Pond, Benjamin

The following data is extracted from Genealogy and Biography of Ontario County, New York.

According to tradition running through all the Pond families, they were descended from three brothers who came to America from England. The earliest Pond from whose line George C. Pond may be traced directly is Samuel Pond. The date of his arrival in America as well as the time of his coming to Connecticut is unknown, but he married in Windsor, Connecticut, November 4, 1642.

The Pond family seems to have produced a great many fighting men. There is scarcely a generation that had not its men of valor, beginning with Indian fights in 1675. Records show that Munson Pond had his head cut off by a British woodsman in 1776. It is said that he had killed seven of the enemy, but as the tide of battle turned in favor of the British, while the Americans were on the retreat, the enemy's light horse encountered them, and in that onslaught he was beheaded. Another Pond was recognized by General Lafayette. After the war Lafayette was passing through the streets of Milford, and amid the shouts of thousands his keen military eye caught the figure of Captain Charles Pond: he rose in his carriage and pointing to the captain called out, "Major Pond." They met with hearty embrace, in true French style, while tears of joy of the two veterans mingled as they coursed down their cheeks. A similar meeting took place when Lafayette met Barnabas Pond, of Clinton, New York, at the great oration at Utica in 1825. Barnabas Pond was an uncle of George C. Pond.

Benjamin Pond was a representative in congress at the time of the declaration of the war of 1812, voting for it, and continued to serve as a member until his death. At the invasion of Plattsburg by the British in 1814, he volunteered to repel the invaders, and by exposure contracted the camp fever, of which he died. There were many Union soldiers as well as revolutionary. There is a story of Captain Levi F. Pond, of the Seventh Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry. At the beginning of the battle. as Captain Pond was leading on his men to a charge, he received a wound in the breast which the surgeon pronounced fatal. As he fell his company seemed to falter until they heard his well known voice, though faint, "Press on, boys, never mind me." And they did press on with exasperating fury to avenge what they supposed to be the death of their brave commander. A little more than a month after, with the bullet still in his body, Captain Pond returned to his regiment, refusing to resign while he had sufficient strength to march with his company.

Source: Genealogy and Biography of Ontario County, New York

  Go Back