APHGA Blog Post for December 23, 2010

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Below are a number of newspaper articles we found a while back, that I thought would be fun to read. We haven’t identified the “Zerad Pomeroy” of whom the articles speak, but perhaps our readers will recognize him.

From the Logansport Journal, Logansport, IN, 6 Nov 1902, Page 2:

“OLD ZARED POMEROY LIKES MARRIED LIFE”
Is now on his twelfth wedding trip – latest spouse is the granddaughter of his first wife’s sister.

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Nov. 6. – Zerad Pomeroy, hale and hearty at 89, is here on his twelfth honeymoon. He was had eleven brides before. The present one is twenty-two, winsome and pretty, and her elderly husband is mighty proud of her red cheeks and glossy hair.
His brides literally range from Maine to California. His last wife is a relative of his first. One of his wives came from Providence, and this is his second honeymoon here. He hails from Middlefield, Conn., now.
“She’s an angel,” said the old man of his newest wife before he sat down today to tell of the other eleven.
Zerad Pomeroy was less than twenty when he first ventured into matrimony. The bride’s name was Miss Nellie White. They were exceedingly happy but she died young. They then lived in Maine. In Kensington, Conn., the young widower lost his heart again. Mrs. Pomeroy No. 2 was Miss Agnes Platt. Pomeroy got the gold fever and took his wife with him, but she never reached the Golden Gate. She was buried at sea. On the ship was Miss Welcome Tait. She consoled the disconsolate husband so tenderly that he asked her to be Mrs. Pomeroy No. 3. She accepted promptly.
The newly wedded couple finally started for Japan, not striking gold. The wife died at sea from fever. Pomeroy returned to the Pacific coast disconsolate for the third time only to meet Miss Minerva Greene. The honeymoon with Miss Pomeroy No. 4 was hardly ended when the wife fell ill and died. Lonely and miserable, Pomeroy came to New York. There he met the woman destined to be his fifth bride, Miss Dollie Perkins, a concert hall singer. Two days after the wedding she disappeared with a goodly share of his money, and he got a divorce.
Miss Martha Anschutz was the sixth wife, but she died three months after the wedding. For two years Pomeroy lived alone. But then at his boarding-house Miss Mary Olney sang her way into Pomeroy’s heart, and at length she became his seventh bride. They set up housekeeping, but one night the wife took poison by mistake for medicine and died.
Bride No. 8 was Miss Nettie Halpin. She announced that she was tired of young men and chose the now middle-aged multi-widower. But another had her heart, after all, and for the second time the husband got a divorce.
Next time the lonesome Pomeroy tried a widow. Mrs. Mary Davis became Mrs. Pomeroy No. 9. She was taken ill before her wedding day, and never left her bed once she took it. The tenth bride was Miss Minnie Goode, a Sunday-school teacher here. She soon died from heart disease. Mrs. Mary Wilcox, a widow, met Pomeroy at Middlefield, and he married her. Of all his wives she was the only one older than himself. Mrs. Pomeroy No. 11 died last spring, aged ninety.
At the funeral the weeping widower met Miss Nellie Wilcox, no relative of her immediate predecessor, but the grand-daughter of the sister of Mrs. Pomeroy No. 1. The courtship was short and they were married. Mrs. Pomeroy and her aged husband joined the church and don’t care what folks say about the disparity in their ages.
“I fell in love with her at first sight” said old Pomeroy, concluding his narrative. “She’s accomplished in everything except speaking in meeting.”
Mrs. Pomeroy isn’t a bit superstitious and looks forward to a long life and a happy one.

From The Lowell Sun, Lowell, MA, 27 Oct 1902, pg 2:

TWELFTH WIFE
Zerad Pomeroy Makes Another Venture
Present Wife Related to First One
Zerad Says Marriage is Not Failure

By Associated Press to The Sun.
PROVIDENCE, Oct. 26 – Zerad Pomeroy, a Connecticut bridegroom of 89, was in this city yesterday on a honeymoon trip with his 12th wife, who is only 22 years old and as pretty as a picture.
Providence is not a strange place to the aged but energetic husband. He was married here once some years ago, and his Rhode Island bride died from heart failure. She had been a sufferer from the affliction for a long time before he met her at a Sunday school meeting. Her name was Miss Minnie Goode and she belonged to a good family.
The new bride was Miss Nettie Wilcox, and she is related to the first of the dozen wives that Zerad Pomeroy has to his credit. She says she is the granddaughter of her husband’s first wife’s sister. Mr. Pomeroy says his latest wife is an angel, and that he has had sufficient experience to know just what he is talking about.
Mr. Pomeroy, who is a descendant of the family of that name which settled in the wilds of Maine over 200 years ago, is as rugged at the present time as the average man of 40 years. He has been in almost all parts of the world, and his list of marriages covers the entire breadth of the country. One of his wives he found in California.
Mrs. Pomeroy does not think that marriage is a failure, and he says that men should marry young. The first bride of the remarkable bridegroom was the playmate of his youth and he was less than 20 years old when they agreed to become man and wife. Her name was Nellie White. She was a perfect wife, but she died young.

From The Sun, Fort Covington, NY, 22 Jan 1903:

Twelve Times Married.
Zerad Pomeroy, of Middlefield, Conn., has just, at the age of eighty-nine, married his twelfth wife. He began his matrimonial career in 1833, when he was twenty years old. In the early part of his career he not only married frequently, but rapidly. He had only been a husband a year when No. 1 died, and in a few months he married again, and when that wife died at sea his eye was speedily attracted to another, and a third marriage soon followed. In New York, where he settled for a time, he had six spouses, four of whom died, one disappeared, and one he divorced. His last wife is the grand-daughter of Mr. Pomeroy’s first wife. – New York Commercial Advertiser.

From The Rome Citizen, Rome, NY, 4 Nov 1902

Zerad Pomeroy is a Rhode Islander who does not allow any superstitious fancies to interfere with his domestic felicity. He has buried a dozen wives and has just married his thirteenth, which he claims to be the best of the lot.

From Tuapeka Times, Lawrence, New Zealand, 21 Jan 1903, p 2:

A YANKEE named Zerad Pomeroy, aged 89, has just married his twelfth wife, aged 22. The bride was a grand-daughter of the sister of the bridegroom’s first wife. Nine wives died, and two were divorced, one after disappearing with all his cash two days after the wedding.

From The San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CA, 29 Sep 1902, p 3, col. 3:

MARRIES HIS TWELFTH WIFE AT 89.

Connecticut Man Selects a Twenty-two-Year-Old Girl to Round Out the Dozen.

MERIDEN (Conn.). September 28. – Zerad Pomeroy of Middlefield has taken another wife. He is 89 and she is 22, and this is Pomeroy’s twelfth matrimonial venture. The new Mrs. Pomeroy is the granddaughter of her husband’s first wife’s sister.
Pomeroy in 1838, when twenty years old, married Nellie White of Hartford. A year later she died, and Pomeroy wedded a Kensington young woman named Platt. When the gold fever of 1849 sent many men to California Pomeroy and his wife were among twenty Meriden people who chartered a boat out of New Haven and sailed around the Horn to the Pacific Coast. During the voyage Mrs. Pomeroy died and was buried at sea. A young woman aboard the vessel attracted Pomeroy’s attention, and another marriage soon followed. From California Pomeroy went to Japan, and there his third wife died.
Returning to this country, he again married and came East. He settled in New York city, where six wives fell to his lot. Four died, one disappeared and one he divorced. Returning to this State he married again and that wife died last spring.

So, as we can see, the news is not always accurate, the fourth or fifth time around!

We’ve done some research but have reached nothing but dead ends. Does anyone know this Pomeroy?

Happy Holidays everyone, from our Pomeroy research desks to yours.

APHGA Blog Post for November 5, 2010

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Lots of interesting Pomeroy mysteries these past two weeks: I’ve been reviewing unmatched Federal Census records for Connecticut and Massachusetts and posted three mysteries in the last post. This week I’ll describe a few of the dangling Pomeroys found in Massachusetts who are not connecting to the Eltweed line.

I found a Clarissa Pomeroy living in the Benjamin F. Lyman household in Westfield, MA from 1850 and 1860, then in the Frank Lyman household in Westfield in 1870 and a Louise Pomery in the Herbert Lyman household in Westfield in 1880. Louise was identified as the mother of Herbert who was 33, Louise was 88. Herbert was living in the Benjamin Lyman household in the 1850 and 1860 census and I guessed that he was the son of Benjamin and Mary L. Lyman, which made me wonder whether Mary was a Pomeroy. I found a marriage announcement in the Springfield Republican paper dated 9 Jan 1845: "At Westfield, on the 7th, by the Rev. E. Davis, Mr. Benj. F. Lyman and Miss Mary L. Pomeroy."
Mary was born abt 1819, Benjamin Frank Lyman (identified as Frank in 1870 Census) was born about 1819, Clarissa born about 1791, all in MA.

According to Mary L. Lyman's death certificate transcription on FamilySearch.org, Mary's parents were Horace and Clarissa Pomeroy. She was born about 1818 in Southwick, MA and died 6 Nov 1872 in Westfield. There was a Horace Pomeroy family living in Westfield according to the 1820 US Federal Census. The family consisted of 2 free white males under 10, 1 free white male of 26 and under 45, 1 free white female under 10, 1 free white female of 26 and under 45 and one free black male under 14.

A notice was placed in the Hampden Federalist Newspaper on Dec 26, 1820, identifying Clarissa Pomeroy as the lawful administrator of the estate of Horace Pomeroy, late of Westfield, and in December of 1821 his property in Westfield was sold by Clarissa.

I found Clarissa living in the Daniel Hough household in Westfield according to the 1855 Massachusetts State Census. Also in the household is a Lucy Pomeroy, 19, b. MA. I also found a transcription of a death certificate for a Clarissa Hayes Pomeroy, born 1792 in Southwick (note that Mary L. Pomeroy was also born in Southwick), who died 27 Oct 1882 in Westfield, MA. Her marital status was widowed. I believe she was the mother of Mary L. Pomeroy. Her father's name was identified as Moses.

In researching the Daniel Hough household I found (on FamilySearch.org) a transcription of a marriage record for Daniel Hough and Catherine Hayes on 30 Mar 1843 in Westfield, MA. I also found a transcription of a death record for Catherine Hayes Hough, born 1814 in Southwick, MA, who died 23 Oct 1882 in Westfield, MA. I believe that Catherine was a sister (or daughter?) of Clarissa, which would explain why Clarissa was living in the Daniel Hough household in 1855. Isn’t it odd that Clarissa and Catherine died within four days of each other?

Who is Horace Pomeroy? I have only been able to find him listed in the 1820 US Federal Census. He is not found in the A.A. Pomeroy book, but it seems possible, based on his location, that he is descended from Eltweed. Is anyone researching this family?

I also come across a Henry F. Pomeroy, born about 1807, identified in a newspaper article as "of Savoy" Berkshire Co., MA. He married Mary Ann Pratt and the couple also lived in Windsor, Berkshire Co., MA (enumerated next to Mary Ann's father Josiah in the 1840 US Federal Census), then in Chicopee, Hampden Co., MA and Agawam, Hampden Co. MA. The couple had at least one child, Benjamin F. Pomeroy, b. abt 1829 in Windsor, MA who married Philinda H. Lernard in Chicopee in 1851. Based on where Henry is living, I think he is likely a son of Aaron Pomeroy Jr., (Aaron, Samuel French, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed) but I haven't been able to prove this yet. Is anyone else researching this family?

Mary Ann is doing research in Boise, ID, at their state historical society. If you need help with Idaho Pomeroys, contact me or leave a message on the APHGA MyFamily.com site so that Mary Ann can respond.


The Pomeroy Collection

Tammy continues her work inventorying, digitizing and applying metadata to the digitized images of the collection. She is currently working on several boxes of memorabilia related to Bill’s mother’s side of the family.

We received an e-mail from a scholar who had written an article about Seth Pomeroy that will be published in the journal Early American Review in December. He will be mentioning the APHGA and the Pomeroy Anvil Trail in the article. We are thrilled! He also asked if we have an image of Seth Pomeroy. We have in the collection an interesting commemorative coin or medal with an image of Seth, Joseph Hawley and Caleb Strong. The coin commemorates the American Revolution Bicentennial in Northampton, MA. We have no idea where the image for Seth came from, but would love to find out. Seth has a wide face, a square jaw line and long, straight hair. I’ll post an image of the coin on the APHGA MyFamily.com site. If you’re a Pomeroy researcher and aren’t a member of the APHGA, please e-mail me at roots@cxtec.com for an invitation to the site.

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

I’ve started to add images of the Pomeroy Anvil Trail Monuments to my Facebook page – if you are a member of the APHGA and have a Facebook account, send me a request to be friends! It’s time to start looking at new sites for monuments, if anyone has any ideas, please let me know!

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Pat’s been busy entering information on early Pompey residents into our Early Pompey database. We’re looking to see which residents of the Pompey area also moved to Huron County, Ohio as Mary Ann did. We’ve already found several and it’s making a very interesting study of migration patterns.

The Mary Ann Coe song is percolating in my brain, perhaps it will brew into something this weekend. The image of Mary Ann with silk parasol and fan running barefoot away from Pompey keeps going through my mind. But what rhymes with Junkins?

We’ve added 1276 people, 488 sources and 7132 citations to our genealogy databases since I last posted our figures!

APHGA Blog Post for October 29, 2010

Great A.A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

This is a quick and very overdue posting. We’ve been busy trying to match previously unmatched census and vital records and have come across a few interesting ‘dangling’ Pomeroys. Your help would be greatly appreciated in figuring out who these people are!

First off, we have a Charles Pomeroy, born abt 1813 in CT, living in Suffield, Hartford County, Connecticut according to the 1850 US Federal Census. He is identified as a cigar manufacturer. Also in the household are: Marietta Pomeroy, 32, female, b. CT (presumably his wife); Margart Pomeroy, 5, female, b. CT (presumably a daughter) and Emily Philen, 45, female, b. CT. Research has uncovered a marriage record in the Barbour Collection between Charles Pomeroy and Marietta Warner on May 6, 1840, by N.A. Reed. Charles and family are still in Suffield according to the 1860 US Federal Census, he is 47, born CT, and identified as a cigar manufacturer. Also in the household are: Mariette Pomeroy, 42, female, born CT; Mary Jane Pomeroy, 14, female, born CT, attending school; Gertrude L. Pomeroy, 8, female, born CT, attending school; and Charles L. Pomeroy, 6, male, born CT, attending school.

It would appear that Charles died or has left the family by the 1870 US Federal Census. “Margaret” Pomeroy, 52, female, born CT, is found in Suffield, Hartford Co., CT with Charles L Pomeroy, 16, male, cigar maker, born CT and Gertrude L. Pomeroy, 18, female, born CT.

What makes this family particularly interesting is their placement on the 1850 census page – the family is literally surrounded by other Pomeroy families. Directly below Charles’ family is the family of James A. Pomeroy, 45, male, farmer, born CT, who is living with Julia Davis, 16, female, born CT. Two families down is Jonathan R. Pomeroy, 47, male, farmer, born CT with family Jerusha, 50, female, born CT, Philo P. Pomeroy, 15, male, farmer, born CT, Esther Pomeroy, 13, female, born CT, Betsey Pomeroy, 12, female, born MA, Sybil E. Pomeroy, 10, female, born MA, and a female, last name Pomeroy, whose name I cannot read, 7, female, born MA. Two families down from Jonathan R. Pomeroy is Wm S. Pomeroy, 33, male, cigar manufacturer, born CT with Caroline S. Pomeroy, 32, female, born CT, James Pomeroy, 6, male, born CT, David H. Pomeroy, 4, male, born CT, Mary Spear, 60, female, born CT, Hannah Bowen, 16, female, born Ireland and John Hathaway, 12, male, born MA.

We know that William S. Pomeroy is William Spear Pomeroy (William, Isaac, Joseph, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed) and that Jonathan R. Pomeroy is Jonathan Remington Pomeroy (Epaphras, Eliakim, Noah, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed), but we don’t know who Charles or James A. Pomeroy are. My hunch is that Charles may be a brother of William Spear Pomeroy, as they are both cigar manufacturers, but so far I have been unable to prove this. It is also possible that James A. Pomeroy is a brother of William Spear Pomeroy. It seems unlikely that he is a brother of Jonathan Remington Pomeroy, as this family has been well documented. According to A.A. Pomeroy, William Spear Pomeroy was the only child of William Pomeroy and a wife whose maiden name was Spear. We don’t know when this couple married, or how long the wife lived, but William lived to be 73 years old, so it is likely that he had more than one child.

I’ve e-mailed the Suffield (CT) Historical Society. They have a collection of cigar manufacturing memorabilia, perhaps there’s a clue in the collection!

And, not to be outdone by the above Charles Pomeroy of CT, we have found another Charles Pomeroy, this being Charles W. Pomeroy, born Aug 1831 in MA, who married Eunice R. Judson in Danbury, CT on November 2, 1853. The couple lived in New York City (19th Ward) according to the 1860 and 1870 US Federal Census, and then lived in Danbury, CT where Charles worked as a hat maker in a hat factory according to the 1880 and 1900 US Federal Census. Charles died in 1907 in Danbury, CT.

Charles had at least 7 children that we have been able to identify: Frank I or J. Pomeroy, born Aug 1854, in CT, George Pomeroy, born about 1857 in NY, Flora Pomeroy, born abt Dec 1859 in NY, Charles K. Pomeroy, born about Aug 1861 in NY, Nellie M. Pomeroy, born abt Oct 1864 in NY, Clara A “Carrie” Pomeroy, born about 1867 in NY and Lester J. Pomeroy, born about Sept. 1868 in NY.

According to A.A. Pomeroy, a Charles Warren Pomeroy and Lester Judson Pomeroy were sons of Moses and Irene (Dickenson) Pomeroy (Simeon, Simeon, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed). The Charles W. Pomeroy found in NY and CT above could not be the son of Moses, as Moses died on December 10, 1812 in Irondequoit, Monroe Co., NY. The similarity in the names, though, makes me think that perhaps the information in The History and Genealogy of the Pomeroy Family may be incorrect. There is scant information on the family of Moses and Irene (Dickinson) Pomeroy in the book, and there are no birthdates associated with any of the children. I am wondering whether Charles Warren Pomeroy is really the son of Simeon Pomeroy, son of Moses and Irene. Simeon is found in the 19th ward of NYC in the 1850, 1860 and 1870 US Federal Census records, putting him in close proximity with Charles W. Pomeroy. Is Charles Warren Pomeroy the son of Simeon Pomeroy, and Lester Judson Pomeroy the son of Charles?

And because all good things come in threes, I will now introduce you to Charley Pomeroy, born about July 1869 in Florida according to the 1900 US Federal Census. Charlie was living in Bellair, Hillsborough County when the census was taken on June 27, 1900, with wife Anna, born Oct 1863, in AL, Son Charles F., born Aug 1892 in FL, daughter Mary E, born June 1894 in FL, son William, born Aug 1894 in FL, daughter Nellie M, born June 1898 in FL stepdaughter Ella Arnett, born Oct 1881 in FL and stepson Benjamin G. Arnett, born Jan 1900 in FL (whom I believe to be a Pomeroy, not an Arnett). Charlie was working as a laborer. I can trace this family in the 1910 and 1920 US Federal Census, still living in Hillsborough County, but I had the darnedest time finding Charlie in the 1880 US Federal Census. I found a marriage record for C.H. Pomroy and Annie Arnett, dated March 16, 1892 in Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL in the Florida Marriages 1837-1974 database on familysearch.org which led me to an 1885 Florida State Census identifying C.H. Pomeroy, age 15, born in FL, both parents born GA, living in Sumter, FL living in the M.L. Dess household and identified as a son. M.L. Dess was identified as 63, born in GA, and a farmer. The wife of M.L. Dess is listed as K.C. Dess, she is 35 and born in GA. A son Frank C. Dess, 17, born FL is a farmer, and C.H. Pomeroy, 15, born FL is also a farmer. a son, A.J. Dess, 8, was also born in FL. It would appear that the marriage of M.L. and K.C. Dess is the second for both of them, based on the ages of Frank C. Dess and C.H. Pomeroy. I am assuming that C.H. Pomeroy was the son of K.C. Dess, from a previous marriage.

I found Moses Dees, 48, born GA in the 1880 US Federal Census. He was a farmer. In the household are Christian Dees, his wife, 29, born TN; Arrena Dees, 20, daughter, born FL, Lisetteann? Dees, 16, daughter, born FL; Hilliard F. Dees, 12, born FL; Charles H. Dees, 10, born FL, and Aaron J. Dees, 3, born FL. I found a marriage record for a Moses W. Deas to a Keziah C. Hunter on August 12, 1872 in Duval, FL on the Florida Marriages, 1837-1974 database on familysearch.org, but this confuses me further, as I was expecting to see Moses marry a Pomeroy! To make matters worse, I found a Moses Dias in the 1870 US Federal Census in FL with a wife named Keziah. Who is this Charlie Pomeroy?

Last but not least, I’ve told a few people in the APHGA that I recently wrote a song about one of my favorite Pomeroys, Brainard Munn. I’ll try to get it recorded soon and post it on YouTube, but until then, here are the lyrics

The Ballad of Brainard Munn, words and music by Nancy Maliwesky © 2010

Brainard never seemed to make friends easy
Might have been the hard life that he led
Born in Paradise in 1838
The son of missionaries out to save the world

The sickness shook his family, took one brother and his mom
Left his father alone with two young boys
When dad was strong enough, he took them back
To his late wife’s home in Skaneateles

When his dad remarried in 1843
They settled down in Clyde, New York
But the family lost two children and the father in six years
Barely 12, an orphan once again

Brainard joined the Cavalry in 1861,
Out of Washington, DC, where he had moved
Signed up for three months, then travelled around
‘til he found himself back home in Skaneateles.

Smart as a whip, with a heart so hardened
By loss and by doubt and by shame
His Great Aunt Lovisa left him money in her will
But she never referred to him by name.
He was the Hermit Poet of Skaneateles.

Brainard fell in with a Utopian crowd
But was really more enamored of the maid
When she didn’t feel the same, he retreated to the woods
Became part of the folklore of the town

His pen poured out his anger at his unrequited love
As Charles Marsh he wrote a novel thinly veiled
“Love on the Wing” was all the thing
An early “Peyton Place” in Skaneateles

He wrote “When she died and goes to rest
Be it in the mansions of the blessed
Be it in heaven, be it in hell
Be it on earth, where mortals dwell
Oh Heavenly Father, hear my prayer
And send me anywhere but there”

Smart as a whip, with a heart so hardened
By loss and by doubt and by shame
His Great Aunt Lovisa left him money in her will
But she never referred to him by name.
He was the Hermit Poet of Skaneateles.

Brainard moved to Syracuse, lived on Lowell Avenue
A carpenter who couldn’t keep a job
Arrested as a vagrant in 1899
Spent 60 days in jail when he couldn’t raise the bail

15 years in the Poorhouse ‘till he disappeared that day
A search ensued but no-one could find him
His hat and cane discovered by the banks of the reservoir
Where his body was recovered soon after

Now Brainard he had people in Elbridge and Marcellus
And a family plot in Lakeview Cemetery
The papers ran the story, but no-one claimed his body
So they sent it to the School of Medicine

He wrote “When she died and goes to rest
Be it in the mansions of the blessed
Be it in heaven, be it in hell
Be it on earth, where mortals dwell
Oh Heavenly Father, hear my prayer
And send me anywhere but there”

Smart as a whip, with a heart so hardened
By loss and by doubt and by shame
His Great Aunt Lovisa left him money in her will
But she never referred to him by name.
He was the Hermit Poet of Skaneateles.

APHGA Report, September 9, 2010

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

We’ve had a number of new members over the past three weeks, and lots of new discoveries as Nancy, Betty, Ed, Judy and Pat continue to get caught up with the reams of data-entry that research creates!

Mary Ann connected with a Pomeroy descendant from Hawaii, and she and Nancy have been doing research to try to connect this family. So far, Nancy has been able to trace the family back to Samuel Sexton Pomroy, born abt. 1825 in Canada, who died 1877 in San Francisco, CA. Samuel Sexton Pomroy married first, on 22 Nov 1846 in London Township, East Middlesex Co., Ontario, Canada, Jane Matthews, born abt 1827 in England. The couple had at least seven children that we know of: Eva, born abt 1847 in Canada; Clara M., born abt 1849 in Canada, died 8 Jan 1917; Louisa M B, born Apr 1852 in Canada, died 1 Sep 1918, in Honolulu, Hawaii; Ida Elizabeth, born abt. 1854 in Canada, died 1875 in San Francisco; Edward M., born 26 Dec 1859 in Canada, died 28 Nov 1921; Walter Melville, born Dec. 1861 in San Francisco, and Selena, born Aug 1863 in San Francisco. Samuel Sexton Pomroy married second, in 1873 in San Francisco, Elizabeth H. Robertson, born 1827 in the US, died 9 Apr 1905 in Honolulu. Several of Samuel’s children moved to Hawaii around the 1880s. Samuel Sexton Pomroy was identified as a general agent, living in Westminster, Ontario according to the 1851 Canadian Census, he was one of 12 originating shareholders of the Colonial Bank of Canada which was formed in Toronto in 1856. He was a captain of the 1st Battalion of London, Ontario Militia in 1857 and was living in San Francisco by 1861. We are trying to identify who Samuel’s parents were. If you are related to this family, please let us know! Nancy is still entering research done on this family into our Unlinked Pomeroy database, so Hawaiian Pomeroys, please be patient – we’ll get this research to you as soon as it’s entered!

Judy has entered some new information about the Pomeroy Tucker family, and we’re still trying to puzzle out how this family is connected to the Pomeroys. A.A. Pomeroy identified Pomeroy Tucker, b. 10 Aug. 1802, as the son of Foster and Mary Ann (Pomeroy) Tucker, but Nancy doesn’t think this is possible as Pomeroy Tucker was born before Foster and Mary Ann were. Mary Ann Pomeroy was born 17 May 1809 in Hamilton, Oneida Co., NY, daughter of John Pomeroy (John, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed) and third wife Deborah Foster. To add to the confusion, Mary Ann Pomeroy married Foster Tucker about 1834. Foster, born 11 Nov 1810 in Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., NY, was the son of Caleb Tucker and his wife Thirza Foster. Thirza Foster was the sister of Mary Ann Pomeroy’s mother, Deborah Foster.

According to research available on the Web, Pomeroy Tucker, born 10 Aug 1802 in Palmyra, Wayne Co., NY, was the son of Jeduthan/Jaduthan Tucker and his wife Abi Brown. Jeduthan was born 13 Jan 1769 in Pomfret, Windham Co., VT. Does anyone know if Jeduthan was related to Foster and Caleb Tucker? Or, if not, what the Pomeroy connection is to this family?

Nancy has been working with a descendant of John Phelps Pomeroy who was born between 1790 and 1800 in Connecticut and died according to some researchers about Jun 1850 in Norfolk, Saint Lawrence Co., NY. John married Narcissa Henderson about 1819 in Hopkinton, Saint Lawrence County, New York and the couple had at least eight children that we know of: David Pomeroy, born between 1815 and 1820 in Hopkinton; Chester, born between 1820 and 1825 in Hopkinton; Jesse Henderson, born Oct 1821 in New York (probably Hopkinton); Eldridge G., born Aug 1833 in Hopkinton; Delia, born between 1825 and 1830 in Hopkinton; Lucretia, born between 1825 and 1830 in Hopkinton; Earl, born abt 1827 in Hopkinton; and John Willard Pomeroy born abt 1831 in Hopkinton.

Research done by this descendant indicated a possible connection to the Rose family, of which Daniel Pomeroy Rose was a member. Daniel was born 6 Aug 1784 in Coventry, Tolland Co., CT, to parents Timothy Rose and Elizabeth Polan Pomeroy. Elizabeth was born 10 May 1755 in Lebanon, New London Co., CT, daughter of Daniel Pomeroy (Noah, Joseph, Eltweed) and Naomi Kibbe. Naomi Kibbe was the daughter of Edward Kibbe and Dorothy Phelps, and was married to a Joseph Phelps, prior to her marriage to Daniel Pomeroy. This connection with its various lines of Phelps, is intriguing as John’s middle name was Phelps. Some research indicates that Elizabeth Polan (Pomeroy) Rose may have been an aunt of John Phelps Pomeroy. If so, from with sibling did he descend? We know of only three children of Daniel and Naomi (Kibbe) Pomeroy, Daniel Pomeroy, born 3 Aug 1750 in Colchester, New London. CT and died 23 Jan 1785, whose early death indicates that he is not the father of John Phelps Pomeroy; and Eleazer D. Pomeroy, born 24 Oct 1752 in Lebanon, CT and died 16 Jun 1811, in Coventry, CT. Eleazer married two sisters, Sibyl and Priscilla Kingsbury. John Phelps Pomeroy’s approximate date of birth (1790-1800) would seem to indicate that he could be a son of Eleazer and Priscilla, but with so much written about this family, why would a child be undocumented? Obviously, more research needs to be done to solve this puzzle! Luckily there are several John Phelps Pomeroy researchers out there, and I’m confident one of them will get to the bottom of this! As luck would have it, Judy has been pulling and entering census records for the Daniel Pomeroy Rose family, so perhaps some clues will arise from this research.

Another bit of research we’ve been doing is to try to determine which Josiah Pomeroy was in business with Lemuel Pomeroy in Pittsfield, MA in early 1800s? Previously, we believed it was Josiah Pomeroy Sr. born 5 Jan 1778 in Northampton, Hampshire Co., MA, who died 11 Jun 1861 in Leverett, Franklin Co., MA, son of Benjamin (Josiah, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) and Esther (Clark) Pomeroy, because he was living in Hinsdale, Berkshire Co., MA at the same time that Lemuel Pomeroy (Lemuel, Seth, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) was in Pittsfield. According to research, Josiah Pomeroy was in business with Lemuel Pomeroy between 1 Jul 1818 and 2 Dec 1839, at which time the partnership was legally dissolved. One of the things we’ve learned that has always puzzled us it the statement in a published History of Pittsfield, that Lemuel and Josiah were “distant cousins”. Given how knowledgeable and proud Lemuel was of his ancestry, it seemed odd that the exact relationship was not known.

Nancy recently found an obituary for Josiah Pomeroy of Pittsfield, which confirms that he was not the Josiah, son of Benjamin and Esther (Clark) Pomeroy who lived in Hinsdale, as this Josiah died in 1850, and Josiah of Hinsdale died in 1861. The obituary alluded to family difficulty, and was more intriguing than informative. Additional research identified a record on the Family Search pilot search that states Josiah Pomeroy of Pittsfield, MA was born in Kinderhook, Columbia Co., NY! Well, my goodness, we know of another Josiah Pomeroy who was living in Kinderhook at about the same time that this Josiah was born (abt 1788). This was Dr. Josiah Pomeroy who married Ann Allis. Dr. Josiah was a son of Joseph (Joseph, Medad, Eltweed) and Thankful (Burbank) Pomeroy. Dr. Josiah Pomeroy was a Tory who acted as a surgeon for the British Army and lived for a time in Montreal. He later was found in Newtown, Suffolk Co., NY before settling in Kinderhook. Until now, we did not have any information of any male offspring of Dr. Josiah Pomeroy, but a preponderance of circumstantial evidence points to Josiah of Pittsfield being the son of Dr. Josiah Pomeroy.

Bettie (Pomeroy) Gambill of TN descendant Ben L has been finding a lot of evidence that points to John and Sallie C. (Little) Pomeroy as the most likely parents of Bettie. A letter written to Bettie’s husband Robert Lee Gambill makes mention that “Ida” had been visiting Bettie and helping her while she was in a sanitarium suffering with Tuberculosis. John and Sallie Pomeroy had a daughter Ida Sue Pomeroy. We believe this is the Ida mentioned in the letter. John Pomeroy’s parents were William and Sarah. William was born abt. 1785 in NC and died after 9 Oct 1850 in Williamson Co., TN. Sarah was born abt 1785 in SC.

Judy has been entering newspaper articles from the Northern New York Newspaper site.

Barbara continues to transcribe the records of the First Church of Christ, Northampton. Betty has been entering research on William Lee Pomeroy and wife Nancy Ulisse Blunt that Lee has been working on. William was born 16 Aug 1853 in Stanstead, Quebec, Canada, son of Captain George Pomeroy (Hazen, Selah, Benjamin, Josiah, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) and Azubah Lee. This is a small portion of the research that Lee and Ed have done on Canadian Pomeroys. Betty and Ed have also been reviewing unmatched census records to try to connect them to our various databases and get them entered.

Ed has been working on a number of Newfoundland Pomeroys found on the Grand Banks Newfoundland Genealogical Society website. If you’re looking for Newfoundland ancestors, Ed highly recommends this site!

Betty has also been filling in the family of Thomas Pomeroy and Judith Phifer. Thomas was born 6 Jan 1794 in Suffield, Hartford Co., CT, to Amos (Nathaniel, Nathaniel, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed) and Rebecca (Spencer) Pomeroy. Judith was born about 1800 in Henry County, VA where the couple married in 1824. According to A.A. Pomeroy, Thomas settled in Dayton, OH. While we did find Thomas in Miami, Montgomery Co., OH, in 1840 and 1850, he didn’t stay there. Betty has tracked the family from there to Brandywine, Shelby County, Indiana where Thomas died 1 May 1874. Thomas and Judith has at least five children that we know of: Martha Jane, b. abt 1826 in VA; George, born abt 1828 in VA; Thomas J., born 22 Apr 1830 in VA., Judith Ann, born 8 Apr 1832 in Henry Co., VA and Sarah E, born abt 1845 in Montgomery Co., OH.

Lee has been coordinating department visits to the Onondaga County Public Library to review, transcribe, and print Pomeroys found in the 1855 NY State Census. Transcription has been completed for four counties: Onondaga, Cortland, Delaware and Cayuga. Lee has also been researching a Jeremiah Pomeroy, born about 1818 in Canada, and found in Onondaga County in the 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 census records. The census records have led to some confusion as he is identified in some as Jeremiah and others as Daniel. We do know that his wife was Harriet, born about July 1824 in NY, and that the couple had the following children: Minerva (Maria), born abt 1845 in NY; Mary, born abt 1849 in NY; Harriet or Helen, born abt Jun 1850 in NY; Elizabeth, born abt 1847 in Syracuse, Onondaga Co., NY; George, born abt Feb 1853 in NY; and Henrietta, born abt 1854 in NY. We do not know who Jeremiah/Daniel’s parents were, but we believe he had a brother John, born abt 1829 in Canada, who was living with him according to the 1850 US Federal Census. Also in the household was Delaura Pomeroy, born about 1831 in Canada. She and John were identified as having been married within the year, so we assume that Delaura was John’s wife.

Christine continues to file, file, file. She is also researching unmatched 1930 census records and trying to connect them to the Pomeroys in our various databases.

The Pomeroy Collection

Tammy continues her work itemizing and digitally photographing or scanning every item in the collection. She is currently on the 7th shelve of objects and is scanning a box of various Pomeroy collectibles, including an autograph of Marcus Mills “Brick” Pomeroy.

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

It’s time to start thinking of the next stop on the Pomeroy Anvil Trail. Nancy and Bill would like to squeeze in a visit to Lockport, NY this fall. We’re also always open to suggestions, so if you know the perfect town for a monument, please let us know!

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Nancy entered some recent newspaper articles featuring David Powers, Mary Ann Coe’s third (if you count the second, common-law marriage to Benjamin Junkins) husband. According to two advertisements, David Powers was a member of Rough and Ready Club in Sandusky, Ohio. A quick search on Google identified the Rough and Ready Clubs of 1848 as political organizations formed “to assist in putting ‘Old Zack’ into the presidential chair.” Well, now it all makes sense. Millard Fillmore ran as Zachary Taylor’s Vice President. David Powers was the brother-in-law of Millard Fillmore.

Pat has completed her data-entry of the exploits of Carlos C. Coe, relative of Mary Ann Coe. Carlos was an early balloonist and thought to be the model for Frank L. Baum’s “Wizard of Oz.”

Judy continues to transcribe and enter articles from the Firelands Pioneer into our database. We are looking to find connections with people living in Norwalk, OH who may have originally been from Onondaga, Genesee or Oneida Counties, New York.

We have added 1679 new people, 700 new sources and 8608 new citations since our last blog post.

APHA Weekly Report, August 11, 2010

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

We have a new researcher working on the project! Christine H. is a volunteer at the Camillus Historical Society and a Find-A-Grave volunteer. She is currently helping us with our backload of filing and file organizing, but she will soon be taking over the data-entry of the George Pomeroy book and will be entering research done on that family to that database. George came from Ireland and settled in Pennsylvania about 1730.

Nancy has been working with a Benjamin L, who is descended from Bettie Lou Pomeroy, born 4 Jul 1880 in TN, who died 1 Jul 1910 and is buried in the Gambill Cemetery in Nashville. Bettie married Robert Lee Gambill on 18 Dec 1896 in Davidson Co., TN. We are currently following a hunch that Bettie is an undocumented daughter of John and Sallie C. (Little) Pomeroy. John was born about 1820 in Williamson Co., TN to William and Sarah Pomeroy. William was born about 1785 in NC and died after 9 Oct 1850 in Williamson Co., TN. Sarah (last name unknown) was born about 1785 in NC. William and Sarah had the following children that we know of: Nancy, born about 1800 in Macon, Bibb Co, GA; Abraham, born about 1802 in TN; Willis, born about 1804 in Williamson Co., TN; Thomas, born about 1806 in Macon, Bibb Co., GA; Millie, born about 1809 in Macon; Elizabeth, born about 1810 in Macon; James, born about 1813 in Macon; Mary, born about 1816 in Williamson Co., TN; William Henry born about 1816 in Williamson Co.; John, born about 1820 in Williamson Co.; Temperance C., born about 1821 in Williamson Co.; and Catharine, born about 1830 in Williamson Co. If anyone is researching this family, please contact us!

Betty has been working on the Grove Pomeroy family and his son Timothy R. Pomeroy. Timothy was born Dec 1849 in Steuben Co., NY and is found in Woodhull, Steuben Co., when the 1865 New York State Census was enumerated. Grove, born abt 1821 in New York descends from Phineas, Phineas, Phinehas, Medad, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed. This information has enabled Betty to further fill in this line, and she has added 6 children born of Timothy and his wife Arvilla B. Sherwood. These children include: Harry T., born Jun 1875 in NY; Grace M., born Jun 1877 in NY; Lee, born Aug 1881 in NY; Fred Wallace, born 16 Dec 1888 in Hornell, Steuben Co.; George G., born 15 Dec 1890 in Hornell; and Iva M, born Feb 1897 in NY.

Lee coordinated and led a field trip to the Onondaga County Public Library where she and our researchers reviewed the 1855 NY State Census records on microfilm and (where available) indexed in books. She also examined Maine collateral line family histories and various files and obituaries for Ashley, Pixley and Benedict family names. Lee also used www.fultonhistory.com to identify further information on the Theodore Ashley family.

Barb continues to add to her growing database of Northampton, MA church records, including births, baptisms, marriages, membership, death and removals. She has entered over 2,000 records to date. Barb also continues her review of Pomeroys in the America’s Historic Newspaper database.

Ed has been gathering and entering Pomeroy records in the Pomeroy Ridge, New Brunswick vicinity. He entered additional data on Martin Pomeroy and Lydia Rowell who were married in 1840 in Old Town, Maine, and had a son Luther S. Pomeroy, born 1846. Ed also added matched 1881 Canadian Census records that Lee had transcribed and organized. Ed also researched John Henry Calvin Pomeroy who was born in Linneus, Aroostook Co., ME in 1886 and married Berta Louise Wilson on 28 Aug 1915 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Judy has been helping us with miscellaneous data-entry including Arizona Marriages; Mobile County, AL Marriages, KY Marriages and Rochester, NY directories. She has also been working on TN vital records.

The Pomeroy Collection

Exciting news about the Pomeroy Collection: Tammy C. has returned and has taken on a huge project to digitally photograph and scan every item in the collection. Tammy will be adding metadata to the digital images so that we will be able to easily locate the objects using the Copernic search engine. If you’re not familiar with Copernic, it is software that is able to “read” files, documents and spreadsheets, e-mail, pdfs, internet history and metadata. We are using the corporate edition, which we purchased from Copernic, but they also have a home version which is free. Once your files are indexed, you can quickly search your hard-drive, and networked drives for names, places, any word you can think of. Because of our vast collection of digital records it’s imperative that we have a fast, user-friendly search engine.

Nancy is looking into solutions to cataloging our library using a web-based database. As an affiliate member of the Central (NY) Library Resource Council we need to upload our library onto WorldCat, using the MARC code format. Nancy is currently looking at http://biblios.net/ as a possible solution, (and learning more about MARC code than she ever really wanted to!)

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Nancy just purchased a 4 pin to 4 pin firewire cable from her favorite cable supplier, CXtec, so she will now be able to download the video her husband Jerry shot at the Pembroke, ME Pomeroy Anvil Dedication. My, those folks at CXtec are friendly, and helpful!

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Judy visited the Winterthur Museum research center in her new home state of Delaware, to look at an early Pompey account book. The book belonged to Stuttson Benson and is housed in the Joseph Downs Collection. The book covers the years 1807 through 1848. From what has been learned about Stuttson, he was apparently a farmer and weaver. The book contains 90 pages and includes an index page (probably done at some later date). Names include Benedict Amos, Richard Gage, Seth T. Benson, Robert Nagus, Daniel Lewis, Lewis R. [H]ood, Joseph Row, William Donaghey, Job Debenport, Levi Barber, Anson Wood, Peter Benson, John Upford, Andros, Nathan Rose, Bently Gideon, Stuart Mathew, Stimpson Morg, Benson Benjamin (Benjamin Benson?), Unver [sp?] Wood, Goodel Isoner, William Donegy, Stephen Benedict, Robert Negus (probably the same man as Robert Nagus), Samuel Preston, Nathaniel Green, Seth P. Benson (probably the same man as Seth T. Benson), Sheleman, James Pettit, Alexander Hall, John Ely or Sly, Richard Taylor, Moses Stimson, Henry Hall, Antony Snyder, John Watonburgh, Elisha Ely or Sly.

Of particular interest in these account books are the names James Pettit and Samuel Preston. Men with these names were living in Norwalk, OH when Mary Ann moved there, and she had business ties with both. Are the James Pettit and Samuel Preston who are listed in Stuttson Benson’s account book the same men who were living in Norwalk, Ohio? Nancy is going to review the other names against the 1801-1802 Pompey account book at the Pompey Historical Society to see if any of the names in the Stuttson Benson book are listed in the earlier Pompey account book.

Judy has also identified several other account books held at the Winterthur Museum which may be of interest to us, including two Northampton, MA account books and a mechanic’s ledger from 1832-1860 that belonged to Lebbeus B. Guile from Dryden NY. Lebbeus Ball Guile was the son of Andrew and Charlotte (Curtis) Guile and was baptized in Pompey 1 Sep 1816. His mother, Charlotte Curtis, was the widow of Lebbeus Ball, Jr. Lebbeus Ball, Jr. was the brother of Sarah Ball who married Ithamar Coe. Ithamar and Sarah (Ball) Coe were the parents of Mary Ann Coe. An interesting account book from Ohio is also in the collection. This book, dating between 1847 and 1848, apparently belonged to Smith Peck, who lived in Sandgate, VT, but the daybook contains records on account of a Sandusky, OH hatter. Could Mary Ann, her son Francis or her husband David Powers have bought a hat from this person?

Nancy has been researching and entering information about Theodore Ashley, born about 1800 in Westfield, MA to parents Stephen and Sarah (Pomeroy) Ashley. Theodore was the grandson of Pliny and Sarah (Allen) Pomeroy, and nephew of Spencer Pomeroy. Theodore’s mother died when Theodore was only two years old, leaving 6 small children, including one infant who died a month later. We speculate that Sarah’s death precipitated Pliny and Sarah (Allen) Pomeroy’s removal from Westhampton, MA to Westfield, MA. Theodore Ashley settled in Syracuse, NY by 1825. Although his grandmother, Sarah (Allen) Pomeroy, died in March of 1823, his Uncle Spencer Pomeroy and Aunt Clarissa (Pomeroy) Wood were living in Manlius at that time. Was Theodore in contact with Spencer and Clarissa? Can we find any correspondence between them?

Judy has also been adding the TrueWorthy and Selah Cook families into our database. TrueWorthy and Selah were brothers and early Pompey residents. TrueWorthy was one of the original members of the Pompey Congregational (later Presbyterian) Church and attended when Reverend Hugh Wallis was pastor. To complicate matters, Homer Cook, born 14 Dec 1818 in Pompey, and died Feb 1893 in Lake Mills, Jefferson Co., WI, a grand-nephew of TrueWorthy and Selah Cook, was the husband of Mary Ann Cook, born about Sept 1812 who died Dec. 1902. Mary Ann was the daughter of (believe it or not), Enos Pomeroy Cook and his wife Mary “Polly” Sutton. Enos was born 18 Feb 1797 in Oneida Co., NY and died 3 Feb 1851 in Rochester, Monroe Co., NY. Enos was the son of Daniel Cook and Rebecca Pomeroy (Eliakim, Noah, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed).

Pat has been catching up on Mary Ann Coe related data entry.

We have added 450 new people, 101 new sources and 2284 new citations to our genealogy databases over this past week.

APHGA Report for May through July 2010, part 2

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Barb has been abstracting the Northampton, MA Church of Christ records, available on microfilm through the Family History Library. These records contain a wealth of information, including baptisms, births, marriages, deaths, removals, etc. Once completed, we are considering giving a copy to the Forbes Library in Northampton, and possibly posting the abstract on our website.

Judy’s been making a huge dent in the piles of data-entry we’ve collected. Nancy has been sending her mostly vital records, city directories, and newspaper clippings.

Ed has been tracking and entering a Templeton, MA, Pomeroy family, and collecting and entering Pomeroys found in the Maine Historical Register. The Templeton Pomeroys link back to a Jeremiah Pomeroy, born 10 Oct 1774 in ME, who married Elizabeth Parker. The couple had at least 12 children that we know of, all born in Starks, Somerset Co., ME: Betsey, born 21 Nov, 1801, Joshua P, born 2 Sep 1803, Benjamin, born 1 Aug 1805, Polly, born 26 May 1809, Nehemiah, born 2 Apr 1811, died 25 Mar 1857 in Eliza, Mercer Co., IL, Elizabeth, born 27 Feb 1813, Phebe H., born 17 Mar 1815, Eunes H, born 26 Feb 1817, Jeremiah, born 9 Feb 1819, Simeon Goodin, born 7 May 1822, died 29 Jan 1879 in Templeton, Rebecca Jane, born 9 Mar 1824, and Richard H., born 3 Oct 1826. We currently don’t know who Jeremiah’s father was, but based on naming conventions alone, it would appear likely that he descends from Richard Pomeroy who settled on the Isles of Shoals, now off the coast of NH, by 1670.

Betty and Ed had continued their review of unmatched census records, starting with 1850 and working forwards and backwards as matches are found. Betty has been chipping away at collateral lines, including the sad story of Julia Augusta Pomeroy (Warham, Enos, Caleb, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed), born 5 Apr 1815 in Easthampton, Hampshire Co., MA who died 10 Feb 1883, in South Hadley Falls, Hampshire Co., MA. She married Edwin Smith 20 Nov 1839, who died 21 Jan 1849 in South Hadley Falls. The couple had two children we know of, both born in South Hadley Falls; Adelaide Eugenia Smith, born 12 May 1843, and Edwin Pomeroy Smith, born 5 Feb. 1845. According to the 1850 US Federal Census, Julia was a widow, and head of household, living with her children and Benjamin and Maria Aldridge in South Hadley. According to the 1860, 1870 and 1880 US Federal Census records, Julia was living at the Northampton Lunatic Hospital, for what reason we don’t know.

Betty was also able to match records and enter information about Edward L. Pomeroy (David, David, Simeon, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed), born abt 1830 in MA who married first Aurelia (last name unkown), who had at least three children, all born in MA; Emma A., born abt 1857, Edward E., born abt 1859 and Catherine M “Katie”, born abt 1866. This family settled in Amherst, MA. Edward married second Lucia M. (last name unknown).

Lee has taken an inventory of the 1855 New York State Census microfilm and book holdings at the Onondaga County Public Library and has been organizing a field trip to transcribe Pomeroys in those records. Some index books do exist, which will be helpful, but most of the microfilm will need to be viewed from start to finish to see if any Pomeroys are on them. Lee has also been visiting the Onondaga County Clerk’s Office and reporting back on Pomeroys found in the various indices.

Lee is working with Betty to identify and enter Stanstead, Ontario Pomeroys into the Eltweed database. Lee identified descendants of Courtland “Bates” Pomeroy into Vermont and two generations beyond. Lee found a will that makes us question whether Bates is the correct middle name for Courtland.

Ed, Betty and Barb continue to review the 1865 New York State Census records available on the Family Search pilot site for Pomeroys.

Pat has been researching the fascinating life of Edward Payson Pomeroy (Charles Backus, Samuel, Joshua, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed), born 3 Jan 1835 in Somers, Tolland County, CT, who died 24 Oct 1906 in Pasadena, Harris County, TX. She has been able to identify four wives (one of which he married twice), and five children. He was in Kansas by July 1870 then moved to Springfield, MA between 1 Mar 1875 and 25 Apr 1877, was living in Amsterdam, Montgomery County, NY when the 1880 Census was taken, and was in Galveston, TX by about 1881.

APHGA Report for May through July 2010, part 1

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

It’s been quite a busy few months since I last posted a blog on our projects, so I’m going to break it up over a few days. If I keep writing I’ll never get this posted! – Nancy Maliwesky

We’ve added more new members, including a descendant of Marcus Mills “Brick” Pomeroy. Several new members are struggling with brick walls, including Bev L. who is researching the George Pomeroy Kingsley line. George Pomeroy Kingsley was born 11 Nov 1865 in Freeport, Stephenson Co., IL, and married Mabel Wright (born 19 Oct 1865) before Sept. 1894. While we can connect George back to Eltweed (Dr. George Pomeroy Kingsley, Elizabeth Coit Pomeroy, Gamaliel, Lemuel, Seth, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed), we’re struggling to learn more about George’s descendants. We know that George and Mabel had at least 7 children: Susanna, born 17 Sep 1894, Ethel and Edith, twins, born 11 Sep 1895, George Pomeroy, Jr., born 23 Sep 1897, Donaldson Wright, born 16 Mar 1899, Hamilton Swift, born 23 Jun 1901 and Archibald Wright, born 5 Apr 1907, but we don’t know anything of their offspring. If you are related to this family, please contact me!

Another Pomeroy researcher is stuck on Abner Ross Pomeroy, born 29 Aug 1824 or 1828 in GA. He served the state of Georgia as a Confederate Soldier during the Civil War. He was captured in Calhoun and served time in the Nashville Union Prison before being transferred to the prison in Louisville, KY. He wasn’t in Louisville very long, apparently he signed an oath of allegiance to the US and was set free. We found a marriage date of 24 Aug 1859 recorded for Abner R. Pomeroy and Miss Clarissa L. Lee of Bulloch Co., GA in the book “Marriage Records of Bulloch County, Georgia, 1796 (Origin of County) through 1875”, written by Mrs. Alvaretta Kenan in 1971. The 1880 US Federal Census lists Connecticut as the birthplace of both of Abner Pomeroy’s parents. Abner died 5 Apr 1890 according to his tombstone. He was buried in the Bethel Lutheran Church Cemetery in Effingham Co. GA. We believe that Clarissa died young and Abner married second, on 14 Feb 1877, in Effingham Co., Julia Ann Frances Arnsdorff, who was born 12 Sep 1839 in Effingham Co., GA, and died in Grayson, Effingham Co., GA 21 Jul 1924.

We have not been able to find Abner in the 1850 US Federal Census. The only other Pomeroys we have found in GA around this time, that were born in Connecticut, were Chauncey Pomeroy (Eleazer D, Daniel, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed), his wife Mary and daughter Jane. Chauncey was born 8 Dec 1800 in Coventry, Tolland Co., CT, and died 24 Jun 1888 in Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA. He married Mary Northrup Ives in 1827. She was born abt 1810 in CT and died 3 Jan 1881. According to Albert A. Pomeroy, the couple, although married 54 years, only had one child, Jane Eliza, born 15 Jun 1845 in Alabama. In 1850 Chauncey, Mary and Jane are living in the Harvey Hall household in Columbus, Muscogee Co., GA according to the US Federal Census. According to the 1840 US Federal Census, Chauncey was living in Russell County, AL. There were only two people enumerated in this household, presumably Chauncey and his wife Mary. Jane would not be born for another five years, but if Abner an undocumented son of Chauncey, wouldn’t he have been living in the household at the tender age of 15? Unfortunately we have been unable to locate a death record for Abner that might list his parents’ names. If anyone else is researching this family, please let us know!

Michael C and Nancy have been working on the Elisha Pomeroy (Seth, Medad, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed) family that settled all over New York State, after moving from Lyme, NH. Nancy believes that Isaac Allen Pomeroy who settled in Fountain County, IN is a son of Elisha.

Syd R. and Ruth Ann and Harry L. visited our research center on Wednesday, May 19. They are cousins who descend from Eliza Elmira Pomeroy (Charles Watrous, Watrous, Charles, Noah, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed). Eliza was born in 1839 in Auburn, NY and married William H. Meaker 10 Oct 1861. Syd and Ruth Ann brought lots of their research and were kind enough to let me scan and photograph some of their old photographs. Although Harry is not a Pomeroy, we did have a great discussion about his work with the Salvation Army. It was lovely meeting Syd, Ruth Ann and Harry! If you are doing Pomeroy Family research in and around Syracuse, NY, please keep us in mind, we’d love to meet you!

While visiting the Jefferson County, NY Probate Office recently, Lee found a will and probate file for Hiram Sterling Pomeroy. She had copies made and it has been quite helpful in piecing together some of this family’s collateral lines. Hiram was born 1 Feb 1797 in Somers, Tolland Co., CT; married Ester Ryder 6 Sep 1820 in Point Salubrious, Jefferson Co., NY and was living in Ohio, Bureau Co., IL by 10 Jun 1880, where he died on 13 Oct 1885.

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

The parishioners of the First Presbyterian Church in Lyons, NY are working on a lovely walkway around their Pomeroy Anvil Monument. The Church is located at 11 Queen Street in Lyons. If you’re in the area, make sure to stop and view the monument.

Bill was in Sandusky, OH in May and had the opportunity to visit the Pomeroy Anvil Monument at the Oakland Cemetery for the first time. Bill had a chance to speak with Dan H. who runs the cemetery. Dan’s been a great help to our organization. If you’re in Sandusky, be sure to visit the Oakland Cemetery and the monument.

The Pembroke, ME Monument is installed and Bill, Sandra, Bill’s niece Laura, Jerry and Nancy attended the dedication ceremony on July 4, 2010. It was a great weekend and we had the opportunity to meet many of the townspeople. The parade was wonderful, and the fireworks in Eastport were spectacular. Nancy will be working on a video of the day which we will share with the Pembroke Historical Society and the town. Gail Menzel will be submitting an article about the monument to the Maine Historical Society. Thank you, Gail, for all your hard work on this project. We couldn’t have done it without you!

In preparing for the dedication speech, Nancy abstracted Dr Thomas Pomroy’s four prescription books, which are currently in our collection. We realized during this process, that one of the books had not been photographed, so this is now been added to our conservation projects.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Bill and Nancy had the opportunity to visit the Pompey Historical Society and photograph an old account book dating from 1801 through 1802. This account book appears to have been connected with an early mercantile store in Pompey. The book was later used as a scrapbook, and many of the original accounts have been covered over with articles from early papers which have been pasted over the pages. Roy Dodge found this book a few years ago and has done an abstract of the names found in the book. Nancy created an index connected with the photographs she took of the book and will be giving a copy to the Pompey Historical Society. In this way, the contents can be viewed without further damaging the already fragile book. We will be asking permission of the Pompey Historical Society to post the index of the book on our website. Nancy has created a database to keep track of all the names identified in many of the early records of Pompey that the APHGA has collected. It is our hunch that Mary Ann Coe either went to Norwalk, OH with people she knew, or was influence to move to Norwalk by those people. We are trying to identify early settlers of Norwalk, OH who lived previously in Pompey. One new connection was Reuben Pixley, Jr., and early settler of Pompey who was also an early settler of Norwalk, OH and helped to build Platt Benedict’s house. Reuben married Rebecca (last name unknown) and the two are buried in the Berwyn Cemetery in LaFayette, NY. Also in Pompey at an early date was a Rebecca Pixley, who married Stephen Shattuck in 1799. Reuben Pixley, Jr. was a near neighbor of the Shattucks, as were the Coes. Is this the connection that prompted Mary Ann to move to Norwalk?

Nancy continues her work writing the Mary Ann Coe book.

We have added 2,311 new people, 2,184 new sources and 14,344 new citations to our genealogy databases since our last blog post.

Pomeroy Anvil Monument Dedication in Pembroke, Maine

Bill, Sandra, Bill's niece Laura, Jerry and I attended the dedication ceremony of the 8th Pomeroy Anvil Monument in Pembroke, Maine on July 4, 2010 in Pembroke, Maine. The monument was dedicated to Dr. Thomas W. Pomroy, the "Clairvoyant Physician".

We attended the pancake breakfast at the Crescent Lodge, saw the parade, visited Dr. Pomroy's Pool House and met the current owners, who were so accommodating - thank you for your hospitality. We also were given a guided tour of Dr. Pomroy's old property and got some great photos of the old foundation walls.

You can't find a nicer place than Pembroke, Maine. We highly recommend a visit! Don't forget to stop by the American Legion Hall on Front St. to see the monument, and pop in at the Pembroke Historical Society.

APHGA Report for the Month of April 2010

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Several new members have joined the APHGA, each sharing their research for later publication of an updated genealogy of the descendants of Eltweed Pomeroy. Based on our extensive US and Canadian Pomeroy research we also expect to publish books on other large Pomeroy families who are not descended from Eltweed. One large family that settled early on in the colonies is that of Richard Pomeroy, who settled on the Isles of Shoals (then MA, now NH) by 1670. Other Pomeroys connected with that area are Leonard Pomeroy, a merchant in Plymouth, England and a Thomas Pomeroy who was also an early settler of the Isles of Shoals. Nancy, Ed, and several APHGA members are researching these early settlers to identify whether they were related.

One family previously identified by Albert A. Pomeroy in his genealogies “The History and Genealogy of the Pomeroy Family...” as descendants of Eltweed Pomeroy seem more likely descended from Richard Pomeroy of the Isles of Shoals. This is the family of Benjamin Pomeroy and his wife Anne. According to A.A. Pomeroy, Benjamin was born in 1724, the son of Eldad Pomeroy and Sarah Wait. Benjamin and Anne had at least 4 children: Richard, b. 5 Aug 1750; Deliverance, b. 11 Mar 1753; Anna, b. 14 May 1755 and Margaret, b. 22 May 1758. According to A.A. Pomeroy, Benjamin “settled in Georgetown, Me.”

Other records associated with the history of Maine, identify a Benjamin Pomeroy, born in 1707 in ME who married “Ann” and had at least five children: Benjamin, b. 24 Jan 1741; Richard, b. 5 Aug 1750; Deliverance, b. 17 Mar 1753; Ann, b. 14 Mar 1755 and Margaret b. 22 May 1758. This Benjamin is identified as the son of Richard Pomeroy and Deliverance Berry.

Benjamin, son of Eldad would have been rather young to have been married and to have had a child by 1741. Additional research will be done, including a review of the Church of Christ, Congregational (Northampton, MA) records which were microfilmed and available through the Family History Library. We are hoping to find birth and/or baptismal records for the children of Eldad Pomeroy and Sarah Wait. We are also pursuing a search of early Maine vital and Church records.

We would love to connect with Plymouth, England Pomeroy descendants who may be related to Leonard, Thomas or Richard Pomeroy, to learn more about these families.

Mary Ann identified some new Pomeroy researchers who are descended from William Pomeroy, b. 13 Aug 1801 in NY State, who married Sarah L. Gleason on 31 Mar 1828 in Wayne County, NY. William died in 1866, probably in Van Wert, Van Wert County, New York. Sarah was b. 10 Dec 1808 in Manchester, Ontario Co., NY and died about 1842 in Brantford, Province of Ontario, Canada. She was the daughter of Bazaleel Gleason and Abigail Howland. William and Sarah had at least six children: Henry, b. 10 Nov 1829; Francis Cole, b. 26 Jan 1830; Carlos, b. 16 Feb 1832; Eliza Ann, b. 12 Aug 1834; Clarissa, b. 26 Jan 1836; and Sarah Jane, b. 30 Jul 1839. It is likely that the elder five children were all born in New York, while the youngest, Sarah Jane, was born in Canada.

Other researchers identify this William as the son of Phineas Pomeroy (Phinehas, Medad, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed) and Rebecca Sarah Spaulding, but our research leads us to believe that this is unlikely. According to Phineas Pomeroy’s Revolutionary War Pension, his son William was born 29 Jan 1781. We believe that William Pomeroy, son of Phineas, married Polly Yeomans and settled in Roulette, Potter County, Pennsylvania. So, the question remains, who were the parents of William Pomeroy, b. 13 Aug 1801 in NY, who married Sarah L. Gleason? Based on proximity Nancy feels it is possible that William was a son of Rev. Francis Pomeroy (Timothy, Daniel, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed), but more research needs to be done. Is anyone else researching this family?

Also, has anyone done any research on Ralph Gordon Pomeroy, b. 26 Apr 1893 in Cleveland, OH, resided at 113 South St., in Lockport, Niagara Co., NY on 5 Jun 1918 (WWI Draft Registration). Mary Ann found an obituary in the Chicago Tribune, dated 3 Oct 1918: “Ralph Gordon Pomeroy, aged 26 years, at Marine hospital Oct. 1 [1918] beloved son of Jessie M. Cutler of 4326 Lake Park av. Funeral from chapel at Forest Home cemetery, Thursday at 2 p.m. Services by Landmark lodge, No. 422, A.F. and A.M.”

Is this Ralph the son of Irving L. Pomeroy (Luther, Milton, Titus, Ebenezer, Eldad, Caleb, Eltweed) b. Apr 1868 in Lockwood, d. 13 Feb 1941 in Chicago, who was living with his mother in Lockport in 1900 and 1910, and identified as a widower in the US Federal Census. If so, was Irving divorced, not widowed?

Barb continued her review of Pomeroys found in early newspapers and continued her research of the life of Marcus Mills Pomeroy (Hunt, Hosea, Ebenezer, Ebenezer, Eldad, Caleb, Eltweed) for an article she will be writing. She is also continuing to review and transcribe Pomeroys in the 1865 NY State Census – she’s currently reviewing Kings County.

Barb continues to enter Eltweed descendants with missing information into a spreadsheet so we can keep track of what research needs to be done for the upcoming book. Barb has entered over 1500 records so far. Barb will be working with Betty to better identify where research still needs to be done, by family and by place. Barb also attended the Association of Public Historians of New York State Conference in Buffalo, NY this past weekend. If you are doing genealogical research in New York State, you’re lucky. Did you know that in 1919 NY State passed legislation to create officially appointed historians in every town, village, city, borough and county across the state? These historians can be very helpful in researching the communities in which your ancestors lived. For a listing of NY State Historians, check out the APHNYS website at http://www.aphnys.org/index.cfm . (Barb can be found in the Lake Ontario Region directory!)

Betty continued her review of Pomeroys in Northampton, MA census records that were previously unmatched. Betty has also been entering early CT vital records from the Barbour Collection. Betty has also been researching female Pomeroys whose married names are identified in these records by collecting census information for these families and entering that information into our databases. Betty has also been working to connect the many Parsons in our database to identify relationships between these people. Betty traced the Joseph Lathrop family. Joseph, b. 23 May 1815 in West Springfield, MA, married Abigail Alexander Pomeroy on 16 Oct 1838. Abigail, b. 16 Sep 1815 in Warwick, MA was the daughter of Medad Pomeroy (Medad, Seth, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) and Jerusha Alexander. Betty was able to trace these families through the 1850 to 1870 US Federal Census records. She also researched the James Leander Pomeroy family. James was b. Nov. 1845, in New Gloucester, Cumberland Co., ME, son of Edward Pomeroy (Warham, Enos, Caleb, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed) and Ann A. Rogers. Betty has been able to bring this line forward two generations based on Census record research. James and wife Laura settled in Gloucester, Essex Co., MA. If anyone else is connected with this family, we’d love to compare notes!

Betty also went to the Onondaga County Public Library with Lee and Ed and helped Lee to review and transcribe Pomeroys and collateral lines in the New York State Vital Records index. She and Lee also reviewed the Parsons vertical file at the library. Betty also continued her review and transcription of Pomeroys in the 1865 NY State Census. She is currently working on Poughkeepsie, NY records.

Lee continued to match Pomeroys found in 1911 Canadian Census records and British Columbia Marriages and Death records indexed on Ancestry.com. She was able to identify a “Honna Purmoy” as Hannah, the spouse of Oliver Pomeroy, son of George A. Pomeroy (Silas, Abner, Caleb, Samuel, Caleb, Eltweed) and Rebecca Palmer. Lee also organized a research trip to the Onondaga County Public Library to review Pomeroys in the NY State Vital Records index and Maine and Onondaga County records. Lee has been keeping a spreadsheet of the transcribed vital records for later data-entry.

Lee connected with a Pomeroy family when she was in Roscoe, NY on Saturday, April 20th. This family descends from Eltweed. Lee has contact information and has handed it over to Nancy. She also reviewed Pomeroy information in the Cortland Library, in Cortland, NY that same day.

Lee contacted the Sr. Managing Editor at the Syracuse Post Standard to clarify our understanding of their copyright practices and spoke with Pat and Barb about articles being planned. She prepared a report on the publication project for Project Roots department members.

Ed continued to research and data-enter information found on Pomeroy families who lived in Stark County, OH and later moved to Dekalb County, IN. Ed will be reviewing Hancock County, ME grantor/grantee indexes at the Family History Library this week. Although these deeds are available online, they early books are not indexed, so he will be copying Pomeroy, Lunt and Coffin entries to identify which books and pages the deeds are on. Ed is also planning a trip to the Onondaga County Library in Syracuse with Lee and Betty. Ed will continue his review of the Maine Vital Records CD collection available at the library. Ed’s previous visit turned up some very useful information, including the marriage information for William Pomeroy and Nancy Grant, and Samuel Pomeroy and Lydia Gatcomb.

Ed identified a new Canada/Maine Pomeroy family that was living in Catalina, Newfoundland. This was George Pomeroy, b. abt 1816 who married Elizabeth (maiden name unknown). He died 1 May 1905 in Catalina. Elizabeth, b. abt 1822, d. 18 Oct. 1898 also in Catalina. The couple had at least one child, William James Pomeroy b. abt 1816 who d. 1 May 1905 in Catalina. William married Emily Sharp on 1 Mar 1890 in Catalina, and the couple had at least four children, all born in Catalina: Mary Ann Pomeroy, b. 11 Dec 1890; Jessie Pomeroy, b. 1 Sep 1894; George Pomeroy, b. 2 Dec 1897; and Rene Pomeroy, b. 30 Sep 1900. Does anyone descend from this family? If so, please contact us!

Pat researched an interesting record that Nancy found in Ancestry.com’s U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798 – 1914, database. Thomas Pomeroy, (according to this record) was born abt 1799 in Pompey, Onondaga Co., NY and enlisted 2 Sep 1813 (at the age of 14!) into the U.S. Army Artillery. He joined in Greenbush, NY under Capt. Barker for service of five years. Other records in this same database identify Thomas as being born in Onondaga Co., NY and being a musician in the army at the tender age of 9. We would love to figure out who this Thomas was. There were no Pomeroys listed in the 1800 US Federal Census in Pompey, NY. There were Pomeroys who settled early in Otisco, but no Thomas that matches the description above. Who is this young man?

Nancy checked our blog’s web statistics and was pleasantly surprised. We are averaging 200 unique visits to our blog site per month, since the blog was started just six months ago, with a record 256 visits in March 2010!

The Pomeroy Collection

Nancy scanned, conserved and organized the archive of letters associated with the Frederick Lawrence Pomeroy (James Clark, Stephen, Ebenezer, Ebenezer, Eldad, Caleb, Eltweed) family which was added to the collection recently.

Nancy has accessioned several genealogy and historical society newsletters, journals and magazines. Nancy also purchased and received the book “Local Color, Stories of Westhampton’s First 225 Years”, edited by Jacqui Hickey LaFrance, James E. Bridgman and Sarak K. Mulvehill and published by the Westhampton Historical Society. This is a reprint of the book that was published originally in 2003.

Two new and interesting additions to the collection are large felt advertising pennants for Pommery Champagne. Our facilities team has just hung one on the outside wall of the Project Roots Office. Nancy feels like celebrating! (Well, Nancy always feels like celebrating...)

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Work is well underway on the Pembroke, Maine, Pomeroy Anvil Monument dedicated to Thomas W. Pomeroy, a very successful clairvoyant physician who was born in Pembroke. Thomas lived and practiced in New York City from 1880 to 1926, but he and his wife returned to Pembroke every summer where they built a lavish summer home. Thomas was a Master Mason and member of the Crescent Lodge 78 for 73 years. The Town of Pembroke and the Pembroke Historical Society are planning a dedication ceremony on July 4, 2010 after the parade. The monument will be installed at the American Legion on Front Street. Now’s the time to get your hotel reservations if you plan on coming to the dedication – Nancy, her husband Jerry and Bill and Sandra Pomeroy have their reservations and are looking forward to the event. Nancy was so impressed with the people of Pembroke when she and Jerry went on a scouting visit to Pembroke last July. She and Jerry are looking forward to their return visit.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Nancy has started to write the Mary Ann Coe book. This has been a very rewarding and eye-opening endeavor so far. It’s incredible how the simple act of writing a narrative makes you think of additional research and helps you to see the subject of your research in a different light. Nancy is compiling research done on the Coe family in the towns of Durham, CT; Granville, MA; Ballstown, NY; Paris, NY; and Pompey, NY, and would love to talk with other people researching the Coes or the towns listed above.

Pat continued her research on Carlos C. Coe, a relative of Mary Ann who was an early balloonist in New York State. Pat took a field trip to Rome, NY and visited the Jervis Public Library, the Rome Historical Society and the Rome Cemetery, as part of her Carlos Coe research. While not much was found on Carlos, Pat did collect information on Pomeroys from the Rome and Utica area, including the family of Daniel C. Pomeroy (Silas, Nathaniel, Noah, Noah, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed). Pat is also researching the Adam Junkins family in Cadiz, OH. Adam was the brother of Benjamin Junkins, Mary Ann’s second “husband”. Pat also researched NY State’s insolvency laws for an article we hope to have published soon.

In between packing and moving, Judy has continued to transcribe articles in the Firelands Pioneer Journal and has made some great headway in entering Pomeroy vital records.

We have added 320 new people, 165 new sources and 2686 new citations to our genealogy databases over the past three weeks.

APHGA Bi-Weekly Report 4/7/2010

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

Ed, Betty, Barb and Nancy have been busy reviewing the research on the book that has been completed to date, and accessing and organizing the work yet to be done in order to set a publication date for the book update project. Nancy is considering publishing in phases, starting with the first five generations down from Eltweed, in 2011, with additional publications of three to five generations in length, dependent on the number of families this encompasses. As the generations go forward, the number of people in the family tree increases exponentially, so we may need to publish at three generation intervals after the initial book containing the first five generations is published.

Barb is identifying what information is missing from our Eltweed database and tracking it on a spreadsheet. Betty has organized the vital records that need to be matched and entered by priority (pre-1850 being the highest priority, 1850-1930 is medium priority, 1930 forward is low priority.) Ed has prioritized all NewEnglandAncestor.com databases by the above mentioned priorities. Nancy is organizing the many, many files of research on her desk by priority and will be handing the highest priority research on to Betty, Ed and Judy to enter. Barb also continues her review of Pomeroys in “America’s Historic Newspapers” database.

Judy and Betty are entering high priority vital records. Judy is focusing on MO marriage records and Quebec Vital and Church Records and Canadian Soldiers of the First World War. Betty is currently working on the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records available on Ancestry.com. She is matching and entering Pomeroys and collateral lines. Betty has also been reviewing the Gerald A. Parson’s book on the Parsons lineage to see if she can connect any of the various Parsons identified in the A.A. Pomeroy books. Betty also prepared a list of NY Pomeroys and Collateral lines by priority, for a field trip to the Onondaga County Public Library. She will be helping Lee finish transcribing the NY State Vital Records index.

Ed continues to enter Maine and Canadian records into our Unlinked Pomeroy database. Nancy handed off a large Long Island Plantation and Tremont, ME Pomeroy/Lunt file which Ed is entering. Ed also prepared for his visit to the Onondaga County Public Library and will be reviewing their large selection of Maine vital records on CD.

Ed and Lee have been working on the Jeremiah Pomeroy family of Starks, Somerset County, ME, and Nancy had been corresponding with a genealogist and his client, who is a descendant of this family. Jeremiah Pomeroy was b. 10 Oct 1774 in ME, and married Elizabeth Parker (b. 10 Jul 1786, ME) by 1800. The couple had the following children: Betsey, b. 21 Nov 1801; Joshua P. b. 2 Sep 1803; Benjamin b. 1 Aug 1805; Polly, b. 26 May 1809; Nehemiah, b. 2 Apr 1811; Elizabeth, b. 27 Feb 1813; Phebe H. b. 17 Mar 1815; Eunes H (Eunice?), b. 26 Feb 1817; Jeremiah, b. 9 Feb 1819; Simeon Goodin, b. 7 May 1822; Rebecca Jane, b. 9 Mar 1824; and Richard H, b. 3 Oct 1826, all children born in Starks. Of these children, Nehemiah moved to Mercer County, Illinois by 1857; Jeremiah moved to Mercer Co. by 1850, then to Iowa by 1880; Simeon moved to Boston, MA by 1850 and later to Worcester Co., MA; while Richard, the youngest child, stayed in Somerset Co., ME. Is anyone else working on this family? We would love to know who Jeremiah’s parents are!

Ed and Nancy are also trying to identify the parents of an Albion Pomeroy, b. abt 1826 in ME, who married Betsey (last name unknown), who was b. abt 1832 in Canada, East. Albion was living with the William Ward family in Fort Winnebago, Columbia County, WI when he was enumerated on 5 Sept 1850 in the 1850 US Federal Census. By the 1860 US Federal Census he was living with his wife and children in Beloit, Rock Co., WI. By the 1870 US Federal Census he was living with his wife and children in Cass, Clayton Co., IA, and by the 1880 US Federal Census he was living in Precinct A., Seward Co., NE, where he was still living when the 1900 US Federal Census was taken. Albion and Betsey had the following children: Clinton Henry, b. abt Aug 1855, in WI; Lysander F., b. abt 1860 in WI; Nancy Jane, b. abt 1863 in IL; Minnie L., b. abt 1867 in IL; Ellen, b. abt 1872 in WI, and Frank, b. abt 1874 in IA.

Other Pomeroy families found in Beloit, WI were brothers Nathan H. and Alonzo Pomeroy, sons of Richard and Elizabeth “Betsey” (Daggett) Pomeroy. Richard was b. 1771 in ME and married Elizabeth (b. abt 1775 in MA) by abt 1796. Their children include: Catherine, b. 7 Jul 1797, d. 26 Sep 1800 in Starks, ME; Hiram, b. 6 Nov 1799 in Starks, John, b. 13 Jul 1802 in Starks; Robert L., b. 22 May 1804 in Starks; Nathan H., b. 22 May 1804 in Somerset Co., ME (possibly Starks); Alonzo, b. abt 1807 in ME, (possibly Starks); and Betsey Pomeroy, b. 5 Sep 1809 in ME (possibly Starks).

Nathan H. Pomeroy married Mary (last name unknown), date unknown. Mary was born abt 1806 in ME. The couple may have had two daughters, based on the 1840 US Federal Census, but we can’t be sure as yet. By the 1850 US Federal Census Nathan and Mary were living in Beloit, WI with Nathan’s parents and Elizabeth and Andrew Hunt, both born about 1834 in ME. Are these children related? By the 1860 US Federal Census Nathan and Mary are living in Shirland, Winnebago Co., IL. Also in the household was Nathan’s mother. Nathan may have married twice.

Alonzo Pomeroy married Sarah K (last name unknown) by 1832. Sarah was b. abt. 1812 in ME. By the 1860 US Federal Census, the two were living with their children in Beloit, WI. Their children include: Francis B., b. abt 1833 in ME; Lydia E., b. abt 1839 in ME; Atwell W., b. abt Nov 1842 in ME; Alonzo Franklin, b. abt Oct 1846 in ME; and Lillian, b. abt Jul 1859 in WI.

The fact that Nathan, Alonzo and their father Richard Pomeroy were all in Beloit, WI around the same time that Albion Pomeroy was, makes us wonder whether these families were related. Is anyone else researching these lines?

Lee continues to abstract Pomeroys in the New York State Vital Records Index at the Onondaga County Public Library. She has also been leading the Publication Project and has been finding out about copyright issues related to publishing articles in local papers. Judy wrote a short piece on finding Spencer Pomeroy’s Insolvency Papers at the Onondaga County Courthouse. Pat is working on a follow-up piece explaining the NY State Insolvent Debtor laws. The proposed third piece will be an abstract of Spencer’s Insolvency papers. Lee has also been matching Pomeroys in the 1911 Canadian Census. Lee also reviewed Pomeroys in the British Columbia Marriage Index, 1872-1924, which has been made newly available on Ancestry.com

Barb, Rick and Caryn continue to review and transcribe Pomeroys in the 1865 NY State Census. Barb has offered to start the one county that had not been reserved by the other researchers... Kings County! We wish you the best of luck Barb!

Rick helped with a filing project as part of his work writing applications for various lineage societies for Bill. Rick is currently working on Bill’s application to the National Society of the Sons of American Colonists.

Barb and Nancy also attended the second planning meeting of the Central New York Genealogical Society’s 50th Anniversary Conference Committee. The conference will be scheduled for October 2011 in Syracuse, NY. Nancy is on the vendor and speaker sub-committees.

Caryn and Nancy continued to research Edwin Guilford Pomeroy (Francis A., Francis W., Spencer, Pliny, Daniel, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) and the McKeen Motor Car Company for a article being written on the subject by a local free-lance writer. Nancy started to look at early residents of Tiffin, OH (where Edwin grew up), and noted that many were also early residents of Norwalk, OH. This information may prove useful in our ongoing research of Mary Ann Coe (former wife of Spencer Pomeroy, and great-grandmother of Edwin).

Nancy also checked the Pomeroy message board on Ancestry.com and reviewed recently posted messages. One of particular interest concerns the parentage of a John P. Pomeroy, b. abt 1794 in possibly CT, who settled in Saint Lawrence Co., NY by 1830. He married Narcissa Henderson in Hopkinton, St. Lawrence Co., abt 1819 and the couple had the following children: David, b. abt 1819 in Hopkinton; Chester, b. between 1820 and 1825 in Hopkinton; Jesse Henry, b. Oct 1821 in NY (probably Hopkinton), Eldridge G, b. Aug 1833 in Hopkinton; Delia b. between 1825 and 1830 in Hopkinton; Lucretia, b. abt 1825 in Hopkinton; Earl, b. abt 1827 in Hopkinton; and John Willard, b. abt 1831 in Hopkinton. According to the author of a message on the Pomeroy board, John P. Pomeroy was the son of Josiah Pomeroy, who was the illegitimate son of Josiah Pomeroy and Lavina (or Lavinia) Phelps. Josiah the son was b. 11 Nov 1772 in Hebron, Tolland Co., CT. His alleged father, Josiah Pomeroy, was b. 18 Jun 1745 in Hebron and d. Jul 1812, the son of Rev. Benjamin Pomeroy (Joseph, Medad, Eltweed) and his wife Abigail Wheelock. We are currently been doing research to see whether we can prove a connection between Josiah (son of Lavina Phelps) and John P. Pomeroy. Our research has led us to Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., MA, where early on are found several Josiah Pomeroys working and living in the area. According to Pittsfield history books, Lemuel Pomeroy (Lemuel, Seth, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) the well known arms manufacturer and miller, went into business with Josiah Pomeroy, also a miller and distant relative. Prior to pursuing this research, we believed that Josiah Pomeroy, Sr (Benjamin, Josiah, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) b. 5 Jan 1778 in Northampton, MA who married Ruth Thayer, Charlotte Smith and Phebe (last name unknown) was the Josiah who was in business with Lemuel Pomeroy, but now we are wondering if the miller in Pittsfield was really Josiah, son of Lavina Phelps. Two Josiah Pomeroys show up in early census records for Berkshire County, MA. One is living in Hinsdale and the other in Pittsfield. The headcount of people living in the Hinsdale Josiah Pomeroy family seem to match Josiah Pomeroy, Sr., husband of Ruth Thayer. This Josiah died 11 Jun 1861 in Leverett, Franklin Co., MA, while the miller, Josiah Pomeroy of Pittsfield apparently died in 1851.

Lavina Phelps married Capt. Daniel Pepoon in Hebron, Tolland Co., CT on 28 Dec 1780. The couple had three children, Nancy, b. 9 Aug 1783; Joseph, b. between Sept 1781 and Nov. 1785; and Lavinia, b. abt 1785. Lavina (Phelps) Pepoon d. 1 Nov 1785 in Hebron. Daniel had moved with his children to Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., MA by 1790. He was for a time the proprietor of a coffee house in Pittsfield, and one of the incorporators of the Berkshire Bank. We are wondering whether Josiah, son of Lavina, grew up in this family. If so, it would put him in the right place at the right time to be the miller Josiah who went into business with Lemuel Pomeroy. If anyone else is researching this family and can provide insight on which Josiah was in business with Lemuel, we would love to hear from you!

The Pomeroy Collection

Just added to the collection is a group of about fifty letters, notes, telegrams and other ephemera associated with Frederick Lawrence Pomeroy (James Clark, Stephen, Ebenezer, Ebenezer, Eldad, Caleb, Eltweed) and family. Frederick was born 15 Jan 1855 in Cortland, Cortland Co., NY, and as a young man of sixteen worked as a clerk for the Utica, Ithaca and Elmira Railroad. He married Ophelia Taylor Williams on 9 Jun 1880 and continued his career in the railroad business. IN 1897 he was the general manager of the Nickel Plate Fast Freight Line in New York City, and in 1901 was the Assistant Traffic Manager of the New York Central Railroad. His family lived in Brooklyn, on President St. In Oct. 1906 he and several other NY Central and Hudson River Railroad workers were indicted for granting freight rebates to the Sugar Trust. Frederick died of heart disease on 26 Nov. 1906 before the case was settled. His wife continued to pursue Frederick’s interest in the case until it was dropped. The collection includes several letters of condolence to the widow and the couple’s only child, Fred Lawrence Pomeroy, along with extensive correspondence from Rev. A. J. Lyman, the minister of the South Congregational Church of Brooklyn, NY, and a handwritten letter from F.E. Harriman, on Grand Central Station letterhead. This was a bit of a mystery to us, as we are familiar with Edward Harriman, president of the N.Y. Central Railroad, but are not familiar with F.E. Harriman. Nancy found on Google Books, the journal “Freight, The Shippers’ Forum” Vol X, No. 11, published in NY in November, 1909, which mentions F.E. Harriman on page 335. According to the article “Traffic Club of New York” F.E. Harriman was at that time the Coal Traffic Manager of the New York Central Lines. Was he related to Edward Harriman?

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Work continues on the Pembroke, ME monument.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Judy continues to transcribe and enter articles from the Firelands Pioneer that relate to early residents of Huron County, OH. Pat continues to research early residents in Huron County, OH in an effort to identify where these settlers came from, prior to settling in Huron County. She has found many links to Western and Central New York, Hampshire and Berkshire Counties, MA and Tolland County, CT. She is also working on filling in the Coe line, especially those who settled in the Central New York area, including the eminent balloonist Carlos C. Coe.

Pat has been researching the family of Major Joseph Strong, who married second wife, Lucy Elderkin, in Manlius, NY on 24 Oct. 1799. Lucy was the sister of Mary Ann Elderkin. Mary Ann married twice, first to a Henry Clark and second to a James Jackson, and she was a member (as Mary Ann Jackson) of the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Manlius when Sarah L. (Allen) Pomeroy was a member. Lucy and her husband Major Joseph Strong and their family moved to Lyme, Huron County by 1813. Major Joseph Strong descends from Justice Joseph Strong, b. 2 Dec 1672 in Northampton, Hampshire Co., MA, who married Sarah Allen. We have not yet traced whether Sarah Allen, wife of Joseph Strong, was related to Sarah L. Allen, wife of Pliny Pomeroy.

We have added 540 new people, 183 new sources and 3499 new citations to our genealogy databases over the past three weeks.