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.