William Hawkins Polk
Encyclopedia
William Hawkins Polk was an American
politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives
for the 6th congressional district of Tennessee
. He was the brother of President James Polk, who had represented the same district when he had served in the United States Congress
.
, and the University of North Carolina
in 1832 and 1833. He graduated from the University of Tennessee
at Knoxville
, studied law, was admitted to the bar
in 1839, and commenced practice in Columbia. He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
from 1842 to 1845. He served as America's Minister
to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (in present-day Italy
) from March 13, 1845 to August 31, 1847. He served as major
of the Third Dragoons in the Mexican-American War in 1847 and 1848.
He was elected as an Independent Democrat to the Thirty-second Congress, serving from March 4, 1851 to March 3, 1853. He afterward resumed the practice of law, and died in Nashville
on December 16, 1862. He was interred
in Greenwood Cemetery in Columbia.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 6th congressional district of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He was the brother of President James Polk, who had represented the same district when he had served in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
.
Biography
William H. Polk was born in Maury County, Tennessee, on May 24, 1815. He attended the city schools of ColumbiaColumbia, Tennessee
Columbia is a city in Maury County, Tennessee, United States. The 2008 population was 34,402 according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. It is the county seat of Maury County....
, and the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
in 1832 and 1833. He graduated from the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
at Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, studied law, was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1839, and commenced practice in Columbia. He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
from 1842 to 1845. He served as America's Minister
Ambassadors from the United States
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to individual nations of the world, to international organizations, to past nations, and ambassadors-at-large.Ambassadors are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate...
to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (in present-day Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) from March 13, 1845 to August 31, 1847. He served as major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
of the Third Dragoons in the Mexican-American War in 1847 and 1848.
He was elected as an Independent Democrat to the Thirty-second Congress, serving from March 4, 1851 to March 3, 1853. He afterward resumed the practice of law, and died in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
on December 16, 1862. He was interred
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
in Greenwood Cemetery in Columbia.