Wednesday, April 7, 2010

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.

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