Foreword to Rideout and Polley Connections

by Mary W. Glenn, 1990

The name Rideout is explained in History through Surnames by W.O. Hassell. The author uses Chaucer's description of the monk in the Shipman's Tale:

"an officer, out for to ryde,

To see hir graunges and hire bernes wyde"

and by that of the monk in the Prologue:

"An outridere, that lovede venerie"

These monks were officers of a monastery whose duty it was to visit and supervise the outlying manors, but the term was not necessarily limited to ecclesiastics.

In the History of the Huguenot Emigration to America by Charles W. Baird, D.D., Antoine de Ridouet, Baron de Sance, a devoted follower of the Duke of Soubise, after the siege of LaRochelle, sought refuge in England for he and his family. Then in 1629, he proposed to form a colony of French Protestants in America, and this was favorably entertained by the government. Plans for the voyage and settlement were drawn up. After many delays, the refugees departed with their final destination the Carolinas. However, they landed in Virginia instead.

Elijah Rideout was taxed in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, in 1800. There were several Rideout families in both Brunswick and Dinwiddie Counties, but researchers can find no recorded connection. However, the names follow the same pattern -- Jiles, William, Thomas.

Because Elijah's fourth child was born in Tennessee, it has been concluded that they stopped for a brief time in that state before proceeding to Kentucky. The first record is found for land in Henderson County in 1817. Research has not brought to light the name of Elijah's wife. She died before 1850. It is likely her name was Mary and she may have been an Adkins.

There have been no records found to indicate that Elijah served in any military capacity. All military service before 1861-1865 comes to us through the wife of Thomas Adkins Rideout; Elizabeth P. Crenshaw.

There is evidence in the Historical Library at Frankfort, Kentucky that there was a Rideout's Landing on the Green River. This was probably located in the vicinity of the land now owned by the Alcoa Aluminum Plant.

Henderson County was divided eventually to include the counties of Hopkins, Union and Webster. The Rideouts were then in both Henderson and Webster County. Records indicate they wandered back and forth across the county line.

The Polley family were probably French Huguenot immigrants also. Lafayette Polley, son of Peter Z. Polley, handed down the information that the Polley name was d'Polle and the family came from a small village in France. The name translates to mean "Little People".

The earliest record located is for Peter Polley serving in the Revolutionary War from Montgomery County, Virginia in 1777. In 1779 he is listed as head of household at Bowman's Station, Fayette County Kentucky/Virginia. The family later settled in Shelby County, Kentucky. Peter Jr. moved his family about 1840 to Daviess County. Peter Jr's sons married and moved to Union County, Kentucky where they bought land before 1850. When Webster County was formed in 1860, the Polleys found themselves on the same land but in a different court district. This caused confusion for researchers for awhile.

Henderson Polley, ancestor for the majority of the descendants listed in this compilation, left us a poem on the back of his portrait when he was an old man and had been crippled for a long time:

"I have been crippled a Lifetime

and set in my chair all day long

Hoping and praying and Longing

To meet 'Loved Ones' in that Heavenly Home.

O! May I join in with the Angels

And set in their chair all day long"

Rock Style M.E. Church was built in the midst of these families and the churchyard cemetary bears out how many of this related family must have attended. There are numerous Rideout and Polley surnames found on the silent stone and many of the others are female children and grandchildren. If only diaries of their hardships and joys had been kept, we would have much more insight into their thoughts.

Both families have been in the state of Kentucky since early 1800. As with all families, branches have ventured North and West in search of better land; however, in 1990 the surnames of Rideout and Polley are still found in Henderson and Webster Counties. This does not include the many female descendants who have family located in the area. The Rideout and Polley children intermarried in a number of different generations. The families have become doubly related numerous times.

Records would indicate that the Rideout and Polley families were quiet, industrious, church going people. There are very few disputes in Circuit Court which would show they paid their debts, tended their land, and raised their families to be self-sufficient people. Hopefully, the following pages will give everyone who reads this a feeling of their proud heritage.

MWG

September, 1990