Pompey, New York
Encyclopedia
Pompey is a town in the southeast part of Onondaga County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 6,159 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Roman general and political leader Pompey
by a late 18th-century clerk interested in the Classics
in the new federal republic.
of the Iroquois
tribes of the powerful Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy. After the American Revolutionary War
, when most of the Iroquois were forced to cede their land to the victorious United States, many of the Onondaga migrated to Canada
. The British Crown awarded them land there for resettlement for their support during the war. New York State took over the former Iroquois lands and sold much of the public land for development (and speculation). It reserved part as the Central New York Military Tract
. Veterans of the Revolution were awarded land grants in this tract as payments for service. The town was first settled by outsiders around 1789, as Yankees from New England
and other migrants moved into western New York.
The town of Pompey was formed in 1789, but not completely organized until 1794, when Onondaga County was established. The original town was divided and sub-divided into many other towns in the region, including all of the towns of Fabius
(1798), Tully
, Preble
, and Scott
(the latter two now in Cortland County
), along with parts of the towns of Spafford
, Otisco
(1806), LaFayette
(1825), Onondaga
(1794), Truxton
and Cuyler
(the latter two now in Cortland County).
The hamlet of Pompey developed about 10.5 miles (17 km) south of the main east-west Native American
trail across the state, used for generations. European-American settlers improved the trail and developed it as the Genesee Road (1794) and then the Seneca Turnpike (1800), running through the villages of Cazenovia, Manlius and Onondaga Hollow (south of Syracuse). The segment of modern US 20
, which connects Cazenovia
and Skaneateles
by way of Pompey
and LaFayette
, was not built until 1934.
, the town has a total area of 66.5 square miles (172.2 km²), of which, 66.4 square miles (172 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.09%) is water.
The town is south of Syracuse
. The east town line is the county line of Madison County
.
US 20
is an east-west highway through the town. NY 91
, a north-south highway, intersects US-20 in Pompey hamlet. NY 91
cuts across the northwest corner of Pompey.
of 2000, there were 6,159 people, 2,154 households, and 1,761 families residing in the town. The population density
was 92.7 people per square mile (35.8/km²). There were 2,272 housing units at an average density of 34.2 per square mile (13.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.56% White, 0.37% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.28% from other races
, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.
There were 2,154 households out of which 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.4% were married couples
living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 14.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $59,190, and the median income for a family was $64,442. Males had a median income of $42,212 versus $32,357 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,970. About 2.5% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 6,159 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Roman general and political leader Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
by a late 18th-century clerk interested in the Classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
in the new federal republic.
History
The area of Pompey was originally part of the territory traditionally occupied by the historic Onondaga, one of the Five NationsFive Nations
Five Nations can refer to:* The original five nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, a union of Native Americans* The Five Nations Championship in rugby union, now the Rugby Union Six Nations Championship...
of the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
tribes of the powerful Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy. After the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, when most of the Iroquois were forced to cede their land to the victorious United States, many of the Onondaga migrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The British Crown awarded them land there for resettlement for their support during the war. New York State took over the former Iroquois lands and sold much of the public land for development (and speculation). It reserved part as the Central New York Military Tract
Central New York Military Tract
The Military Tract of Central New York, also called the New Military Tract, consisted of nearly two million acres of bounty land set aside to compensate New York’s soldiers after their participation in the Revolutionary War....
. Veterans of the Revolution were awarded land grants in this tract as payments for service. The town was first settled by outsiders around 1789, as Yankees from New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and other migrants moved into western New York.
The town of Pompey was formed in 1789, but not completely organized until 1794, when Onondaga County was established. The original town was divided and sub-divided into many other towns in the region, including all of the towns of Fabius
Fabius (town), New York
Fabius is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,974 at the 2000 census. The classical name of the town was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics.The Town of Fabius contains a village of Fabius...
(1798), Tully
Tully (town), New York
Tully is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population of the town was 2,709 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero. The town is on the county's south border, south of Syracuse....
, Preble
Preble, New York
Preble is a town in Cortland County, New York, United States. The population was 1,582 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Commodore Edward Preble, a naval hero....
, and Scott
Scott, New York
Scott is a town in Cortland County, New York, United States. The population was 1,193 at the 2000 census. The town was named after General Winfield Scott. The Town of Scott is on the north border of Cortland County and is northwest of the City of Cortland.- History :Scott is within the former...
(the latter two now in Cortland County
Cortland County, New York
Cortland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, named after Federico Van Cortlandt, president of the convention at Kingston that wrote the first New York State Constitution in 1777, and first lieutenant governor of the state. The county seat is Cortland...
), along with parts of the towns of Spafford
Spafford, New York
Spafford is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,661 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Horatio Gates Spafford, a writer and founder of the local library....
, Otisco
Otisco, New York
Otisco is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,561 at the 2000 census. The Town of Otisco is in the southwest part of the county. Otisco is situated at the northern edge of the Appalacian Highlands, where an escarpment declines to the Lake Ontario plain and the...
(1806), LaFayette
LaFayette, New York
LaFayette is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 4,833 at the 2000 census. The town is named after LaFayette, a national hero of both France and the United States....
(1825), Onondaga
Onondaga, New York
Onondaga is a town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the town had a population of 21,063. The town is named after the native Onondaga tribe, part of the Iroquois Confederacy....
(1794), Truxton
Truxton, New York
Truxton is a town in Cortland County, New York, United States. The population was 1,225 at the 2000 census. The town was named for Commodore Thomas Truxton, a naval officer of the American Revolution....
and Cuyler
Cuyler, New York
Cuyler is a town in Cortland County, New York, United States. The population was 1,036 at the 2000 census.The Town of Cuyler is in the northeast part of Cortland County and is northeast of the City of Cortland.- History :...
(the latter two now in Cortland County).
The hamlet of Pompey developed about 10.5 miles (17 km) south of the main east-west Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
trail across the state, used for generations. European-American settlers improved the trail and developed it as the Genesee Road (1794) and then the Seneca Turnpike (1800), running through the villages of Cazenovia, Manlius and Onondaga Hollow (south of Syracuse). The segment of modern US 20
U.S. Route 20 in New York
U.S. Route 20 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Newport, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, US 20 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains. US 20 is the longest...
, which connects Cazenovia
Cazenovia
-Places:* Cazenovia, Illinois* Cazenovia, Minnesota, a ghost town in Pipestone County*In New York:** Cazenovia , New York*** Cazenovia , New York**** Cazenovia College**** Cazenovia Seminary*** Cazenovia Lake...
and Skaneateles
Skaneateles
Skaneateles may refer to, in the United States:* Skaneateles , New York, in Onondaga County* Skaneateles , New York, in Onondaga County* Skaneateles Lake, one of the Finger Lakes in New York State...
by way of Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
and LaFayette
LaFayette, New York
LaFayette is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 4,833 at the 2000 census. The town is named after LaFayette, a national hero of both France and the United States....
, was not built until 1934.
School districts
The town of Pompey covers part of three separate public school districts:- Fabius-Pompey Central School District
- Fayetteville-Manlius Central School DistrictFayetteville-Manlius Central School DistrictThe Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District is a K-12 public school district located in the Town of Manlius in Central New York, enrolling approximately 4,800 students. F-M serves a large portion of the Town of Manlius, including the villages of Manlius and Fayetteville, as well as portions...
- Jamesville-Dewitt Central School District
Notable natives and residents
- William AveryWilliam AveryWilliam Avery may refer to:* Bill Avery , Nebraska politician and professor* William Avery , who piloted the aircraft of Octave Chanute* William Avery , American professional basketball player...
, of the hamlet of Oran, was an inventor and a manufacturer of the 1800s. He built the first American steamboatSteamboatA steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
to travel on Lake OntarioLake OntarioLake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
, together with a group of investors from Sackets Harbor, New York. - Ellen Douglas Birdseye Wheaton (1816–1858) wrote a notable diary from 1850 to 1858; it described her life as a married woman and activist.
- Victory BirdseyeVictory BirdseyeVictory Birdseye was a U.S. Representative from New York.-Early life and education:Born in Cornwall, Connecticut, Birdseye attended the public schools there. He graduated from Williams College in 1804. Afterward he studied law by reading with a law firm...
, lawyer, postmaster and Congressman. - Jason W. BriggsJason W. BriggsJason W. Briggs was a leader in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement and was instrumental in bringing about the 1860 "Reorganization" of the church, which resulted in the establishment of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.-Early membership:Jason W. Briggs...
(1821–1899), a leader in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movementLatter Day Saint movementThe Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members... - William George Fargo, founder of Wells-Fargo and mayor of Buffalo
- Frank HiscockFrank HiscockFrank Hiscock was a U.S. Representative and Senator from New York.-Biography:Hiscock was born in Pompey, Onondaga County, New York, September 6, 1834. He graduated from Pompey Academy and studied law...
(1834–1914) was a U.S. Representative and Senator. - Leonard JeromeLeonard JeromeLeonard Walter Jerome was a Brooklyn, New York, financier and grandfather of Winston Churchill.- Early life :...
, stock broker and investment banker - Sara Jane Clarke LippincottSara Jane LippincottSara Jane Lippincott was better known by the pseudonym Grace Greenwood. She was an American author, poet and lecturer. One of the first women to gain access into the Congressional press galleries, she used her questions to advocate for social reform and women's rights.-Biography:thumb|left|Sara...
, publisher of Little Pilgrim and the first woman journalist employed by the New York Times. - Charles MasonCharles Mason (attorney)Charles Mason was born in New York and became a patent attorney, taught engineering, and was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Iowa...
, Chief Justice of Iowa (1838–1842) and US Commissioner of Patents (1853–1857). - Erastus Dow PalmerErastus Dow PalmerErastus Dow Palmer was an American sculptor.Palmer was born in Pompey, New York. In his leisure moments as a carpenter he started by carving portraits in cameo, and then began to model in clay with much success. His style was academic classicism...
, sculptor. - John Calvin Perry, landscape and portrait painter.
- Norman Ford Potter, Congressional Medal of Honor winner in the American Civil War.
- Allen Radway, stage actor.
- Gail Reals, US Marine Corps Brigadier General
- Charles B. SedgwickCharles B. SedgwickCharles Baldwin Sedgwick was a U.S. Representative from New York during the American Civil War.-Biography:Sedgwick was born in Pompey, New York, and attended Pompey Hill Academy, and Hamilton College, Clinton, New York...
(1815–1883), US Congressman (1859–1863) - Horatio SeymourHoratio SeymourHoratio Seymour was an American politician. He was the 18th Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in the presidential election of 1868, but lost the election to Republican and former Union General of...
(1810–1886), governor of New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1853–1854) and (1863–1864). - James ShanahanJames ShanahanBrigadier General James G. Shanahan served in the United States Army from 1942 through 1973....
, Brigadier General with distinguished combat service and numerous awards. - Henry Warner SlocumHenry Warner SlocumHenry Warner Slocum , was a Union general during the American Civil War and later served in the United States House of Representatives from New York. During the war, he was one of the youngest major generals in the Army and fought numerous major battles in the Eastern Theater and in Georgia and the...
, General for the Union during the Civil War and US Congressman from BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. - Charles StantonCharles StantonCharles Butt Stanton was a British politician. He served as an Independent Labour Member of Parliament from 1915 to 1922.Stanton began his political career as a miners' leader at Aberdare...
, a member of the famous Donner PartyDonner PartyThe Donner Party was a group of American pioneers who set out for California in a wagon train. Delayed by a series of mishaps, they spent the winter of 1846–47 snowbound in the Sierra Nevada...
in 1846. - John Edison SweetJohn Edison SweetJohn Edison Sweet was an American mechanical engineer who built the first micrometer caliper in 1873, for making tools, and who invented the “straight line” engine. He was a key founder of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1880 and ASME’s third president...
, engineer and professor at Cornell UniversityCornell UniversityCornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, and a Dean at Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. His brother Homer Sweet, a poet and surveyor, wrote the New Atlas of Onondaga County, NY, in 1874, still used by local historians. Brother William Avery Sweet was a manufacturer of steel and refined technology. - Theodore Weld, leading abolitionist.
- Charles Augustus WheatonCharles Augustus WheatonCharles Augustus Wheaton was a businessman and major figure in the central New York state abolitionist movement and Underground Railroad, as well as other progressive causes...
(1809 – 1882), major abolitionist and supporter of the Underground RailroadUnderground RailroadThe Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 66.5 square miles (172.2 km²), of which, 66.4 square miles (172 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.09%) is water.
The town is south of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. The east town line is the county line of Madison County
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
.
US 20
U.S. Route 20 in New York
U.S. Route 20 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Newport, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, US 20 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains. US 20 is the longest...
is an east-west highway through the town. NY 91
New York State Route 91
New York State Route 91 is a north–south state highway in Central New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is located at an intersection with NY 13 in the Cortland County town of Truxton. Its northern terminus is located at a junction with NY 173 in...
, a north-south highway, intersects US-20 in Pompey hamlet. NY 91
New York State Route 92
New York State Route 92 is a state highway located in central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 11 in downtown Syracuse. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with US 20 west of the village of Cazenovia...
cuts across the northwest corner of Pompey.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,159 people, 2,154 households, and 1,761 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 92.7 people per square mile (35.8/km²). There were 2,272 housing units at an average density of 34.2 per square mile (13.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.56% White, 0.37% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.28% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.
There were 2,154 households out of which 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 14.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $59,190, and the median income for a family was $64,442. Males had a median income of $42,212 versus $32,357 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $27,970. About 2.5% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Pompey
- Atwell Corners – A location on the east town line near Hills Corners.
- Berwyn – A location southwest of Pompey hamlet and west of Swift Corner.
- Buellville – A hamlet at the north town line on NY-92.
- Clough Corners – A hamlet southeast of Pompey hamlet.
- Delphi FallsDelphi Falls, New YorkDelphi Falls, New York is a hamlet in the town of Pompey, Onondaga County, New York. It was prosperous in the early 19th century. It is the location of a post office, a store or two, several blocks of houses, and two places listed on the U.S. National Register: the Delphi Baptist Church and the...
– A hamlet near the east town line. - Hills Corners – A location near the east town line on US-20, east of Pompey Center.
- Jamesville Reservoir – A reservoir in the northeast corner of Pompey.
- Jamesville Beach County Park – A county park south of Jamesville Reservoir.
- Jerome Corner – A hamlet south of Pompey hamlet, near the south town line on NY-91.
- OranOran, New YorkOran is a hamlet within the Town of Pompey in Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is located along Cazenovia Road, a section of New York State Route 92, between the villages of Manlius and Cazenovia....
– A hamlet in the northeast corner of the town on NY-92, southeast of Beullville. - Pompey – A hamlet in the western part of the town at US-20 and NY-91.
- Pompey Center – A hamlet east of Pompey hamlet on US-20.
- Pompey Hill – A famous elevation (1728') in the town that allows a view of seven counties.
- Pompey Hollow – A valley near the east town line.
- Pratts Falls County Park – A county park northeast of Pompey hamlet.
- Salem Corner – A hamlet northeast of Pompey hamlet.
- Stebbins Gulf – A valley in the west part of Pompey, north of The Tunnel.
- Swift Corner – A hamlet south of Pompey hamlet and west of Jerome Corner.
- The Tunnel – A valley in the western part of the town.
- Watervale – A hamlet northeast of Pompey hamlet and west of Salem Corner.