Mary Polly Bailey was a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Peters Bailey. Her first husband was her first cousin, James Bailey. After James died, she then married another first cousin, John Clark Bailey, in 1934. All her sons (9) served in the Confederate Army with two dying in battle, one at Gettysburgh and the other at Staunton, VA.

"She was considered a woman of strong good sense and intellect." ("A History of The Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory," by David E. Johnston, 1906.)

"In 1834, Polly's father-in-law, John Bailey, deeded her the 65-acre tract of land that was given to him by his father, Richard, in 1813. This was probably Richard's original home place. Polly probably lived there with her Aunt Chloe Bailey Lusk and cousin, Chloe Jr. [This land is now the Bluefield Country Club Golf Course.] These women must have comforted and strengthened each other in very difficult times. Eli Bailey, brother of Henry, and his family lived next to them. Eli was married to Nancy Clark. Their son, John Clark Bailey, married Polly (after her first husband James died). [Information from "Richard Bailey," Vol. II, by Mary Ellen Howe.]

Patty Bailey Booth recalls that Ethel Calfee said Grandma Polly either had an ulcer or cancer on top of her foot. She remembers seeing them dress Polly's foot. Patty took the photo of Polly's black bonnet and the wash bowl and pitcher in the background which is over 100 years old.

Descendant Samuel Pruett wrote down the following interview from Mary Alice Bailey: "On one occasion, two of Polly's boys were plowing with a two-horse team. some friends called to them from the road. They went over to talk with them, leaving the team and plow standing. Polly went out, got the team, and resumed the plowing, saying: 'There is too much work to do around here to sit around talking.' The house at Beaver Pond was a log house of two stories. [From "Richard Bailey," Vol. II, by Mary Ellen Howe.]