Daniel Polsley

Daniel Haymond Polsley (November 28, 1803 – October 14, 1877) was a nineteenth-century politician, lawyer, judge and editor from Virginia and West Virginia.

Born in Palatine near Fairmont, Virginia (now West Virginia), Polsley attended country schools as a child, completed preparatory studies, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1827, commencing practice in Wellsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia). He was editor the Western Transcript from 1833 to 1845. He then moved to Mason County, Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1845 and engaged in agricultural pursuits and practiced law.

Daniel married Eliza Villette Brown of Virginia on August 14, 1827 in Wellsburg, West Virginia. Some sources show the couple had 12 children.

Polsley was a member of the Wheeling Convention in 1861 and was chosen to be Lieutenant Governor of the Restored government of Virginia the same year. About two weeks before West Virginia became a separate state, he resigned on 8 June 1863. He was judge of the seventh judicial circuit of West Virginia from 1863 to 1866 before being elected a Republican to the United States House of Representatives in 1866, serving from 1867 to 1869. Afterwards, Polsley commenced practicing law until his death in Point Pleasant, West Virginia on October 14, 1877. He was interred there in Lone Oak Cemetery.