S. R. No. 332

WHEREAS, The City of Pasadena lost one of its most prominent citizens with the death of John Edward Pomeroy, Sr.; "Uncle John," as he was affectionately known, a pioneer Pasadenan, died Sunday, January 6, 1980, just 2 1/2 hours before his 91st birthday; and

WHEREAS, This fine Texan came from a family that was instrumental in the early development of parts of this great state;in 1882, Mr. Pomeroy's father, Payson Pomeroy, moved from New York to Texas where he settled with his family in Galveston and worked as an engineer helping to t install machinery for the cotton compress, and in 1890 he moved to Sugarland to help install equipment for the Imperial Sugar Company before returning to Galveston; and

WHEREAS, The Galveston storm of 1900 prompted Payson Pomeroy to move his family inland to Brenham, but as the family went through Pasadena in order to help a farm with some fence building and well drilling, they decided to settle in that area and bought land on both sides of Main Street; and

WHEREAS, The Pomeroy family made significant contributions to the people of Texas; in 1896 Payson Pomeroy hand dug the city water well for Brenham which flowed and was in use until 1978, and in 1897 Mr. Pomeroy introduced the first glass milk bottle in the state while operating his Metropolitan Milk Company in Galveston; and

WHEREAS, When the elder Pomeroy died in 1906, John Edward took over the family's milk route in Houston and its farming business, and in 1911, recognizing a need in this largely undeveloped area, he joined his brother-in-law Clyde McMasters, to form McMasters-Pomeroy Water Well Drilling company in 1911; the company was extremely successful, drilling more than 2,000 water wells in Texas including the first wells used for a Pasadena city water supply and wells for the Astrodome, the Rice Hotel, and the Warwick Hotel; and

WHEREAS, An important part of this growing community, this esteemed gentleman played a vital role in developing business and civic interests in Pasadena; he was involved in the founding of First Pasadena State Bank and served 35 years as a director; he was a member of the Pasadena Rotary Club for 19 years and the head of the attendance committee, and he was a member of the Pasadena school board from 1918 to 1934, where he was so well respected that the city named Pomeroy Elementary School in his honor; and

WHEREAS, The product of a deeply religious family whose parents were charter members of the First Baptist church in 1901, Mr. Pomeroy served as a deacon and in other offices in the church until it moved to Tatar Street in 1954; he stayed to help organize South Main Baptist Church and served as a deacon and in other offices there; and

WHEREAS, This outstanding man contributed much to the growth and progress of his community and this state, and he will be greatly missed by the many people whose lives he touched throughout his own long and fruitful life; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas , 67th Legislature, honor the life of Pasadena pioneer John Edward Pomeroy, Sr., and extend profound condolences to the members of his family; to his wife, Gertrude Pomeroy; to his daughters, Marguerite Seip of Centralia, Illinois, and Bessie Stack of Pasadena; to his sons, John E. Pomeroy, Jr., of LaPorte and Clyde David Pomeroy, Sr., of Pasadena; and to his 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That official copies of this Resolution be prepared for members of the family, and that when the Senate of the State of Texas adjourns this day, it do so in memory of John Edward Pomeroy, Sr.

Brooks

WPHobby

President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 11, 1981,
by a rising vote.

_________________
Secretary of the Senate

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12.21.02