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James Knox Polk
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James Knox Polk ( November 2, 1795– June 15, 1849) was the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1845 to March 4, 1849. Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina but mostly lived in and represented the state of Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as Speaker of the House (1835–1839) and governor of Tennessee (1839–1841) prior to becoming president. Polk was the first president who retired after one term and did not seek reelection. He is noted for his success in winning a war with Mexico and adding vast new territories. He lowered the tariff and established a treasury system that lasted until 1913.
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James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States of America. He was born on November 2, 1795, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina to Samuel Polk and Jane Knox Polk. Polk graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1818 and in 1824 he married Sarah Childress (1803-1891). They had no children.
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James Knox Polk followed a career path which was blazed by Andrew Jackson. Both men hailed from southwestern North Carolina. Both migrated to Tennessee where they practiced law and entered politics, and both were elected president of the United States. As similar as their paths were, James Polk was a different personality from his fiery predecessor. His life and career were marked by a relentless pursuit of his goals instead of the dramatic aura that perpetually surrounded Jackson. The effects of Polk's presidency... were more dramatic upon the nation.
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It was as a farmer's boy, working hard in felling trees, building fences, and planting crops, that James Knox Polk spent his childhood days. His father was a surveyor as wellas a farmer, and soon became one of the leading men in that section of the country. He took with him on his long surveying expeditions his son James, then a bright but rather frail boy. They climbed mountains, waded through mountain gorges, and often had narrow escapes from the Indians. The boy, no doubt, had fine times helping to build the camp fires and cook the game at night in the Tennessee woods.
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James Knox Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, N.C., on Nov. 2, 1795. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, he moved west to Tennessee, was admitted to the bar, and soon became prominent in state politics. In 1825, he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he opposed Adams and, after 1829, became Jackson's floor leader in the fight against the Bank. In 1835, he became Speaker of the House. Four years later, he was elected governor of Tennessee, but was beaten in tries for reelection in 1841 and 1843.
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James Knox Polk was born on November 2, 1795, in a log cabin in Mecklenburg County on the North Carolina frontier. He was the eldest of ten children born to Samuel and Jane Knox Polk. His mother, a religious woman of great native intelligence, was a descendant of John Knox, the founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland. Both parents were descended from Scotch-Irish ancestors who had immigrated to America in the late 17th century.
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James Knox Polk