Coe Family Research

Genealogy

Where in the World was
Mary Ann Coe?

Mary Ann Coe, Wife of Spencer Pomeroy

Mary Ann Coe, Wife of Benjamin Junkins

Mary Ann Coe, Wife of
David Powers

Millard Fillmore Collection Letters

Contact Us!

Other Resources

Penfield Library, SUNY Oswego

Pompey Historical Society

Helpful Links

About Us

Bill Pomeroy

Project Roots

Other Projects

A. A. Pomeroy Book Project

The Pomeroy Anvil Trail

The Pomeroy Collection

American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association

Where in the World was Mary Ann Coe?

Mary Ann Coe was the third great grandmother of Bill Pomeroy. When Bill started researching his genealogy he initially approached her with the same interest that most genealogists approach third great grandmothers. Interesting, of course, and great to know who she was, but, there's not a lot of information readily available on women during the time period in which she lived, so, you try to get birth, marriage and death information and if you do, you consider yourself lucky. It was at the point that Bill was trying to obtain this information that Mary Ann started to sing her siren song.

Bill made contact with another family researcher who had transcribed records from an old bible, that listed some interesting information about Mary Ann and her husbands. These records also contained the marriage date for Mary Ann and Spencer Pomeroy and the dates of birth of their two children, Francis W. and Edwin Pomeroy. A quick look at the age of birth of the eldest child, Francis, and the date of Mary Ann's and Spencer's wedding, brought Bill to the inevitable conclusion that Mary Ann was pregnant when she married Spencer. This in itself was not shattering information, but as we looked deeper at Mary Ann we starting finding some rather interesting inconsistancies concerning her marital status and the surname she was using at different times of her life.

Bill and the Project Roots Team (the department in Bill's company that researches his genealogy) have spent several years tracking down anything that may lead us to a better understanding of the complex woman who was Mary Ann Coe Pomeroy Junkins Powers. Among the burning questions this research has raised are:

• When did Mary Ann divorce Spencer Pomeroy?
• Why did Mary Ann move to Ohio?
• Was Mary Ann legally married to Benjamin Junkins?
• Where is Mary Ann's final resting place? (Was she moved from the Cholera Cemetery as her husband David Powers told his brother-in-law Millard Fillmore?)
• And where was Mary Ann between the years of 1811, when she may have been abandoned by her first husband Spencer Pomeroy, and 1823 when we find reference of her in Sandusky, OH?

Here begins the story of Mary Ann Coe, a woman perhaps not unique to her time, but certainly unusual. Perhaps you can help us to solve some of these mysteries.

Mary Ann Coe was born 8 Jun 1790 in Ballstown, Saratoga Co., NY, the daughter of Ithamar Coe (1755-1826) and Sarah Ball (1763-1826). She was baptised 2 Oct 1796 in the Paris Religious Society, in Paris, Oneida Co., NY. Mary Ann moved with her parents from Paris to Pompey, Onondaga Co., NY by 1803. (Records indicate that father Ithamar was received into the First Congregational Church in Pompey from Clinton Settlement, Oneida Co., NY on 1 April 1803 and was named Deacon 8 May 1805.)

Mary Ann married Spencer Pomeroy 3 Mar 1807 in Pompey, Onondaga Co., NY. Spencer Pomeroy was born 3 May 1780 in Northampton, Hampshire Co., MA, the son of Pliny Pomeroy (1734-1804) and Sarah L. Allen (1740-1823). Spencer lived with his parents in Westhampton, Hampshire Co., MA until the family moved to Westfield, Hampden Co., MA by 1803. Spencer's father Pliny died in Westfield 12 Nov 1804. We believe that Spencer, his widowed mother Sarah and possibly his siblings Nancy, Charlotte (Spencer's twin) and Clarissa moved to Pompey, NY about 1806. Nancy married James Higgins 8 Dec 1795 in Westhampton, MA and Charlotte married Titus Rust 4 Feb 1802 also in Westhampton. Either couple or both may have preceded Spencer, Sarah and Clarissa to Pompey. Charlotte died ca 1809 in Pompey, NY. Clarissa married Ichabod Wood 10 Oct 1808 in Pompey. Spencer's father was a cooper and we conjecture that Spencer may have followed his father's trade, although we have not found any proof of occupation for Spencer.

Mary Ann and Spencer had two sons; Francis W. Pomeroy, born 12 Aug 1807 in Pompey, NY, who died 21 Mar 1881 in Columbus, Franklin Co., OH, and Edwin Pomeroy born 10 Oct 1809 presumably in Pompey, NY, who died 6 Sep 1834 in New Haven, Huron Co., OH. On 7 Oct 1811 Spencer and Mary Ann sold 3 acres of property on lot 65 in Pompey, NY to Spencer's mother Sarah L. Pomeroy, for $500. On 31 Dec 1811 there is a notice in the Manlius Times that Spencer was an insolvent debtor. At some point in late 1811 (according to a depostion of Mary Ann (Coe) Pomeroy Junkins Powers prior to a divorce filing in August 1834) Spencer abandoned Mary Ann and her two children. The next possitive proof we have of Mary Ann's whereabouts is 31 Dec 1822 when a notice of a letter remaining in the Sandusky Clarion was posted for a Mariann Pomroy.

Mary Ann's parents Ithamar and Sarah (Ball) Coe and some of their children left Pompey to settle in LeRoy, Genesee Co., NY about 1812. Could Mary Ann have moved with them or did she stay in Pompey? Why did Mary Ann move to Sandusky, and then settle in Norwalk, Huron Co., OH? We know that her uncle Luther Coe was in Sandusky at the time that the letter remaining at the post office was advertised. Was she living with Luther Coe? We also know that Mary Ann was a seamstress, but have not found any records of her plying her trade between the years 1811 and 1825. We would love to know where, and with whom Mary Ann was during the years of 1811 and 1823. If you have any information, please contact us!

For more detailed information about Mary Ann Coe, please continue to Mary Ann Coe, Wife of Spencer Pomeroy.