Edward Polly/Polley is known to have been in Halifax County [1], which became Pittsylvania County in 1753, when his property boundary along the Banister River was mentioned in a deed. His history is otherwise unknown at present, as is his wife’s name.
Edward died in Pittsylvania County before 28 March 1771 when his son Edward was appointed administrator of his estate. He and his wife had three known (David, Edward, and Margaret) and seven presumed children. These children started the migration, and it expanded further with the next generation. Here are their children that I have information about, and where they went:
● Andrew “Drury” Polly was born in Brunswick County in 1732 and died in the Battle of Blue Licks near present-day Lexington, Kentucky, on August 18, 1782. He had no known wife or children. • David Polley was born in Brunswick County in 1733 and died there in 1785. He is my sixth great-grandfather. His children are noted below. • Joseph I. Polley was born before 1737 in Brunswick County. He migrated west and died in Giles County, Virginia, in about 1817. He is listed on various records as being in that region by about 1782. While some of his children stayed in this area, others migrated to Indiana and Kentucky.• Edward Polly (Jr.) is believed to have been born in Brunswick County in 1738. He is known to have been in Pittsylvania County in January 1778, but his whereabouts thereafter are presently unknown.• Margaret Polley was born in Brunswick County in 1740 and died in Pittsylvania County in 1771 with no known children.• James Polley was born in Brunswick County about 1745 and is believed to have died in Kentucky in 1782, with no known children.• Peter Polley was born in Brunswick County in 1745 and died in Shelby County, Kentucky, in early 1817. Some of his children left there and went to Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and other areas of Kentucky.• Thomas also ended up in Giles County, Virginia, where he died in 1855. • Jonathan was born in 1765 (unknown which county) and died in Mercer County, Virginia (now West Virginia) after 1850, with no known children.
Many of David and Agnes Adkins' children also migrated from Pittsylvania County. • Joseph Alan Polley (my fifth great-grandfather) was born about 1757 in Halifax County, Virginia, and died in Logan County, Virginia (now West Virginia) in about 1840.o Samuel A. Pauley (my fourth great-grandfather) was born in Pittsylvania County about 1790 and died in Kanawha County, West Virginia, in 1871o Daniel Polley/Pauley was born in 1794 in Pittsylvania County and died in 1824 in Kanawha Countyo Ephriam Polley/Pauley was born in 1794 in Pittsylvania County and died in 1865 in Lincoln County, Virginia (now West Virginia). o David Pauley was born about 1795 in Pittsylvania County and died about 1860, probably in Kanawha County, where he was known to have been living. o Joseph Polley/Pauley was born in 1802 in Pittsylvania County and died after 1860 in Boone County, Virginia/West Virginiao Meredith Pauley was born about 1803 in Pittsylvania County and died in Kanawha County in 1874.o John William Pauley was born in 1806 in Pittsylvania County and was living in Kanawha County in 1860.• Edward Polly died in Letcher County, Kentucky, in 1845. • John Polley died in Adair County, Kentucky, in 1840.• David Polley, Jr., died in Pike County, Kentucky, in 1847.• William Polley died in Darke County, Ohio, in 1847.• Henry Polley died in Logan County, Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1840.

NOTES:[1] This was a time of great expansion in Virginia. The same location in Brunswick County in 1732, when settlement first began in this area, would later become Lunenburg County in 1746, then Halifax County in 1752, and finally Pittsylvania County in 1767.
Updated April 2, 2026