Polly was the only daughter of Thomas Townsend and Mary Elizabeth Stapleton Townsend. (she had eight brothers)

The following information was written by one of Polly's granddaughters, Geneva Murray Middleton, in 1932.

"My grandmother was a very handsome woman with dark auburn hair and dark brown eyes. She was a very religious woman and a member of the Methodist Church. A pastor named Ned Andrews preached her funeral when she died January 6, 1871. She is buried at the Middleton Cemetery at Middleton Memorial where most of the old settlers are buried. Uncle Lawson and grandmother lived alone on the old homestead. He inherited the home and all pertaining to it. My mother [Mary Ann Elizabeth Middleton who married Barney Murray] got her Testament, a small skillet and her spinning wheel. My grandparents left lots of books but they are all gone, even the old family Bible. All of her sons were in the Civil War but Stephen* who was killed in Texas in 1861, and William who was a doctor. Grooms was a preacher. The other sons were farmers and stock raisers. Grandfather had more than 1,000 head of cattle when he died and left grandmother a widow. She was well taken care of in her old age. She lived with her son Lawson and he never married until after her death."

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According to Beth Bland Engel:

The year following Alexander's death, Mary Middleton obtained 232 acres of land on the Sapelo River October 3, 1859. Her sons Lawson and Raiford helped survey this land.

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The following obituary was published in the Southern Christian Advocate in March 1871

MARY MIDDLETON, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Townsend, was born in S.C., A.D. 1800.and died in McIntosh co, Ga., Jan 26, 1871.
She removed with her family to Irwin co., Ga, 1n 1813, from thence to McIntosh co., where she was married at 15 to Mr. A.G. Middleton. She lived a consistent member of the M.E. Church, South, from early childhood up to her death. Her last illness was protracted, and her sufferings at times intense; yet she bore them with great Christian fortitude, and always expressed a willingness to go wherever it pleased God to take her. Our loss is heavy, hers is gain. She rests in hope, waiting for the general resurrection. So may we rest.

A.B. Purdom
(her son-in-law by daughter Marcella)

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Altogether Alex and Polly had twelve children. In addition to those children listed here (whose graves are known) they also had:

Thomas G. Middleton b. 1820 - d. 1853
Lucinda Middleton b. 1822 - d. unknown
Benjamin Grooms Middleton b. 1828 - d. unknown
* Stephen Middleton b. 1834 - d. 1863 (killed in Mississippi)

* Geneva was incorrect regarding the fate of her Uncle Stephen Middleton. Though his grave has not yet been located, Stephen died from wounds received in a knife fight somewhere near Senatobia Mississippi in late May 1863. He was a member of Company D of Waul's Texas Legion and got involved in an altercation with a Pvt. James M Holden of the same unit. Source: The Experiences of George McCormick in Waul's Texas Legion.