Wednesday, November 25, 2009

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.

Monday, November 23, 2009

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.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

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

Monday, November 2, 2009

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