William Polk (colonel)
Encyclopedia
Colonel William Polk was a North Carolina
, banker, educational administrator, political leader, renowned Continental
officer in the War for American Independence
, and survivor of the 1777/1778 encampment at Valley Forge
.
, on July 9, 1758, the eldest child of Thomas Polk and his wife, Susanah Spratt. His father was one of the framers of the Mecklenburg Resolves of May 31, 1775 (often confused with the questionable "Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence"), which repudiated royal authority in the Province. As colonel of the Fourth Regiment, North Carolina Continental Line, Thomas Polk was in charge of removing the bells of Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell, to safety in Allentown prior to British occupation of the American capital in 1776.
The House of Commons, for unrecorded reasons, failed to concur.
appointed Polk Surveyor General of the Middle District
, now a part of Tennessee. In this capacity Polk acquired large tracks of land in the area. Twice he was elected to the House of Commons
before returning in 1786 to his native Mecklenburg County, where he was re-elected to the House of Commons in 1787, served a one-year term and was re-elected in 1790. He was a candidate for Speaker of the House in 1791, but was defeated by Stephen Cabarrus
. That March President Washington appointed him Supervisor of Internal Revenue for the District of North Carolina, a position he held for seventeen years, or until the Internal Revenue Laws were repealed.
Polk was among the Continental Army officers who founded the North Carolina Society of the Cincinnati
on October 23, 1783.
After the death of his first wife in 1799, he moved to property on Blount Street in Raleigh
. In December of that year he was elected Grand Master of Masons
of North Carolina and served in that office until December 1802.
Federalists in the state legislature nominated him for governor in 1802, but by a two-to-one margin he lost to John Baptista Ashe, a fellow officer in the Revolution. Ashe died before taking office.
Polk became the first president of the State Bank of North Carolina
in 1811 and held that office for eight years.
In March 1812, as war with Britain seemed imminent, President Madison
offered Polk a commission as brigadier
in the U.S. Army
. A Federalist and opponent of the war, he declined the offer. Not until August 1814 when the British sacked Washington
did he recant his opposition to the war. Writing his brother-in-law William Hawkins, Governor of North Carolina, he offered his services to the state in whatever capacity the governor saw fit. Inasmuch as North Carolina was not seriously threatened, he was not called upon.
In June 1818 Polk became one of the first vice presidents of Raleigh Auxiliary of the American Colonization Society
and remained active in the group for many years.
The Federalists again nominated him for governor in 1814, and again he was defeated.
of Venice, Italy, to produce a statue of Washington for the Statehouse. On Christmas Eve 1821 it arrived in Raleigh and was met with great fanfare, including a 24-gun salute, marching bands, and a parade of both houses of the legislature and the Governor. In last position, just ahead of the statue, were veterans of the Revolution, with Polk bearing the Stars and Stripes
. The Capitol
building burned in June 1831 and the statue was destroyed. An accurate copy was produced in recent years from molds of the original, which were preserved in Italy, and stands in the rotunda of the old Capitol building.
in 1790 and served until his death, including a term as President of the Trustees from 1802-1805. Among other educational efforts, he founded a school for sixteen pupils in Raleigh in 1827 and assisted his wife Sarah in founding a school for poor children in 1822.
, on October 24, 1768. The couple had two children, Thomas Gilchrist Polk, born February 22, 1791, and William Julius Polk, born March 21, 1793. Grizelda Polk died in 1799.
Polk remarried on New Year's Day 1801 Sarah Hawkins, whose brother William later became Governor of North Carolina. Sarah bore thirteen children, two of whom died in infancy.
His obituary in the January 21, 1834 issue of the Raleigh Register contained the following:
David Swain
, the governor of North Carolina at the time of Polk’s death, said:
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, banker, educational administrator, political leader, renowned Continental
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
officer in the War for American Independence
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, and survivor of the 1777/1778 encampment at Valley Forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
.
Early life and background
William Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North CarolinaMecklenburg County, North Carolina
-Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...
, on July 9, 1758, the eldest child of Thomas Polk and his wife, Susanah Spratt. His father was one of the framers of the Mecklenburg Resolves of May 31, 1775 (often confused with the questionable "Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence"), which repudiated royal authority in the Province. As colonel of the Fourth Regiment, North Carolina Continental Line, Thomas Polk was in charge of removing the bells of Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell, to safety in Allentown prior to British occupation of the American capital in 1776.
American Revolutionary War
- At the onset of hostilities between the American colonies and Great Britain, William Polk left Queens College (an unrelated precurser of the modern Queens University) to accept a commission as second lieutenant in the Third South Carolina Regiment, commanded by Col. William Thomson. In a campaign to subdue Tory forces in South Carolina, he was severely wounded in the left shoulder at Great Cane Brake on 23 December 1775. Borne on a litter 120 miles to his father's home in North Carolina, he spent the following nine months recuperating from the dangerously infected wound. His reportedly was the first American blood shed south of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.
- 1776, November 26: The Provincial Congress of North Carolina at HalifaxHalifax, North CarolinaHalifax is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 344 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Halifax County...
elected Polk major of the Ninth Regiment, North Carolina Continental Line. When the North Carolina regiments were ordered north, the Ninth had only about half its complement of men. Its colonel and lieutenant colonel remained in North Carolina to superintend further recruiting, and young Polk, given command, marched the regiment to New Jersey, where he rendezvoused with the main body of General Washington's army.
- 1777, September 11: Polk and his regiment saw action at the Battle of BrandywineBattle of BrandywineThe Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
- 1777, October 4: At the Battle of GermantownBattle of GermantownThe Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
Polk was shot in the mouth while in the act of giving a command. The musket ball ranged along the upper jaw, knocking out four teeth and shattering the jawbone.
- 1777/1778, winter: Recuperating from this wound, Polk remained with his regiment during the difficult encampment at Valley ForgeValley ForgeValley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
.
- 1778, March: Their ranks severely depleted by death and the expiration of enlistments, North Carolina's ten regiments were reduced to four. Superflous officers, including Polk, were removed by lot from active service. Polk returned to North Carolina, where he engaged in recruiting duty.
- 1778, August 15: The State Senate passed the following resolution:
Resolved, That Major William Polk be appointed to the first vacancy of a major that shall happen in the Continental battalions of this State, with the same rank he heretofore held when in the service of this State.
The House of Commons, for unrecorded reasons, failed to concur.
- 1778, fall – 1780, April: Polk continued in his recruiting duties and participated in skirmishes against the Tories. During this time he began a lifelong friendship with Andrew JacksonAndrew JacksonAndrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
.
- 1780, May: After the fall of CharlestonSiege of CharlestonThe Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
, the Southern Department of the Army was reorganized under General Horatio GatesHoratio GatesHoratio Lloyd Gates was a retired British soldier who served as an American general during the Revolutionary War. He took credit for the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga – Benedict Arnold, who led the attack, was finally forced from the field when he was shot in the leg – and...
. Major Polk was assigned to the staff of General Richard CaswellRichard CaswellRichard Caswell was the first and fifth governor of the U.S. State of North Carolina, serving from 1776 to 1780 and from 1784 to 1787....
, the former Governor of North Carolina.
- 1780, August 16: Polk saw action at the disastrous Battle of CamdenBattle of CamdenThe Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War...
. When the Continentals began to give ground, Polk joined with the North Carolina militia and fought with them. Once De KalbJohann de KalbJohann von Robais, Baron de Kalb , born Johann Kalb, was a German soldier who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:...
fell and the rout of Continentals was complete, Polk, thanks to his knowledge of the country, was able to lead a large number of troops in a successful retreat to North Carolina. That fall he acquired a position under General William DavidsonWilliam Lee DavidsonWilliam Lee Davidson was a North Carolina militia general during the American Revolutionary War.-Origins and education:His father moved with his family to Rowan County, North Carolina, in 1750, and William, the youngest son, was educated at Queen's Museum in Charlotte.-Military Campaigns:Active...
.
- 1781, January: General Davidson’s militia, including Polk, marched to the aid of Daniel MorganDaniel MorganDaniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that...
, who after his success at CowpensBattle of CowpensThe Battle of Cowpens was a decisive victory by Patriot Revolutionary forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, in the Southern campaign of the American Revolutionary War...
was on the run from the main body of Cornwallis’Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess CornwallisCharles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
army.
- 1781, February 1: When Cornwallis attempted to cross the CatawbaCatawba RiverThe Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...
at Cowan's FordBattle of Cowan's FordThe Battle of Cowan's Ford was a battle in the Southern Theater of Cornwallis's 1780–1782 Campaign that eventually led to the British Army's surrender at Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War...
, he was attacked by Davidson (including Polk). Davidson was mortally wounded, falling into the arms of Polk, and the demoralized militia began to flee. Polk rallied as many as he could and led them to SalemSalem, South CarolinaSalem is a town in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 135 at the 2010 United States Census..-Geography:Salem is located at ....
reporting for service to General George Pickens.
- 1781, March 15: Polk was without a command and fought as a volunteer at Guilford Court HouseBattle of Guilford Court HouseThe Battle of Guilford Court House was a battle fought on March 15, 1781 in Greensboro, the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, during the American Revolutionary War...
. Afterwards, Polk received a commission as a Lieutenant Colonel from John RutledgeJohn RutledgeJohn Rutledge was an American statesman and judge. He was the first Governor of South Carolina following the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the 31st overall...
, the Governor of South Carolina. Within a month, Polk as raised a regiment of swordsmen and mounted infantry, the Fourth South Carolina under General Thomas SumterThomas SumterThomas Sumter nicknamed the "Carolina Gamecock" , was a hero of the American Revolution and went on to become a longtime member of the Congress of the United States.-Early life:Thomas Sumter was born near Charlottesville in Hanover County, Virginia in 1734...
.
- 1782, April: Polk joined with the force of Colonel Wade HamptonWade Hampton IWade Hampton was a South Carolina soldier, politician, two-term U.S. Congressman, and wealthy plantation owner. He was the scion of the politically important Hampton family, which was influential in state politics almost into the 20th century...
, grandfather of the famed Confederate general of the same nameWade Hampton IIIWade Hampton III was a Confederate cavalry leader during the American Civil War and afterward a politician from South Carolina, serving as its 77th Governor and as a U.S...
, and led his regiment on a forced march of sixty miles in seventeen hours, surprises the British at Friday’s Ferry on the CongareeCongaree RiverThe Congaree River is a short but wide river in South Carolina in the United States; It flows for only 47 miles . The river serves an important role as the final outlet channel for the entire Lower Saluda and Lower Broad watersheds, before merging with the Wateree River just north of Lake Marion to...
, and burned the blockhouse near Fort Granby.
- 1781, May 11–15: Having returned to Sumter, Polk and his regiment took part in the siege of OrangeburgOrangeburg, South CarolinaOrangeburg, also known as "The Garden City," is the principal city in and the county seat of Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city is also the fifth oldest city in the state of South Carolina. The city population was 12,765 at the 2000 census, within a Greater Orangeburg...
.
- 1781, September 8: Polk's regiment, along with a few others, covered the advance of Greene's line at Eutaw SpringsBattle of Eutaw SpringsThe Battle of Eutaw Springs was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, and was the last major engagement of the war in the Carolinas.-Background:...
. Polk's horse was killed and fell on him. Shortly thereafter, Polk witnessed the death of his brother Thomas. He ordered two men to bury the body, then resumed the fight. With regard to Polk’s actions that day, Greene later wrote:Lieutennant-Colonels Polk and Middleton were no less conspicuous for their good conduct than their intrepidity, and the troops under their command gave a specimen of what may be expected from men naturally brave when improved by proper discipline.
-Nathaniel Greene
- 1781, September 9 – October 19: Polk and his regiment had little to do in South Carolina but picket and skirmish.
- Once hostilities ended, Polk returned to North Carolina, a veteran of some of the Revolution’s fiercest battles and a survivor of the harshest winter encampment in the history of the United States Military. He was twenty-two years old.
Politician, Public Servant, and Prominent Citizen
In 1783 the North Carolina General AssemblyNorth Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
appointed Polk Surveyor General of the Middle District
Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee....
, now a part of Tennessee. In this capacity Polk acquired large tracks of land in the area. Twice he was elected to the House of Commons
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
before returning in 1786 to his native Mecklenburg County, where he was re-elected to the House of Commons in 1787, served a one-year term and was re-elected in 1790. He was a candidate for Speaker of the House in 1791, but was defeated by Stephen Cabarrus
Stephen Cabarrus
Stephen Cabarrus held the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in North Carolina from 1789 to 1793 and from 1800 to 1805....
. That March President Washington appointed him Supervisor of Internal Revenue for the District of North Carolina, a position he held for seventeen years, or until the Internal Revenue Laws were repealed.
Polk was among the Continental Army officers who founded the North Carolina Society of the Cincinnati
Society of the Cincinnati
The Society of the Cincinnati is a historical organization with branches in the United States and France founded in 1783 to preserve the ideals and fellowship of the American Revolutionary War officers and to pressure the government to honor pledges it had made to officers who fought for American...
on October 23, 1783.
After the death of his first wife in 1799, he moved to property on Blount Street in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. In December of that year he was elected Grand Master of Masons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
of North Carolina and served in that office until December 1802.
Federalists in the state legislature nominated him for governor in 1802, but by a two-to-one margin he lost to John Baptista Ashe, a fellow officer in the Revolution. Ashe died before taking office.
Polk became the first president of the State Bank of North Carolina
State Bank of North Carolina
The State Bank of North Carolina is the oldest surviving commercial building in Raleigh, North Carolina and was the first state-sponsored banking institution constructed in North Carolina. The bank was incorporated in 1810, but during the War of 1812 cash was moved inland to banks in Raleigh and...
in 1811 and held that office for eight years.
In March 1812, as war with Britain seemed imminent, President Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
offered Polk a commission as brigadier
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. A Federalist and opponent of the war, he declined the offer. Not until August 1814 when the British sacked Washington
Burning of Washington
The Burning of Washington was an armed conflict during the War of 1812 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America. On August 24, 1814, led by General Robert Ross, a British force occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings following...
did he recant his opposition to the war. Writing his brother-in-law William Hawkins, Governor of North Carolina, he offered his services to the state in whatever capacity the governor saw fit. Inasmuch as North Carolina was not seriously threatened, he was not called upon.
In June 1818 Polk became one of the first vice presidents of Raleigh Auxiliary of the American Colonization Society
American Colonization Society
The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...
and remained active in the group for many years.
The Federalists again nominated him for governor in 1814, and again he was defeated.
Canova's Washington
After the War of 1812 the North Carolina legislature commissioned the celebrated sculptor Antonio CanovaAntonio Canova
Antonio Canova was an Italian sculptor from the Republic of Venice who became famous for his marble sculptures that delicately rendered nude flesh...
of Venice, Italy, to produce a statue of Washington for the Statehouse. On Christmas Eve 1821 it arrived in Raleigh and was met with great fanfare, including a 24-gun salute, marching bands, and a parade of both houses of the legislature and the Governor. In last position, just ahead of the statue, were veterans of the Revolution, with Polk bearing the Stars and Stripes
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
. The Capitol
North Carolina State Capitol
The North Carolina State Capitol is the main house of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Housing the offices of the Governor of North Carolina, it is located in the state capital of Raleigh on Union Square at One East Edenton Street. The cornerstone of the Greek Revival building was...
building burned in June 1831 and the statue was destroyed. An accurate copy was produced in recent years from molds of the original, which were preserved in Italy, and stands in the rotunda of the old Capitol building.
| Speech Given by Colonel William Polk at the Dedication of Canova's WashingtonState House in Raleigh, North Carolina. December 24, 1821 |
|---|
| Fellow Citizens:- An enlightened Legislature, faithful to the emotions of a grateful people, has procured the Statue of our beloved Washington, formed by the highest skill of and artist whom all agree in calling the Michael Angelo of the Age. Rome- once the citadel of the earth, the terror of Kings; now fallen, now defaced- still nourishes for the arts those talents by which patriotism and republican virtue are honored and recorded in the New World. Thus, it is that Providence, in its wise and mysterious dispensations, makes even degenerate nations in the instruments of preserving that holy reverence for the rights of humanity, which must ultimately issue in the establishment of the liberties of the world. The country of Phocion and Leonidas may again be free; and some future Phidias, catching inspiration from the sublime ruins around him, make the marble tell to posterity the heroic actions of his contemporaries. America may justly glory in her Washington, the founder of her liberty, the friend of man. History and tradition are explored in vain for a parallel to his character. In other illustrious men, each possessed some shining quality, that was the foundation of his fame; in Washington, all the virtues were united- force of body, vigor of mind, ardent patriotism, contempt for riches, gentleness of disposition, courage and conduct in war. In the annals of modern greatness he stands alone, and noblest names of antiquity lose their luster in his presence. Born the benefactor of mankind, he united all the qualities necessary to an illustrious career. Nature made him great; he made himself virtuous. Called by his country to the defense of her liberties, the triumphantly vindicated the rights of man, and laid in the principles of freedom the foundations of a great republic. Twice invested with the supreme magistracy by the unanimous voice of the free people, he surpassed in the cabinet the glories of the field; and, voluntarily resigning the scepter of the sword, retired to the private shades of life. A spectacle so new, so sublime, was contemplated with the profoundest admiration; and the name of Washington, adding new luster to humanity, resounded to the remotest regions of the earth. Magnanimous in youth, glorious through life, great in death, his highest ambition the happiness of mankind, his noblest victory the conquest of himself, bequeathing to posterity the inheritance of his fame, and building his monument in the hearts of his countrymen, he lived the ornament of the eighteenth century- he dies, regretted by a mourning world. The record of such virtues should be transmitted to posterity by every means the Muse of History, of Painting, and of Sculpture, can employ; and who is not profound of his country when he sees her thus munificently, consecrating the memory of the first patriots? It is gratifying to know that the task was a favorite one to the Artist; he had an exalted admiration of the character of Washington, and he has accordingly lavished on the work some of the richest treasures of his genius. But Canova is an enlightened friend of liberty, and worthy to be the sculptor of its author. May we not, then, fellow-citizens, indulge the hope that this beautiful specimen of the arts, besides its moral effects in holding up to the imitation of youth the greatest qualities it commutates, also refine their taste and awaken their latent energies of genius- that while it inculcates the virtues that render life unusual to our country, it may diffuse a relish for the arts that embellish society, and call forth a display of the varied powers of man's ingenuity. -The Raleigh Register, December 28, 1821 quoted by Marshall DeLancy Haywood: |
Lafayette's Visit to Raleigh
Lafayette visited Raleigh in March 1825 as part of his Grand Tour and Colonel Polk was appointed to give an address on the occasion. Upon the completion of his speech, Polk and Lafayette embraced and wept at the memory of the dangers and hardships they had shared. Lafayette attended various balls, dinners, and other events, including breakfast at Colonel Polk's home on the morning of March 3.| Speech Given by Colonel William Polk welcoming General Lafayetteupon this arrival in Raleigh, North Carolina. March 2, 1825 |
|---|
| General Lafayette: Charged by my fellow citizens with the grateful duty of offering you cordial welcoming to the capital of their state; I know that I express the universal sentiment, in adding, that your arrival in the bosom of our country is one of the most acceptable events that could have occurred in our day and generation. Deeply sensible as they are of the inestimable blessings they enjoy under a free Constitution, they would not yet be unworthy of them, they did not frequently refer(illegible) to the circumstances under which their foundation was laid – to the vicissitudes of toil, privation, and suffering, through which they were gained- and, above all cherish a lively feeling of gratitude towards those, whose patriotic spirit and heroic daring put every thing(sic) to risque(sic), but honor, to build up the heritage of freedom for their posterity. It is impossible to review the history of these times, and not dwell with delight on the name and services of Lafayette, who, animated with the purest love of liberty, relinquished what ordinary minds esteem the choicest blessings of life, to aid in its defence(sic)-quitting family, friends, fortune & country, to encounter the perils of a military life, in an unequal and almost hopeless contest and who, in the darkest period of the Revolution, instead of being applied at the extent of danger, derived new and or from the gathering storm. We can never forget General, how much we owe to your skill and gallantry in the field, to the strength your countenance and example inspired to our just but desponding cause – the successful issue of your generous efforts to procure for it, the aid of your brave and high-minded countrymen, and the emotions of joy you expressed, when you communicated to the army, the first intelligence, that your sovereign had become the ally of these infant States. The enviable lot of mortality, has left but few of your brave companions in arms in this State, and from them, time has ravaged most of the strength, that war and wounds had left. Yet they have come from their distant homes to participate in the general joy of your arrival, and once more, to gladden their sight with the view of their beloved leader. That aged and honored group; whose furrowed cheeks are bedewed with the tears of mingled joy and gratitude, and, whom you see drawn, by a reverential sympathy towards the sculptured resemblance, of the Father of this Country, are impatient to clasp you to their hearts, to recall themselves to your remembrance, & to forget for a moment, the infirmities of age in retracing those well fought fields, where their youthful blood flowed freely with your own, to cement the foundations of this republic. To those who did not witness, history has presented a faithful record of your disintereste(sic) and persevering services in our cause; and all have felt a correspondent interest in your life and fortunes, amidst the great events which have agitated Europe, since your return thither. They have mourned over your personal sufferings, but they have been consoled, by the reflection, that no adverse fortune, could make you cease to be the steady and incorruptible friend of Rational Liberty, and the empire of laws; and by the certainty, that the same just views of human society and strong benevolence of heart, that governed your honorable career in America, would preside over it, in Europe; and enshrine you in the affections of all the enlightened friends of man. The excellence of the government you assisted in establishing, would be manifest to all nations could they witness its practicable operation in securing the happiness and elevating the character of its citizens, in giving a useful direction to their physical powers, and developing their moral energies. It is our warmest and cordial wish that your visit to a people, whom you have so greatly benefited, may be attended with every circumstance, that can render it happy, and that the evening of your days, may be solaced by the consciousness, that a virtuous life, and generous devotion to their cause, has secured you the gratitude of ten millions of freemen. -William Polk, quoted by the Raleigh Register, March 8, 1825 (microfilm) |
Service to education
Polk was made Trustee of the University of North CarolinaUniversity 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 1790 and served until his death, including a term as President of the Trustees from 1802-1805. Among other educational efforts, he founded a school for sixteen pupils in Raleigh in 1827 and assisted his wife Sarah in founding a school for poor children in 1822.
Marriages
In October 1789 Polk married Grizelda Gilchrist, a granddaughter of a former colonial attorney general of North Carolina. She was born in Suffolk, VirginiaSuffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
, on October 24, 1768. The couple had two children, Thomas Gilchrist Polk, born February 22, 1791, and William Julius Polk, born March 21, 1793. Grizelda Polk died in 1799.
Polk remarried on New Year's Day 1801 Sarah Hawkins, whose brother William later became Governor of North Carolina. Sarah bore thirteen children, two of whom died in infancy.
Notable Relations
- Ezekiel PolkEzekiel PolkEzekiel Polk , American soldier, pioneer and grandfather of President James Knox Polk, was the next youngest of five boys and three girls born to William Polk and Margaret Taylor Polk of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, near present-day Carlisle...
, William's uncle and first commanding officer during the Revolution. - James K. PolkJames K. PolkJames Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
, 11th President of the United States and William's first cousin, once removed, being the grandson of his father's brother EzekielEzekiel PolkEzekiel Polk , American soldier, pioneer and grandfather of President James Knox Polk, was the next youngest of five boys and three girls born to William Polk and Margaret Taylor Polk of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, near present-day Carlisle...
. - Leonidas PolkLeonidas PolkLeonidas Polk was a Confederate general in the American Civil War who was once a planter in Maury County, Tennessee, and a second cousin of President James K. Polk...
, William’s second son by his wife Sarah, was known as "The Fighting Bishop", being both an Episcopal bishop and Confederate general. (Killed in action at Pine Mountain, Tennessee.) He was instrumental in establishing the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Fort PolkFort PolkFort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
is named in his honor. - Leonidas Lafayette Polk, whose precise family connection is uncertain, a Confederate colonel and first North Carolina Commissioner of AgricultureNorth Carolina Commissioner of AgricultureThe Commissioner of Agriculture is the head of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as well as chairman of the state Board of Agriculture. As an executive officer elected statewide, the commissioner is also a member of the North Carolina Council of State.Leonidas L....
.
Death
Polk died on January 14, 1834, at his home in Raleigh.His obituary in the January 21, 1834 issue of the Raleigh Register contained the following:
Colonel Polk was at his death the sole surviving field officer of the North Carolina Line; and it will be no disparagement to the illustrious dead to say that no one of his compatriots manifested deeper or more ardent devotion to the cause of his country; that in her service no officer more gallantly exposed his life or more cheerfully endured privation and suffering, and that no one of his rank in the army contributed more by his personal services to bring that glorious contest to a successful end.
—The Raleigh Register, January 21, 1834 quoted by Marshall DeLancey Haywood
Legacy
- Despite the long and distinguished life of Colonel William Polk, his memory has been over-shadowed by that of his presidential cousin. Nevertheless, the town of Polkville, North CarolinaPolkville, North CarolinaPolkville is a small city in northwestern Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 535 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Polkville is located at ....
is named for him, as is Polk CountyPolk County, North CarolinaPolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 20,510. Its county seat is Columbus.-History:The county was formed in 1855 from parts of Henderson County and Rutherford County...
.
- Polk Correctional Institution (originally Polk Youth Institution), opened in 1997 near Butner, North CarolinaButner, North CarolinaButner is a town in Granville County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,591 at the 2010 census]. Butner was managed by the state of North Carolina from 1947 through 2007. A bill passed by the North Carolina General Assembly incorporating the town was signed by Gov. Mike Easley on...
, is a North Carolina maximum-security prison for men aged 19–25. The original Polk Prison was built in 1920 on the grounds of Camp Polk, a World War I U.S. Army tank base in Raleigh. The facility is named for Colonel William Polk.
- There are conflicting sources regarding the town of PolktonPolkton, North CarolinaPolkton is a town in Anson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,195.The town is named after its founder, Leonidas L...
. Some allege that it is named for William, others that it was named for Confederate Leonidas L. PolkLeonidas L. PolkLeonidas Lafayette Polk , or L.L. Polk, was an American farmer, journalist and political figure.He was born in Anson County, North Carolina. L.L...
, who founded the town.
- There are also conflicting theories regarding the name of Polk County, Tennessee. Some assert that the county was named for President Polk, but others believe it was named for William, who had owned property there.
David Swain
David Lowry Swain
David Lowry Swain was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1832 to 1835.-Biography:Swain was born in Buncombe County, North Carolina; his father, George Swain, was a farmer and a member of the North Carolina General Assembly...
, the governor of North Carolina at the time of Polk’s death, said:
He was a contemporary and personal friend of Andrew Jackson
Andrew JacksonAndrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, not less heroic in war, and quite as sagacious, and more successful in private life. It is known that Colonel Polk greatly advanced the interests and enhanced the wealth of the hero of New Orleans by information furnished him from his field notes as a surveyor, and in directing Jackson in his selection of valuable tracts of land in the State of Tennessee; that to Samuel Polk, the father of the President (James K. PolkJames K. PolkJames Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
), he gave the agency of renting and selling his (William’s) immense and valuable estate in lands in the most fertile section of that state; that as President of the Bank of North Carolina, he made Jacob Johnson, the father of President Andrew JohnsonAndrew JohnsonAndrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
, its first porter; so that of the three native North Carolinians who entered the White House through the gates of Tennessee, all were indebted alike for the benefactions, and for promotion to a more favorable position in life, to the same individual, Colonel William Polk.
-David Swain, quoted by William H. Polk.