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HIRAM POMEROY
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: OLMSTEAD, TAYLOR, BRADLEY,
of the Willows, whose home is
on Lincoln Avenue, near the eastern terminus of Pine Avenue, has been a resident
of Santa Clara County since 1853. He was
born in Knox County, Indiana, January 11, 1822, and is the son of Grove
and Clarissa (Olmstead) Pomeroy. His father was a native of Western
Massachusetts, and his mother of Eastern New York. Thus, although born
in different States, they lived in the same neighborhood. They were
among the pioneers of Knox County, Indiana. When the subject of this
sketch was an infant his parents removed to Sullivan County, Indiana,
and when ten years of age to St. Joseph County, and thence, two years
later, to Plymouth, Marshall County, in the same State. There his
father built the first house, a log structure, sixteen feet square. In
the same year, 1834, he erected and occupied a frame house, probably
the first in Marshall County. The lumber used in building this
heavy-framed two-story house was cut by hand, with whip-saws. The
building was 18x48 feet, and for many years was the leading hotel of
the county. There met the commission which was appointed by the
governor to locate the county seat. The county was organized in 1836,
and much excitement was aroused by the selection of the town which was
to be honored by the keeping of the county records. Rival towns were
aggrieved by the efforts made by Plymouth to secure this honor. Mr.
Pomeroy took an active part in the movement, and he had the
satisfaction of seeing Plymouth become the county seat. Later, he
improved a farm situated about three miles from Plymouth, but, with his
wife, spent his last years in Plymouth, where he died November 2, 1854,
at the age of sixty-five years. His widow survived until December 14,
1869. Grove Pomeroy was a volunteer in the War of 1812, and in later
life was for seven years judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He was a
man of great force of character, well educated, a clear reasoner, with
perfect command of language, and of great public spirit. His death was
universally regretted.
Hiram Pomeroy, the subject of this sketch, was reared carefully by his father, and owes his success in life largely to the lessons learned in his youth. He married, in Marshall County, April 13, 1847, Miss Harriet Taylor, daughter of Simeon and Nancy (Bradley) Taylor. She was born in New York, but from a child reared in Marshall County. In 1853 Mr. Pomeroy and his wife came by way of the Isthmus to California. Upon arriving, he started for the mines on Jamison Creek, Plumas County, but, remaining there only one summer, he came to San Jose. Leaving his family at this place, he departed for Tuolumne County, where he mined for six months. With the small sum made in this venture, he rented 200 acres of land near San Jose, in company with D. Meyers. A dry season following, they lost their entire crop. Mr. Pomeroy then moved to Gilroy, worked in a dairy eighteen months, and paid his debts like a man. He settled in Calaveras Valley, Milpitas Township, in 1857, purchasing a pre-emption claim of 160 acres. Later he planted a vineyard and an orchard, which he sold. For twenty-nine years he resided in that township, and in the autumn of 1886 he established his present residence. His home is one of the finest on Lincoln Avenue, and was erected in the winter of 1885-86. Five acres of his land he bought in 1875, paying $300 per acre, and five acres in 1883, at $325 per acre. The ten acres are planted with a variety of trees, prunes and peaches forming the largest part. Mr. Pomeroy has devoted his life to agricultural and horticultural pursuits.
His grandfather, Grove Pomeroy, was one of the heroes of the Revolution, serving four years under General Lafayette. He was present at the surrender of Cornwallis, at Yorktown, the closing drama of the war. In the War of 1812 he received a Captain's commission, but did not live to go into the field.
Hiram Pomeroy is a Republican, of Whig antecedents, a member of the Masonic
mystic fraternity, and present Master of San Jose Grange, No. 10, Patrons of
Husbandry.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 474-475
SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight