Country Vacations & Resorts

James Knox Polk

Time in Office: 1845 to 1849
Terms: One
Birthday: November 2, 1795
Birth Place: Mecklenburg County, (Pineville), North Carolina
Date of Death: June 15, 1849
Place of Death: Polk Place – Nashville, Tennessee
Buried: On the property at Polk Place

Notes:
~ Oldest of 10 children
~ Had surgery for urinary stones without anesthetic
~ The youngest man at the time (49) to become President
~ Added 3 states to the Union
~ Founded the US Naval Academy
~ Created the Department of the Interior

The son of a North Carolina farmer, James Polk’s family moved from North Carolina to Maury County, Tennessee when he was 10 years old. James was suffering from urinary stones which required surgery. Since anesthesia was not then available, brandy was his only way to dull the pain. James recovered from his operation and began his education with new enthusiasm.

His formal education, which began in Tennessee, continued at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill – where he graduated with honors in oratory and mathematics. He then returned to Tennessee where he received law training and also served as Tennessee’s Clerk of the State Senate, Nashville.

Young James Polk
Photo: Credit

With his speaking skills and new interest in the law and government, Polk’s political career began to really take off after 1819. By 1825 at the age of 29, Polk was elected to the House of Representatives for his Tennessee district – an office he held until 1833. Polk made numerous trips during this time from Nashville to Washington. Chances are many of these 666 mile trips were made in a stagecoach which averaged about 5 miles per hour, on a bumpy and sometimes unsafe road.

For some great quotes about travel in the US in the 1830s read “On the Road in the New Republic.” Sounds like – not fun! Poor James! Each trip, at this rate, would take somewhere around two weeks – each way. By Autumn of 1826 James had obviously had enough travel and sensing his time would be spent more in Washington, DC, he moved his wife Sarah back with him.

By 1839 he is back in Tennessee as its Governor. By March 1845 he becomes the 11th President of the United States

Presidency

Although James Polk did little traveling during his time as US President, he was greatly involved in affairs of the country and of the world.

His envoys, following Polk’s plans for expansion, were involved in the Oregon Treaty of 1846, (referring to current day Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and parts of the states of Montana and Wyoming), and sent diplomats and then troops to Mexico after the Texas annexation. During the effort to annex California, James sent General Zachary Taylor (who we will read more about soon!), to fight the war which although almost a foregone conclusion, finally began after an insult to one of Polk’s diplomats. California, Nevada, Utah, most of Arizona, and parts of New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming were all included in the Mexican Cession for the sum paid to Mexico of $15 million.

Polk’s expansions of the US, while drawing criticism from some at the time, helped make the US the coast-to-coast nation it is today.

Polk’s Place

Polk made a goodwill trip to New Orleans, Louisiana early in 1849 – just a couple of months after leaving office. His health, which had deteriorated during his many years of public service, may have made him vulnerable to cholera. He immediately returned from Louisiana to his home in Tennessee where he died at the age of only 53.

Next up – America’s 12th President, Zachary Taylor

Recommended:

The War Historian
Tour Polk’s Home

Traveling with American Presidents list