M. (1) 21 Nov 1661 in Northampton, Massachusetts2
Wife: Experience Woodward
M. (2) 14 Sep 1686 in Northampton, Massachusetts3
Wife: Abigail Strong
M. (3) 24 Jan 1705 in Northampton, Massachusetts4
Wife: Hannah Warriner
D. 30 Dec 1716 in Northampton, Massachusetts5
Medad Pomeroy performed civic duty in early Northampton, Massachusetts, but his first role there was as a town blacksmith. He was born in Windsor, Connecticut on August 19, 1638 to Eltweed Pomeroy and Margery Rocket,1 the fourth of their eight children. Medad’s father was a blacksmith who taught the skill to his son.6
It was said that Medad arrived in Northampton in 1659 looking for work. There was already a blacksmith in town, and Medad took a job working for him. After a short time, he proved to have a better work ethic than his boss, so the town bought the tools from the other blacksmith and gave them to him.6 Medad set up his business in the center of town while living in a house on the same property. He was said to charge five shillings each for broad hoes, spades and axes that he made in his shop.7
Working as a blacksmith. (AI-generated image)
On November 21, 1661, Medad married Experience Woodward in Northampton.2 Between 1662 and 1686, they had 11 children. Experience died just 10 days after giving birth to their last child.8 Medad married a second wife, Abigail Strong, on September 14, 1686.3 She was the widow of Nathaniel Chauncey and had seven children from that marriage; Medad and Abigail had one more child together.9 Abigail died on April 15, 1704,10 and Medad married a third wife, Hannah Warriner (widow of Thomas Noble) on January 24, 1705.4
Back in Windsor, Connecticut, Medad's mother died in 1671, so he brought his elderly, blind father to Northampton.6 Eltweed Pomeroy died at his son’s house in March of 1673.11
Medad held many offices in Northampton. He was selectman, representative to the General Court, deacon of the church, town treasurer, town clerk, associate justice of the county of Hampshire and commissioner to the United Colonies.6 In 1667, Medad was offered twenty acres of land along with a partner, John King, in return for building a sawmill on the property. Three years later, with work on the mill never begun, the grant was taken away.7 He joined two other men in 1674 to set up a saw mill at a location in present-day Easthampton, and this time the mill was constructed.7
During King Phillip’s War in 1675, Northampton found itself vulnerable to Indian raids, and like many men in town, Medad served in the militia.7 He took part in what was known as the Turners Falls Massacre in May 1676.7 Medad also contributed supplies to the war effort, and a couple of years later, on April 3, 1678, he petitioned the governor and council that he had supplied “much provision” during the conflict, asking to be paid £36 for it.7 There’s no record if he ever received any money.
Medad died on December 30, 1716 in Northampton,5 and he was buried in the Bridge Street Cemetery. His third wife Hannah passed away before May 12, 1721,12 but it isn’t known where she was buried.
The anvil Medad used as a blacksmith survived in the family for many generations and eventually found its way into the Northampton Historical Museum, where it is on display today.13 A descendant of Medad named Bill Pomeroy has taken the anvil a step further and is installing monuments that are replicas of Medad's anvil in places where his descendants migrated: Pompey, New York; Sandusky, Ohio; Westhampton, Massachusetts; Syracuse, New York; Van Cortlandtville, New York; Lyons, New York; Pembroke, Maine; Southampton, Massachusetts; Auburn, New York; Troy, New York; Lake George, New York; Copake Falls, New York and Northampton, Massachusetts.14
Medad Pomeroy monument at Bridge Street Cemetery in Northampton.
Famous descendants of Medad Pomeroy include Franklin Delano Roosevelt, J.P. Morgan, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper.15
Children by Experience Woodward:
1. John Pomeroy — B.24 Aug 1662, Northampton, Massachusetts;16 M. Mindwell Sheldon (1666-1735), 30 Apr 1684, Northampton, Massachusetts17
2. Joseph Pomeroy — B. 24 Dec 1664, Northampton, Massachusetts;18 D. 16 Feb 1665, Northampton, Massachusetts19
3. Mehitable Pomeroy — B. 3 Jul 1666, Northampton, Massachusetts;20 D. 8 Nov 1755, Northampton, Massachusetts;21 M. John King (1657-1719), 4 Nov 1686, Northampton, Massachusetts22
4. Ebenezer Pomeroy — B. 30 May 1669, Northampton, Massachusetts;23 D. 27 Jan 1754, Northampton, Massachusetts;24 M. (1) Hannah Strong (1669-1691), 4 May 1691, Northampton, Massachusetts;25 (2) Sarah King (1671-1747), 26 Dec 1692, Northampton, Massachusetts24
5. Joseph Pomeroy — B. 26 Jun 1672, Northampton, Massachusetts;26 D. 16 Dec 1712, Suffield, Connecticut;27 M. Hannah Seymour (1675-1727), 29 Nov 1692, Suffield, Connecticut28
6. Medad Pomeroy — B. 19 Jun 1674, Northampton, Massachusetts;29 D. 5 Jul 1674, Northampton, Massachusetts30
7. Eliakim Pomeroy — B. 10 Aug 1675, Northampton, Massachusetts;31 D. 23 Jul 1676, Northampton, Massachusetts32
8. Mindwell Pomeroy — B. Jul 1677, Northampton, Massachusetts;33 D. 21 Nov 1732, Northampton, Massachusetts;34 M. Joseph King (1673-1734), 3 Jun 169635
9. Thankful Pomeroy — B. 31 May 1679, Northampton, Massachusetts;36 D. 18 Sep 1773, Northampton, Massachusetts;37 M. (1) Benjamin Lyman (1674-1723), 27 Oct 1698, Northampton, Massachusetts;38 (2) Nathaniel Lewis (1676-1752)39
10. Mary Pomeroy — B. 15 Feb 1683, Northampton, Massachusetts40
11. John Pomeroy — B. 30 May 1686, Northampton, Massachusetts;41 D. 8 Jun 1686, Northampton, Massachusetts42
Child by Abigail Strong:
1. Samuel Pomeroy — B. 16 Apr 1687, Northampton, Massachusetts;9 D. 30 Jun 1744, Queens County, New York;43 M. Lydia Taylor, 30 Jul 1707, Massachusetts;43 (2) Elizabeth Webb, about 172543
Sources:
1 Birth record of Medad Pomeroy, Connecticut, Births and Christenings, 1649-1906, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Medad Pomeroy and Experience Woodward, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3 Marriage record of Medad Pomeroy and Abigail Cheney, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
4 Marriage record of Medad Pomeroy and Hannah Noble, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
5 Death record of Medad Pomeroy, Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910, FamilySearch.org
6 History and genealogy of the Pomeroy family, Albert Alonzo Pomeroy, 1922
7 History of Northampton, Massachusetts, James Trumbull and Seth Pomeroy, 1898
8 Find-a-grave listing of Experience (Woodward) Pomeroy
9 Birth record of Samuel Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
10 Death record of Abigail Pomeroy, M., D. & B.
11 Find-a-Grave listing of Eltweed Pomeroy
12 Find-a-Grave listing of Hannah (Warriner) Pomeroy
13 Historic Northampton: The Pomeroy Anvil
14 American Pomeroys: The Pomeroy Anvil Trail
15 FamousKin.com listing of Medad Pomeroy
16 Birth record of John Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17 Marriage record of John Pomeroy and Mindwell Shelton, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
18 Birth record of Joseph Pomeroy (older son), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19 Death record of Joseph Pomeroy (older son), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
20 Birth record of Mehitable Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
21 Find-a-Grave listing of Mehitable (Pomeroy) King
22 Marriage record of John King and Mehitable Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
23 Birth record of Ebenezer Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
24 Find-a-Grave listing of Ebenezer Pomeroy
25 Marriage record of Ebenezer Pomeroy and Hannah Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
26 Birth record of Joseph Pomeroy (younger son), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
27 Find-a-Grave listing of Joseph Pomeroy (younger son)
28 Marriage record of Joseph Pomeroy and Hannah Seymour, Connecticut, Vital Records, Prior to 1850, FamilySearch.org
29 Birth record of Medad Pomeroy (his son), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
30 Death record of Medad Pomeroy (his son), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
31 Birth record of Eliakim Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
32 Death record of Eliakim Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
33 Birth record of Mindwell Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
34 Find-a-Grave listing of Mindwell (Pomeroy) King
35 Marriage record of Joseph King and Mindwell Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
36 Birth record of Thankful Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
37 Find-a-Grave listing of Thankful (Pomeroy) Lyman Lewis
38 Marriage record of Benjamin Lyman and Thankful Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
39 Marriage record of Nathaniel Lewis and Thankful Pomeroy, C., V. R., P. to 1850
40 Birth record of Mary Pomeroy, Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
41 Birth record of John Pomeroy, M., B. & C.
42 Death record of John Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
43 Find-a-Grave listing of Rev Samuel Pomeroy
