Another Pomeroy Mystery, by Alethea Connolly

Another Pomeroy Mystery
Sorting Out the Harriets of Syracuse, NY

It all started when a colleague and I, were trying to track down Canadian-born Pomeroys in Onondaga County, with the hope that some might link to our Eltweed ancestry. Particularly confusing was the family of Jeremiah/Daniel/James Pomeroy, who, according to the 1850 census, was born in Canada abt 1818, migrated to central New York, and was then living in Syracuse. He married a Harriet born in New York, but we didn’t know her maiden name. In 1850 they had six children living in their household. They stayed in Syracuse briefly, Jeremiah making a livelihood later as a boat captain in Verona, and in the 1860s as a butcher in Bridgeport.

Their third child, born in June 1850 in Syracuse, was named Harriet. She married John Pomeroy, whose father Lewis, was a native of Canada. Lewis, and his family settled in Oswego. Perhaps Jeremiah and Lewis were brothers, but Harriet by marriage remained a Pomeroy, and the trail got murky. Still finding Harriet might lead me back to clearer ancestral lines.

Enter the third Harriet! While searching through the www.fultonhistory.com newspaper website, I found a Supreme Court summons regarding the will of Dr. Samuel Healy published in the Syracuse Daily Standard in 1855, naming a Harriet S. Pomeroy, as well as John Henry Pomeroy, Ellen Adele Pomeroy, and a Julia Emma Pomeroy, a bunch of Higgins, Smith, Bliss, and Hargan names, as well as three Orphan Asylums in three cities1. What was the connection of all these people? Were they part of the Canadian connection?

Tracking Harriet S. Pomeroy, I came across a notice of appointment of guardianship for her for Harriet B. Cook. A trip to the Onondaga County Surrogate Office resulted in a copy of the guardianship papers dated 1855, indicating that Harriet S. Pomeroy, was “a minor child of Seneca G. Pomeroy late of the town of Genoa in the county of Cayuga. 2” Seneca G. Pomeroy (8003), the son of Reuben Pomeroy and Esther Bradley Pomeroy, is a descendant of the Eltweed line.

This Harriet was 17 when she applied for the appointment of a guardian, thereby protecting her legal rights and any entitlement to estate in the future. The application identified Harriet B. Cook as her guardian.

The 1850 Census for Syracuse, Ward 3, showed a 12 year old Harriet Pomeroy, living with a Harriet B/P Cook, with several seemingly unrelated young women 3. The 1860 census for Syracuse, Ward 6, showed her living with Harriet B. Cook, a family of Fosters, and several women in their twenties 4.

Our database showed that the four children of Seneca G. Pomeroy and Laura Ellis, Harriet (8587), John Henry (8585), Ellen Adele (8586), and Julia Emma (8588) were the Pomeroys listed in the Supreme Court summons.

All we knew of Laura Ellis at the time, was that she was 36 when she died in 1842, had been ill for some time, and was buried in the family burial grounds on Onondaga Hill 5. We did not yet know her parentage, nor did we know who Harriet B. Cook was.

One of Laura’s children, Julia E., was located in the 1850 census, age abt 10 years old in the household of a Mary C. Hargin in Auburn, Cayuga County 6. It is likely that this is Mary Caroline Hargin, who will later appear in this summary. Our own database revealed her son, John Henry Pomeroy (8585) had died, according to an obituary record in November 1865, “at the home of his aunt, H. B. Cook.” 7

This information pointed to the Ellis surname, and an Ancestry.com search revealed a family tree showing the many children of John Ellis (1764-1820) and Submit Olds 8. It showed that a Harriet Byron Ellis, born 1798, and Laura Ellis, born 1807, were sisters, born on Onondaga Hill, and that the Ellis family were among the early settlers of this region. There was a will for Harriet B. Cook at the Onondaga County Surrogate Office, and while there no was mention of a niece, Mrs. Cook identified her brother as James M. Ellis.9

Searching the Ellis connection provided some interesting details. A Syracuse newspaper article on Harriet B. (Ellis) Cook written in 1899, described her as “Syracuse’s First Milliner.” Mrs. Cook, who married Major William A. Cook, operated a millinery establishment on Fayette Street, Syracuse. No wonder there were several young women living, (and working, as seamstresses no doubt) in the household! The article goes on to say her father John Ellis of Onondaga Hill, was a great landowner, and identified a sister, Mrs. Charles Hargen, living in Syracuse, as a member of the Onondaga County chapter, D. A. R 10. An obituary, in the Syracuse Daily Courier, cited her death as November 4, 1875. 11

A third Ellis sister was identified in several articles as Mary Caroline Ellis Hargin. The 1894 Onondaga Standard celebrated her 82nd birthday under the title “She Saw Lafayette.” The article goes on to say, she “was born in 1812, the youngest of nine children of Maj. Gen. John Ellis and his wife Submit Ellis…Gen. Ellis…was born in Pittsfield, Mass, and at the age of 14 ran away from home and served in the continental army…[Mrs Hargin] married Charles B. Hargin in 1832, and with him came to the Burnet farm…Mr Hargin died in 1840. 12

Thirteen years later, when Mrs. Hargin was 97, the Syracuse Post Standard published even more about her pioneer history. Her husband’s death at 29 resulted from pneumonia, after he caught a cold when his store was flooded. It also notes that “the sword used by her father in the Revolutionary War …will some day, she says, become the possession of the Onondaga Historical Association.” 13

While the original task seemed to be finding more about Harriet Pomeroy and the Canadian connection, the direction it took was a profitable diversion. Now we know more about the maternal Ellis line, through Laura Ellis, the mother of four Pomeroy children. Through her sisters Harriet B., and Mary Caroline, we know more about the pioneering Ellis family of Onondaga Hill. And we know some of the reason why these Pomeroy children could not be found in their father’s household in the 1850 or 1860 census records.

Laura Ellis died December 21, 1842. Two months prior, Seneca G. Pomeroy was in some financial distress, and had filed a petition of bankruptcy as an individual, and as one of the firm of Pomeroy & Ellis, and Thorp & Pomeroy 14. He remarried, divorced, and at age 82 applied for his deceased son’s Civil War pension. He died in 1894. There might be more to learn about this man, who seems to have separated from his children. He left no will in Cayuga County where he died.

The death, and subsequent determination of the will, of Dr. Samuel Healy was the cause of the 1855 Onondaga County Supreme Court summons to members of the Pomeroy, Ellis, and Hargen families published on November 26, 1855 in the Syracuse newspaper cited earlier. It appears that Dr. Healy left money to individuals and orphan asylums in four counties, and there was some dispute of claims 15. His relationship to these named individuals becomes clear when we learned that his only child Henry, and wife Mitte Ellis Healey, were buried in the Ellis Family Cemetery, on Onondaga Hill, alongside her parents, General John Ellis and Submit Olds 16.

It is of interest that Harriet S. Pomeroy’s request to the Surrogate Court for legal guardianship, was made on August 14, 1855, after the court had notified parties to make claims upon the estate of her uncle, in late June 17. A lot might be learned from these estate decisions.

And there are still other unanswered questions about Seneca’s daughter, Harriet S. Pomeroy. She married Joshua L. Marsh on October 10, 1860 17. He was an elected official in Chicago, Ill in the 1870s, but her footprints have dimmed, and I’ve lost the trail. Has anyone seen Harriet?

And Jeremiah and Lewis Pomeroy who came to NY from Canada, are they brothers? And are they, and the Harriets of their families, in the Eltweed line, or just those “other Pomeroys”

If you can solve a few corners of the puzzle please let us know.

_____________________________________________________

NOTES

1 Supreme Court-Onondaga County, summons [contest re: will of Dr. Samuel Healy] Syracuse Daily Standard, November 26, 1855, pg 3. Fultonhistory.com, 0202 pdf

2 Onondaga County, Surrogate Office, Syracuse, NY, Guardianship Appointments, Harriet S. Pomeroy, Book D, p. 10, August 14, 1855.

3 1850 census, Onondaga County, City of Syracuse, Ward 3, Roll:M432_569; page 194A (76)

4 1860 census, Onondaga County, Syracuse, Ward 6, Roll: M653_830; page 936 (p. 80)

5 Mrs. Laura Pomeroy obituary, Onondaga Standard, Onondaga Hill, New York, 28 Dec 1842,

6 1850 census, Cayuga County, Auburn, Ward 3, Roll: M432_482; page 273A

7 Death, John Henry Pomeroy, Syracuse Library, compiler, Obituaries & Biographical Clippings of Residents of Syracuse Onondaga County...from 1860 to 1926 (Syracuse, New York: Syracuse Public Library, 1926)

8 Cook Family Tree (Ellis) http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/940662/person/-1069937113?ssrc=

9 Onondaga County Surrogate Office, Syracuse, NY, Harriet B. Cook, Wills, Book S , page 488-489.

10 The Evening Herald, (Syracuse) January 6, 1899. Onondaga Historical Association. Vertical Surname File folder, Hargin.

11 The Daily Courier (Syracuse), November 6, 1875. Onondaga Historical Association. Vertical Surname File folder, Cook.

12 The Onondaga Standard, June 6, 1894. Onondaga Historical Association. Vertical Surname File folder, Hargin.

13 The Syracuse Post Standard, September 8, 1909. Onondaga Historical Association. Vertical Surname File folder, Hargin. See also The Syracuse Herald, October 8, 1909, “Is Dead At 97 Years”, Onondaga Historical Association. Vertical Surname File folder, Hargin.

14 Onondaga Standard, October 26, 1842. Onondaga Historical Association. Index Card Surname File. Pomeroy, Seneca G

15 Syracuse Daily Journal of May 3, 1854 reported Dr. Healey Death. Fultonhistory.com, 0215 pdf

16 Ellis Family Cemetery, copied by Minnie L. C. Coleman, Daughters of the American Revolution Cemetery Records,” Vol. 21, pg. 56

17 Syracuse Daily Journal, July 9, 1855, pg. 3, fultonhistory.com, 0709 pdf

18 Syracuse Journal, October 12, 1860, p. 3. C. 6; Onondaga Historical Association, POMEROY: Harriet S., card index file

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 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.

APHGA Bi-Weekly Report 3/19/2010

The Great A. A. Pomeroy Book Update Project

We’ve been getting a lot of e-mails from Pomeroy descendants or people who know Pomeroys, it’s been really exciting. I can’t help but think that the show “Who Do You Think You Are” may have something to do with the increased interest in genealogy!

APHGA Members Jeannie Y and Diane L have been helping Nancy read through several volumes of Hancock County, Maine deeds, which have been digitally scanned, but the early books are not indexed, so it’s a matter of looking page to page to identify Pomeroys, Lunts and Coffins. What we’re trying to do is find some record that connects William Pomeroy, b. 9 Jul 1789 in Trenton, Hancock Co., who married Nancy Grant, to a William Pomeroy (b. between 1750 and 1774) who is living in Orphan Island, Hancock County, with a small family according to the 1790 US Federal Census. Other possible children of William Pomeroy are Hannah Pomeroy who married John Gatcomb, Samuel Pomeroy b. abt 1789 who married Lydia Gatcomb, and John Pomeroy, b. abt 1790 who married Rachel Grant, sister of Nancy Grant. Jeannie gets a gold star for having read the largest number of deed books!

We heard from a West Virginia Eltweed Pomeroy descendant just this week and she’s been sending lots of great information. We’re curious to learn why Daniel Pomeroy (Hiram, Daniel, John, John, Noah, Joseph, Eltweed), b. May 1848, in NY (probably Pendleton, Niagara Co.), left New York state, after serving as a Private in Company I, of the 2nd Mounted Rifles Regiment of NY and settled in Missouri for a time (where he married Harriet “Hattie”) only to move again to Lincoln, Tyler County West Virginia by 11 Jun 1900 (according to the US Federal Census). Is anyone else researching this line? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Another researcher contacted us about Jeremiah Pomeroy, b. abt 1777 in ME and found in 1820 in Starks, Somerset County, ME. Also in Starks according to the 1820 US Federal Census were John Pomeroy, of 45 years and upwards, Richard Pomeroy, of 45 yrs of age and upwards, and Benjamin Pomeroy, aged between 26 and 45. It seems likely that these heads of household are related, and we have certain information about each separately, but would like to connect them. In an interesting coincidence (Hank Jones would laugh if he read this), we were contacted about a Pomeroy family living in Economy, Indiana in the 1930s. It would appear, from our research that this family connects to the Richard Pomeroy found in Starks in 1820. There is also a connection to the Daggett family, Elizabeth Daggett married Richard Pomeroy and her nephew married a Lydia Pomeroy. A Lydia S, Daggett, 30, b. ME, was found living with the Albion Pomeroy family in Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin according to the 1860 US Federal Census. Albion Pomeroy was the father of Clinton H. Pomeroy who settled in Economy, Indiana.

Judy and Ed have been entering Canadian Census records into our various Pomeroy databases. Judy as also been entering Pomeroy related Drouin records that Lee has translated and matched. When Betty is not entering vital records and related Parsons found in the Parsons Family Genealogy written by Gerald Parsons, she has been continuing to organize vital records that need to be entered, based on a priority system that we recently came up with. She has gone through the majority of files and is also matching the records in those files. She, Ed and Judy will be entering those records based on their priority.

Barb continues to review the Eltweed database and identify descendants with missing information. This is being stored in a spreadsheet so that we can sort by time period, place, or name to help us identify where further research is needed. She also continues to research Pomeroys found in America’s Historic Newspapers online. She, Betty, Caryn and Rick also continue to review, transcribe and match Pomeroys found in the 1865 NY State Census.

Lee is completing her match of Pomeroys in the 1911 Canadian Census, she has also started to organize our Publication project, identifying possible articles and publications of interest.

Caryn continues to research Edwin Guilford Pomeroy’s friends, family and acquaintances found in his two address books, and Nancy has been entering that information; and other early Tiffin settler information into our databases. Nancy met with Richard Palmer to hand over research done on Edwin and the McKeen Motor Car Company for an article that Richard will be writing.

The Pomeroy Collection

Nancy processed a number of journals, magazines and newsletters from various genealogical and historical societies, which have been donated by Bill Pomeroy. Nancy just received a copy of a reprint of the book “Local Color, Stories of Westhampton’s First 225 Years” edited by Jacqui Hickey LaFrance, James E. Bridgman and Sarah K. Mulvehill, originally published in 2003 and out of print for 7 years. Contact the Westhampton Historical Society (Westhampton, Massachusetts) for a copy before they sell out!

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

Nancy is working with members of the Pembroke Historical Society in Maine to install a Pomeroy Anvil Monument dedicated to Thomas W. Pomroy this coming summer. The dedication is scheduled for the morning of the 4th of July and will immediately follow the parade, which ends at the American Legion Hall.

The Mary Ann Coe Project

Judy and Pat continue to research early Huron County, Ohio to identify where the early settlers of this county came from. As suspected, many came from Hampshire County, Massachusetts via Onondaga County, New York. It must have been extremely frustrating to keep running into old neighbors, especially when one took such measures to leave them behind! Judy continues to transcribe and enter research found in the Firelands Pioneers into our database, while Pat has been entering 1820 US Federal Census records for the county and researching those settlers to see if there were any familial or geographical ties to Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy Junkins Powers.

Rick continues to abstract the Bela Coe probate records (over 300 pages!). He has transcribed the will, and the inventory and has also created a spreadsheet of names found in the probate file with pertinent information and page numbers.

We have added 1399 new people, 182 new sources and 4498 new citations to our genealogy databases over the past two weeks.