KEESEVILLE — Ezra Pond’s eternal rest is in the tranquil Evergreen Cemetery in Keeseville.
He will have visitors today at 10 a.m. as his grave site will receive a historic marker.
MILITIA
When he was a young man, Private Ezra Pond (1758–1843), served in the Massachusetts Militia before settling in Keeseville.
“We sent some of that information to a representative of the Daughters of the American Revolution who helped also further research and provided documents and then we submit those documents through another middle man to the Pomeroy Foundation for validation,” Nancy Sucharski, president of the Evergreen Cemetery Association, said.
“It was several people gathering details to prove his authenticity to verify that he was in the Revolutionary War. We’re trying to bring history present and honor the individuals that stood in defense of freedom, values, and way of life. It’s going to be a small ceremony. Our historical marker only lists Ezra Pond because at the time we had to apply for that on advance, and that’s all we had the documentation on. and since then, we have discovered two other Revolutionary War veterans (Dr. Reuben Jones and James Woodbury), but we still have to go through the process of having the Pomeroy Foundation approve research it and approve those types of historical markers.”
FOUNDING FAMILY
Pond descends from Robert Pond of Edwardstone, Babergh District, Suffolk, England, came to the New World accompanied by his wife, Mary, and his brother, William, and sister-in-law, Judith.
The Ponds set sail from Southampton on the Arbella, flagship of John Winthrop, governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company. On June 14, 1630, they landed in Salem, Massachusetts and became a founding family of America, according to pondfamily.weebly.com
AMERICAN ROOTS
Ezra Pond was born May 28, 1758 in Wrentham, Norfolk, Massachusetts and died December 16, 1843, in Keeseville.
“He was the son of Ezra Pond and Sarah Morse, and he was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Clinton County,” June Venette, a member of the Anderson Falls Heritage Society, said.
“He was married to Permelia Hubbell. He was a Pvt. in the Massachusetts Militia. He enlisted in 1777 in Capt. Wm. Henry’s Co., Capt. Houghton, and Col. Whitney’s Regiment in the Militia. He was in service off and on through 1780. He received a pension of $41.66 per annum for service in Massachusetts Militia from 26 April 1834 at the age of 74.”
Venette notes that Ezra was drafted three times during the Revolutionary era.
“He volunteered twice and served as a substitute for his father for a total of 12.5 months of service,” she said.
“He was present of the Battle of Bemis Heights at Saratoga in October of 1777. He resided in Worcester, Ma. and Vermont before removing to Keeseville, the Town of Chesterfield, Essex Co., NY. By 1820, he had married Permelia Hubbell, and 25 of his descendants have become DAR members.”
Venette surmises that Permelia’s family was from Keeseville.
Pond’s grave is in the Clark family plot, and beside him is the grave of his daughter, Almena Clark.
“There is a flag by his grave,” Venette said.
“Apparently from what I’m finding, Cephus Clark installed the headstone for him. It was erected by his son-in-law.”