Honorable Theodore Medad Pomeroy
Hon. Theodore Medad Pomeroy (1824-1905) was born in Cayuga to Rev. Medad Pomeroy and Lillian Maxwell. His father moved the family to Elbridge, NY where Theodore studied at Munro Academy under Lemuel S. Pomeroy. A graduate of Hamilton College, Theodore came to Auburn to read law in the office of William H. Seward, later Secretary of State under President Abraham Lincoln. Theodore was admitted to the NYS Bar 1846.
His political career spanned over 30 years. Elected Auburn Clerk in 1847, and City Clerk in 1849 and 1850, he wrote the first free public education law adopted by the city. Later elected Cayuga County District Attorney; State Assembly; U.S. Congress; Auburn Mayor and State Senator.
Theodore and William H. Seward, Jr. married sisters, and were partners in the firm William H. Seward & Co. The couples owned adjacent homes on Owasco Lake. Theodore was a trustee of the Central Presbyterian Church from 1872 until his death in 1905. Harriet Tubman, a close friend of the family who cared for the Pomeroy children, attended his funeral. Only her flowers and note were placed on his casket and buried with him.
Visit these links for more information on Theodore Medad Pomeroy:
Biographical Directory of the United State Congress
A Sketch of the Life of Theodore Medad Pomeroy, 1824-1905, by Robert W. Pomeroy
