U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Poling Family ------------------------------------------------------------------- The History of Barbour County, West Virginia, From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time by Hu Maxwell The Acme Publishing Company, Morgantown, W.Va., 1899 Pages 437-440 The Poling Family. These people were very early settlers in Barbour, but all efforts to trace them to a common ancestor have been fruitless. They are connected with a family of the same name in Hampshire County, and it is said that they originally came from New Jersey and that the name was Poland, so called from the country from which they came to America. But this cannot be stated with certainty, for the evidence is not conclusive. In the early records of Randolph County the name was always spelled Poland. In 1806, Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Poland, was married to John Johnson, by Robert Maxwell, a Justice of the Peace. In 1809, George Nestor was married to Millie, daughter of Martin Poland, by Simeon Harris. In 1810, Martin Poland was married to Mary, daughter of William Wilson, grandfather of Lewis Wilson. In 1815 the name is spelled Poling for the first time. In that year Jonas Poling was married to Phoebe, daughter of Cary Headley. Simeon Harris solemnized the ceremony. In 1816 Samuel Poling was married to Elizabeth Marks, and in the same year Andrew Foreman married Rachel Poland, and Martin Poling married Annie, daughter of William Right. Isaac S. Poling, born 1832, died 1897, was a son of Barnett and Jennie (Sturm) Poling, and was married July 27, 1867, at Churchville, Virginia, to Louisa May, daughter of William and Mary Ann (Keshner) Rogers. Children, William B., Mary Jane, George Franklin, Lloyd, Lucinda, Luther, Minnie L., Susan Virginia and Appie. He was a member of the M. E. Church, was a Democrat, and a farmer living on Whitman Run, where he owned 126 acres, nearly all improved; and still in possession of his widow. He served three years in the Confederate army under Imboden, and took part in many battles. He was a prisoner of war six months. His grandfather came from Maryland. Mrs. Poling's people came from Holland and were early settlers in the Valley of Virginia. Rev. Cyrus Poling, born on the old Poling homestead, July 28, 1850, son of George and Rachel (Kelley) Poling, was married April 8, 1873, near Meadowville, to Loretta, daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Stalnaker) Hudkins. Children, May, born February 11, 1874; George Jacob Webster, born December 3, 1877; Lulu Braxie, born April 19, 1880; Odie Belle, born December 11, 1883; Minnie Blanche, born April 23, 1888; Nora Beverly, born September 15, 1890. The subject of this sketch taught school thirteen years in Barbour County. He entered the ministrey of the M. E. Church in 1877, and since that time he has officiated in 113 marriages, and has received 3000 into the church. He has aided in the building of twenty-three houses of worship. Among the places of his labor are Webster, Sutton, Fremansburg, Belington, Troy, Beverly, Elkins, Tunnelton, Pruntytown, Bridgeport, Farmington. He now resides at the latter place. He was educated at the West Virginia College at Flemington. He owns 165 acres, mostly improved and underlaid with coal. His son Webster owns 115 acres, devoted to graizing and fruit. His daughter May, married Dr. R. M. McMillan, of Wheeling. Rev. Poling's mother is a daughter of Samuel and Delila (Rolands) Kelley. She was married October 14, 1849. Rev. Poling's father was a son of Amos and Sarah Poling born 1822, died 1895. Aldine S. Poling, thirty-two years old, son of Isaac and Elfenzine (Corder) Poling, was married at Philippi, to Lizzie W., daughter of Major Edward F. Grant. They have two children. Mr. Poling graduated at the West Virginia University, and soon afterwards began the publication of the Barbour Democrat, to which he has since given his attention. Wade Poling, born 1869, son of Isaac and Jane E. (Elliott) Poling, was married October 9, 1895, to Rosa V., daughter of Josiah H. and Sarah (Miller) Ekis. Children, Dellet T. and Cecil R. He is a member of the M. E. Church, South, is a Democrat and a farmer, residing on Glady Creek, where he owns 303 acres, of which 285 acres are cleared. He cuts 35 stacks of hay, raises from 100 to 200 bushels of wheat, and from 500 - 1000 bushels of corn annually, which he feeds to his stock. He can graze thirty head of three- year-olds, and takes special interest in growing cattle and sheep. His farm is all underlaid with coal, and has a good ledge of limestone on the "Streets Farm," which adjoins his other lands. His father was born in 1836, son of James and Elizabeth (Vannoy) Poling, and was married (1865) to Elfenzie S. Corder, who died in 1867, leaving one child, Aldine S. Poling, editor of the Barbour- Democrat. In 1868 he married Jane E. Elliott, daughter of Colonel William Elliott, of Belington, from which union six children were born, viz.: Wade, Etta, Solomon, (deceased), Frona, Bertie, and Rebecca Elizabeth, who died in 1891. Isaac M. Poling, born 1833, near Valley Furnace, son of Jacob and Louisa Poling, was married near Calhoun, May 3, 1888, to Mary A., daughter of Marshall and Sarah J. (Galliher) Phillips. Children, Minnie Belle, Orange Glenn and Lulu Blanche. He is a member of the Christian Church, in politics is a Democrat, and by occupation a farmer and teacher, residing near Calhoun. He was educated in normal schools of Barbour County. In 1892 he was elected Assessor of Barbour County, (east side), and served four years. He taught twelve years in the public schools of, Barbour; now owns 66 acres of highly improved land, and is one of the leading men of his part of the county, being an able advocate of enlightened methods of farming, and an influential member of the Democratic party. Ira C. Poling, son of Martin G. and Rebecca (Stemple) Poling, was born near the George Poling farm, June 15, 1867, and on September 11, 1888, at Nestorville, he was married to Rosa Belle, daughter of Jesse and Mary (Sturm) Stalnaker. Children, Raymond, born September, 3, 1890; Jessie M., September 4, 1893; Nora B., October 19, 1895, and Virgia M., July 2, 1898. Mrs. Poling was born October, 25, 1869. Mr. Poling is a member of the M. B. Church, and is a farmer, living two miles east of Philippi, where he owns 115 acres of improved lands, underlaid with coal. He was educated in the public schools of Barbour. Mrs. Poling's grandfather was Henry Stalnaker. Mrs. Rachel H. Poling, born at the old Howell homestead, 1850, daughter of Nehemiah and Rebecca (Limbers) Howell, was married December 9, 1869, to James W., son of Martin and Sarah (Wells) Poling. Children, Sylvester, Alice M., Rosa Belle, Sarah R., George H. She is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and was educated in the public schools. She is proprietor of the Pennsylvania Hotel at Davis, Tucker County, West Virginia. Her son Sylvester, married Appie V. Parks; her daughter Rosa, married Nelson T. Bowman, and Sarah married James T. Darkey of Old Town, Maryland. Loman Salathiel Poling, born on Teter's Creek in 1859, son of Emory and Catherine (Gainer) Poling, was married in Randolph County in 1880 to Genetta Estelline, daughter of Solomon and Mary Jane (Triplett) Ferguson. Children, Maudie A., Mattie E., Emory L., Solomon F., J. S., Hattie P. and Lulu G. Mr. Poling is a Democrat, and a farmer with good buildings, residing on Teter's Creek, where he owns a farm; also a mountain farm in Tucker County. He has taught nineteen terms of school in Randolph, Tucker and Barbour Counties. Mrs. Poling, a granddaughter of Robert Ferguson of Randolph County. Emory Poling, his father, was born at Meadowville in 1836, son of James and Elizabeth (Vannoy) Poling. He married a daughter of Samuel M. Gainer, and their children were Helen Angeline, James S., Loman S., Anzina Elizabeth, Josephine Augusta and Solomon S. James Poling and James' father were both born near Meadowville, the latter being one of the earliest inhabitants. James Samuel Poling, born 1856 on Teter's Creek, son of Emory and Catherine (Gainer) Poling, was married at Vannoy's Mills, 1875, to Louisa, daughter of William and Lucinda (Vanscoy) Workman. Their daughter's name is Florna. He is a member of the M. E. Church, South; is a Democrat, and a farmer and stockraiser, living on Teter's Creek; and he owns 300 acres, half improved, of which 88 acres are in Barbour and the remainder in Tucker County. He was educated in the public schools of the county, and began life as a teacher in Randolph County where he taught two terms; then two in Tucker, and nineteen in Barbour, in all of which he was successful. Riley D. Poling, born on Bear Run, 1873, son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth (Woodford) Poling, was married four miles south of Philippi, August 22, 1895, to Cora Virginia, daughter of Spotswood and Isabella (Reed) Thacker. Their child's name is Dowden E. He is a member of the M. E. Church, and by occupation a farmer, residing on the waters of Sugar Creek, where he owns 130 acres of land, partly improved and all underlaid with coal. He was educated in the public schools of Barbour. His mother was born one mile west of Philippi in 1836, daughter of William and Sarah (Jackson) Woodford. She was married in 1860 to Hezekiah, son of William and Elizabeth (Payne) Poling. Their children were Maria, Sarah Virginia, Ulyses S., John Wesley, Columbia Ann and Riley D. Her grandfather, William Jackson, was born in Ohio. Columbus H. Poling, born near Philippi in 1876, son of Albert W. and Catherine (Moore) Poling. In politics he is a Republican, and by profession a teacher, living at Philippi. He was educated in the public and private schools, and began teaching at the age of seventeen, and by his habits of industry and economy he has acquired some valuable real estate near Philippi. ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Barbour County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/barbour/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------