Holbrook line: Joseph Pomeroy 1672-1712

 I've written earlier about Eltweed Pomeroy and about Medad Pomeroy, Joseph's grandfather and father, respectively.  When Joseph was born to Medad and Experience Woodward Pomeroy in Northampton, Massachusetts Bay Colony on June 26, 1672, he had not just his parents but both sets of grandparents to welcome him into the family.  He also had brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins all around him as he grew up, so his roots were about as deep and wide as any of his generation.  Joseph was only three years old when King Philip's War broke out, and he likely heard tales of his father's service to protect the town, and doubtless other of his relatives too, as he was growing up.  

Joseph would have had the typical education of the time, learning to read and write and perhaps some arithmetic.  He followed in his father's footsteps, learning the trade of blacksmithing.  I've also seen it stated that he was a metal worker, but blacksmithing seems to describe his occupation more accurately, as we'll soon learn.  

At age 16, he would have joined the town's training band (militia), which puts him at the right age to have participated in King WIlliam's War of 1688-1697.  I have not seen the source for this, but one web site says that he was a captain in Northampton, and that he fought at least one battle against native Americans in 1696.  

Joseph married Hannah Seymour, daughter of Richard and Hannah Woodruff Seymour (sometimes seen as Seamer) on November 29, 1692 in Northampton, and the couple apparently planned to spend the rest of their days in the town they had grown up in.  Their first two or possibly three children were born in Northampton, but then the town of Suffield. which was then in Massachusetts but now is in Connecticut, made him an offer he couldn't refuse.  Suffield needed a blacksmith, and in 1699 they offered Joseph 40 acres of land, free and clear, if he would move to Suffield and stay there for a term of seven years.  Presumably, he could have trained someone else in the art and skill by that time.  Joseph and his family wasted no time in packing up and moving the 36 miles south along the Connecticut River.  Hannah may have been glad to get down river, where maybe it would be a little safer for the family to live.  

Joseph seems to have fit right in with the people of Suffield.  He had the title of corporal when he moved there, and wsas chosen in October of 1699 to collect an assessment for the bujlding of the town's meeting house.  He was a fence viewer in 1700/01, a poundkeeper, brander, and haward in 1704/05, and a selectman and assessor in 1708/1709 and again in 1710/1711.  He was also promoted from corporal to sergeant.

Joseph was also busy with his young family.  Joseph and Hannah had at least 9 children together, and would have delighted in seeing them grow up.  But then, something happened.  When their youngest child was just 13 months old, Joseph died, at the age of 40, on December 16, 1712.  He left no will, so the assumption would be that it was a sudden death, but I've not found anything that said whether it was an accident or an illness.  We just know that Hannah was left with a houseful of children, and no way to support herself.  The town actually helped a little bit, on March 25, 1713>  The town "by a clear vote" granted the widow Pumrey one pound, fifteen shillings for her husband's care and trouble as a committee man for building and finishing the meeting house.  

Joseph's estate amounted to 254 pounds, but he owed debts to many people and the judge thought it would be likely that more debts would be turned in.  He therefore gave the widow a portion of the personal property and a portion of the land so that she would have some source of income for the children, "some of whom are small".   It's possible, since Joseph's debts were so extensive, that he had been ill and unable to work for some time, but we just don't know.  Hannah married Josiah Hale at the end of 1713 and lived another 14 years.  

I'd love to find the rest of Joseph's story, particularly his involvement in the militia. But we know he was a hard-working, well respected man, and one who left his family far too soon.  

The line of descent is:

Joseph Pomeroy-Hannah Seymour

Medad Pomeroy-Hannah Trumbull

Medad Pomeroy-Eunice Southwell

Eunice Pomeroy-Libbeus Stannard

Libbeus Stanard-Luceba Fay

Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy

Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick

Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook

Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen

Their descendants