My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM CLAPP POMEROY, of Northampton, pattern-maker for the Norwood Engineering Company of Florence, was born at Williamsburg, July 4, 1835. He is a son of William H. and Nancy (Pomeroy) Clapp, his father having been a native of Northampton, while his mother was a daughter of William Pomeroy, of Williamsburg. He was the eldest son and second-born of six children. All are living except one son, Sidney S., who was a volunteer in the Thirty-first Massachusetts Regiment during the Civil War, and who, after serving for a period of two years, returned home and died of consumption at the age of twenty-three years. Mr. Pomeroy and his brother, Frank Clark Clapp, were also volunteers, having enlisted in the Fifty-second Regiment for nine months, and saw one year of active service during the memorable struggle. Mr. Pomeroy’s sisters, Ellen A., wife of Frank H. Strong, and Caroline L., wife of Samuel A. Clark, reside at the old Pomeroy homestead. The property was first taken possession of by their great-grandfather. Their grandfather, who had six daughters, but no male heir, left it to William Pomeroy Clapp, who, on that account, by a special act of the legislature in 1849, changed his name to William Clapp Pomeroy. His grandfather’s wife before her marriage was Rachel Edwards, of Chesterfield, Mass. They were both members of the Congregational church, of which he was for many years a Deacon. He died at the age of eighty-two years, and his wife at seventy-five.

Mr. Pomeroy’s parents resided near the old homestead during their entire married life. His father died there at the age of sixty-one years, and his mother at about the same age, four years later. Of his paternal ancestors, grandfather Sereno Clapp, a native of Northampton, was a blacksmith by trade. By his marriage with Lydia Patterson, of Rhode Island, he had three sons and one daughter, and died at the age of sixty-one years.

Mr. Pomeroy received his education in the common schools of Williamsburg. At the age of fifteen he engaged in farm labor both at Sunderland and Westfield for about two years. He then served an apprenticeship at Holyoke to the machinist’s trade for three years. After this, in company with a friend, he started West, working his way to Ohio, thence through Michigan and Wisconsin to Oronoco, Minn. Here he worked as carpenter until 1859, when he returned to his home.

On January 1, 1861, he was united in marriage to Miss Susan A. Newcomb, of Leyden, daughter of Charles W. Newcomb. Of their five sons, three are still living. William Newcomb, a salesman, passed to spirit life May 29, 1887, at the age of twenty-five; and Charles S., a mechanic, on January 19, 1888, in his twenty-fourth year. Henry W. Pomeroy is a pattern-maker at Florence; Frank S. also follows the business of his father; and Edward S., who is a thorough mechanic and an able draughtsman, is in the employ of the Norwood Company.

Mr. Pomeroy has advanced in Masonry to the Commandery. He is also Past Master of Jerusalem Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and a Past High Priest of Northampton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. He was the first Commander of William L. Baker Post, Grand Army of the Republic, for a period of four years, and served upon the staff of Commander-in-chief William Warner. The family are Spiritualists, his late son, Charles S., having had the reputation of being a wonderful seer among the brethren. The family occupy a very pleasant residence at 102 Crescent Street, Northampton, which Mr. Pomeroy erected in 1888.