This homestead is now the Pasadena Heritage Park and Museum.
Taken from the flyer at the museum:
In December 1986 the heirs of John and Gertrude Pomeroy donated the family homestead to the city of Pasadena for historical preservation purposes. The homestead located at the corner of Main and Eagle Streets includes nine city lots, two houses, and various outbuildings.
From the very beginning, the Pomeroy Homestead has been at the heart of the history of early Pasadena. With two of the first "city" lots sold by Colonel John H. Burnett in his new town development located within the Homestead site, downtown Pasadena began developing around the corner of Main and Sixth (now Eagle) Streets. Jasper F. Hays bought one of those lots in 1893 and with his appointment as the Postmaster he located the first Post Office in the front room of his new home.
Surviving the disastrous Galveston Hurricane of 1900, Edward Payson Pomeroy moved his wife Anna Louise and their son John Edward to the inland community of Pasadena early the next year. There they found another casualty of the storm ... the old Hays house lay on its side, blown from its piers. They righted the house and called it home until the present house at 203 S Main was built in 1908.
The Pomeroys bought the first parcel of what was to become their homestead at the corner of Main and Sixth in April 1901. They immediately reopened their Metropolitan Milk Company and built a large barn for the dairy adjacent to their home. It should be noted that Payson Pomeroy brought the glass milk bottles to Texas from New York. Since there were no fencing laws at the time the dairy herd grazed freely on the open grasslands in the immediate area.
Payson and Anna chose Pasadena becuase they saw opportunities in the young community and quickly coupled their vision with action. They began a family history of commitment to the community, and its education and religious needs. At the time of his death in 1906 Payson was working to establish a cemetery in Pasadena and out of respect for his efforts his friends rushed the completion of the project so that his was the first burial in Crown Hill Cemetery.
With the rest of the community the Pomeroys became more involved in production farming. As more acres were put to the till less time was available for the dairy business. After Payson's death Anna and John began downgrading the dairy business to a small operation that sold its production wholesale to Pilots Grocery in Houston (later known as Heinke & Pilots). In 1921 hoof and mouth disease infected cattel in the area with both beef and dairy herds ordered destroyed, the Pomeroys closed their milk business.
During construction of the new home (204 S. Main) in 1908 for his mother and himself, two new school teachers visited the Pomeroys in search of a room while they taught the 1908-1909 school term. Gertrude Lucinda McMaster commented to her sister Myrtle that John Pomeroy might be attractive but he talked too much. But in spite of John's "affliction" the sisters agreed to rent a room from his mother and moved in that August. During the next two years of teaching in Pasadena, Gertrude fell in love with John and married him on June 6, 1911. They were blessed with four children: Anna Marguerite, John Edward, Jr., Bessie Evelyn, and Clyde David. All of their children were born in the front bedroom of 204 S. Main. John and Gertrude lived the rest of their lives in the house with John passing away January 6, 1980 and Gertrude following on April 9, 1985.
As John's family grew the "big" house became too crowded and a second home (202 S. Main) was built next door for his mother. The small, two bedroom cottage was built around 1920. In her new home Anna Pomeroy continued to board many of the early teachers in Pasadena. In addition to the McMaster sisters, the Smyth sisters and Jewel Jennings also roomed with her. Loise Williams met Mrs. Pomeroy's grandson Edward while taking meals at her house. They were married a couple of years later.
Anna Pomeroy was a no nonsense person who gave freely of her opinions over the front fence of Main Street. It was from here that she led the petition drive to prevent Houston from annexing Pasadena in the 1920s. As the official representative of the community she took the train to Houston and successfully presented Pasadena's case before the Houston City Council. But whether sharing community news over the front fence, or simply visiting with neighbors, Anna always had a fresh cut rose for any of the young ladies strolling by. She lived in the house until her death in November, 1946.
When John Pomeroy married Gertrude McMaster in 1911, he got Clyde McMaster as a brother-in-law. In 1912 the two men formed McMaster and Pomeroy Water Well Drilling Company. The business was operated from the Pomeroy property and its successors, Pomeroy Drilling Company and Pomeroy Energy Company, continued to office at that address until it was donated to the City of Pasadena. Pomeroy Drilling Company is the oldest private business in Pasadena and only the school system has been in operation longer. The company hired many people from the area over the years and there was always a job for male teachers during the summer months. Carroll Teague and "Stoney" Phillips both worked for McMaster and Pomeroy.
On April 13, 1925, John Pomeroy received a franchise from the County Commissioners' Court to provide public water to the residents of unincorporated Pasadena. The city well was located in the back yard of the Pomeroy home and the cypress water tower and tank could easily be seen from the La Porte Road (now State Highway 225). When the city incorporated for the second and final time in 1929 a bond issue was approved for water and sewer purposes and the Pomeroy water system was purchased by the city. The Pomeroys continued to drill city water wells for many years.
The company drilled over 2,000 water wells from East to South Texas. Most of the Ship Channel Industries, including Crown Refinery, Shell Refinery, and Champion Paper Mill used Pomeroy wells as did the concrete companies that built the Astrodome and Loop 610 freeway.
The Pomeroys have always been closely related to education in the community. Four generations have gone through the school system and three generations have been teachers. Payson Pomeroy served on the School Board from 1905 until his death and his son served from 1921 to 1934. While serving as President John cast the deciding vote for construction of the controversial Pasadena High School. Also during his term he was involved in the acquisition of land for the first junior high school. Pomeroy Elementary was named jointly for Payson and John in recognition of their contribution to the school system.
When First Baptist Church was organized on October 28, 1901 Payson and Anna Pomeroy were among the 17 charter members. As the church evolved and the congregation grew the Pomeroys became charter members of Memorial Baptist Church on August 2, 1936. In 1954 they became charter members of the new South Main Baptist Church and John not only served on the building program committee but donated land to the church. But besides helping to organize the religious education in the community, the Pomeroys were very active in their church's programs. John served as Deacon and Superintendent of the Sunday school as well as functioning in various other capacities. Anna and Gertrude taught Sunday school classes and donated many hours of their time to the church as did their children and grandchildren.
When the Pomeroys arrived in Pasadena there were a few scattered houses and a small grocery. They settled in the middle of a prairie, across the road from the only water well in town. They installed the first plumbed bath tub and have the last remaining outhouse. From their vantage point they witnessed the transition of the settlement into a mighty city. Being the center for a broad diversity of activities, the Homestead and the houses have a unique position in the history of Pasadena.
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