Pera R. Polly was a Judge of the Probate Court of Lawrence County, Ohio, who was born in Otsego County, New York, on May 5th, 1815.
He was the third child in a family of ten children, whose parents were Daniel Polley and Mary (Holcomb) Polley.
His father, a native of Massachusetts, followed through life the trade of millwright, and also agricultural pursuits; he moved to Ohio in March 1816, settling in Gallia county, whence, after selling his farm, in March 1858, he removed to Jackson County, Ohio, where he resided permanently until his demise in 1864; he had been an active participant in the war of 1812, and was the son of Daniel Polley, a revolutionary soldier.
His mother, a native of Chenango County, New York, was a daughter of Zephaniah Holcomb, one of the colonial patriots and an officer in the army of the confederated provinces. Until his fourteenth year was attained his days were passed alternately in attending school in the winter months and in working on a farm during the summer seasons. In 1829 he was taken by his father to learn the trade of millwright while continuing to labor a part of the time as a farm assistant. In this manner, he was then assiduously employed until 1852.
At the age of twenty-one, he had conquered so thoroughly the mysteries and difficulties of his trade that he took the rank of master-wright, and his initial work as a master-wright was done in Scioto County, Ohio.
Previous to 1845, the date of his settlement in Lawrence county, Ohio, he worked for varying periods in West Virginia and in Gallia and Scioto Counties, and in other parts of Ohio; subsequently, he settled in Elizabeth Township, Lawrence County, and was there employed principally in working at his trade for about one year. He then moved to a place near Ironton, in Upper Township, where, still engaged at his trade, he remained until 1855, when he settled in Ironton, where he has since resided.
In 1852 he was elected Magistrate of Upper Township, and on his settlement in Ironton was elected to the same office, which through successive re-elections was retained by him until 1869. In that year he was elected Probate Judge of Lawrence county; was re-elected in 1872, and has down to the present time held this office for about six years. In 1856 he was elected Township Clerk of Upper township; has been re-elected several times, and still fills that position.
His views and sentiments concerning the polity of his country incline him toward the Republican party, and his first vote at a Presidential election was cast in favor of General Harrison.
Religiously, he holds to the form and spirit of the Baptist Church, of which he has been a member since 1852. For a number of years, he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity and has taken a prominent part also as an earnest advocate in the movements of temperance organizations.
He was married, May 10th, 1849, to Elizabeth Mayhew, of Lawrence County, Ohio, who died December 25th, 1851, with the issue of two children; and again, February 28th, 1854, to Rebecca Staley, of Wayne County, West Virginia.
Source: Ohio Biographical Sketches, 1787-1876
Peras R. Polley was born in Otsego County, New York, in 1815. His parents are Daniel and Mary (Holcomb) Polley. His father was born in Massachusetts, and his mother in New York.
Mr. Polley came to this county in 1845. He was a magistrate from 1852 to 1869, when he was elected to the probate office, which he filled for six years, and in 1879 he was again elected magistrate, which he still holds, his term expiring in June 1885.
He has held the office of township clerk ever since 1857, and he still retains it. By virtue of this office, he has been manager of Upper township schools. In politics, he was a Whig, and now is an ardent supporter of the Republican party.
He is a member of the Baptist church. He became a member of the Masonic fraternity in 1872.
In Wayne County, West Virginia, in 1854, Mr. Polley was married to Rebecca A. Staley, who was born in that county in 1818.
They have the following children:
- Mary A., born in 1854;
- Levina B., 1859;
- George H. T., 1861;
- Mead G., 1863; they all reside in Ironton.
The parents of Mrs. Polley are Stephen and Mary (Newman) Staley, who reside in West Virginia. The post office address of Mr. Polley is Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio.
SOURCE: 1887 Hardesty’s Atlas of Lawrence County, Ohio.
0 Comments