Eltweed /Eltwitt Pomeroy, or as I prefer, Eltwyd whose origins remain an enigma.
Beaminster where the Mystery of Eltweed /Eltwitt Pomeroy, or Eltwyd begins
1585 July 4th baptism of Eltwitt son of Richard POMERYE Beaminster
DNA indicate an origin close to the seat of the armorial family probably in Brixham
however no records have been found to confirm his connection.
His father Richard is the problem.
Alma Moray LaFrance in particular & I have researched extensively and yet we cannot establish where his father Richard
attaches to the family tree. The connection or lack thereof , may have three reasons :-
a cadet line, a younger son of a younger son
illegitimacy, or
family name change for property reasons
We quite simply have no records that can confirm his connection.
That said it does not mean they do not exist, just that we have not found them and so for serious Pomeroy genealogists,
Eltwyd Pomeroy's origins remain an irritating enigma.
(AJP - Sept 2013 latest update May 2024)
Colonists ships link here
AML has researched Eltweed extensively - HERE
AML does not think that is the case. AA Pomeroy’s genealogist ignored the alias Wrixon & AML spent a great deal of time following Wrixon Pomeroy’s, building trees, even to the point of paying for YDNA and autosomal DNA tests of descendants. They are Not the same family genetically.
William Wrickson alias Pomerie married 1600 to Elizabeth Wade Banns called 1 Feb 1600 Charminster ; 6 Feb 1600 in Symondsbury & Allington - transcription only in FMP
Phillimore gives us William Wricksone alias Pomerie 1 feb 1600 marriage at Symonsbury- suggesting the banns were called in both their home parishes and they married. as was the custom, in the brides home parish Allington a chapelry of Bridport, a mile from Symondsbury.
The Eltweed Question. By Alma LaFrance
Among the 50 or so genealogies submitted to the New England Historical and Genealogical Society for "review" around 1903--over 100 years ago---all of which probably contained errors and omissions, and varying degrees of gaffs, it was the A. A. Pomeroy History and Genealogy of the Pomeroy Family--a monumental book in size and scope- that a couple members of the NEHGS decided to "smash." "Smash the Pomeroy Pedigree."
They didn't just set out to "review" the book...they went all out to accuse Mr. Pomeroy of deliberately engaging in fraud. Then they undertook to publish their corrected and "true pedigree," which in it's turn proved to be full of errors.
The sad part is that even though an extensive rebuttal was made with supporting documentation, (and is available online) the NEHGS publication of 1914 remains "out there," and on the internet,, and gets circulated and quoted forever and beyond, and believed even by serious genealogists who assume certain secondary sources are unimpeachable. Although Eltweed's baptismal record in the Bishop's Transcripts in Exeter, of Beaminster,in Latin, made before the Great Fire destroyed the originals, has been translated and certified yet still its validity is disputed.
A. LaFrance August 2013.
Eltwyd Born 1585 son of Richard in Beaminster which is inland from Bridport on the south coast of Dorset
Elinor, of Symondsbury is suggested to be mother of Eltwid, and wife of Richard of Beaminster , by A A POMEROY , in volume 3, 1923, History and Genealogy of the POMEROY Family.
AML: does NOT believe that the Elinor Pomeroy alias Wrickson buried 1612, wife of Richard Pomeroy alias Wryxon who was buried Feb 1612 Symondsbury, was the mother of Eltwid. (AML. Mar 22 2021) However there is No mention in the original record that she was the mother of anyone.
May 2022
Limited search 1550 -/+ 40 years Crewkerne FMP.
Edward Pomerye Baptism 4 May 1591 no parents recorded Beaminster
This Edward Pomerye died Buried19 July 1592 BeaminsterOthers
Edith Pomery married Robert Chedd 24 Oct 1585 Crewkerne- Somerset Marriage Registers, Vol 5 Phillimore Marriage Registers, 1531-1913
Elinor Pomery wife of William Pomery of Huish buried at Crewekerne 10 March 1586. page 83 Somerset Archives ref D/P/CREW 2/1/1
James son of John Pumeru & his wife Susanna BB Beaminster -
Robert Pomery son of William Pomery Bb11 Sept 1563 at Crewkerne
page 8 D/P/CREW 2/1/1
William Pommerye Married Joane Tommb May 1588 in Crewkerne
Joane Pomery buried 14 April 1596 at Crewkerne
Agnissa Pomery Married 15 Apr 1612 to Robertus Jessopp at Stoke Abbot
Registers, Vol 6 Phillimore Marriage Registers, 1531-1913
Elizabeth Pomery Bb 28 Nov 1619 dau of Eltwid
Elizabeth Pomery dau of Eltwid B ied buried 13 July 1621 Holy Trinity church Beaminster
Possible birth in Somerset Edward P ....? son of John /.... in Shepton Mallet Bb 1642
Edward Pumery of Walken married to Grace Foot OTP on 6 April 1675 at Nailsea
nearest in name is Walton in Gordeno which is very close by & adjacent to Clapton in Gordeno
Nailsea just inland of Portbury near Clevedon
Edward Pomeroy married 8 FEB 1734 to Phoebe Thorn at Walton in Gordano
59 years gap suggest the next generation
Married 1734 EDB 1710 Did Edward marry age 15"
could he be Edward Pomeroy son of Richard , a mariner & his wife Elizabeth born 24 October 1718 baptised Mile End Road Stepney Bb 28 July 1719
Richard Pomeroy married Elizabeth Clarke 21 May 1712 in London
NOT Edward son of John & Dionisha Bb 18 July 1714St Clement Cornwall who DIED 29 Aug 1721
maybe
Edmund son of Thomas Pomery a weaver in Wilton BB 13 Aug 1699
EDB 1645 DURING THE TURMOIL OF THE CIVIL WAR
was he Edward Pomery Base son of Joan /Johan Pomery in St Neot Bb 9 Jan 1642
she was NOT the Johan Pomery dau of John in St Neot Bb 5 Jan 1625 because she died 23 Nov 1637
A. A. Pomeroy in the History and Genealogy of the Pomeroy Family, 1912, made the assumption that Eltwid Pomeroy's father, Richard Pomeroy, was "probably" the Richard Pomeroy born circa 1545 in Totnes, son of Henry Pomeroy,(b c 1520), son of Richard Pomeroy, (b. c 1482), the son of Thomas Pomeroy and Agnes Kelloway, based upon a very strong desire to find the “vital link” that supported family tradition. That “link,” was made with the support of his genealogist C. A. Hoppin, who was one of a group of genealogists of the period with a reputation of providing lots of records which seemed to point the way to a conclusion of ancestry, without the final proof.
J. Gardner Bartlett, another genealogist working at the same time as Hoppin, "known for his excellent Simon Stone, Gregory Stone, Robert Coe, and Henry Adams genealogies--"and for exposing the false ancestry of Eltweed Pomeroy of Dorchester, Mass., and Windsor, Conn," gained this latter recognition when he published, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Jan 1, 1914, his "expose," which consisted of records and material demonstrating that Richard Pomeroy, son of Henry and Agnes Huckmore Pomeroy, lived and died in Devon, and then went on to provid a "correct" pedigree for the descendants of Thomas Pomeroy and Agnes Kelloway. Bartlett used the same techniques as Hoppin and other genealogists of the era; they built on work that had been done earlier, threw in some "newly found" records from the archives, and offered up their own version of things.
There is more about the New England colony here Pomeroy Connections -
hosted by the PFA archivist Alma LaFrance.
Whilst there is no doubt about the lineage of the descendants of Eltweed,
it is his ancestry that has been in question-
WHAT DOES THE DNA SAY?
From Pomerology newsletter
Family Cluster 3: Eltweeds line potentially originated in Brixham, near Berry Pomeroy; A deep DNA result confirms that these families groups are connected
• Beaminster 1617
• Wilton 1710
• Whitechapel 1710
• Lewannick 1720 (linked to Lezant 1725, possibly to Linkinhorne 1577) which family #515 is connected to.
• Clevedon 1740
• Brixham 1784 (linked to Devonport 1841)
• Millstreet 1798 & Millstreet 1841 & IRELAND 1924 (linked to Kanturk 1872)
• Virgina USA 1792 - see Chucks Story
The Pomeroy Family History site has a map indicating the various group
These are colour-coded by DNA result;
each of the five bright colours represents a genetic family,
i.e. these trees have been found to have the same common Pomeroy ancestor.
The grey ones have unique DNA results within the project,
the white ones have yet to be tested.
The Eltwid Pomeroy tree is as follows
1585-1673: Beaminster, Dorset, England (Eltwid, Elty, Eltwed")
BIRTH: Baptized Beaminster, Dorsetshire, 4 July 1585, son of "Richarde Pomerye" [Bishops Copy of Beaminster Records March 1673
MARRIAGE:
(1) at Beaminster 4 May 1617 Johana Keech; she was baptized at Beaminster 15 May 1586, daughter of "John Kiche," and was buried there 27 November 1620
(2) at Crewkerne, Somersetshire, 7 May 1629 Margery Rocket (the groom identified as "of Bemister" She died on 5 July 1655 at Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut
(3) at Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut. 30 November 1664 Lydia Parsons nee Browne, widow of Thomas Parsons .
CHILDREN:
With first wife Johana Keech
i DINAH, bp. Beaminster Dorset 6 August 1617 no further record.
ii ELIZABETH, bp. Beaminster 28 November 1619; bur. there 13 July 1621
by second wife Margery Rocket
iii ELDAD, b. say 1631; d. 20 May 1662
iv MARY, b. say 1633; d. Windsor 19 December 1640 (Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.)
v JOHN, b. say 1635; d. Windsor 1647
vi MEDAD, bp. Windsor 19 August 1638 ;
m. (1) Northampton 21 November 1661 Experience Woodward [Pynchon VR 141]
m. (2) Northampton 14 September 1686 Abigail (Strong) Chauncy
m. (3)Northampton 24 January 1704/5 Hannah (Warriner) Noble.
vii CALEB, bp. Windsor 6 March 1641[/2] [Grant 59];
m. Windsor 8 March 1664 Hepzibah Baker.
viii MERCY, bp. Windsor 21 April 1644 [Grant 59]; d. Windsor 1657.
ix JOSHUA, bp. Windsor 22 November 1646 [Grant 59];
m. (1)Northampton 22 August 1672 Elizabeth Lyman [Pynchon VR 142], daughter of Richard Lyman;
m. (2) Northampton 9 January 1678 Abigail .
x JOSEPH, bp. Windsor 20 June 1652 [Grant 59];
m. Westfield 20 June 1677 Hannah Lyman ], daughter of Richard Lyman.
MEDAD POMEROY son of Eltwid - his tombstone can still be found.Medad Pomeroy Born Aug. 16, 1638 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.
Died Dec. 30, 1716 Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
son of Eltweed and Mary Rockett Pomeroy, Medad became a blacksmith and gunsmith. He arrived at Northampton in 1659 and was granted a chest of tools and some land. He was made Freeman 31 May 1661, and settled at Northampton, Hampshire, where he served as town clerk, magistrate, selectman, deputy to the General Court and town treasurer.
and so down through many generations to this time.
additional BMDs & wills around 1500 -1650
Probate & Wills 1500+/- 40 years
John Pomeroy 1592 Will Place Ryme Intrinsica Dorset Occupation Husbandman
Series title Probate records of the court of the Dean of Salisbury
Date 1592 / Series P5 / Archive- Wiltshire and Swindon Archive
Archive reference P5/6Reg/4B
Source https://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/wills_search.php
Record set Wiltshire Wills And Probate Index 1530-1881
***
Robert Pomeroy 1609 Will ,Place Knighton, Beer Hackett Dorset
Series title Probate records of the court of the Dean of Salisbury
Date 1609 / Series P5 / Archive - Wiltshire and Swindon Archive
Archive reference P5/8Reg/143D
Source https://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/wills_search.php
Record set Wiltshire Wills And Probate Index 1530-1881
***
Samuel Pomeroy 1632 Administration bond Place Beer Hackett Dorset
Series title Probate records of the court of the Dean of Salisbury
Date 1632 / Description Surname written Pomrey / Series P5
Archive Wiltshire and Swindon Archive
Archive reference P5/1632/47
Source https://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/wills_search.php
Record set Wiltshire Wills And Probate Index 1530-1881
marriages 1500 +/- 40
Joane Pomery Marriage date 18 May 1584 at Beer Hackett Dorset to Richard Waters
Record set England Marriages 1538-1973
John Pummery marriage 27 Mar 1522 to Martha Spiller at Whitchurch Canonicorum, Dorset
Volume Dorset Marriage Registers, Vol 5 Phillimores Transcriptions
Alice Pomery marriage 15 Jan 1540 to William Order Abbey Church at Sherbourne Dorset