 1795 - 1849 (53 years) Has 46 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.
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| Name |
James Knox Polk |
| Prefix |
President |
| Birth |
2 Nov 1795 |
Pineville, Mecklenburg, North Carolina, United States  |
| Christening |
1807 |
| Gender |
Male |
| FamilySearch ID |
LZPW-W22 |
| Death |
15 Jun 1849 |
Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States |
| Burial |
Tennessee State Capitol, Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States |
| Headstones |
 Submit Headstone Photo |
| Headstones |
Submit Headstone Photo |
| Person ID |
I170816 |
mytree |
| Last Modified |
25 Feb 2024 |
| Father |
Samuel Polk, b. 5 Jul 1772, Tryon, Polk, North Carolina, United States d. 5 Nov 1827, Columbia, Maury, Tennessee, United States (Age 55 years) |
| Mother |
Jane Knox, b. 13 Nov 1776, Rowan, North Carolina, United States d. 11 Jan 1852, Columbia, Maury, Tennessee, United States (Age 75 years) |
| Marriage |
25 Dec 1794 |
Hopewell Presbyterian Church, Huntersville, Mecklenburg, North Carolina, United States |
| Family ID |
F42713 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family |
Sarah Childress, b. 4 Sep 1803, Murfreesboro, Rutherford, Tennessee, United States d. 14 Aug 1891, Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States (Age 87 years) |
| Marriage |
1 Jan 1824 |
Murfreesboro, Rutherford, Tennessee, United States |
| Family ID |
F42715 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
6 Mar 2025 |
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| Event Map |
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 | Birth - 2 Nov 1795 - Pineville, Mecklenburg, North Carolina, United States |
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 | Marriage - 1 Jan 1824 - Murfreesboro, Rutherford, Tennessee, United States |
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 | Death - 15 Jun 1849 - Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States |
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 | Burial - - Tennessee State Capitol, Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States |
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| Notes |
- Often referred to as the first “dark horse” President, James K. Polk w a s the last of the Jacksonians to sit in the White House, and the last s tr ong President until the Civil War.
He was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, in 1795. Studious a n d industrious, Polk was graduated with honors in 1818 from the Universi t y of North Carolina. As a young lawyer he entered politics, served in t h e Tennessee legislature, and became a friend of Andrew Jackson.
In the House of Representatives, Polk was a chief lieutenant of Jackso n i n his Bank war. He served as Speaker between 1835 and 1839, leaving t o be come Governor of Tennessee.
Until circumstances raised Polk’s ambitions, he was a leading contende r f or the Democratic nomination for Vice President in 1844. Both Marti n Va n Buren, who had been expected to win the Democratic nomination fo r Presi dent, and Henry Clay, who was to be the Whig nominee, tried to ta ke the e xpansionist issue out of the campaign by declaring themselves op posed t o the annexation of Texas. Polk, however, publicly asserted tha t Texas sh ould be “re-annexed” and all of Oregon “re-occupied.”
The aged Jackson, correctly sensing that the people favored expansion, u r ged the choice of a candidate committed to the Nation’s “Manifest Desti ny .” This view prevailed at the Democratic Convention, where Polk was no min ated on the ninth ballot.
“Who is James K. Polk?” Whigs jeered. Democrats replied Polk was the can d idate who stood for expansion. He linked the Texas issue, popular in t h e South, with the Oregon question, attractive to the North. Polk also f av ored acquiring California.
Even before he could take office, Congress passed a joint resolution off e ring annexation to Texas. In so doing they bequeathed Polk the possibil it y of war with Mexico, which soon severed diplomatic relations.
In his stand on Oregon, the President seemed to be risking war with Gre a t Britain also. The 1844 Democratic platform claimed the entire Orego n ar ea, from the California boundary northward to a latitude of 54’40’ , the s outhern boundary of Russian Alaska. Extremists proclaimed “Fifty- four for ty or fight,” but Polk, aware of diplomatic realities, knew tha t no cours e short of war was likely to get all of Oregon. Happily, neith er he nor t he British wanted a war.
He offered to settle by extending the Canadian boundary, along the 49t h p arallel, from the Rockies to the Pacific. When the British minister d ecli ned, Polk reasserted the American claim to the entire area. Finally , th e British settled for the 49th parallel, except for the southern ti p of V ancouver Island. The treaty was signed in 1846.
Acquisition of California proved far more difficult. Polk sent an envo y t o offer Mexico up to $20,000,000, plus settlement of damage claims ow ed t o Americans, in return for California and the New Mexico country. Si nce n o Mexican leader could cede half his country and still stay in powe r, Pol k’s envoy was not received. To bring pressure, Polk sent Gen. Zach ary Tay lor to the disputed area on the Rio Grande.
To Mexican troops this was aggression, and they attacked Taylor’s forces.
Congress declared war and, despite much Northern opposition, supported t h e military operations. American forces won repeated victories and occup ie d Mexico City. Finally, in 1848, Mexico ceded New Mexico and Californi a i n return for $15,000,000 and American assumption of the damage claims .
President Polk added a vast area to the United States, but its acquisiti o n precipitated a bitter quarrel between the North and the South over ex pa nsion of slavery.
Polk, leaving office with his health undermined from hard work, died i n J une 1849.
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