Evidence shown below makes it very likely that James Pauley may have come from Centre County, Pennsylvania.
In 1783, Rebecca McCormick (who married James Pauley) was born in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
In 1801, James Pauley, single man, was on the tax list with Rebecca McCormick's mother, Widow Agnes McCormick. Also listed were Thomas Pauley and another single man, Elisha Pauley. Typically when a person was listed in the Single Men section of the tax list, it meant they were over age 21 but not married.
See https://archive.org/details/historyofcentrec00linn page 41
By 1819, Rebecca (McCormick) Pauley is on the tax list in Coitsville, Trumbull County, Ohio, with Thomas, Elijah, and John Pauley.
In 1819, Thomas Pauley made application for the marriage license of Rebecca Pauley and Erastus Cowdery.
In 1820, Thomas Pauley and his wife deed property to Rebecca Cowdery.
