James H. Pollard was born around 1832 in Oneida County, New York, to Harvey Pollard. He married a woman named Loraine, and their son Floyd was born around 1858. They lived in Westmoreland, New York, and he worked as a carpenter. By 1860, he owned $800 of real estate and $520 of personal property.
He enlisted in the Union army on October 15, 1861, and he mustered in as a private in the 1st New York Engineers. According to his service records, he was 5 feet, 5 inches tall, with brown hair and hazel eyes. The regiment took part in the siege of Charleston, the Bermuda Hundred campaign, and the siege of Petersburg. He eventually became an artificer, and he mustered out on June 30, 1865.
He settled in Hartland, New York, after the war and resumed his work as a carpenter. By 1870, he owned $2,800 of real estate and $730 of personal property. They moved to Middleport, New York, in the 1870s. He applied for a federal pension in January 1886 and eventually received one. His wife apparently died in the early 1880s, and he married a woman named Mary around 1882. Their daughter Martha was born around 1883. By 1900, the family was living in Royalton, New York. He died in 1904.