President James Knox Polk

Birth	2 NOV 1795
Reside	1816-1819		Polk established a law practice in Columbia, Tennessee.
Educ.	MAY 1818
Occup	1823-1825
Occup	1825-1839
Org.	1833-1835
Occup	1835-1839		USA Speaker of the House
Occup	1839-1841
Election	1844		USA Presidential Election
Occup	1845-1849
Reside	4 MAR 1845
Death	15 JUN 1849		Cause: cholera
Grave

He was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, of Scotch-Irish ancestry, on November 2, 1795. When young, the family moved westward into Tennessee.  The family followed the Presbyterian faith, but young Polk was not baptized as a baby because of his father's unwillingness to make a "confession of faith."

He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he found a rigorous Presbyterian indoctrination.

He studied law and entered politics. He became a U.S. Representative in 1825, and later served as Speaker of the House. Somewhat later, he became the Governor of Tennessee. He was a friend of Andrew Jackson.

Polk became a "dark horse" candidate for President as a Democrat in 1344, and was elected on the slogan, "Fifty-four... Read More