Polly Leet                  Born: 4 Mar 1815, Benson, Rutland Co., Vermont Died: 18 Apr 1886, probably Dresden, NY Buried: Clemons Cemetery, Dresden, Washington Co., NY Parents: Allen Leet (1761-1825), Asenath Clarke (c1778-?) Married: John D. Clemons, 3 Jun 1840 Children: George L. Clemons, Rollin C. Clemons, Alonzo B. Clemons, Abram O. Clemons, James Henry Clemons, Patty Josephine Clemons

According to the Clemons bible owned by Dale R. Clemons, Polly Leet was born on March 4, 1815.  The census records indicate that she, like her husband John D. Clemons, was born in Vermont.  She was the daughter of Allen Leet, a Revolutionary War veteran, and Asenath Clarke, the widow of John Hale of Putnam. The 1855 New York State census reports that Polly had been resident in the Town of Dresden for 28 years, suggesting that came to New York as a 12-year-old in 1827.  But no Leets were enumerated under Washington County, NY in 1830.

She married John D. Clemons on June 3, 1840. John and Polly raised their five sons and one daughter on their farm on Dresden Hill.

She died on April 18, 1886, fourteen years to the day after the death of her husband.  She died five years after New York State began keeping vital records, yet there is no record of her death in the New York State Vital Records Index.  Either the record was never forwarded to the State, it was lost or misfiled, it was simply not indexed, or she died in another state.

Census Data:
1850:    Federal Census, New York, Washington Co., Town of Dresden, p. 128 "John D. Clemons"
1855:    State Census, New York, Washington Co., Town of Dresden, p. 3.
1860:    Federal Census, New York, Washington Co., Town of Dresden, p. 154, "J.D. Clements"
1865:    State Census, New York, Washington Co., Town of Dresden, p. 19, "John D. Clemons"
1870:    Federal Census, New York, Washington Co., Town of Dresden, p. 74, "John D. Clemons"
1875:    State Census, New York, Washington Co., Town of Dresden, p. 6, "Polley Clements" with "James Clements"
1880:    Federal Census, New York, Washington Co., Town of Dresden, p. 60, "Polly Clemons" with Rollin Clemons.

Sources:
Federal Census, New York, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880.
New York State Census, 1855, 1865, 1875.
Charles B. Moore, Cemetery Records: The Townships of Dresden and Putnam, Washington County, New York. Glens Falls: Historical Data Services, 1994.
Clemons Family Bible from Dale R. Clemons website.