Leonard Pomeroy, Mayor of Plymouth & The Settlement of Maine

of the Piscataqua Plantation. This ship was owned by Colmer and Sherwill as well as Leonard Pomeroy. William Hilton, Edward’s brother arrived at the Plymouth Plantation two years earlier in 1621, and later joined his brother in establishing a fishing business at Dover.         (Note: The Providence of Plymouth was owned by Leonard Pomeroy.)

The History of Dover:

POMEROY COVE. Leonard Pomery, or Pomeroy, a rich merchant of Plymouth, England, was the financial backer of Edward Hilton; Pomeroy owned the ship “Providence” in which the Hilton colonists came over. No doubt he was with them on this first voyage, being a sagacious business manager in those early days of land speculation in New England. The “Providence” landed in the only good place along the shore, the cove, now cut in halves by the Dover & Portsmouth railroad; they named it “Pomeroy Cove” in honor of the financier of the expedition. Of course, the name lacks the beauty and glory of the “Plymouth Rock” landing, which was only two and a half years before. William Hilton’s family became members of the Plymouth Colony a year later  but finally came up to Hilton Point.

Father of Leonard Pomeroy, Mayor of Plymouth:

Will of William Pomeroy of Plymouth, Devon:

Pomeroy William Plymouth DEV 1580 W ab EPRE MUR1 Vol. 25  

Pomeroy, William. Plymouth 1580.

Will dated 13 August 1580. Principal Registry B. of Exeter.

Proved 21 Jan 1580-1

To be buried in the Churchyard of St. Andrews Plymouth

To the mawdlyn of Plymouth xijd.

To my son WILLIAM POMEROY a horse, and all thereunto belonging, and xxs.

To my daughter TAMSIN Pomeroy iiijl. amd my best myddel penne of brasse.

To my wife JANE to have the house which I do hold by lease of the deyme of Chapter (etc) and after her death to my sonnes William and LYNNARD. (Leonard.)

To Elizabeth, wife of John Rowe sx.

The rest to my wife Jone Pomeroy. sole exectrix.

Nicholas Kanne and Thomas Pomeroy my dear friends to be my overseers.

(Research Note: We haven't identified Thomas Pomeroy, dear friend of William Pomeroy. 

One explanation for the use of the "undifferentiated Pomeroy coat of arms by Leonard Pomeroy at Plymouth. is that he was connected to the Pomeroy family at Berry Pomeroy) 

Will of Robert Trelawly, Sr.   "gave to brother Edward Trelawney, Mr Thomas Sherwell, my brother Elford, Mr Leonard Pomeroy, and my brother in law Ric. Gayer twentie shillings a piece in token of my love, and this five I desire to be my overseers of this my said will." 

Robert Trelawly's  eldest son, and heir, was was born in 1598.  In 1631 he was granted a patent by the New England Company and with another Plymouth merchant founded a settlement in Maine. This Robert was elected Mayor of Plymouth in 1633-34 and Member of Parliament for Plymouth in 1640.

Maine Historical Society. Collections of the Maine Historical Society. 

The Trelawny Papers: Patent to Robert Trelawny and others;  

Power of Attorney to John Winter and Thomas Pomeroy, January 18, 1631 

( Leonard Pomeroy had no children, but named his  four nephews in his will 1628; William, Abraham, John and Thomas. William, the eldest, also had four sons: the youngest was Edmond/Edwin, who was the Master of the Hunter, and the subject of the following notes: ) 

 [note.—The territory covered by the Trelawny patent was In the neighborhood of Cape Elizabeth. Casco Neck, and Richmond Island.] 

"It was said that Robert Trelawny, Moses Goodyear and their Associates have adventured and expended great sums of money in the discouvery of the coasts and harbours of those parts, and they received the grant in consideration whereof, and for the better encouragement of the said Trelawny, Goodyears, heirs and associates, in effecting so good work." 

The Hunter: Plymouth Master, Edwin (Edmond, Owen)  Pomeroy. 

February-November: 1634:

There is a record that Edmond Pomeroy  married in 1643, Plymouth Joan Symons. 

Letter from John Winter to Robert Trelawly: 

"Richmon Iland, February 1634: "The Bastable shipes that Came In Here in January ar like to make a reasonable voyage. Here Came In on  Baple of Bastable, and did strive hard to have away Mr. Pomeroys place from me, but I kept it off from him. I will send you by Mr. Pomery the Coppy of my letters which you received no by the Welcombe last year."

Richmon Iland, the 7th of July 1634: 

John Winter writes Mr. Robert Trelawny that Mr. Pomeroy "hath at present but 25 thousand fish in all, Cod and Haddocke, as he tells me; God send us better fishing hereafter, or else he is like to make a very poore voyage." I have written you by sundry Conveyance how all thinges doth go with us, and by Mr. Pomeroy at large; herein inclosed I have sent you the bills of ladings of such goods and money as we have made this year. We had bad fishinge this sommer; we find the winter fishing to be best.

End of July:

"Mr Pomeroy hath made a poore voyage; he was here at reasonabe tyme, but business hath not gon well with them; he arrived here the 2nd of February, but to late for fishing her, as the years do fall out, to make a voyage.  He tells me that he hath 50 thousand fish, Cor and dry, on and other, Received from him 254 hogdheds of salt with som other nessessaryes and provisions kept, that will do pleasure for another year, and have given him a receat for it of the perticulers." 

            1634   "Mrs Pomeroy is allowed the Comp for the adventure of Monny pd for hired mens wages."

Pd hired mens wages on Mr. Pomeroys rects. 

Rob. Webb, Geo Baker, Jno Saunders, Chr. Baily, Wm Hodge, Pet. Laurance. 

We owe Mr. Pomeroy for 4 hired mens wages. "

*Trelawny Papers: Main Historical Society: page 38.

1642: Plymouth, Devon

In Plymouth, Devon: Mr. Thomas Pomeroy is  involved with the Trelawny Family in actively recruiting men for the "Station for fishermen at the Isle of Shoals."  

November 22, 1642: Indenture "Between Trelawny of Plymouth, Merchant, and John Wynter, of Newe England, marryner, of the one partie and Edmond Andrewes of Yalmpton, in Devon, Blacksmith."  (Signed by Thomas Pomeroy and Morgan Southborough.)  

Also : Thomas Pomeroy signed indenture same day with Benjamin Stephens of Landrack; Husbandman.  To sail on the Margery of London, or any other ship. Also a John Buridg: 

For 3 years labour, at command and directions of Robert Trelawny and John. 

John Winter died in 1645. His daughter Sarah had married Robert Jordan, Minister for Richmond Island. 

Note: " From Devon to New England before 1650."  This is a transcription of the names recorded in Devonians and New England settlement before 1650, a paper by R. D. Brown presented to the Devonshire Association at Budleigh Salterton in 1963.  Brown assembled his list of names from a number of sources, but the principal one was Charles Edward Banks' Topographical Dictionary of 2,885 English Emigrants to New England, 1620 - 1650, first edited and published in 1937 by Elijah Ellsworth Brownell; second edition in 1957; third edition in 1963."

Named: Thomas Pomeroy. From Plymouth, Devon.

 Brown does not indicate where Thomas Pomeroy, from Plymouth, settled in New England. 

Research note: The Wynters of Clapton, in Somersetshire had connectons to the Pomeroy's at Bowden through Richard Pomeroy's second marriage to Anne Wykes Arthur. 

1671: Thomas Pomeroy - Isle of Shoals

The Genealogical Dictionary of ME & NH page 562

Pomeroy,Thomas,Shoals  M 1671, Portsm.,(Portsmouth, ME) . Rebecca Brookings(5), whose parents deeded to them on Sagamore Creek 4 July 1679 with reversion to Thos., jr. 

Shoals constable 1681. He and (5) wit. for (9) 1683; (5) wit. for him 1684.

 In June 1685 his w. swore the peace on Wm. Walker and w. Alice.

Rebecca married  2d 6 Sept. 1687 Clement Rummeril; m. 3d Thos. Rouse; 

As wid. Rebecca Rouse took adm. on the Pumery est. 6 June 1713; Pumery and Rouse inventories taken together. Acct. incl. item ‘to pd when wounded by the Inds.’ and there were coroner's bills for both men. 

Ch: 1.  Susanna, 13 when fa. d., m. John Preston(1 jr.). 

        2. Thomas, 11 when fa. d., 20 in Apr. 1695; stole wheat from his master Capt. Pickering in June 1696; in Dec. fol. signed a deed with mother. 

        3 Rebecca, 9, years old when father died..

         4. William, 4, ditto

         5. Richard, 2, ditto

         6. Elizabeth, 5 mo., ditto

 Richard Pomeroy: FiL. 1672 with a NEW SHALLOP built by JOHN SWEARD, and ackn. a paper as MR PUMRY.  1674; Portsm. tax abated 1679-80. He witnesed for  Thomas Pomeroy, Isle of Shoals, and William Pomeroy, Isle of Shoals  but kinship can only be guessed at. Called Senior  1672. It might be assumed he had a son, named Richard. 

There was a Richard Pomeroy in Newington 1689. (Possibly the man above. or his son.)

Owned land. Elizabeth Twombley charged him with being the father of her child: he was ordered to support the child. M. 1697 Elizabeth BERRY. (Deliverance?)  Dead in May 1725 when his 3 children sold Newington property to John Knight.Richard Pomeroy of Falmouth was his “oldest son,” Wife Hannah. Dau Elizabeth m. in Newington Nathan Spinney 1720. Jane. Single 1725. Deliverance. m Oyster River 12 Sep 1728 Joseph Wormwood. 

 THOMAS POMEROY, Isle of Shoals 1671: Must be related to Richard, above.M. Rebecca Brookings. Sagamore Creek 1679. Constable 1681. He and Richard, above, were withess for a William Pomeroy, also at Isle of Shoals in 1684. He must have died by 1686, when widow Rebecca m. (several times.)  

They had children: THOMAS, JR, Rebecca, William, Richard, Elizabeth. 

WILLIAM POMEROY, Isle of Shaols 1674. M. Elizabeth. Bought and sold Hog ISle house 1683. witnessed by Richard and Thomas. 

Gaps in the Line of Succession:

Leonard Pomeroy, mayor of Plymouth, names nephews in his will.

We are looking for Mr. Thomas Pomeroy, of Plymouth,

 Partner with John Winter in the Fisheries of Richmond Island, Maine.  

 Edwin, Master of the Ship "Hunter" 

Thomas Pomeroy, m. and has family at Isle of Shoals 

*****

Father of Leonard Pomeroy

Pomeroy William Plymouth DEV 1580 W ab EPRE MUR1 Vol. 25  

Pomeroy, William. Plymouth 1580.

Will dated 13 August 1580. Principal Registry B. of Exeter.

Proved 21 Jan 1580-1

To be buried in the Churchyard of St. Andrews Plymouth

To the mawdlyn of Plymouth xijd.

To my son WILLIAM POMEROY a horse, and all thereunto belonging, and xxs.

To my daughter TAMSIN Pomeroy iiijl. amd my best myddel penne of brasse.

To my wife JANE to have the house which I do hold by lease of the deyme of Chapter (etc) and after her death to my sonnes William and LYNNARD. (Leonard.)

To Elizabeth, wife of John Rowe sx.

The rest to my wife Jone Pomeroy. sole exectrix.

Nicholas Kanne and Thomas Pomeroy my dear friends to be my overseers.

Wittnesses John Raw

Will Peryman

                                 Robert Coyming