, Will County, Illinois; Charles A. Pomeroy, b. 1 Mar 1867 in Lockport, Robert Lester Pomeroy, b. 8 Jan 1869 in Lockport, d. 25 Dec 1953 in Independence, Montgomery County, Kansas; Fred G Pomeroy, b. 23 Aug 1874 in Wellington; and Lula B. Pomeroy, b. 8 May 1878 in Wellington. (Vital statistics courtesy of John Fishbeck’s Ancestral file on Ancestry.com.) We would like to try to identify who Peter’s parents were. If anyone is researching this family, please contact us!

David O. contacted Nancy regarding Dr. Thomas W. Pom(e)roy of Pembroke, Maine. His wife was a descendant of the Eye family. I have connected David with Gail Menzel of the Pembroke Historical Society, which has a nice collection of photographs, genealogies and news clippings of Pembroke inhabitants.

Haylee P. contacted Nancy. She’s a descendant of Francis Martin Pomeroy. Nancy sent her an ancestral report and asked for her to check what we have and let us know if there are any errors or omissions.

Judy has been entering 1871 Canadian Census records into our various databases.

Lee started to inventory the Pomeroy Family Papers at the Onondaga Historical Society and copied several items of interest. Le also continued to review information sent to us by the Cobourg Historical Society in Canada to see if she could link some of our Unlinked Pomeroys to Eltweed.

Betty entered matched WWII draft cards into the various Pomeroy databases. She continued to research Maine Governor Lewis O. Barrows and his family. Lewis married Pauline M. Pomeroy (Arthur Mosman, Francis, Elisha, Simeon, Titus, John, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) on 26 Apr 1917. The couple had at least three children, Robert W., Edward P., and Wallace H. Barrows. Betty also entered matched Michigan SSDI records and found missing census records for some of these Pomeroy families. Betty also entered matched Canadian marriages and worked on the family of Emery Pomeroy (James, Silas, Abner, Caleb, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed). Emery had two wives named Margaret; it appears that the first wife, Margaret Helen (Bolt or Helenbolt) Pomeroy, died when she gave birth to twins in 1871. Betty then started to enter Maine SSDI records.

Barb completed transcribing the items of early Northampton and Pomeroy Family genealogies from an early e-Bay purchase. She reviewed Trumbull’s History of Northampton, Vol II, to familiarize herself with Northampton, MA. She then continued her review of America’s Historic Newspapers. She continued to find a lot of material concerning the Honorable Samuel Clarke Pomeroy’s problems concerning a bribery attempt. Another interesting article was found in the Pittsfield Sun concerning Edward Pomeroy (Lemuel, Lemuel, Seth, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) and his first wife Abby (Alger) Pomeroy. Although divorced in Illinois, the divorce was not recognized in New York State. Twenty years had passed and each had re-married, and they were being accused in 1868 of fraudulently obtaining a divorce. It was argued that the courts of NY had no power to dissolve a marriage and no jurisdiction to set aside judgment of a court of record in another state. Barb is anxiously awaiting the outcome!
Barb found an article dated Nov. 1868 that stated “The most popular piece of music in the South at the present time is called “Our Brutus.” The words are those of Brick Pomeroy eulogizing Boot for the Murder of Lincoln, and the title page bears a finely lithographed picture of the arch-assassin. – Democracy true to itself!” – The article goes on to state that “Brick Pomeroy is a grandson of General Horatio Gates”.

A January 1869 article warned: “Again we advise persons seeking employment to keep out of New York. The city is overrun with men and women who are idle, who spend days and nights in a vain attempt to find labor. Thousands of men in the winter, on account of the season, can not follow their usual out-door vocations and are out of employment.”

A January 1869 headline in Brick Pomeroy’s newspaper entitled “Pomeroys Democrat” proclaimed: “The Exhumation of an Antediluvian Human Skeleton” and goes on to tell about an overlarge skeleton found in a quarry in Grand Rapids, MN.

Ed continued his search of Pomeroys in Maine Newspapers and has moved on to Maine Directories. Ed has been piecing together Unlinked Pomeroy families in Maine using the directories to identify who was living in the same household as evidence of some kind of relationship. So far he has checked directories in Auburn, Augusta and Calais and is currently working on Bangor directories.

Rick has been creating 1865 New York State Census forms for our group to use. The Family Search website now has portions of the 1865 NYS Census images online. These are not indexed yet, so we will be going page-by-page looking for Pomeroys. The 1865 NYS Census is one of the most comprehensive census records available to family researchers. It includes Manufacturers and Agriculture schedules, mortality information, military information and marriage information.

Alena continued to research the John F. and Nora (Whitford) Pomeroy family of Fulton, New York. She has checked local papers and contacted area cemeteries in an effort to determine whether this family is descended from Eltweed or not. So far we can only trace this family back to Lewis Pomeroy b. abt 1802 in Canada, who married Louisa (last name unknown) before 1829. Louisa was born about 1811 in Canada. The couple had at least five children, including Lewis C. Pomeroy, b. Oct 1830 in Canada; Louisa Pomeroy, b. abt 1838 in Canada; Joseph Pomeroy b. abt 1848 in Canada; Zenas or Zoa Pomeroy, born about Jan 1850 in New York, and John Pomeroy born about Feb 1853 in New York. Lewis was enumerated with his family in Syracuse, Onondaga County according to the 1850 US Federal Census. According to the 1860, 1870 and 1880 US Federal Census he was living in Granby, Oswego County, New York. If anyone is researching this family, please contact us!

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Nancy continued to research Reverend Francis Pomeroy (Timothy, Daniel, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) and other missionary pastors in New York State during the time that Francis was there, including Rev. Seth Williston, Rev. Levi Parsons, Rev. David Higgins and Rev. Hugh Wallis. To her surprise, she found that Rev. Seth Williston and Rev. Levi Parsons were distant cousins of Francis, and that Rev. David Higgins was related through marriage! All these pastors were members of the Middle Association, so they definitely knew each other, and it’s probable that they knew they were related.

Nancy updated the APHGA website with information about the Pomeroy Anvil Monument in Lyons, New York and wrote a speech that was delivered at the dedication of the monument at the First Presbyterian Church in Lyons on Sunday, December 13th, 2009. Rev. Lee Prong put together a wonderful program and Nancy had the opportunity to meet and speak with many of the parishioners of the church. Nancy will update the APHGA public website with pictures of the monument. Mark DeCracker, of Lyons, videoed the event and will be posting it to YouTube, so stay tuned!

On Saturday, December 12, 2009, Barb and Nancy went to the First Presbyterian Church in Lyons, NY for the installation of the Pomeroy Anvil Monument dedicated to Reverend Francis Pomeroy. It was a sunny day but bitterly cold! We were thankful that the Church was open so we could slip in and warm up. Nancy took a lot of pictures which will soon be posted on our public website. It’s incredible how cold weather can shorten the life of a lithium battery!

Rick transcribed images of the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons minute books. Mention was made in 1840 to the Methodist Church; this may help us in dating when lot #1 was broken up into the Presbyterian lot and the Methodist lot. Mention of session meetings being held at Reverend Francis Pomeroy’s house occur more than once, but no mention is made of the location of Francis’ house.

The Pomeroy Collection

No new items accessioned.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Nancy continued to work on a spreadsheet of landowners in Pompey, NY from 1790-1819. This information is in list form on the web, thanks to the gracious transcription by Kathy Crowell, but putting it into a spreadsheet will allow us to sort on grantor, grantee, date filed or lot number. Nancy also spent several hours entering research into our Eltweed database, relating to the Mary Ann Coe project. One interesting connection that Nancy found while researching Reverend Francis Pomeroy, was the unexpected relationship between Francis and Reverend Seth Williston, through the Parsons line (Francis’s mother was Ann Ashley, daughter of Ebenezer and Thankful (Parsons) Ashley). Spencer Pomeroy was also related to Seth Williston through the Parsons line. Spencer’s mother Sarah L. Allen (Pomeroy) was the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth “Betty” (Parsons) Allen. Sarah married Pliny Pomeroy, the half brother of Timothy Pomeroy, Reverend Francis Pomeroy’s father. Sarah L. (Allen) Pomeroy and Anne (Ashley) Pomeroy, wife of Timothy Pomeroy, were first cousins. Nancy started to enter the Williston family into our database, along with updating the Parsons and Ashley families. We are still looking to connect Godfrey Joseph Williston to this family. He and his wife Lydia (Smith) Williston were living in Pompey at the time that Sarah Pomeroy, her children Spencer, Nancy, Clarissa and Charlotte and Mary Ann Coe were. Significantly, Lydia (Smith) Williston joined the Manlius Trinity Church the same day that Sarah (Allen) Pomeroy did. We have always wondered whether they knew each other.

Nancy, Rick, Barb, Pat and Bill attended the Mary Ann Coe meeting. We discussed the difficulty keeping track of all the players in the Mary Ann Coe saga, and decided to enter all people who have any connection to Mary Ann, or were in the same place at the same time as she was into our genealogy database, that way we can keep track of them better.

Pat noted that she found a baptismal record for Edwin Pomeroy, younger son of Mary Ann and Spencer Pomeroy in the Presbyterian Church of Norwalk, Ohio records. He was not received by letter, and the baptism makes us wonder whether he had been previously baptized. Rick discussed Norwalk, OH taxes, for inlot 6 paid by the estate of Edward Pettit through 1834. Since we know the taxpayers for the property that bordered Mary Ann’s property, Rick suggested we get copies of those deeds to see if they mention Mary Ann living on the adjoining property. Bill suggested that we see if we can purchase microfilm of the Grantor/Grantee Index for Huron County, and any other indices that may have been microfilmed such as the Court of Common Pleas, Miscellaneous Records, Mortgages and Probate. Rick will contact the Huron County Clerk’s Office to see if they have this film and if they have copies available for sale.

Judy continues to review articles found in the Firelands Pioneer for early residents of Huron County, Ohio. She is entering information found in those articles into our Eltweed database. Judy found an additional relationship between Reverend John Seward, the son of John and Ann (Coe) Seward, and Alvin Coe. Apparently Rev. Seward and Rev. Harvey Coe prepared Alvin Coe to preach in Aurora, Portage County, Ohio. Both Rev. Seward and Rev. Harvey Coe were Alvin Coe’s first cousins once removed, while Rev. Seward and Rev. Harvey Coe were second cousins. Judy also researched Caleb Palmer, who married Alvin Coes’ wife’s sister, Harriet Smith. According to an article in the Firelands Pioneer “Woodcock” the old Johnny Appleseed was living with Caleb Palmer and his family about 1812 in New Haven, OH. Harriet Smith and Sarah (Sally) Smith, wife of Alvin Coe, were the daughters of General Martin and Sarah (Kellogg) Smith. General Martin and Sarah (Kellogg) also had a son, Erastus Smith who married Fannie Spencer.

Pat went to the Family History Center to finish reviewing four films, which included the records of the First Congregational and Presbyterian Society of Peru, Huron Co., OH; the First Presbyterian Church of Milan, Erie Co., OH; the First Presbyterian Church of Norwalk, Huron Co., OH; and the Stark Co., OH Bible, Church and Family records including early records of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Norwalk. She printed baptismal and marriage records from the First Presbyterian Church in Norwalk, and found a record of baptism for Edwin Pomeroy, son of Spencer and Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy. Edwin was baptized as an adult by Rev. John Beach on 4 Sep 1831. Pat continued to enter records from early Huron County, OH census records and additional research done on Julius S Coe, Horace Morse, David Underhill, Amanda Patton Underhill, Simeon Coe, Amos Coe and Rouse Bly. She entered the 95 names and facts of members of the Mt. Vernon Lodge #64 of Norwalk, Huron Co., OH between 1821 and 1828. Reuben Pixley, one of the members of the Mt. Vernon Lodge, had purchased parts of lots 78 and 79 in Pompey, Onondaga Co., NY in 1795 and 1796. By 1812 he was living in Ridgefield, Huron Co., OH. A Rebecca Pixley married Stephen Shattuck, one of the sons of Joseph Shattuck and a close neighbor to Ithamar Coe and family (of which Mary Ann was a daughter), and an Ester Pixley married Ichabod Lathrop of Pompey. Pat is researching these Pixleys to see whether they were related.

Rick contacted the Huron County Clerk’s Office to see if we could purchase microfilmed grantor/grantee indexes, probate, mortgage, Common Pleas, and Miscellaneous Records indices. Rick also transcribed the deed between John V. Sharp and Benjamin Junkins and the Powers/Moore deed. Rick reviewed the 1835-1838 Tax Assessment records for Huron County, OH available on microfilm through the Family History Center. Mary Ann Powers finally showed up paying taxes on inlot 6 in Norwalk in 1835. The 1836 and 1837 tax records for Norwalk were not on this roll. He also reviewed and made copies of the 1859 Huron County, OH land ownership maps.

Caryn continued to transcribe the records of the Presbyterian Church of Pompey.

We have added 706 people, 140 sources and 2976 citations to our genealogy databases over the past two weeks.

© 2009 American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association

Lyons, NY Pomeroy Anvil Monument Dedication Remarks

Communities of Faith

On behalf of Bill Pomeroy and myself, thank you for joining us in honoring Reverend Francis Pomeroy and the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons. I would like to personally thank Reverend Lee Prong, Les Bartley, the members of the Session and Mark DeCracker for their interest and participation in this project and in making this dream a reality.

In preparing the text for the monument, I had the opportunity to research the life of Reverend Francis Pomeroy. While Francis’ ecumenical life is well documented, his private life is not, so this research has presented many challenges. There’s an old saying amongst genealogists, “If you can’t find the person you’re researching, look at their family and neighbors.” In doing that, a greater pattern has emerged, of which Francis played a part; that I like to think of as a community of faith.

Francis Pomeroy was the first child born to Timothy and Ann (Ashley) Pomeroy. He was baptized in the Church of Christ, in Northampton, Massachusetts, on June 7, 1767. Francis advertised in the Hampshire Gazette as an indigo dyer in March 1795. His uncle, William Pomeroy was a clothier, and we speculate that Francis may have apprenticed under him. Francis lived on land deeded to his father by his grandfather, Lt. Daniel Pomeroy, in Westhampton, Massachusetts, then a part of Northampton. One entry in the journal of Reverend Enoch Hale, the first pastor of the Congregational Church of Westhampton, (and the brother of Nathan Hale), notes the “raising of Francis Pomeroy’s shop house” on April 20, 1795. Francis was about 27 years old at that time, married with children, and appeared to be well established in his trade. Five months later, tragedy struck. Francis and his wife lost two infants on September 4, 1795.

Francis’ name appeared in a notice in the Hampshire Gazette, that listed letters remaining in the Northampton Post Office as of January 1, 1796. Francis and his family were enumerated in the 1800 US Federal Census in Simsbury, Connecticut. How long he was in Simsbury, what he was doing there, and why he moved there remain a mystery to us, but we speculate that this may have been the period in his life when he found his true calling, that of the ministry of the gospel.

Francis’ father Timothy died in Northampton on November 8, 1802. By that time Francis’ brother Timothy has already moved to Canada, and three of his sisters, Anna, Thankful and Lovisa had moved west and were early pioneers of what is now Skaneateles, NY. Francis joined the Church of Christ in Northampton in 1802. Had he moved back to Northampton to care for his parents?

According to the records of the Middle Association published in the Journal of the Presbyterian Historical Society, “at a meeting of the committee of the Middle Association in Homer, June 20th, 1805... Mr. Francis Pomeroy appeared... and requested license to preach the gospel. The Committee, having made the necessary enquiries, unanimously approved of him, and accordingly licensed him until the rising of the next annual meeting of the Association.” Francis Pomeroy was ordained in May 1806 and installed at the Congregational Church of Brutus, now known as the Presbyterian Church of Sennett. Thus began Francis’ long career as a missionary pastor. This career would culminate in Francis’ participation in the founding of churches in Ira Center, Huron, Clyde, Palmyra, Rose, and Newark. Francis’ ministry encompassed over 25 years of service.

Francis lived with his third wife, Mary (Sayre) Potter Pomeroy in Lyons, and purchased land on village lot 2, which adjoined the property where this church now stands. Francis died on December 18, 1836 in Lyons, and was buried in the Presbyterian Burial Grounds on this site where we now celebrate his life.

Francis was part of a larger movement by the Connecticut Missionary Society and the Middle Association to provide missionary pastors to open churches along the Military Tract and Western New York. Francis’ contemporaries included Reverend Seth Williston (a distant cousin), Reverend Levi Parsons (a distant cousin), Reverend David Higgins, (related through marriage), and Reverend Hugh Wallis. Francis was by no means “alone in the wilderness”. He was just one of several like-minded (and often times related!) ministers of the gospel who answered the call to bring the word of God to this area. He had family ties in Skaneateles and Pompey, NY. He was also a valued member of the communities he served.

Francis’ second cousin, Dr. Robert William Ashley, settled in Lyons by 1808. Town histories state that Dr. Ashley lived on the east corner of Broad and Queen Streets, which would have made him a neighbor of Francis. According to “Grip’s Historical Souvenir of Lyons”, Dr. Ashley was “a prominent member of the Presbyterian church. He contributed 120 silver dollars to be cast into the bell hung in the first house of worship in the town.” Dr. Ashley’s son, William Frederick Ashley published notices in the Western Argus relating to the administration of Francis’ estate. Dr. Ashley’s daughter, Mary Williams Ashley, married Hiram Gilbert Hotchkiss in 1833!

One wonders how many of the early residents of Lyons were related, and this begs the question “what holds a community together?” Is it kinship, proximity, necessity, prayer? And are these relationships any less vital and necessary today than they were 200 years ago? I think not. Look at your neighbor, you may not think you’re related, but if you go back far enough, you’re likely to find a connection.

Like the pastors who have served this church for 200 years, and the members who have faithfully attended services, this community of faith has built lasting relationships, and will continue to do so, far into the future. Thank you for allowing me to celebrate that community with you.

Remarks given at the dedication of the Pomeroy Anvil Monument at the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons, New York, by Nancy Maliwesky, Director, American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association.



© 2009 American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association

New Date for Installation of the Lyons, NY Pomeroy Anvil Monument

We're set to install the monument on Saturday, December 12th, 2009 at 9:00am. The address is the First Presbyterian Church, 11 Queen Street, Lyons, NY.

Hope to see you there!

Nancy

Change in Date of Installation of Pomeroy Anvil Monument in Lyons, New York

Well, what was that line from "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer" about canceling Christmas? It's not quite that bad, but it sure is snowing in Central NY and Vermont!

Due to inclement weather, the installation of the Pomeroy Anvil Monument in Lyons, NY, will be delayed until Saturday, December 12, 2009. I don't have an exact time, but will let you know when I know.

We are still expecting to have the dedication of the monument as scheduled, on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 10:00am at the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons, NY at 11 Queen Street.

Sorry for the short notice, and thanks for your flexibility.
Bundle up!

Nancy

Lyons, NY Anvil Monument Installation and Dedication

The Seventh in a series of monuments celebrating the achievements of the Pomeroy Family in America will be dedicated at the First Presbyterian Church in Lyons, NY, on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 10:00am. The dedication will be part of the Church’s regular Sunday services.

Reverend Francis Pomeroy was the first installed pastor of the First Presbyterian Church and served the church from 1814 through 1825. Reverend Pomeroy also assisted in the founding of Presbyterian churches in Ira Center, Huron, Rose, Newark and Palmyra. Reverend Francis was baptized in Northampton, MA in 1767 and was licensed to preach by the Middle Association on June 20, 1805 in Homer, NY. His first pastoral assignment in New York State was in Brutus. Reverend Pomeroy lived on the lot adjoining the current location of the First Presbyterian Church and was buried in the Presbyterian Church Burial Ground in December 1836.

The monument is dedicated to Reverend Pomeroy and all of the pastors of the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons which just celebrated its 200th anniversary this year. The monument will be installed on Friday, December 11th, at 9:00am, prior to the dedication. The Church is located at 11 Queen St., Lyons, NY.

Other Pomeroy Anvil Monuments are installed in Pompey, NY; Sandusky, OH; Northampton, MA; Westhampton, MA; Peekskill, NY and Syracuse, NY. To learn more about the Pomeroy Anvil Trail, please visit the American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association’s website at www.americanpomeroys.org.

APHGA Bi-Weekly Report 11/25/2009

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Bill, Sandra, Nancy and Barb attended the Onondaga Historical Society’s Our Glorious Workplace fundraiser at King and King Architects on the near west side of Syracuse, NY last Saturday. Joining us at Bill’s table were Russell P, the Historian of the local SAR chapter, Karen and Jamie C (Karen is a member of the DAR and Jamie is a member of the SAR) and John and Maureen C (John is a member of the Marcellus Historical Society). The event included a tour of King and King’s new facilities which focused on displays from their archives, including blueprints of many of the famous landmarks of the Syracuse area. A delicious dinner was later followed by a presentation of the history of King and King and the near west side of Syracuse. One of the many highlights of the evening was a vocal “thank you” to King and King sung by the multi-talented Gregg Tripoli, the Executive Director of the Onondaga Historical Society. (Who says that history events can’t be fun?)

The previous Saturday, Barb, Lee and Nancy attended the Central New York Genealogical Society’s meeting and lecture on French-Canadian research presented by Julie Dowd of the Northern New York American-Canadian Genealogical Society (aka the Clinton County Genealogical Society). The society is located in Plattsburgh, NY. To learn more about them, visit their website at www.NNYACGS.org . Upcoming events for 2010 were announced, and we were pleased to note that Jean Nudd, of the National Archives branch in Pittsfield, MA will be a speaker at the April meeting. She’s a Pomeroy, you know!

Nancy spoke with Joan P last week. She and her husband Jerry were stationed at the Griffiss Air Force Base, in Rome NY in the 1970s. There they met and became friends with William P and his wife Cecelia. William and Cecelia went to Italy and the couples lost touch. According to Joan, William had the “Pomeroy Scrolls”, a set of scrolls with the ancestry of his family on them. Has anyone heard of these, or William and Cecelia?

Jerry’s Pomeroy line has been traced by the APHGA back to two siblings, Louise Pomeroy, b. abt 1826 in Springfield, Clark Co., OH, who died in 1907 in Attica, Fountain Co., IN and Charles Pomeroy (from which Jerry descends), born 1 Nov 1832 in MI, d. 3 Mar 1892 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY. Another descendant of this family was George Charles Pomeroy, b. 5 Mar 1895 in Brooklyn, NY and d. 9 Jul 1979 in Pompano Beach, Broward Co., FL. George was an early aviator and participated in air races with Amelia Earhart! We’ve done a bit of research on this family, but have not been able to connect them to Eltweed Pomeroy. Has anyone else researched this family?

Nancy also received an e-mail from Susanna C a descendant of Harriet Lyman Darling (Deborah Jane Spaulding Pomeroy, David, Gideon, Joshua, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed). Susanna has quite a collection of family artifacts and mementos that she has graciously offered to copy and send to us!

Lee continued to match Pomeroys found in Canadian birth records. She also reviewed a published genealogy, entitled “Descendants of John Palmer”. This book includes the George A. Pomeroy family of Cramahe, Canada, but it appears that some of the children associated with George and wife Rebecca Palmer are probably not the children of this couple. In particular, Emery Pomeroy, who we have as the child of James, is listed as a son of George and Rebecca. In reviewing our research, we believe that Emery is really the son of James, not George. Lee is also researching the possibility that Emery had two wives, both named Margaret, one a Hellenbolt and one a Dixon.

Barb continued her review of America’s Historical Newspapers. She is reviewing newspapers published in 1866. So far, 50 – 60% of the searches on Pomeroy in that year refer to Senator Samuel Clarke Pomeroy of Kansas (Samuel, Elijah, Caleb, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed). The Senator was a confidante of President Lincoln, an associate of Frederick Douglass, appeared on the same platform with Henry Ward Beecher and R. H. Dana, and assisted in making treaties with various Indian tribes in Kansas.

Barb also found two early Pomeroy sailors, Gaius and Artimous. We have an Artemus Bell Pomeroy in our database, b. 17 Jul 1870 in Southampton, MA (Edward De Graffe, Cornelius, Joel, Noah, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed), but we believe this is a different person. Does anyone have an Artemis, Artemus or Artimous Pomeroy who was a sailor in their family?

Another article that Barb found in a Pittsfield, MA paper in July 1864, stated that Newton S. Pomeroy was one of several agents going from Connecticut to recruit in the rebel states. We have a Newton Stoughton Pomeroy (Alexander, Amos, Nathaniel, Nathaniel, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed), born 20 Dec 1832 in Suffield, CT, who married Louise L. Archer 4 Jun 1856. Newton died 31 Mar 1886 in De Kalb, IL. We’re assuming this is the Newton referred to in the article, but don’t know anything about his Civil War service. Is anyone researching this family who might have additional information on Newton?

Betty has been entering matched Social Security Death Index records and Canadian vital records. She has been research Richard Pomeroy (Frederick Freeman, Frenando E, Elbridge G, Eleazer, Daniel, Noah, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed). Richard was born 22 May 1916 in OH and died in February 1980 in Grand Rapids, MI.

Ed has been researching a Leonard Pomeroy of Maine who died at the age of 24 in 1896 when he drowned after his boat capsized. He also researched a George Edward Pomeroy of Bath, ME who died in Santa Clara, CA. Ed also located the obituary of George Shuabel Pomeroy (Albert David, David Madison, Richard). George was born 23 Jun 1859, in Pembroke, ME and died 5 Aug 1922 in Pembroke, ME. He married an Ana C. Simmons. George was related to Dr. Thomas W. Pomeroy, the Clairvoyant Herbalist.

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Latest news on the Pomeroy Anvil Monument slated to be installed in Lyons, NY. The inscription of the monument is taking longer than initially expected. The revised ship date of the finished monument is now scheduled for Wednesday, December 2nd, with an install date expected the early part of the week of December 7, 2009. We have spoken with Rev. Lee Prong of the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons about having the dedication as part of their regular Sunday services on December 13th, starting at 10:00am. The First Presbyterian Church is located at 11 Queen Street, in Lyons, New York. The monument will be dedicated to Rev. Francis Pomeroy and all of the other pastors of the Church. Rev. Francis Pomeroy was the first installed pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons. He owned property just south of the current location of the church, and was buried in the Presbyterian Burial Grounds, on the current church property.

Rick continues to make headway re-creating the ownership and various boundary lines of property owners of Village lots 1 and 2 in Lyons, NY. A part of Village lot 1 was given to the Presbyterian Church. Rev. Francis Pomeroy purchased ½ acre on Village lot 2. This property changed hands frequently and seems to have been further split up. There is an old brick house that stands two doors down on Broad Street from the current Church. Could this have been the house where Rev. Francis lived, or did he live in a house on the property where the Presbyterian Manse now stands?

The Pomeroy Collection

Nancy pulled out an old accession of various Pomeroy documents that Bill had purchased off of e-Bay. Of interest are two Pomeroy Family Association brochures, several handwritten genealogies and two fascinating hand-drawn maps of Northampton, MA that contain the names and description of property of early Northampton settlers. Nancy has asked Barb to transcribe these documents. Rick found an early map of Northampton on the Family History Library site. Rick and Barb are using this map to identify the lots described on the hand-written maps.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Pat continues to work on identifying early settlers of Huron County, OH and tracing where they came from. Judy has been reading the memoirs of early settlers in Norwalk and vicinity from the Firelands Pioneer Journals. Barb checked the Western Reserve Historical Society for early school records in Huron County; they don’t appear to have any. Nancy has created a spreadsheet to track the transfer of property in Pompey, NY from 1790 through 1819. Nancy has also been adding early residents of Norwalk to our database. Rick continues to research lots 52 and 54 in Sandusky, Ohio, which were, at one time, owned by David and Mary Ann Powers. Caryn has taken over the task of transcribing the Presbyterian Church of Pompey, New York, records.

We have added 247 people, 155 sources and 1818 citations to our genealogy databases over the past two weeks.

© 2009 American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association

Latest News on the Lyons, NY Pomeroy Anvil Monument

It has taken longer than initially expected to sandblast the inscription on the monument slated for Lyons, NY. Because of this, the revised ship date will be pushed out one week. We are now expecting to install the monument sometime early in the week of December 7, 2009.

The dedication of the monument will not take place, as expected, on Sunday, December 6th. We are now looking at a possible dedication date of Sunday, December 13th, as part of the First Presbyterian Church of Lyon's regular Sunday services (starting at 10:00am). This date has not been confirmed yet.

Stay tuned here for the latest information on the installation.

Lyons, NY Pomeroy Anvil Monument

Just to let everyone know, we expect the latest Pomeroy Anvil Monument to be installed in Lyons, NY the week of Nov. 30th, 2009 with a dedication scheduled at the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons, 11 Queen St., on Sunday, December 6th as part of the regular church services beginning at 10:00am.

We'll keep you posted when we have the exact date and time of the monument installation.

APHGA's Weekly Report 11/10/2009

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Nancy continued to research and data-enter Virginia Pomeroys. She is working on the Shenandoah County Pomeroys, of which Chuck Pomeroy of Front Royal was a descendant. Nancy is also working on the West Virginia Pomeroys mentioned in last week’s blog.

Nancy had a nice conversation with APHGA member Diane L., regarding her line of Maine Pomeroys who originally settled on Long Island Plantation (an island off Bar Harbor). Family history points to a possible loyalist past, and Nancy is looking into connections with the Pomeroys of St. Stephens, New Brunswick who settled in Pembroke, Maine. Are these families related?

Nancy continues to work with Chris Pomery of the Pomeroy Family Association with regards to the Pomeroys we have researched who do not connect (at least yet) with the Eltweed line. Nancy has sent a copy of our Unlinked Pomeroy database to Chris and he has been diligently reviewing thousands of records to sort out those Pomeroy families that he knows came from England and Ireland. This will help us to whittle down the research that still needs to be done on those families that may or may not descend from Eltweed. Chris is also the administrator of the Pomeroy YDNA study at FamilyTreeDNA.com. We encourage participation in this study by both confirmed Eltweed descendants and those that haven’t been able to make that connection yet. Results from the Eltweed descendants show interesting consistent mutations between lines of the sons of Eltweed, but more participants are necessary to fill in the data. We’re looking, specifically, for male Pomeroys who descend from the following sons and grandsons of Eltweed, as these lines are not currently represented in the study:

Medad>John (elder)
Medad>Samuel (unlikely, unless his one documented son Lemuel had a male child, or Samuel had additional male children we don’t know about.)
Caleb>Samuel
Caleb>Ebenezer (d. at age 25, not known whether he married and/or had offspring)
Joshua>Joshua
Joseph>Medad
Joseph>Joseph

For more information about the Pomeroy YDNA study, go to the Pomeroy Family Association website at http://www.blogger.com/www.pomeroyfamilyhistory.com/. Stumped on the perfect present for your favorite Pomeroy genealogist? Why not consider a YDNA test?

Barb started and finished matching Pomeroys in the Minnesota Cemetery Inscriptions Index, Selected Counties, and the Minnesota Divorce Index 1970-1995 against our various Pomeroy databases. She also continued to review the New York State Library’s online newspaper collection “America’s Historic Newspapers” for Pomeroy related articles. She found an article in the Topeka, KS Weekly Capital in 1890 “that states that J.P. Pomeroy engaged “an intelligent Swede” to go to Norway and Sweden as his immigration agent. Pomeroy owned 25,000 acres of land in Graham County, was president of a coal company and worth a million or more. His agent was to be in Norway and Sweden for a year.” Is this James P. Pomeroy (Ralph Miller, Pliny, Pliny, Pliny, Daniel, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed), who identified himself as a “capitalist” in the 1900 US Federal Census? James was a widower according to this census and was living with a valet and cook. James’ father Ralph Miller Pomeroy was a very successful businessman who lived in Boston, MA in 1870. He identified himself on the 1870 US Federal Census as a Boot and Shoe Dealer with real estate valued at $400,000 and personal estate valued at $100,000. Those must have been SOME SHOES!

Betty spent the week data-entering Canadian marriage records and associated census records, and various Maine records into the Eltweed database. She entered records on Stanley Emerson Pomeroy (Roderick Hunt, Arad Hunt, Arad Hunt, Medad, Seth, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed), who was born in Feb 1892 in ME, and married twice, first on 22 Oct 1910 in Hampden, Penobscot Co., ME to Genevieve Hodgins, (b. abt 1892 in MI) and second before 28 Jan 1920 to Ruth F (last name unknown), b. abt 1891 in MA. Stanley and Genevieve had at least one child, Barbara H., b. abt 1912 in ME. Stanley was a machinist and was living in Riviera Beach, FL in 1945 according to the 1945 Florida State Census. She also entered records on Robert Bryan Pomeroy (Silas Cooper, Collins, Titus, Titus, Titus, Ebenezer, Eldad, Caleb, Eltweed). Robert was born 24 Apr 1907 in Westfield, Hampden Co., MA and married in Maine on 20 Sep 1930, Bertha Frances Manson (b. abt 1906 in ME). They had a son Sterling Pomeroy. Robert was elected the financial secretary of the Pleasant Street Methodist Church in Portland, Cumberland Co., ME on 30 Apr 1951.

Ed continued his review of Maine online newspapers in search of those illusive Maine Pomeroys. He found several obituaries that shed light on additional children of Pomeroys in our databases, and read an article about a B-36 plane crash in New Mexico that took the life of Kenneth Bruce Cota, a step-brother of Albert Pomeroy of South Paris, ME. Albert S. Pomeroy was the son of Charles R. and Helene P. (Pitts) Pomeroy. Charles R. Pomeroy was born 3 Oct 1880 in ME and married Helene in South Paris, Oxford Co., ME on 13 Dec 1941. We do not know who Charles R. Pomeroy’s parents were. Is anyone researching this line? There was a Charles Ripley Pomeroy, born 3 Aug 1880 in Peru, Oxford Co., ME, son of Alonzo L and Cynthia Pomeroy, is this the same Charles? Alonzo L. Pomeroy (Asa, Joseph, Joseph, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Isles of Shoals) was born abt 1834 in ME and married twice, first to Martha A. Robinson and second to Cynthia (last name unknown). I think it’s likely that Charles R. Pomeroy who married Helene P. Pitts is the same person as Charles Ripley Pomeroy, as two of Charles Ripley Pomeroy’s sisters, Lula and Edith A, were also living in Paris, Oxford Co. ME.

Lee completed matching Pomeroys in Canadian Marriage records against our databases and handed them over to Betty for data-entry. She has started to match Canadian Birth Records from 1869-1909 against our databases.

Lee “located additional data on Rev. Swan L. Pomeroy (Josiah, Josiah, Josiah, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed), regarding anti-slavery activity in John R. McKivigan’s book, “The War Against Proslavery Religion,” Appendix pg. 215. Swan was listed as a Vice President of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1834-35, and as a Manager from 1836-1839. He was also appointed as a delegate to represent Maine at the World’s Anti-Slavery Convention in London, 1840.”

Caryn completed her mountain of filing and has started to match Pomeroys in Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002 against our various databases.

Judy has been working with Lee to find information on George Washington Pomeroy (George A., Silas, Abner, Caleb, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed), who was born about 1837 in Upper Canada and married Mary Ann Giles 20 Sep 1871 in Muskegon, Muskegon Co., MI. On 8 Apr 1891 he made a declaration of intention to become a US Citizen in Newaygo, Newaygo Co., MI. Judy went to her local Family History Center and checked death records volumes 2-3 for Newaygo Co. MI 1867-1932, but found no Pomeroys in this record. She also checked film for the Muskego Co., MI death index A-K and L-Z 1867-1965. She found a Pomeroy in 1894 but no first name was given. A Pomroy was found dying in 1915, but again, no first name. There was a Charles E. Pomeroy indexed in 1916 which may be George’s son. She also checked the birth records for Newaygo Co., MI and found two of Charles’ children, Melvin and Eunice.

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Work continues on the Lyons Pomeroy Anvil Monument. The foundation has been dug and poured. We are expecting full sized drawings of the inscription on the monument by Tuesday, Nov 10th. Once the drawings are approved the work of sandblasting the inscription should take about two weeks. If all goes well, we are looking at a possible date of Sunday, November 29th, 2009 for the dedication of the monument. The dedication will be part of regular Sunday church services at the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons, New York. The Church is located at 11 Queen St., in Lyons, NY, and Sunday services begin at 10:00am. For more information about the Church, check their website at http://lyonspc.googlepages.com/home.

Rick continued to transcribe mortgages for Wayne County that relate to Reverend Francis Pomeroy and his family, and the property they owned in Lyons. Nancy had started a deed search for village lot 2 to try to figure out when the property was parceled out. Rick will be comparing deeds from the First Presbyterian Church on village lot 1 and the deeds from village lot 2 to try to identify where Francis’ house stood on village lot 2.

The Pomeroy Collection

No new accessions this week.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Nancy received an exciting letter from Henry Timman, our Norwalk, OH researcher. He had spoken with the Secretary of the Mount Vernon Masonic Lodge #64 in Norwalk who looked at the notes from early meetings and was able to tell us why Benjamin Junkins was expelled from the Lodge, effective 3 Dec 1827. From Henry: “The 1827 minutes show that on 1 Oct 1827 at a Lodge meeting there was disapproval expressed on Benjamin living in a state of open adultery, contrary to the code of the organization, and he was ordered to be served notice and to appear.”

“The notice was duly served and he failed to appear. A committee was appointed to meet and work him. The committee reported back on 3 Dec 1827 that he gave them no satisfaction, and that he abused them. Therefore it was voted that he be dismissed and that notice be published in the Norwalk Reporter newspaper.”

WOW! We had long speculated at this being the cause for Benjamin’s expulsion, but this confirmation has led us to wonder about other events and more areas of research. We are now wondering how this expulsion would have effected Benjamin and Mary Ann’s ability to make a living in Norwalk. On 5 Oct 1827 Benjamin had placed a notice in the Norwalk Reporter offering his property and cabinet maker’s shop on lot 26 in Norwalk for sale. On 12 May 1828 Benjamin and Mary Ann Junkins sold the cabinet maker’s shop on lot 26 to John V. Sharp. They held a mortgage on the property for $150. On 20 May 1829 Benjamin and Mary Ann Junkins sold the remaining portion of Benjamin’s property (including the dwelling house) on lot 26 to John Miller. They held a mortgage on this property for $425.00. On 4 Jun 1828, almost a year prior to the sale of this property, Benjamin and Marry Ann settled their accounts with James Williams, and on 1 Jul 1828 a letter remained at the Post Office in Canton, OH for a Benjamin Junkin. Were Benjamin and Mary Ann considering moving from Norwalk?

Benjamin died at the age of 35, “after a short, but severe illness” on 23 Jun 1830 in Norwalk. Mary Ann Junkins and John G. Taylor were named administrators of Benjamin’s estate, as he died intestate. Samuel Preston and Daniel Raitt were named as surety for the administrators of the estate in the amount of $800. If it was well known that Mary Ann was not legally married to Benjamin Junkins in 1827, how was she able to present herself as Benjamin’s wife and as co-administrator of his estate just three years later? What changed the community’s opinion of this couple? Did they perhaps leave town for a short period of time, and return with a divorce decree for Mary Ann and a marriage license identifying Benjamin and Mary Ann as husband and wife? We find no evidence that Mary Ann and Benjamin married in Norwalk, could they have married elsewhere?

Mary Ann filed a “Cancel of Marriage Contract” between herself and Spencer Pomeroy in the Huron County Court in August 1834. It is recorded in Deed Book 8, page 514. Spencer Pomeroy died in the Onondaga County, N.Y., poorhouse on 2 May 1833. The Cancellation of Marriage Contract was dated 19 Oct 1816 and stated “This may Certify to all whom it may concern that I Spencer by a Mutual agreement between me and my wife Mariam, have, and do by these presents revoke, and disannull the marriage covenant between myself and the said Mariam forever, and that I do discharge her the said Mariam in every particular manner name or nature whatsoever, as being no longer my wife, and she has liberty and full right to marry and live with any one that she may make her choice so far as it may concern me, as I will never disturb her in any situation in life whatsoever witness my hand and seal, Spencer Pomeroy, witness Calvin J. Ball.” (We believe it likely that when Ichabod Marshall, the recorder at Huron County Court House entered this record into the deed book that he mistook “Mariann” for “Mariam”. It seems unlikely regardless of whether the contract was real or faked that Mary Ann’s name would be spelled incorrectly!) Doesn’t it seem odd that the place where this contract was signed was not mentioned in the contract? We suspect it was created (or fabricated to appear to have been created) in Pompey, NY, as Calvin S. Ball, the witness, who was Mary Ann’s cousin, lived in Pompey until sometime after 18 Nov 1869. If this contract was signed 19 Oct 1816, Calvin would have been 18 years old. Was he old enough to witness this contract? On 5 Jul 1817 Ebenezer Carr was appointed guardian of Calvin and his brothers and sisters, as minor children.

It would be interesting to learn more about such contracts. Were they legal in N.Y. State or Ohio? Did the spouse released in such a contract still have to petition the state in which he or she lived to get a divorce that would be legally binding in that state? Could the holder of such a contract legally remarry? This seems unlikely. If it were truly that easy to divorce, why would people go through the Court system? We have seen notices in newspapers of contracts where husband and wife agreed to live apart and not hold each other responsible for debts, but does this imply that either spouse could legally remarry?

Nancy continued her research into several Sharps, including Salmon Sharp, administrator of the estate of Edward Pettit. Edward sold property to Mary Ann Coe on inlot 6 in 1825 and she purchased the remaining part of that property from the Estate of Edward Pettit in 1826. Salmon Sharp was the brother of Ephraim Sharp who married Jerusha Pettit, Edward Pettit’s sister. Edward and Jerusha Pettit’s sister Lydia also married a Sharp, but was a widow at the time of Edward’s death. From Nancy’s research into this Sharp family it does not appear that Lydia married a brother of Salmon and Ephraim. Who did Lydia Pettit marry?

Nancy also researched John V. Sharp, who purchased Benjamin Junkins’ cabinet maker shop. Was he related to Salmon and Ephraim Sharp? It appears that John V. Sharp came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, while Ephraim and Salmon Sharp lived in Cayuga Co., NY. Nancy did find a possible connection to John V. Sharp in Hopewell, PA, which bears an interesting connection with Benjamin Junkins, as this was the town that Benjamin and his brothers hailed from. Did John Sharp know Benjamin from Pennsylvania?

Nancy also continued her review of databases available through the Syracuse University Library. If you are lucky enough to live near a college or university, we highly recommend a visit to their library. Most academic libraries have subscriptions to online databases not typically available to, or affordable by, genealogists or genealogical societies. For instance, Nancy is currently reading a dissertation on the geology and migration patterns of the Military Tract of New York.

Barb continued her review of the Western Reserve Historical Society’s catalog. Alena continued her review of the Canton, OH Ohio Repository newspaper for the year 1828, looking for any references to Benjamin Junkins, Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy Junkins, Taylors, Sharps and references to cabinet makers.

Lee continued to search for early church records at the Firelands Historical Society. She consulted with Pat about Firelands research she has done and which films are on order through the Family History Library. Two early issues of the Firelands Pioneer Journal noted early church information.

Judy prepared for and visited the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, IN. She first checked books and family histories that were not likely in circulation at other libraries, then she went to the periodicals section and started pulling and copying articles found in her PERSI research preparation for the trip. She focused on copies of the Firelands Pioneer Journal that we do not own and are not available online. From looking at the report Judy wrote detailing what she looked at and copied or photographed, I can tell it will take her a bit of time to read and digest everything. Here’s a great tip for researchers – find out if you can bring a digital camera to the research facility you’re planning on visiting. It’s a great timesaver when you know what you’re after and don’t have a lot of time, instead of spending precious time reading and transcribing, snap a few photos of the pages you’re interested in, and make sure to photograph your source information! Using a digital camera with a 300dpi setting should allow you to zoom in on the images for ease of reading when you get home.

Pat continued to work on her spreadsheet of heads of household in the 1820 and 1830 New Haven and Norwalk, Huron Co., OH US Federal Census records. Pat is trying to track the heads of household to identify where they were living prior to coming to Huron County. She has also found a list of the members of the Mount Vernon Lodge #64 which she has added to this spreadsheet. She traced David Webb, listed as living in Ridgefield, Huron Co., OH in 1830. In 1800 he was in Whitestown, Oneida Co, NY, in 1810 he was in Pompey, Onondaga Co., NY, in 1820 he was in Riga, Genesee Co., NY. She also researched James Kilbourne and Luther Coe, who were road commissioners and surveyors. Kilbourne was born in 1770 in New Britian, CT and was the founder of Worthington, OH. In 1805 he accepted the position of Surveyor of Public Lands.

Pat continued to review our copies of the Firelands Pioneer and is transcribing articles of interest including an article on the Mount Vernon Lodge listing members and visitors between 1821 and 1828. Pat has also identified online editions of the Firelands Pioneer.

Rick researched early Ohio newspapers for Masonic Lodge notices. He excerpted portions of a Freemason Sciences book found on the internet that might give us some insight on expulsion rules and regulations. He reviewed a reply from the Merry-Go-Round Museum in Sandusky, OH regarding their property (which was previously owned by David Powers). He contacted the Erie County, OH Recorder’s Office for grantor/grantee deeds filed on lots 52 and 54. Rick followed up with the current owner of inlot 6 in Norwalk (which was previously owned by Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy Junkins Powers.

Rick reviewed the Huron County tax rolls for 1833-34 which had been ordered from the Family History Library. These are the last rolls held by the Ohio Historical Society. Rick found that Edwin Pettit’s estate continued to pay taxes for inlot 6. He identified neighboring properties – Daniel Raitt paid taxes on inlot 5 and David Underhill paid taxes on inlot 7. Rick is now going to order deeds for properties that bordered on inlot 6 to see if they mention who the owner or resident of inlot 6 was (we’re hoping there is some mention of Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy Junkins or Benjamin Junkins). Rick also checked the tax records for neighboring New Haven and identified David Powers as paying taxes on property he owned.

We have added 395 people, 117 sources and 1728 citations to our genealogy databases over the past week.

© 2009 American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association

APHGA's Weekly Report 11/2/2009

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Nancy received an e-mail from Donald P who was researching his Pomeroy/Pumroy family in early VA (now WV). He can trace his family back to James Pomeroy/Pumroy b. 1781 in King George, VA. James and his family moved of Kanawha County about 1817. Was he a relative of the Shenandoah County, VA Pomeroys who settled in that area by 1800? Nancy has started to enter census and vital records information on various VA Pomeroy families in hopes that we may find some connections between these families. Nancy found an interesting article in the Richmond Enquirer newspaper dated 1 Jul 1836, on page 3, which detailed the meeting of the Democratic Republicans of Kanawha, wherein James Pomeroy was listed as an additionally appointed member of a Committee of Correspondence. The Kanawha Democratic Republicans were supporting the election of Martin Van Buren. It would be interesting to look at the records of this organization to see if there are further references to James Pomeroy.

Another intriguing bit of information found while researching James Pomeroy came from a book found on WorldVitalRecords.com that lists a James Pomeroy as a prisoner “in Dorchester Gaole to bee Transported” to Barbados, during the time period of 1685-6. This is not the James Pomeroy who lived in Kanawha Co., VA, but it begs the question, who is this other James Pomeroy? Unfortunately Nancy lost her connection to the WorldVitalRecords.com website and was not able to print up the source for this information. She will check the site again this coming week and report back.

If anyone has researched the Pomeroys of Kanawha Co., VA (later WV), please contact Nancy so she can put you in touch with Donald. If anyone knows who the James Pomeroy who was deported to Barbados, please also let Nancy know.

Nancy also spent time this week reviewing applications for Historic Road Markers in Onondaga County for the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

Alena checked online newspapers for Mexico listed on the ICON website to see if we could find any references to James Pomeroy McGuire who was buried in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1956. The Correo a paper published in Guanajuato, Mexico was only available through 1914. Alena was able to search the El Informador and the El Tren newspapers, but neither of these papers were published in Guanajuato, but rather from Guadalajara. No articles were found that contained information about James Pomeroy McGuire.

Lee continued to match Canadian Pomeroy marriage records against our various Pomeroy databases. She has matched 6 of 15 pages of results.

Lee visited the Onondaga Historical Society and made note of Samuel and Betsy Pomeroy in Onondaga County in 1838. These names are new to our research. Lee also noted some Pomeroy names in an old history of education in Syracuse. She also examined several other collections identified as possibly holding some Pomeroy data, including the Hopkins family papers, 1833-1983, and the Hoyt family papers, 1806-1888, but nothing relative to our Pomeroy research was found in these collections.

Ed continued to research online Maine newspapers for Pomeroy connections. He found a John Pomeroy from Orrington, ME who was lost at sea in 1902. John had a wife and two children who survived him at the time of his death. From the information in that article, Ed was able to fill in missing information on John and his family. This John G. Pomeroy, b. abt 1833 in ME, was the son of John and Rachel G Pomeroy. John the father was born abt 1790 in ME and died before 1860, based on census record information. Rachel G. was born abt 1795 in ME and died 10 Oct 1865 in Hancock, Hancock Co., ME. Rachel and John’s children included William R. Pomeroy, b. abt 1819 in ME, a female child born between 1820 and 1825, probably born in Maine, Amos P. Pomeroy, b. Nov 1821 in ME who died before 19 Apr 1910 based on census record information, Ellen Pomeroy, b. abt 1829 in ME, Nathaniel Pomeroy, b. abt 1829 in ME who died before 6 Jun 1900, and John G. Pomeroy.

John G. Pomeroy married, we believe, twice. He had a daughter by his first wife Malissa, named Caroline, b. abt 1858. He had at least four children by his second wife, Maria M., namely Martha Maria Pomeroy, b. abt 1858 or 1861, Philena A. Pomeroy, b. abt 1861, Harriet A. Pomeroy, b. abt 1865 and Edith M. Pomeroy b. Feb 1880. All children were born in Maine. Is anyone researching this family?

Betty continued to enter matched Pomeroys in the Social Security Death Index into our various Pomeroy databases. She has also been entering Canadian records into the Eltweed database.

Barb searched for Canadian Pomeroys in America’s Historical Newspaper database looking for Pomeroys that Lee has been researching. Although she did not find references to the Pomeroys Lee was looking for, she did find several interesting articles including one about an Ebenezer G. Pomeroy who was assigned a patent for smelting and refining iron, an A. Pomeroy who was a boatswain in 1850 on the US frigate Wabash, and a W.C. Pomeroy of the Trades and Labor Assembly at a meeting of 20,000 workers in Chicago that turned out to support the eight hour workday.

Barb also started and completed matching Pomeroys in the MN Marriage Collection 1958-2001 on Ancestry.com. Due to the late date of these records not many connections were found.

Judy researched Chloe Wheeler, believed to be the wife of Noah Pomeroy (Daniel, Noah, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed) to see if we could prove that Wheeler was her maiden name. She found a Chloe Palmer appointed as administrator of her second husband Joseph’s estate. She also found a Chloe Wheeler mentioned in a probate record as a daughter of Samuel Wheeler of Canaan, Columbia County, NY around 1820. Noah was living in Columbia County before moving to Albany by 1797. Could this be where he met his future wife?

Judy also continued to catch up with data-entry for the various Pomeroy databases. She has been working on Canadian census records and other various Pomeroy records.

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Nancy continued to work with the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons, NY and the Karl Lutz Monument Co., Inc. of Syracuse, NY, on the installation of the Pomeroy Anvil Monument dedicated to Reverend Francis Pomeroy.

Rick continued to transcribe a collection of Wayne County deeds and mortgages that Nancy had made copies of on her visit to the Wayne County Clerk’s office.

The Pomeroy Collection

No new items accessioned this week.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

We received a letter from Henry Timman, our first rate researcher in Norwalk, OH, on the results of the research he conducted for us regarding Benjamin Junkins, believed to be the second ‘husband’ of Mary Ann Coe. When we reviewed the probate file for Benjamin Junkins we thought perhaps the records were incomplete, and asked Henry to look at later Court of Common Pleas journals to see if he could find any other mention of the settlement of Benjamin Junkins estate. Henry checked the journals but there was no other mention of the settlement of the estate. He did, however, find an interesting notation in Samuel Preston’s Justice of the Peace journal regarding a debt owed to Benjamin Junkins by Edward Wheeler on a note dated 5 Sep 1828. This debt was settled 27 Aug 1832 (over two years after Benjamin Junkins’ death on 23 Jun 1830) by payment to Barnet Carkhuff. It appears that money was owed to Barnet Carkhuff by either Benjamin or perhaps Mary Ann, and the administrators of Benjamin Junkins’ estate used Edward Wheeler’s payment to pay Barnet Carkhuff. Now we need to find out who Edward Wheeler and Barnet Carkhuff were! Also found by Henry Timman were two entries (credit and debit) in the account book of David Underhill, an early saw-mill owner in the Norwalk, OH area. Benjamin was a cabinetmaker and purchased supplies, including cherry wood from David Underhill.

Alena took over for Nancy a review of the Ohio Repository newspaper published in Canton, OH. We are looking through this paper from January 1827 through December 1831 to see if we can find any additional references to Benjamin Junkins or Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy Junkins. An article regarding letters remaining in the Canton, OH Post Office published 1 Jul 1828 in that paper lists, among others, Benjamin Junkin. We are wondering whether Benjamin Junkins and/or Mary Ann Coe were planning to move to Canton, passed through, had visited or perhaps married there.

Lee looked at our collection of Firelands Pioneer journals (and those available online) for references to early church records in or around Norwalk and New Haven, OH. She contacted the Firelands Historical Society in Norwalk and spoke with a volunteer who is looking to see what records they have on early churches.

Barb has been looking at the collection at the Western Reserve Historical Society for items that we might not expect them to have. She has done searches on several different towns and counties in NY State, and did a simple search on NY. Some of the surprising finds were newspapers from Utica, Batavia and Cherry-Valley, a book published in 1828 in Manlius, NY, being an expose “of the character, conduct and designs of the Presbyterians, and some others of the clergy of this county”, written anonymously under the penname “Plain Truth”. Barb also checked the collection for items regarding Westfield, Westhampton and Northampton, MA and Tolland Co., CT.

Rick ordered microfilmed deed lists for Niagara County and Franklin County, NY and Stark County, OH, from our local Family History Center. He also sent an inquiry to the Merry Go Round Museum in Sandusky OH regarding the history of the property they currently own. This property was at one time owned by David Powers and wife Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy Junkins Powers. Rick also sent an inquiry to the Mt. Vernon Masonic Lodge in Norwalk, OH regarding Benjamin Junkins’ dismissal from the lodge in Dec 1827.

Rick also researched the Ohio Divorce Law of 1827 for any reference to jurisdictional issues, to try to figure out why Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy’s divorce petition was dismissed by the Ohio Supreme Court “for lack of jurisdiction” in 1827. Rick also searched for sources of the journal of Seth Williston, and early Congregational minister who served in Onondaga County. A book of excerpts from his journal had been published and we have obtained this and read it, but we are hoping to find the intact journals from which this book was extracted.

Pat researched the 1820 US Federal Census of Norwalk and New Haven, OH and has created a database to research and track the prior residences of these head of households. Did any of these early settlers of Norwalk or New Haven come from Onondaga or Genesee County in NY? Could they have known Mary Ann? Is this why she chose to settle in Norwalk? Pat also ordered 6 microfilms from our local Family History Center on early OH church records. Included were films for Lyme, Peru, and Norwalk, in Huron County and Milan in Erie Co., OH.

Pat continued to enter research found on the Coes into our Eltweed Pomeroy database. She also researched James & Thomas Burkhead of Cadiz, Harrison Co., OH. Adam Junkins (Benjamin’s brother) was married to Actia Burkhead, could James and Thomas be related to Actia?

Pat reviewed the results of Henry Timman’s research with Nancy. She researched Barnet Carkhuff and David Underhill. Both were mentioned in an article in the Oct 1898 issue of The Firelands Pioneer regarding moving the county seat of Huron County to Norwalk in the early 1800s. The article included an 1815 tax bill listing for Wheatsborough, Huron and Vermillion townships in Huron County “constitut[ing] the whole county for purposes of taxation, at that time”. David Powers, Luther Coe, Chism May, Martin M. Kellogg, and James McIntyre were on the tax list for Wheatsborough. Pat identified the origin of the town of Wheatsborough, which was named after Samuel Wheat who owned a large tract of land in township 5, range 24 (now Groton) who was a pioneer settler of the town which later bore his name. The town of Wheatsborough would later be changed to Lyme in 1819.

Pat also found an 1840 census record for Rouse Bly and newspaper clippings for Luther Coe and Rouse Bly which she entered into our Eltweed database.

We have added 672 people, 95 sources and 2233 citations to our genealogy databases over the past week.

© 2009 American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association

APHGA's weekly report 10/27/2009

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Nancy looked at online Australia newspapers for any mention of Edwin Guilford Pomeroy (Francis A., Francis W., Spencer, Pliny, Daniel, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed). Edwin was Bill’s grandfather. He worked for the McKeen Motor Car Company in Omaha, NE before 1908 through about 1920. In November 1911 two McKeen Motor Cars were delivered to Melbourne, Australia. Workers from the McKeen Motor Car Company came to Melbourne to get the trains running and teach the engineers and trainmen in Australia how to run and repair the machines. Based on letters written by Edwin to his wife Etta May (Stansberry) Pomeroy, we believe that Edwin may have been one of the workers sent by McKeen to Australia. We found a very interesting photograph of the McKeen Cars and workers online at the Australia Archives website, and one of the workers bears a striking resemblance to Bill’s grandfather. Meldon Wolfgang III, in his lecture on Newspapers at the CNYGS Fall Conference mentioned the International Coalition on Newspapers (ICON) website at http://icon.crl.edu/digitization.htm as being a great place to look for International Newspapers online. Nancy checked the site and found the Australian Newspapers Digitization Program at http://www.nla.gov.au/ndp/index.html which had several articles about the McKeen Motor Cars, but none that mentioned Edwin Pomeroy directly. This may be a good place to look for Mexican newspapers that might mention James Pomeroy McGuire who was buried in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1959. We’ll have to ask Alena for help with this as she is fluent in Spanish.

Nancy spent time this week entering new and old research into our various Pomeroy databases. She worked on the Charles H. Goodier family. Charles married Mary E. Pomeroy (Joseph S, John Spencer, John, Nathaniel, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed) by 1867 and they had at least 10 children. The family lived in Osage County, KS according to the 1860, 1870 and 1880 US Federal Census records. The family was living in Irondale, Arapahoe Co., CO according to the 1900 US Federal Census. Nancy also entered research done on Caleb Pomeroy who married Phebe Strong and settled in Lewis and Jefferson Counties, NY. Rick just received copies of deeds ordered through the Lewis County Clerk’s office that contain deeds for Caleb. We’ll need to transcribe them and see if they tell us any new information. Also in this packet are the deeds for Pliny (Pliny, Pliny, Daniel, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) and George Pomeroy (Pliny, Pliny, Daniel, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) – very exciting!

Nancy also entered research done on Noah Pomeroy (Daniel, Noah, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed), b. abt 1767 in West Springfield, MA who married Chloe Wheeler before 1805. The couple were granted a divorce on 10 Nov 1817 by the Chancery Court of the State of New York. Noah was living in Canaan, Columbia Co., NY according to the 1790 US Federal Census. He was a Lieutenant in the NY State Militia for Columbia County between 1793 and 1797 according to the book “Military Minutes of the Council of Appointment of the State of New York, 1783-1821” compiled by Hugh Hastings and Henry Harmon Noble, (Albany, State of New York, 1901), where he is mentioned as being removed from the roll on 21 Mar 1797 as he had moved. Noah was living in Albany Co., NY in 1800 according to the US Federal Census. He was an inn holder on Court St. in Albany on 27 May 1802 and was active in the Republican party of the county. He became an insolvent debtor in 1812 and was listed again as an insolvent debtor in an Albany newspaper in 1818. He signed an affidavit concerning his father Dan’s service during the Revolutionary War on 3 Apr 1818 in Albany. We then find several notices for letters remaining in the New York City Post Office for a Noah Pomeroy on 1 Oct 1819, 1 Aug 1820 and 1 Sep 1820. There is also a letter remaining in the Baltimore, MD Post Office for a Noah Pomeroy on 15 Jan 1820. Is this the same Noah?

While entering information on Noah Pomeroy, husband of Chloe Wheeler, Nancy came across a newspaper article that had been cut off when printed. It was found on GenealogyBank.com so Nancy checked the Newspapers on GenealogyBank.com to print up a better copy of the article. When Nancy entered “Noah Pomeroy” in the search term she got a whole slew of results. Never one to be able to pass up a Pomeroy, Nancy printed all of the articles and matched them against our several Pomeroy databases. She found a large number of articles relating to the contesting of a will made by George H. Parker of California. George was in the clock making business with Noah Pomeroy (Hiram, John, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed), when the two lived in Bristol, CT. Noah married George’s sister Mary Jane Parker on 13 Jun 1843. Noah and Mary Jane were childless. When George’s first wife passed away, leaving a young son, Edward, George gave Edward to Noah and Mary Jane (Parker) Pomeroy to raise. George moved to California and amassed a fortune. His son Edward was originally named in George’s will, to receive upwards of $100,000. George later changed the will, leaving Edward a mere $300 a month for the rest of his life. Edward had married a woman named Emma, and died soon after the marriage. When George died, Emma contested the will. The San Jose Mercury reported on the court hearings extensively. Noah and “Jane” Pomeroy were called on as witnesses. Also listed in the will and the newspaper articles was Marshall Pomeroy, the brother-in-law of George Parker. Marshall Pomeroy was the son of Warren Pomeroy (Hiram, John, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed). Warren was an older brother of Noah Pomeroy. Warren’s eldest daughter, Delia Pomeroy, was the first wife of George H. Parker! Although A.A. Pomeroy noted that Delia married a George Parker, he did not mention a child of the union, nor did he connect George Parker and Mary Jane Parker as siblings. So, we now can add Edward Parker as a descendant of Eltweed!

Alena continued to enter the book “History and Genealogy of the Pomeroy Family and Collateral Lines England-Ireland-America Composing the Ancestors and Descendants of George Pomeroy of Pennsylvania by William McL and J. Nevin Pomeroy (Self published, 1958). She has finished the seventh generation through George’s daughter Mary, which was the largest group of families in the book so far.

Barb finished matching Pomeroys in the Connecticut Death Index database on Ancestry.com and went back to reviewing America’s Historical Newspapers for Pomeroys. Some Pomeroys of interest in the papers were a Col. Pomeroy mentioned in an extract of a 1791 letter from the “Western Country” concerning problems with the Indians, a Robert Pomeroy in 1780 who was tried and convicted of murder, sentenced to be hanged. He was hanged at Burlington, NJ in July 1780. In 1784 a Ralph Pomeroy, Esq., was elected to represent the Society of the Cincinnati as a delegate to the General meeting, and last, but not least, the State Sloop Winthrop captured the privateer brig Merriam, commanded by Richard Pomeroy about September 23, 1782. Richard wasn’t one of our Maine mariners, was he?

Lee continued to match Pomeroys in Canadian marriage records and is passing them on to Ed and Betty to enter. Lee also started to arrange some of her Pomeroy research by subject matter, including Pomeroys & Anti-Slavery Efforts. She recently located a record that identifies Rev. Swan Lyman Pomeroy (Josiah, Josiah, Josiah, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) as an early member of the American Anti-Slavery Society who took active participation in the 1834 first anniversary meeting.

Alma L, one of our members, e-mailed Nancy about two Pomeroy children, Elizabeth Ann Pomeroy, born 1898 and Philip T Pomeroy, b. 1900 of Liverpool, UK, who were sent to Canada from England. Philip was a passenger on the SS Dominion which departed Liverpool for Portland, ME 25 Feb 1909, and Alma believes she found Elizabeth Ann Pomeroy on a list of Home Children sent to Canada. Nancy forwarded on this information to Lee, our Canadian Pomeroy researcher, and she has been looking into this. Lee hasn’t found anything concrete yet, but there is a child named Philip T Spencer who fits the description (right age and location). Lee is wondering whether Phillip Spencer is, in fact, Philip Pomeroy.

Ed has been reviewing online Maine newspapers to fill in a lot of gaps we have in our Unlinked Pomeroy database. He’s been concentrating on birth, marriage and death notifications.

Judy has been transcribing and entering various Pomeroy records into our databases, Nancy has given her the matched Pomeroys found in the 1861 Canadian Census. She has also been helping Lee research George Washington Pomeroy, who was discussed in detail in the previous week’s report. Nancy will be handing over the newspaper articles concerning the George Parker will to Judy to sort out and enter.

Betty continues to enter matched Pomeroys in the Social Security Death Index records into our various databases, she has also been helping Lee by entering Canadian Eltweed Pomeroy descendants into the Eltweed database.

Caryn, our new part-time genealogy researcher, started this week. Right now she’s been helping us catch up with a large backload of filing. Three cheers for Caryn!

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Nancy received the first draft of the inscription of the Lyons, NY monument from our monument contractor in Vermont. Once checked we will ask for full sized printouts – now those are fun! Work should start next week on the foundation for the monument. Contractors have been set up for shipping and installation of the monument. As soon as we have an installation date set, we’ll post it on our public site (www.americanpomeroys.org/Anvils.html) and our APHGA MyFamily.com site. The Project Roots team is planning on a field trip to see the installation of the monument and visit the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons, NY. If you have an opportunity to come to the installation, we’d love to meet you!

Rick continued to transcribe Wayne County deeds. He also searched and printed Sanborn Maps and identified the First Presbyterian Church in Lyons and surrounding structures including Village Lot 2 (Rev. Francis Pomeroy’s lot).

The Pomeroy Collection

Nancy added several atlases to our library this past week. Included were topographical maps of NY, MA and MD, along with a Road Atlas of the US.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Nancy, Barb, Pat, Rick and Lee attended the Mary Ann Coe project meeting last Tuesday. We discussed research methods that we learned at the Central New York Genealogical Association’s Fall Conference featuring Meldon Wolfgang III. We have decided to look at Norwalk, OH, Mary Ann’s home from abt 1825 to abt 1845 with the same attention to detail that we used when researching Pompey and Manlius, NY. We’ll be looking at the early inhabitants of Norwalk to see if we can identify whether any of these people came from Pompey, Manlius or LeRoy, NY. We’re looking to identify chain migration patterns and connections. We would like to figure out why Mary Ann moved to Norwalk.

Mary Ann’s uncle, Luther Coe, was one of the early settlers of New Haven, OH. He would have surely known David and Lemuel Powers, brothers who were also early settlers of New Haven. David married Mary Ann in 1833. Were they introduced by Luther Coe? Did Mary Ann live with her uncle Luther prior to moving to Norwalk? Letters remaining in the New Haven, OH Post Office for Mary Ann’s father, Ithamar Coe in October 1823 and June 1824 indicate that Ithamar may have visited New Haven prior to that time period. Was he visiting his brother Luther? Did he travel with Mary Ann to Ohio? When Mary Ann petitioned the Ohio Supreme Court for a divorce from Spencer Pomeroy in August 1823 she would have had to go to Norwalk, OH, as this is where the County Courthouse was (and still is) located. Could this have had anything to do with her later buying property on inlot 6 in Norwalk from Edward Pettit on 6 Jul 1825? The deed for the property identifies Mary Ann as living in Norwalk, OH. When did she first move there?

Meldon Wolfgang had suggested that when researching an individual, to make note of all of the important dates within that person’s life, such as marriage, children’s births, parent’s death, occupation and residence changes, etc., and to look closely at the people around that individual during that time. For example, who were the administrator’s of the person’s father’s will, where are the siblings located, who were the witnesses to the person’s marriage or marriages, who were the witnesses to the baptism of children? By looking at these people we may find relationships that were previously unknown to us.

Barb will be looking at the holdings of the Western Reserve Historical Society. Rick will be looking for early records of Elisha Whittlesey, the surveyor who laid out the town of Norwalk. Lee will be looking for Church records in New Haven, OH and Pat will be looking at the early inhabitants of Norwalk and New Haven, based on the 1820 and 1830 US Federal Census records and seeing if she can trace any of these heads of household back to Pompey, Manlius or LeRoy, NY. Nancy will familiarize herself with the databases available at the Syracuse University Library and will continue to work on abstracting the Millard Fillmore collection letters.

Rick reviewed Sanborn Maps for Norwalk, OH and printed the maps that show inlot 6 (Mary Ann’s property) and inlot 26 (Benjamin Junkins’ property). He also printed the Sanborn Maps that show lots 52 and 54 in Sandusky, OH which David Powers owned. The maps show the Trinity ME Church on the property before 1905 and a US Post Office on the lot before 1950. Rick was able to find the location of David’s lots on the Erie Co., OH GIS site. The property on the corner of Washington St (lots 52 and 54) is now the site of the Merry-Go-Round Museum (how fitting!) He was also able to locate lot 28 on Hancock and Madison Streets. Rick checked but there are no Sanborn Maps available for New Haven or Milan, OH nor are there maps for Pompey or Paris, NY. Although there are Sanborn maps for LeRoy, NY, there are none for the outlying region which is where we believe Ithamar Coe (Mary Ann's father) lived. Rick also researched the surveyors of the Craigie Tract in Genesee County.

Lee initiated a search of early churches in Norwalk Ohio. She checked the Firelands Pioneer index for churches, and e-mailed the Firelands Historical Society regarding specific issues of publication detailing early churches. She also checked the Western Reserve Historical Society’s holdings and passed along some items she found to Nancy. Lee also contacted the NY State Library regarding finding aids and inventories of some local collections.

Pat continued to enter research on the Coe families into our Eltweed database. She has been researching Dr. George A. Coe, Jennie Landon Coe, Harper Allison Coe, Lodema Coe and Carlos C. Coe. Pat also printed lists of Norwalk and New Haven heads of households from the 1820 and 1830 US Federal Census and has started to add those names into a spreadsheet so she can track her findings. She also continued to research the Sharp family. Salmon Sharp was the administrator of Edward Pettit’s estate. A John V. Sharp purchased Benjamin Junkins’ cabinetmaker’s shop.

Pat also reviewed collections on OhioLINK to determine if their holdings are the same as the holdings at the Family History Library. Pat has identified several early churches near New Haven, OH which records are available on microfilm from the Family History Library. She will order these to see if we can find any reference of Mary Ann Coe and family. Pat found that the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center has collections for Sandusky and Norwalk businessmen (John Gardiner, John G. Camp, Jr., William Kelly and Zalman Wildman), for the early to mid 1800s. Pat started to research these businessmen to see if there may be any connections to Mary Ann Coe, David Powers, Benjamin Junkins, et al.

Judy completed her review of PERSI in conjunction with planning a trip to the Ft. Wayne Library. She also completed the transcription of the Edward Pettit Probate record.

We have added 276 people, 83 sources and 1521 citations to our genealogy databases over the past week.

© 2009 American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association

APHGA's Weekly Report 10/20/2009

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Lee, Barb, Bill and Nancy attended the Central New York Genealogical Society’s Fall Conference on Saturday. Guest speaker Meldon J. Wolfgang III gave three presentations: “Sleuthing in the Stacks: Using Uncommon Resources to Uncover Genealogical Clues”, “Researching Birds of a Feather, How Cluster and Group Studies Can Help Put New Leaves On Your Family Tree”, and “Beyond the Basics, Techniques for Newspaper Research”. At $20 for visitors, and free to members, the CNYGS put on a great conference. To learn more about the CNYGS visit their website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycnygs/index.htm . If you ever get an opportunity to attend a lecture by Meldon Wolfgang, do it! To learn more about Meldon, visit his website at http://jonathansheppardbooks.com/lecturelist.htm .

A quick check of our website statistics showed increased interest in our blog. We have had 100 unique visitors to the blog since its creation last month! 69% of our viewers were referred from other sites, including the APHGA MyFamily.com site, The APHGA’s public site at: www.americanpomeroys.org , Facebook and Cyndi’s list. The APHGA public site is maintaining an average of 28 unique visitors per day, with referrals coming from our blog, the Pomeroy Family Association, Jill Hurst’s blog, Wayne County Life, Rootsweb and Genealogy.com forums and Don Pleska’s site.

Nancy reviewed the US Patents database on Ancestry.com for Pomeroys, and found 616 potential matches! We’ll have to spend some time collecting this data. Nancy moved a large family that was in our Unlinked Pomeroy database into our George Pomeroy database. Nancy also completed the APHGA’s first direct mailing. We targeted Pomeroys who were Ham radio operators. Bill is also a Ham radio operator (WA2LEY) and we wrote a nice letter introducing Bill and the APGHA. We also enclosed our new tri-fold brochure. We’re hoping for a good response and will let you know what happens. Our next step will be to try a larger mailing.

Nancy heard from several new Pomeroy descendants and researchers, including Jill G., a descendant of Mary E. Pomeroy who married Charles H. Goodier. Mary E. Pomeroy (Joseph, John Spencer, John, Nathaniel, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed) was born abt 1848 in VT, and married Charles Goodier by 1868. The family lived in Burlingame, Osage Co., KS in 1880 and in Irondale, Arapahoe Co., CO in 1900, according to the U.S. Federal Census. It appears that Charles died before 1910 as Mary was listed as a widow in the U.S. Federal Census. She was living with her son Clarence T. Goodier and his family in Oakley, Logan Co., KS. If anyone is related to this family, please let me know so I can let Jill know.

Nancy also received an e-mail from Kathryn S., a descendant of Caleb Pomeroy, b. abt 1777 in MA, who married Phebe Strong ca 1805. Phebe was born abt 1782 in MA. Caleb was an early resident of Lewis County, NY according to the 1810, 1820 and 1830 US Federal Census, identified as living in the town of Denmark in 1820 and 1830. According to the 1840 and 1850 US Federal Census, Caleb and family were living in Antwerp, Jefferson Co., NY. Phebe died 25 Jan 1852 and was buried in the Bacon Cemetery in Antwerp. The transcription of Town of Antwerp Cemetery inscriptions on the USGenWeb Jefferson County site states that she was the wife of Caleb and was 71years old at the time of her death. We have not been able to find a date of death or final resting place for Caleb Pomeroy.

Additional records for Caleb Pomeroy were found in the Ancestry.com database “War of 1812 Service Records”. A Caleb Pomeroy was a member of the 101 Regiment (Cartter’s), New York Militia. His rank at induction was Sergeant; his rank at discharge was Ensign. We also found on the Jefferson County, NY GenWeb site the “Muster Roll of Capt. John McNitt’s Company of Militia of the State of New York, Under Command of Lt. Col. Zebean Carter from Oct 11, 1814 to Nov. 19, 1814, Troops in the War of 1812”, transcribed by Florence Secor. Under Capt. William Root’s Co., Oct. 11, 1814 to Nov. 19, 1814 was found “Caleb Pomeroy Ensign”. The Ancestry.com database “U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls, 1798-1940” listed “Caleb Pomeroy, muster date 1803, rank Private”. The image of the original record lists the “Return of the Detachment of Marines delivered by Lieut Geddes to Lt. Porter”. A quick search of Lieutenants Geddes and Porter on Google didn’t clarify matters – we will have to look into this at greater length because there is no indication of where these troops served. The book “Military Minutes of the Council of Appointment of the State of New York, 1783-1821”, compiled and edited by Hugh Hastings and Henry Harmon Noble, (Albany, State of New York, 1901) on page 1596 listed “Caleb Pomeroy, vice Broadway, do;” as an Ensign in the 101st Regiment, Lewis County in 1815. I believe the “vice Broadway” means that he replaced an Ensign Broadway. Daniel Cobb was listed as the Lieutenant Colonel, “vice Carter, resigned”. On page 1828 Caleb Pomeroy was listed as Captain of the 101st Regiment, Lewis County in 1817.

So far we have not been able to find two Caleb Pomeroys of the right age in Vermont and New York at the same time, which makes it probable that the Caleb Pomeroy b abt 1777 in MA who married Phebe Strong and lived in Lewis and Jefferson Counties in NY is the same as Caleb Pomeroy (Caleb, Caleb, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed) b. abt 1776 who married Mary Stratton of Vermont, whose child Caleb Stratton Pomeroy was b. 7 Jul 1797, in probably Vershire, Orange Co., VT. Did Mary (Stratton) Pomeroy die young and did Caleb remarry? The only odd thing is that if Caleb who married Phebe Strong is the Caleb who married Mary Stratton, why would he name two sons Caleb S. Pomeroy? The older Caleb S(tratton) Pomeroy was alive when the younger Caleb S(trong) Pomeroy was born. There is, though, a strong tradition of naming sons Caleb in this family!

Another interesting piece of information we found on this family comes from a GEDCOM posted on Ancestry.com, entitled “Zehm Genealogy”. This GEDCOM associates Charles Smith Pomeroy as a second son of Caleb Pomeroy and Mary Stratton. According to Bill [Zehm?], Charles was born 21 Aug 1815 and was adopted by Joshua Pomeroy (Gideon, Joshua, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed) and his first wife Rachel Strong. If Caleb Pomeroy who married Mary Stratton was the same Caleb Pomeroy who married Phebe Strong, I don’t think Charles Smith Pomeroy could be his child by Mary as he was likely married to Phebe Strong before 1810, based on the age of the children in his household according to the 1810 US Federal Census.

As if we need further evidence of serendipity in genealogical research (thanks Hank Jones!), when we checked the deed indexes for Lewis County in our research of the Pliny Pomeroy family, we found deeds for Caleb Pomeroy. Rick organized the deeds we wish to order from Lewis County and wrote a letter to the County Clerk’s office requesting an estimate of the cost for copies. Perhaps these deeds will provide more information about Caleb. We’ll keep you posted!

Nancy and Judy spent time entering Pomeroy research into our various databases. Nancy concentrated on Caleb Pomeroy research. Judy has been catching up on a lot of odds and ends research and Canadian Census records.

Judy and Lee worked together researching George Washington Pomeroy (George A., Silas, Abner, Caleb, Samuel, Caleb) who was born abt 1837 in Upper Canada and moved to Muskegon, Muskegon Co., MI by 20 Sep 1871 when he married Mary Ann Giles. Judy has ordered George’s naturalization record from the Archives of Michigan in order to get a better idea when he left Canada.

Betty continued to enter Social Security Death Index records into our Pomeroy databases. She created folders for entered records. Betty also entered records relating to Ransom Pomeroy, a brother of George Washington Pomeroy (above) who Lee had been researching. Betty is currently entering Pomeroys found in the Ancestry.com database “Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1857-1924”.

Ed’s Maine Pomeroy research and data-entry has shifted to reviewing Maine newspaper records online. Some of the more interesting articles he has found include a Pomeroy Ham radio buff who died in 1939, and article on a Pomeroy who drowned and another who was shot on a hunting trip (we later learned he survived the injury, phew!)

Barb split her time this week between matching Pomeroys in the Ancestry.com database “New England Marriages Prior to 1700”, and “Connecticut Death Indices 1949-2001”, and reviewing Pomeroys found on America’s Historical Newspapers, available to NYS Historians through the NYS Library website. Some interesting articles include one from the Connecticut Journal dated 19 Nov 1773 “Last Thursday the Company of Military Adventurers met in this Place agreeable to Adjournment, when the unanimously voted that they would pursue the most vigorous Measures to carry on the Settlement of the Lands in West Florida, reserved for them by the Government [England] as soon as possible. Ralph Pomeroy was mentioned as being named Clerk of said Company. We believe the Ralph Pomeroy mentioned was the son of Benjamin and Abigail (Wheelock) Pomeroy (Benjamin, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed). Ralph would later go on to be a Lieutenant fighting with Connecticut in the Revolution and the Deputy Quartermaster General in Hartford, CT in May 1781.

Another article mentions a “Mr. Pomeroy” (that sound was the collective groan of our research team!) From The Statesman, dated 30 Dec 1812, headlined “Zanesville”: “A Mr. Dorastus Snow, one of the inhabitants who fled from Lower Sandusky after Hull’s surrender and now residing in Clinton, informs us that a party of nine men, including himself, had returned to the settlement, on the 15th November were engaged in digging potatoes, while one man stood centry [sic]. A party of 17 Indians approached undiscovered, and fired on them, killed a Mr. Pomeroy, and wounded a Mr. Shannon. The whites then retreated, and the Indians came forward and scalped Mr. Pomeroy. While scalping him, the whites stole up under cover of a marsh, fired on them and killed three Indians, at the same time yelling out for the others to head them. The Indians fled precipitately and left six rifles, which were taken together with three scalps. Mr. Shannon is expected to recover.” Does anyone have a clue as to who this unfortunate Mr. Pomeroy was?

And lastly, from the New York Daily Times, dated 1 Mar 1852, was a long article concerning the showering and yoking of prisoners. One quote is from Charles W. Pomeroy (Watrous, Charles, Noah, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed), agent of the Auburn, NY prison: “The abuse of the shower-bath, in improper hands, is more injurious than the abuse of the cat. The bat is more likely to injure the health of a convict than the cat. I have no doubt but that the minds of convicts have been impaired, and in some cases ruined by the bath. I have no objections to a proper use of the bath.” (He would have made a good politician!) For more about NY State prison reform visit the NYS Corrections History Org.’s website at http://www.correctionhistory.org .

Lee finished researching Ransom/David R. Pomeroy, brother of George Washington Pomeroy (above). Ransom/David R. was born in Canada May 1840. He was in Turtle, Rock Co., WI by 2 Jul 1860 where he appeared in the Joseph Post household according to the 1860 US Federal Census. He enlisted as a quartermaster Sergeant in the 12th Regt. Illinois Cavalry, Co. A on 12 Jul 1861 and mustered out or deserted 29 Jul 1862. This is interesting as one record, Ancestry.com’s database of “American Civil War Soldiers” lists him as deserted, while their database “US Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles” lists him as mustered out. Ransom/David R. goes on to become a dentist in Plano, Kendal Co., IL where he lived with wife Loretta V, prior to moving to Little Rock, Kendall Co., IL. He died, we assume, prior to 11 Jan 1920 on which date his wife identified herself as a widow in the 1920 US Federal Census. Is anyone else researching this family? We’d love to know the truth about Ransom’s service.

Lee prepared marriage record data from the Canada database of Cramahe/Northumberland Pomeroys and matched Pomeroys found in this database. She is re-checking her previous Cramahe/Northumberland research to see if she can find additional Pomeroy family connections.

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Nancy and Rick spent some time looking at the Van Wickle Survey map of early Lyons, NY which shows the proximity of Village Lot 2 to Village Lot 1. Nancy communicated with the Lyons First Presbyterian Church and to our monument contractor regarding the installation of a Pomeroy Anvil Monument at the Church.

Rick continued to transcribe Lyons County, NY deeds and mortgages that Nancy found at the County Clerk’s Office. These deeds trace the land transactions of Village Lot 2 which was formerly owned by Rev. Francis Pomeroy (Timothy, Daniel, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) and sold after his death. The property was subdivided and sold frequently. We are trying to use these deeds to identify where Rev. Francis Pomeroy’s house would have stood.

The Pomeroy Collection

No new accessions this week. Nancy spent a small amount of time organizing digital photographs of the model of the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons, N.Y.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Nancy continued to abstract the letters that we had photographed and transcribed from the Millard Fillmore collection at the Penfield Library, SUNY Oswego. When completed, Nancy’s database will contain the names, dates and brief information of people mentioned in these letters.

Judy received the Edward Pettit Probate record from Huron County, OH. She transcribed these records and noticed that the file did not appear to be complete, as there was no inventory or final accounting. Judy checked with the County Clerk’s Office and was able to order additional records relating to Edward Pettit’s estate found in the Court of Common Pleas Journals. Edward Pettit sold property on inlot 6 in Norwalk, OH to Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy on 6 July 1825. Edward Pettit died 21 Apr 1826 in Norwalk, OH. Mary Ann purchased the rest of the property on inlot 6 from Edward Pettit’s heirs on 18 Jul 1826. According to Huron County, OH tax records, the Estate of Edward Pettit continued to pay taxes on this property through 1832 (we have ordered the tax records for 1833-1834). If Mary Ann purchased this property, why wasn’t she paying taxes? Was there an unfiled or personal mortgage which she was paying off prior to ownership? We were hoping to find this information in Edward Pettit’s probate records. One interesting note relating to this probate record was the appointment of a new administrator to the estate in 1908! The estate had not been settled because of an outstanding mortgage given by Leverett Bradley to Salmon Sharp (the then administrator of the estate) executed 27 Jul 1826 to secure payment of a loan of $157.50. The mortgage had never been cancelled, but Ben B. Wickham, the newly appointed administrator of this estate closed the books on this entry, believing that the loan had been paid and discharged. Ben Breckenridge Wickham was the son of Lt. Frederick C. and Susan C. (Adams) Wickham. Lt. Frederick C. Wickham was the son of Judge Frederick and Lucy Bancroft (Preston) Wickham. Lucy Bancroft (Preston) Wickham was the daughter of Samuel Preston. Samuel Preston and Daniel Raitt were the sureties who pledged $800 to enable Mary Ann (Coe) (Pomeroy) Junkins to be co-administrator of Benjamin Junkins’ estate on 25 Oct 1830. Mary Ann’s son Francis W. Pomeroy worked in 1830 for the Huron Reflector, the local Norwalk newspaper owned by Samuel Preston. Samuel Preston was the Justice of the Peace who married Mary Ann (Coe) (Pomeroy) Junkins to David Powers on 21 May 1833. Small world? Perhaps.

Judy continued to check PERSI for articles relating to our Mary Ann Coe research.

Pat completed revising the original transcription of the Benjamin Junkins Estate Papers and Letters of Administration and entered that information into our Eltweed database, including facts for John V. Sharp, Judge David Higgins, Hallet Gallup, Daniel G. Raitt and Samuel Preston. She also added a newspaper clipping of John G. Taylor’s marriage to Maryann Harvey/Hovey, a journal article from the Firelands Pioneer about Macksville, Huron Co., OH which mentions John G. Taylor, a patent for Carlos C. Coe, a newspaper article listing Martin O. Coe as Grand Juror and foreman in 1846 and an 1850 US Federal Census record for Horace A. Coe.

Pat researched Horace A. Coe, prominent dentist in Jefferson County, NY and brother of Prof. C.C. Coe, the balloonist. His bio confirms that the family moved “west” to Ohio about 1837, but returned to Oneida Co., NY after the death of their father, Lester Coe. Pat also entered an obituary for Mary Etta Carpenter Coe, wife of Horace A. Coe, two bios of George A. and Horace A. Coe, and five newspaper articles that referred to Carlos C. Coe.

We have added 17 people, 74 sources and 389 citations to our genealogy databases over the past week. This number seems extremely low, but is due to the fact that we have merged a large family that was in our Unlinked Pomeroy database into our George Pomeroy database.

© 2009 American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association