Thursday, July 29, 2010

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.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

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.

Monday, July 19, 2010

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.