Summary Information
William H. Polleys Papers
1853-1895
- Polleys, William H., 1824-1906
La Crosse Mss H
1.2 cubic feet (3 archives boxes including 21 volumes)
UW-La Crosse Murphy Library / La Crosse Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Papers of William H. Polleys of Jackson County, Wisconsin, including correspondence; miscellaneous business papers; and twenty-one logging camp account books, 1875-1882, recording logs sawed and loaded and employees' time and expense records for various logging camps maintained by Polleys in Wisconsin.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-lx000h ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
William H. Polleys, son of Abner Polleys, was born at Halifax, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, in 1824. In 1841, he moved to Washington County, Maine; and in 1856 to Jackson County, Wisconsin. Mr. Polleys had land investments in Florida, Georgia, and Wisconsin, in addition to interest in a mill at La Crosse, Wisconsin. His major activity, however, was in the lumber industry. He owned lumber camps in both Maine and Wisconsin.
Mr. Polleys married Dorothy Woodcock, daughter of Dexter and Jane Hovey Woodcock, of Maine. They had four children; William E., Edgar H., Abner D., and Frank O.
An expanded version of this biography from an unknown source is an appendix to this finding aid.
Scope and Content Note
The William H. Polleys Papers include correspondence, 1853-1895, unsorted business papers, and ephemera. The correspondence pertains primarily to Mr. Polleys' business interests and includes information about land purchases in Georgia and Florida, debts, and two inventions for which he attempted to secure patents.
The volumes cover the period 1875-1882 and are records of logs sawed and loaded and employees' time and expense records in various logging camps maintained by Mr. Polleys.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Mrs. Dorothy Polleys Barlow, Monticello, Wisconsin, August 1953.
Processed by S. Sheppard December 1, 1966.
Contents List
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La Crosse Mss H
Box
1
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Correspondence, 1853-1895, undated
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Box
1
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Miscellaneous unsorted business papers
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Box
1
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Ephemera
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Box
1
Volume
1
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Account book, 1867-1895
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Camp account books
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Box
1
Volume
2
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1867-1868
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Box
1
Volume
3
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1868-1869
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Box
1
Volume
4
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1874-1875
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Box
2
Volume
5
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Camp Longwood, 1875
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Box
2
Volume
6
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Camp No. 2, 1876
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Box
2
Volume
7
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1877-1878
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Box
2
Volume
8
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Camp No. 3, 1879
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Box
2
Volume
9
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1881
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Box
2
Volume
10
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1875-1879
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Box
2
Volume
11
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1886-1888
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Box
2
Volume
12
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Day book, 1875
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Box
2
Volume
13
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Day book, 1875-1885
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Box
2
Volume
14
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Load book of James Whitmore, 1876, January
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Box
3
Volume
15
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Load book of George McManners, 1876
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Scale and log books
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Box
3
Volume
16
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1874-1875
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Box
3
Volume
17
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1878-1879
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Box
3
Volume
18
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1882
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Box
3
Volume
19
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Skidding book, Camp No. 2, 1875
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Box
3
Volume
20
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Time book, 1874-1879
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Box
3
Volume
21
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Time Book - Camp No. 11, 1877
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Appendix: Biographical Sketch of the Polleys Family
Abner D. Polleys was born in Baring, Maine, May 3, 1856. His father, William H. Polleys, had come to Maine in the early 40's from Novia Scotia and had married a New England girl, Dorothy Woodcock. There is some evidence that William Polleys engaged in a retail grocery business in Baring and was also active in the lumber business, an interest which eventually led him to Wisconsin. William Polleys had twice visited Milwaukee where he no doubt learned of the opportunities in lumbering in the north. Finally, in late 1856, he moved with his wife and four sons, William E., Edgar H., Abner D., and Frank O., to Melrose in Jackson County, Wisconsin.
An examination of the Polleys' papers indicates that William H. and Abner D. are the chief figures in the “narrative.” Unfortunately little is known about the father. Of Abner, however, we possess more information.
In 1875, Abner D. entered Black River Falls high school where he specialized in the commercial course, work designed to prepare him for a position in his father's flourishing lumber and logging business which was located on French Island, in the Black River near La Crosse. The lumber operation came to be called W.H. Polleys & Sons and Abner served as company bookkeeper from 1876 to 1880 at which time he entered farming in Jackson County.
Abner D. became a popular figure in Melrose and throughout the county. In 1888 he was elected town clerk and served for five years. Following this, he was chosen town chairman for ten consecutive terms. He became in 1904 supervisor of assessments of Jackson County and shortly thereafter a member of the Melrose school board. In 1907 he was chosen Jackson County's first highway commissioner. Politically Abner D. was an ardent Democrat and a prohibitionist. He was one of the founders of the Jackson County Historical Society, 1936. His interest in local history was also expressed in the many articles of historical interest he wrote for La Crosse, Trempealeau, Monroe, and Jackson County newspapers (La Crosse Tribune, Monroe Republican, Melrose Chronicle, and the Banner-Journal of Black River Falls).
Abner died in 1942, leaving his widow, Minnie James of Richland Center whom he had married in 1893, two daughters, Mrs. Lloyd (Mae) Milbright and Mrs. Wendell (Dorothy) Barlow, and one son, James, who resided in Merrimac at the time.
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