Is Lydia M. “Liddy” Polly’s Maiden Name “Rose”? A Brick Wall Problem

Lydia M. Polly was the mother of Martha Jane Polly Lancaster, who was married to George Wilson Lancaster, one of the focus ancestors of my 12 for ’26 in March. She is my 4x-great-grandmother and I do not know her maiden name.

Working backwards, I have information about her from her tombstone, death certificate, and six census records from 1850 to 1910. I have no idea when she married Nathaniel H. O. Polly, though sometime around 1847.

Let’s revisit the documents I have. This is often a way to find a flaw in the research or the thinking at the time I collected the documents. Maybe I will get a clue to investigate further.

Death & Burial Records
I have visited the Rockwall Memorial Cemetery where she is buried. Her stone, in the old section of the cemetery, is old with lichen, but readable. Her husband’s stone is newer and someone likely had it replaced.

The stone reads:

“L. M.
POLLY
Born Feb 24, 1828
Died Mar 27, 1912
Thy trials ended thy rest is won. God was thy ransom, thy guardian, thy guide."[1]

The death certificate issued in Rockwall County is only partially filled out. There is no informant, birthplace, birthdate, parents’ names, nor cause of death. It reads:

Mrs. N. H. O. Pally
Female, white, widowed, age 84
Burial at Rockwall, 28 March 1912, Alex L. Mathic, undertaker, Rockwall.[2]

The Find a Grave Memorial, a derivative site, has more information than is found on the marker. It gives her full name as Lydia Margaret “Liddy” Rose Polly. The birthdate and death date matches the marker. She was listed as wife of “Reverand (and Dr.) Nathan H. O. Polly. They were the parents of Nancy, Mary, William O, Josephine, Arizona, Margurite, Luella, and Martha.”[3] The name Rose is in italics on the site which signifies the maiden name. There is no source for this name.

The FamilySearch Family Tree has Lydia Margaret Rose (LC6K-NM7). LindaNeedham1 left a note “Do not have source showing her maiden name, need more research.”[4] No parents are listed for her. Checking the history of sources added to her profile, LindaNeedham1 added the Find a Grave source on 3 May 2014.  

No newspaper obituary has been found.

Census Records
Lydia was enumerated with her husband, Nathaniel H. O. Polly in census records from 1850 through 1900, and with her daughter, Josephine, in 1910.

1850
Nathan H.O. Polly was head of household in Dallas County, Texas, with Lydia M Polly. He was a “C. Baptist minister.” Both Lydia and Nathan were born in Kentucky. Nancy K was born in Arkansas, and Mary C was born in Texas. Not sure what C. Baptist Minister refers to, but perhaps the “C” stands for circuit. He traveled around preaching most of his life.

Polly, Nathan H. O, 26, m, C. Bap. Minister;  KY
   Lydia M., 20, F, KY
   Nancy K., 2, F, Ark
   Mary C; 3/12; F; TX[5]

1860
Nathan and family were in Montague County, Texas, in 1860. The family had grown to six children. The make up of the family were:

Polley, H. O.,   37, M.D.,  KY 2000/4150
Lydia M.,   30,       KY
Nancy,      13         Ark
Mary C.     11         TX

Wm. O.       8        TX
Martha J.,    6         TX
Margurite L., 3       TX
Josephine,  5/12     TX[6]

1870
The family was enumerated in Kaufman County, Texas. Nancy and Mary were gone from the household. A new child, Arizonia had been born five years previously. All members aged ten years or so. Martha J. in the 1860 census was now listed as Josephine. Margurite L was now listed as Luella.

Polly,  N.H.O., 48, m, w, Minister Gospel, $1500/$2500, KY
Lydda M., 39, f, w, Keeping house, KY
William O., 17, m, w, at home, TX
Martha J., 15, f, w, TX
Luella, 13, f, w, TX
Josephine, 10, f, w, TX
Arizonia, 5, m, w, TX[7]

1880
The family was enumerated in Rockwall County, Texas. They hadn’t moved but Rockwall was carved out of Kaufman County in 1873. Nathan was listed as a farmer. Besides his wife, four children were living with him, three married and one still single, and two grandchildren. His wife was listed as “Rose” suggesting her first or nickname was Rose. This is the first census to give relationships and the birthplaces of their parents. Lydia’s parents were said to be born in Kentucky and Tennessee. A new clue to keep track of.

Polly, Nathan, w, m, 61, head, Farmer, KY, VA, TN
Rose, w, f, 51, wife, keeps house, KY, KY, TN
Mary, w, f, 30, dau, married, at home, TX, KY, KY
William ,w, m, 26, son, married, at home, TX, KY, KY
Josephine, w, f, 20, dau, married, at home, TX, KY, KY
Loula, w, f, 21, dau-in-law, married, AL, GA, GA
Arizona, w, f, 15, dau, single, TX, KY, KY
Buddy, w, m, 3, grandson, TX, TN, TX
Claud, w, m 5/12, Dec, grand-son, TX, TN, TX[8]

1900
Nathan and his wife, Margaret, lived alone in Precinct 7 of Dallas County. Here she is listed as another name, though her middle initial in census and deed transactions was M. Their mothers’ places of birth differ from the 1880 census. They are older, so perhaps they have forgotten. Her birth year differs from the tombstone of 1828. However, her birth years have been consistent in the census records.

Polly, N.H.O., Jul 1820, 79, married 55 yrs, KY, KY, KY, Minister, rent, house, 0 mos not employed
Margaret, Feb 1830, 70, 7 children/3 living, KY, KY, KY[9]

1910
Lydia lead a household in 1910, as Nathan had died in 1902. Her daughter and two grandsons lived with her. Here she has aged a bit and may be how her birth year is a couple of years off the average census years.

Polly,  Liddy M, head, 82, F, W, widow, 7 child/1 living, KY, KY
Wilkerson, Josephine, 50, wd, 6 ch/3 liv, b. TX, parents KY
                 Lester S., grandson, 21, b. TX, father MO, mother TX
                 Charles H, grandson, 14, b. OK, father MO, mother TX[10]

Deed Records
Lydia was listed on several of the deeds when Nathan sold land. In the deed sales of 1856, 1886, and 1887, she signed her name (or at least the clerk indicated she did). However, starting in 1896, she signed four deeds with a mark. Both the 1900 and 1910 census indicated she could read and write. Perhaps she was infirmed and could no longer write.

• In 1856, Nathan and his wife, L. M. Polly, of Tarrant County, sold land in Dallas County to Robert Simpson.[11]
• In 1885, Nathan and his wife, L. M. Polly, of Rockwall County, sold land to J.W. Jones of Ellis County.[12]
• In 1887, N.H.O. Polly and his wife L. M. Polly of Rockwall County, sold land to A.J. Taylor.[13]
• In 1896, N.H.O. Polly and his wife L.M. Polly of Rockwall County, sold land to W.T. Laundy. In this deed, she signed with a mark.[14]
• In 1897, NHO Polly and his wife L.M. Polly of Rockwall County, sold land to W.G. Scott. She signed with a mark.[15]
• In 1900, NHO Polly and his wife L.M. Polly of Rockwall County, sold land to Jeff Jacks. She signed with a mark.[16]
• In 1904, L.M. Polly, wife of NHO Polly deceased of Rockwall County, sold land to J.T. Benbrook. She signed with a mark.[17]

Full-Text Search
I searched for “Lydia Polly” in Kentucky records found a Lydia Polly, wife of David Polly in Mason County, Kentucky. Another deed in Spencer County that listed Lydia Polly and Lucy all children of James Yates, where no common was between Lydia and Polly. All other Lydia Polly names were first names of women.

I have been frustrated that I cannot find them in Arkansas, but decided to search again. Who knows, maybe more films have been added to the full-text search. This time I search for her husband, N.H.O. Polly, as searching for women, one must search the men in their lives. Boy, am I glad I did. I finally found a document by searching for “H.O. Polly.” I found two entries in the Washington County, Arkansas, marriage records of him performing marriage rites.[18] I found another marriage he conducted on 2 November 1848 in Washington County.[19]

Now that I found him in Washington County, I could filter and search for Polly and looking through 100 items is not so bad. Most Polly entries refer to a woman’s first name, but I did find a tax record for 1849. He paid a poll tax and was taxed for 2 enslaved people worth $600.[20] He was not listed in 1848.

Newspaper Research
Having a place in Arkansas to search, I went to Newspapers.com to search for Polly. I found an article in the Arkansas Intelligencer from June 1849 that gave dates and locations of church meetings given by Elders Graham and Polly.[21] This is likely him. Fort Smith was a larger town south of Fayetteville.

Conclusion
I have not found the marriage of NHO Polly and Lydia. I did make some progress into a location in Arkansas that he lived in: Washington County in 1848 and 1849, which is in the northwest corner of Arkansas. They must have married sometime between 1847 and 1848 if their child, Nancy was three years old in late 1850. If only I could find the marriage record, then I would be closer to finding her surname. I don’t think it is Rose. Why would she be using that as a first name in 1900 census? Then there is the issue of her signing her name with a mark. Could that mean she was infirmed and unable to write? Did she have a stroke or some accident?

I am still stuck with this brick wall.

#52Ancestors: Week 14 – A Brick Wall Revisited 

This is my ninth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

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[1] Rockwall Memorial Cemetery, Rockwall, Rockwall Co, Texas, L.M. Polly marker, photo by Lisa S. Gorrell, 10 May 2024.

[2] Texas State Board of Health, Standard Certificate of Death, Rockwall County, 1912, no. 8489, Mrs. N H O Polly (indexed as Pally), imaged in “Texas, Deaths, 1890-1977,” imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GY1J-9G6V : accessed 1 Apr 2026); citing IGN 005145094, image 495 of 3184.

[3] Find a Grave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30073856/lydia-margaret-polly : accessed 1 Apr 2026), memorial 30073856, Lydia Margaret “Liddy” Rose Polly (1828-1912), memorial created by Marian (Carlson) Johnson, 25 Sep 2008.

[4] FamilySearch Family Tree (https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/LC6K-NM7 : accessed 1 Apr 2026), Lydia Margaret Rose (24 Feb 1828-27 Mar 1912), LC6K-NM7. Last change 21 Nov 2022.

[5] 1850 U.S. census, Dallas Co, Texas, p. 93 (stamped), dwelling 305, family 314, Nathan H. O. Polly.

[6] 1860 U.S. census, Montague Co, Texas, p. 76b (stamped), dwelling 721, family 743, H. O. Polley.

[7] 1870 U.S. census, Kaufman Co, Texas, p. 60, dwelling 372, family 386, N. H. O. Polly.

[8] 1880 U.S. census, Rockwall Co, Texas, ED 30, p. 600 (stamped), dwelling 183, family 184, Nathan Polly.

[9] 1900 U.S. census, Dallas Co, Texas, ED 143, p. 179 (stamped), dwelling 32, family 32, N.H.O. Polly.

[10] 1910 U.S. census, Rockwall Co, Texas, ED 178, p. 4b & 5a, Liddy M. Polly.

[11] Dallas Co, Texas, deed, v. E, p. 574, NHO Polly to Robert Simpson, 1856.

[12] Rockwall Co, Texas, deed, v. H, p. 162-63, NHO Polly to J.W. Jones, 1885.

[13] Rockwall Co, Texas, deed, v. I, p. 55-56, NHO Polly to A.J. Taylor, 1887.

[14] Rockwall Co, Texas, deed, v. R, p. 121-22, NHO Polly to W.T. Laundry, 1896.

[15] Rockwall Co, Texas, deed, v. S, p. 435-36, NHO Polly to WG Scott, 1897.

[16] Rockwall Co, Texas, deed, v. X, p. 316-317, NHO Polly to Jeff Jacks, 1900.

[17] Rockwall Co, Texas, deed, v. 12, p. 941-42.

[18] Washington Co, Arkansas, marriage, v. A, p. 158-59, N.H.O. Polly, officiant, 1849, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-YY5K : accessed 1 Apr 2026); IGN 007579616, image 727 of 888.

[19] Washington Co, Arkansas, marriage, v. A, p. 130, N.H.O. Polly, officiant, 1848, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9XF-YB46 : accessed 1 Apr 2026); IGN 007579616, image 713 of 888.

[20] Washington Co, Arkansas, tax record, 1849, p. 42, N.H.O. Polly, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTN-594T-L : accessed 1 Apr 2026); IGN 008339823, image 588 of 875.

[21] Arkansas Intelligencer (Fort Smith, Ark), 30 Jun 1849, p. 2, col. 1.

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