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.