APHGA Blog Post for June 17, 2011

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

We have welcomed several new members this past month (in part because I have been diligently trying to catch up with my e-mail requests!), and the book project continues to gain momentum as we add new descendants and facts to our databases. As of last Monday we show 57,975 people, 18,010 sources and 264,623 citations in our descendants of Eltweed Pomeroy database; 13,046 people, 6,363 sources and 75,899 citations in our Unlinked Pomeroy database; and 6,903 people, 274 sources and 21,958 citations in our Descendants of George Pomeroy database.

Diane L., Richard Pomeroy Isles of Shoals descendant, has generously sent us a copy of the book “Home, Pomeroy Ridge” by Charlie Smith. The book details the history of Pomeroy Ridge, New Brunswick, Canada. Thank you Diane!

Betty’s been working on some Pomeroy puzzles I handed over to her, including the Sterling Pomeroy/Henrietta S. Jackson family (Hiram Sterling, Hiram, John, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed). Sterling was born in Chaumont, Jefferson Co., NY in 1832, and was out in Ohio, Bureau Co., IL by 1854, shortly after he married Henrietta in Jefferson Co. He served two terms in the IL state legislature, was a farmer who also engaged in shipping and banking. He was also apparently a druggist, living in Chicago in 1900. He died in Chicago in 1903. The couple had one daughter, Agnes, born abt 1861 in Ohio, Bureau Co., IL, who married Robert H. Fagan. The couple had two children, Henrietta Fagan, b. Feb 1880, and Sterling Fagan (AKA Sterling Pomeroy), born 2 Aug 1882. For some reason Sterling used the surname Pomeroy when he married Francis M Spratt in 1904 in Fergus, MT, and his death certificate is also under the surname Pomeroy. Census records also identify Sterling’s surname as Pomeroy. Betty also filled in missing information on the Orle G. Pomeroy/Huldah C. Jackson family. Orle (John Wesley, John Seymour, Nathaniel, Noah, Noah, Joseph Medad, Eltweed), was born 1841 in Delaware Co., NY and married Huldah in 1863. He died in 1879. Huldah was born 1845 in Delaware Co., and died Mar 1934. The couple had two children, Emmagene, born 1865 and Robert James born 1871.

Betty has also been working on the family of Roxalinda Pomeroy (Nathaniel, Noah, Noah, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed), born 1779 in CT. She married first Joseph Cook, by whom she had at least 7 children, and second, John Wall. She died in 1853 in Franklin, Delaware Co., NY and is buried in the Ouleout Valley Cemetery in Franklin. Betty continues to fill in collateral line information on Ellen Elizabeth Day, the daughter of Dr. Jonathan Day and Eunice Pomeroy (Lemuel, Lemuel, Seth, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed). Ellen was born in Syracuse, NY in 1828, where her father was a physician. She was the third of four children born to the couple during their short marriage of 8 years. Dr. Day died in 1832, while only 31 yrs. old, a victim of the cholera epidemic he worked so hard to control. The widow Eunice Day, moved back home to Pittsfield, MA with her three remaining children and cared for her ailing father until his death. She married Colonel George T. M. David in 1852 in Pittsfield, and had one child, George Z. M. Davis. The couple were living in New York City by 1860 and Eunice became a nurse to injured and ill Union Soldiers in the city. She was elected to the Board of Managers of the Woman’s Hospital of the State of New York in 1866 and served in that position until she died in March of 1885.

Betty also spent time working on some Pomeroys found in Pitcher, Chenango Co., NY. We have one documented family, that of Stephen Pomeroy (Enos, Stephen, Ebenezer, Ebenezer, Medad) whose daughter Relief Pomeroy, born 1811, married John H. Bennett in 1834. We also have an undocumented Mary Pomeroy, b. abt 1799 in CT, who married an Ezra Bennett by 1835. Both Bennett families were living in Pitcher, but we can’t connect Mary with any descendants of Eltweed. Skip H., one of our APHGA members, has also been working on this puzzle. If anyone knows the answer, please let us know! Betty also spent time filling in the lines of the daughters of Stephen and Dorothy (Carter) Pomeroy who were sisters of Relief.

Betty worked with APHGA member Scott S. on his Pomeroy line. Emiline Pomeroy, (Elisha, Simeon, Titus, John, Ebenezer, Medad, Eltweed) born 1834 in South Hadley, MA, married Steven DeForest Chase in 1858, and had two children, George Pomeroy Chase and Percy LeBarron Chase. Emiline died 22 Mar 1897 in Granby, MA, on the same day that her sister Julia Ann (Pomeroy) Hooker died in South Hadley Falls.

Last but not least, Betty is also researching William Fancher Pomeroy (Michael Myers, Charles Watrous, Watrous, Charles, Noah, Noah, Joseph Eltweed) whose family we will discuss in the Pomeroy Anvil Trail section of this report! William Fancher Pomeroy was born in 1864 in Brooklyn, NY to parents Michael Myers and Sarah Prua (Fancher) Pomeroy. William’s parents divorced before 1 Jun 1871, when Sarah married James Henry Pelton in Waterloo, NY. William was adopted by James Pelton and legally changed his name prior to his marriage to Mamie G. Genung in 1886.

Barb continues to transcribe the records from the Church of Christ, Northampton, MA and is also now entering that information into our genealogy databases. Barb, who is also the Phoenix, NY Town Historian, had an article published in the Phoenix Register on May 20th, entitled “Diary of a Phoenix School Girl”. Several years ago, Barb purchased a diary of a young girl who lived in Phoenix. As no name was associated with the diary, Barb had to do some real digging to find out who the diary belonged to. In the end, she was able to identify the author of the diary as Cora Adelia Patrick, daughter of William P and Caroline Elizabeth (Serrott) Patrick. Cora was born in Hinmansville, NY in 1866. And wouldn’t you know, Cora married Harry Dwight Pomeroy (Theodore Clapp, Stephen, Ebenezer, Ebenezer, Eldad, Caleb, Eltweed). Harry, born in Cortland, NY in 1866, graduated from Cornell University as a mechanical engineer, and went on to hold several patents. He lived and worked for a while in Syracuse and was involved in the manufacture of typewriters and was later employed by Gaylord Brothers, Inc. in Syracuse. His family lived in Phoenix, where he and wife Cora are buried. Barb and Lee took a research trip to Cortland, NY and found contact information for a descendant of Harry and Cora and has since spoken with her and will be setting up a meeting to share information. Barb also went to the Onondaga Historical Society to read some of the many diaries of Harry Dwight Pomeroy that are housed there. Barb has also submitted another article to the Phoenix Register which should be published this weekend, and the newspaper has agreed to her having a column dedicated to local history and genealogy!

Ed continues to match unmatched census records and has been having some success. He hands over the Eltweed families to Betty and has been entering the Unlinked Pomeroys and the George Pomeroy descendants. Ed’s research has taken him on a virtual tour of the US, working on Pomeroys in West Virginia, Michigan, New York, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Washington, California, Maine, Ohio, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, and Kentucky. You Pomeroys can’t sit still, can you? (OK Jack, I’m expecting a good comeback joke!)

One of the many interesting families Ed’s been working on are the descendants of John Trumball and Sally (Dunham) Pomeroy. John Trumbull Pomeroy was born in Vermont 4 Apr 1794 and died in 1833 in Orleans County, NY. His wife Sally was born about 1800 in NY. The couple had two children that we know of; Mortimer C. Pomeroy, born abt 1816 in NY and Daniel O. Pomeroy, born 10 Aug 1821 in Genesee County, NY. It seems likely that John descends from Eltweed, given where he was born and where he migrated to, but we have yet to make a solid connection. There are some intriguing similarities to a John Pomeroy, son of Elisha and Submit (Greene) Pomeroy (Seth, Medad, Joseph, Medad, Eltweed). Not much is known about this John. The A.A. Pomeroy book states that he was born about 1808 and that he died before 1840 in OH. After John’s mother Submit died, his father married Lucy Warner in 1814 in Hamilton, Madison Co., NY, and the family is found in the 1820 US Federal Census in Elba, Genesee County. According to a descendant of John Trumbull Pomeroy, he died in 1833 in Barre (Center), Orleans Co., NY, but a his son Daniel, published in the book “History of Macomb County, Michigan” (Chicago: M.A. Leeson & Company, 1882) states that he died in Orleans County, NY in 1839. Could John Pomeroy, son of Elisha and Submit (Greene) Pomeroy, be one and the same as John Trumbull Pomeroy who married Sally Dunham? And if so, did John have a son William who lived in Huron Co., OH, as stated in the A.A. Pomeroy book?

Speaking of elusive William Pomeroys, Ed’s been chasing a William born about 1822 in NY who married first Axey Lord about 1844, then Maria L, before 1868. He was a farmer who was living in Tompkins, Jackson County, Michigan by 11 Sep 1850 when the US Federal Census was taken. He died 19 Mar 1875 in Tompkins, the father of seven children, five by Axey: Albert, born about 1845; Mary, born about 1848; William S (Willis), born about Sept. 1854; Anna N, born about 1854; and Mary F, born about 1857; and two by Maria: Melvin H., born 16 Jun 1867; and Ida, born about 1872.

Another Pomeroy mystery that Ed’s been working on is the Benair J. Pomeroy family. Benair, born 15 Mar 1860 in Pittsburgh, PA, married Catherine Komp before 1881. He died 3 Mar 1930 in Schenectady, NY. His wife Catherine, daughter of Philip and Elizabeth, was born about Sept. 1863, in NY and died 3 Oct 1944 in Schenectady. Benair had a sister Annie who married a Mr. Hewitt. Benair was a machinist turned mailman, and had seven children that we know of: Henry John (Harry), born 1881; Philip Edward, born 1882; Andrew William, born 1884; Agnes, born 1886; Edward George, born 1887; William B., born 1891; and Joseph B., born 1893, all in Schenectady.

And proving that no distance is too far for a Pomeroy to travel, we leave you with the tale of Elihu D. Pomeroy, born April 1854 in NY who died 25 Jun 1909 in Everett, Snohomish Co., WA. He married Louisa A. Strom in 1881 and the couple had one child that we know of, Edison Dell Pomeroy, born Apr 1833 in Benton, MI, who died 19 Jul 1929 in Seattle, WA. This is another of our “Unlinked Pomeroys” and we’d love to know which Pomeroy family they belong to. If you’re familiar with any of these Pomeroy, please let us know!

I’m sure you’re wondering what Lee, Pat and Judy have been working on, and I promise to post another blog with this information next week, but it’s just about time to go home, so I’ll publish this now.

The Pomeroy Collection

I’m happy to report that Tammy is here for extended hours during the summer and has been diligently working on the collection. The whole department participated in a re-org and clean-up of our office and, I must say, the place has never looked better!

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

I’m very excited to announce that we have received approval from the city of Auburn, NY to place a Pomeroy Anvil Monument commemorating Theodore Medad Pomeroy and showcasing the other Pomeroy families in Auburn. Sheila Tucker, Cayuga County Historian, has been instrumental in getting the approvals needed, and we are very thankful of her efforts. I will be going out to Auburn this Saturday to look at the proposed sites. Theodore Medad Pomeroy, born 31 Dec 1834 in Cayuga County, (Medad, Timothy, Ebenezer, Eldad, Caleb, Eltweed) graduated from Hamilton College in 1842. He was the Auburn Village Clerk in 1847 and was admitted to the NYS bar in 1849, and was part of the firm Allen and Pomeroy. Between 1850 and 1856 he was a District Attorney, and between 1861 and 1869 was a member of the House of Representatives. He married Elizabeth Leitch Watson in 1857, sister of the wife of his later law partner, William Seward, Jr. In 1868 he was the first Vice President and general counsel of the American Express Company and was Mayor of Auburn between 1875 and 1876, was named President of the Cayuga County Historical Society in 1877 and served as NYS Senator between 1878 and 1879. His homestead was donated to the city, and is now the site of Pomeroy Park and the Veteran’s Memorial Park. Theodore was an abolitionist and friend and sometime employer of Harriet Tubman. He is buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn.

Other significant Pomeroys who lived in Auburn were the family of Colonel Charles Watrous Pomeroy (Watrous, Charles, Noah, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed). Charles Watrous Pomeroy was born 8 Mar 1808 in Auburn, married first Hopey Lonsbury in 1828 and after her death, married second Sarah Minerva Tibbals in 1836. He built the first freight depot in Auburn in 1836 and was an agent for the Auburn Prison in 1852 and went on to be appointed warden of the NYS Prison in Auburn. He was postmaster of Auburn in 1870 and was appointed a commissioner for the building of a new armory in NYS. He is also buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn.

We are also working with Ruth Bernier of Southampton to get approval from the town to install a Pomeroy Anvil Monument. Southampton was set off from Northampton in 1730, and Caleb Pomeroy was a significant land owner. Pomeroy Mountain, Pomeroy Ford and Pomeroy Meadows in Southampton are named after him. Of this line descend many Revolutionary War Veterans, ministers and politicians, notably General Timothy Pomeroy (grandfather of Theodore Medad Pomeroy), Samuel Clarke Pomeroy, Reverend Medad Pomeroy (father of Theodore Medad Pomeroy), Reverend Rufus Pomeroy, Reverend Thaddeus Pomeroy and Reverend Jeremiah Pomeroy.

Captain Lemuel Pomeroy, descended from Caleb’s brother Medad, and father of noted gunsmith Lemuel Pomeroy who resided in Pittsfield, was also an important figure in the history of Southampton, serving as a selectman and a representative of the General Court and as a member of the State Legislature for forty years.

If you are a resident of Southampton and would like to see this monument installed, please contact your town board and show your support for this project.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

I continue to work on the Mary Ann Coe book, and once again would like to send my appreciation to Huron County researcher extraordinaire, Henry Timman. I recently “found” his abstract of “Volume A, Huron County Wills to 1852” online at HeritageQuest. Other versions exist on the web (and unfortunately do not all give credit where credit is due!) Henry abstracted these records in 1960 and is still going strong at the Firelands Historical Society. If you’re researching family in Norwalk, OH or environs, and need some feet on the ground and an expert in county and town resources, give Henry a call, you won’t be disappointed!

Central New York Genealogical Society’s 50th Anniversary Conference – “Good As Gold”

Both Barb and I are on the planning committee of the CNYGS 50th Anniversary Conference, scheduled for Oct 14th – 15th of this year, in Syracuse, NY. We’re quite excited about all the events associated with the conference including the Friday Night Banquet, with speaker Barry J. Ewell, and the Saturday conference, featuring Barry J. Ewell, Suzanne Etherington, Ph.D., Edward L. Galvin, Holly Sammons and Roger B. Williams.

From the program: “Barry Ewell is a writer and researcher with extensive genealogical experience in internet and field research, digital and software resources, and mentoring genealogists. He lives in Salt Lake City and is the founder of MyGenShare.com.”

“Suzanne Etherington, Ph.D., is a Region 6 Advisory Officer, for the New York State Archives Government Records Services.” I had the pleasure of taking some college history courses from Suzanne when she was an adjunct professor at Syracuse University. Her knowledge and enthusiasm for her subject is contagious – she has opened up whole new avenues of research for me, and was instrumental in helping me identify what I wanted to be when I grew up (well, other than a rock star!) Suzanne was also a presenter at the Conference on New York State History held in Ithaca, NY last year.

Ed Galvin is the Director of Archives and Records Management at Syracuse University, and a good friend and mentor. I worked with Ed at SU before I came on board in my current position. Along with being a professional archivist, Ed has also taken on the task of tracing the families of D’Escousse, a small village on the northern shore of Isle Madame, in Richmond County, Nova Scotia. You can check out Ed’s D’Escousse research at his website at http://elgalvin.mysite.syr.edu/gen/de/ . Ed will be speaking about the hidden genealogical treasures in college and university archives.

Holly Sammons is the Head Librarian of the Local History and Genealogy Department at the Onondaga County Public Library, and is every genealogist’s dream librarian. Her passion and commitment to excellence is evident when you visit the library. Her staff if knowledgeable and helpful, and her efforts to provide this much needed, free resource to the community is evident when you visit the Library. As part of that commitment, she has arranged for the OCPL Local History and Genealogy Department to be a Family History Library! Holly will be speaking about the resources available in the Local History and Genealogy Department of the Library.

Our own Roger Williams has served as a member of the CNYGS Board of Directors and helped the CNYGS develop their first website and County Indexing Project. Roger’s workshop will focus on gadgets for the traveling genealogist.

The Vendor Hall, sponsored by the American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association, is quickly filling up, so if you are an interested vendor, please contact me at roots@cxtec.com . We have received verbal commitments from the following vendors: Cornell University Press; SUNY Press; Onondaga Historical Society; NYSCOGO; “Back Street Mary” Messere; CNYGS and the APHGA. Other vendors we are working with and hoping to showcase are the New England Historic Genealogical Society; the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society; the Pompey Historical Society and the History Press.

For more information about the conference, please visit the CNYGS website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycnygs/50th_anniversary.htm .