Pomery Family |
Pomery Family Genealogy |
Emma Jane Pomery (or Pomeroy) was our maternal great-grandmother. She was born in 1865 in Liskeard, Cornwall, England to Richard Pomery and Harriett Bray Pomery.
Emma Jane's father, Richard Pomery, was a lead miner born in Liskeard, Cornwall, England. Her mother, Harriet Bray, was born in St. Giles Heath, Devon. The Pomerys and, especially, the Brays are very old Cornish families who had never moved far from their birth places. Yet the 1881 English census lists Emma Jane, at the age of 15, as a domestic servant to Thomas Rich at Steel Green House, Millom, Cumberland, Lancashire, several hundred miles to the north. Three years later, in May of 1884, she married Jacob Rosevear, a Cornish miner working in Millom. Emma was 20 years old, Jacob was 23 years old.
What motivated Emma and Jacob to move to Lancashire, probably independently of each other? In 1872, tin was discovered in Queensland, New South Wales, Australia. Competition from overseas mining caused prices to drop. Mines in Cornwall closed and it is estimated that between 1871 and 1881 about one third of the mining population in Cornwall emigrated. This economic collapse of Cornish mining may have been the reason for their move north. Eighteen years later, in May 1902, Emma Jane and her 3 children - Harriett (our grandmother) aged 10, William, aged 5 and John, an infant - sailed from Liverpool to New York on the Majestic liner, following Jacob, who had emigrated 9 months earlier. The ship's manifest shows that they intend to meet Jacob in Beach Lake, Pennsylvania.There was an established Cornish community at Beach Lake in Wayne county by the 1820's. Cornish families emigrated to Wayne county to buy land to farm. The beginnings of this community is described and some of the families are named in A History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania By Alfred Mathews, (page 600). Emma Jane's older brother, Edwin, had emigrated to America in 1885 and owned a farm at Beach Lake. His wife's name was also Emma and was six years older than Edwin. They had two children, Lena, born in 1882, and Norman, born in 1887. Our great-grandmother Emma Jane, and her children stayed with Edwin when her husband, Jacob, moved to Leadville, Colorado with his brothers to work the mines there soon after Emma arrived. Edwin died when a tree fell on him the day after Christmas 1927. In 1910 Emma is living with her newly married daughter Harriett (Katie) and her son-in-law Forrest Wood in Damascus, Wayne County, Pennsylvania. Emma is 45 years old, her sons William and John are 13 and 9. Harriet (Katie in the census) and Forrest are both 19 years old. Forrest is a farm laborer. In 1921, according to the Binghamton City Directory, Emma is living with her son William at 504 Central Avenue. William is a laborer. Emma is listed in the 1923 Binghamton City Directory living with her son John and daughter-in-law Phoebe at 209 Loder Avenue, Endicott. Her son William is living with his wife Charlotte at 615 Wendall Avenue. In the 1925 (New York State census) she has moved to Endicott, New York at 17 Jefferson Avenue where she is listed as the head of an extended household that includes her son John and his wife and 2 children, another grand-daughter (interestingly named Harriett Wood, aged 14) and three borders. I remember my mother telling me that Emma had run a boarding house at one time. This address might be that place. By 1930 Jacob has returned from Colorado after a separation of over 20 years. The 1930 Federal census lists Emma and Jacob living with their son John, daughter-in-law Phoebe and children on Loder Avenue. Jacob is working as a watchman at a Washer(Washing Machine?) company. He is 66, Emma is 65 years old. In 1932 they have moved to 109 Frey Avenue, Endicott. In 1936 Emma is listed in the city directory as the widow of Jacob, still living at 109 Frey Avenue. She continued to live with her son John and his family through the 1940s in and around Binghamton and Endicott, New York. John worked for the Endicott Johnson shoe company. Emma's father, Richard Pomery, was born about 1821 in Cornwall. In the 1841 English census a Richard Pomery is living in Liskeard and working as a miner. Richard marries Harriet Bray in 1846 in Liskeard. In 1861 Richard and his wife Harriet are living in the village of St. Pinnock, he is 37 years old and a lead miner. Harriet is 37 years old. The 1871 Cornwall census lists Richard and his wife Harriett living in St. Pinnock. Richard is a miner (see Folio 45, page 5). Their children are listed as John Pomery, Son, 21, Groom,; Mary A. Pomery, Dau,11, Scholar; Edwin Pomery, Son, 9, Scholar; Harriett Pomery, Dau, 8, Scholar; Emma Pomery, Dau, 5, Scholar.Emma's mother, Harriett Bray, was born in St. Giles Heath, Devon (census record), possibly in 1826. Her father, William, was a tailor. She married Richard Pomeroy in 1846 in Liskeard. Their marriage banns were registered on 24 March 1846 in St. Pinnock. |
Emma Jane Pomery, (Pomeroy) born 1865 (birth registration: 4th quarter 1865, Liskeard, Cornwall; England, Wales birth registration index, volume 5C, page 68, line 102).
Married Jacob Rosevear (born about 1861), m. May 1884 in Bool, Lancashire, England. Died 14 January, 1961, Nanicoke, Broome County, NY. Find a Grave. Childen: 1. Harriett Bray Rosevear, born 15 February, 1889; 9 Silverdale, Millom, Lancashire (from certified birth registration) (died as infant??). 2. Harriett Pomery Rosevear, born 21 December,1890, 7 Concrete Square, Haverigg, Millom, Lancashire (from certified birth registration). 3. William, born about 1897, Millom (from ship’s passenger list: the Majestic from Liverpool to New York, arrived 01 May, 1902). 4. John, born about 1901, Millom (same ship’s passenger list & 1930 census of U.S., Broome county, New York). Emma's obituary: ROSEVEAR — Emma Rosevear. 96 Nanticoke, N. Y. died Saturday evening after a long illness. She is survived by a daughter. Mrs. Harriet Wood, Castle Creek: one son John E. Rosevear. Nanticoke: 12 grandchildren; 39 greatgrandchilden: seven great-great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews. The body was removed to the Coleman & Daniels Funeral Home. 300 E. Main St. Endicott where the funeral will be held Wednesday at 1 p. m The Rev. George Entwisle will officiate. Burial will be in Vestal Hills Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Tuesday evening from 7 to 9Binghamton Press (newspaper), N. Y. , page 22; Mem., Jan. 16 1961. Richard Pomery (Pomeroy) Baptized 26 May 1822, St Pinnock, Cornwall, son of John Pomery and Grace Warne. Married: Harriet Bray 24 March, 1846, St. Pinnock. Children: 1. John born about 1849. 2. William born about 1854. 3. Mary A born about 1859. 4. Edwin born about 1861. 5. Harriet born about 1862. 6. Emma daughter born about 1865. 7. Polly John Pomery (Father of Richard) see Richard and Harriet marriage certificate 1841 Census England and Wales Folio 11/32, page 8, entry 18 TNA Ref HO107-0153 Liskeard. Married Grace Warne, 27 July 1819, St. Pinnock. See OPC database Marriage record 1151314 Child: Richard Pomery aged 20 1850. Child: John born (see 1871 census) 1861 Census England and Wales Folio 90, page 1, TNA Ref RG09-1530 Enumeration District 17 St. Pinnock Village, Liskeard, Cornwall. Richard Pomery Lead miner aged 37. Harriett (nee Bray) wife aged 37 (born Devon, St. Giles). William son aged 7. Mary Ann daughter aged 1. 1871 Census England and Wales Folio 45, page 5, TNA Ref RG10-2240 Enumeration Dist. 17, Liskeard , St. Pinnock. Richard Pomery Miner aged 49. Harriett Wife aged 49. Children: John son aged 21. Mary A daughter aged 11. Edwin son aged 9. Harriet daughter aged 8. Emma daughter aged 5 RESOURCES Much of this information came to us as stories from our grandmother Harriett and our mother Joyce. The stories are verified with official census records, ship's manifests and death certificates. Thanks to Alma LaFrance for confirming the baptism date of Richard Pomery and his marriage to Harriet Bray and for naming his mother and father. Cornwall OPC database History and Genealogy of the Pomeroy Family: Collateral Lines in Family ... Author: A A Pomeroy Publisher: Higginson Book Co Year: 1912 Reprint. Originally published: Toledo, Ohio : Franklin Print. and Engraving Co., 1912. https://archive.org/details/historyandgenea01pomegoog The Pomeroy Family Association (PFA)http://www.pomeroyfamilyhistory.com/ The Cornish Overseas: A History of Cornwall's 'great Emigration' by Philip Payton;Fowey, Cornwall, UK ; Marina Del Rey, Calif. : Alexander Associates, 1999. Page 60, mentions settlements of Cornish farmers in Wayne county, Pennsylvania at Beach Lake. BBC: Tin mining, the rise and fall of Cornish tin mining. www.bbc.co.uk/nationonfilm/topics/tin-mining/background_decline.shtml |