Lucius Junius Polk

Summary

Lucius Junius Polk (1802–1870) was an American politician and planter from Tennessee.

Lucius Junius Polk
Polk in the 1860s
BornMarch 16, 1802
DiedOctober 3, 1870
Occupation(s)Politician, planter
Spouse(s)Mary Ann Eastin, d. 1847
Frances Anne Erwin, d. 1858
Children9 who survived infancy
ParentWilliam Polk
RelativesLeonidas Polk (brother)
Lucius E. Polk (nephew)

Early life edit

Lucius Junius Polk was born in 1802 in Raleigh, North Carolina.[1] His father was Colonel William Polk.[1] He moved to Maury County, Tennessee, in 1823.[1]

Career edit

Polk served in the Tennessee Senate from 1831 to 1833.[1][2] He served as Adjutant General for the state of Tennessee from 1851 to 1853.[2]

Polk was also a wealthy cotton planter.[2] He owned 30 slaves in 1836 and 52 slaves in 1840.[3]

He was a Knight Templar.[1]

Personal life edit

Polk married Mary Ann Eastin, a grand-niece of Rachel Jackson (the wife of President Andrew Jackson) in April 1832.[1] Their wedding took place at the White House in Washington, D.C.[1] They resided at Hamilton Place near Columbia, Tennessee,[1][2] and had a large family together.

After Mary Ann Polk had died, Lucius married Frances Anne Erwin, with whom he had an additional son and daughter. Frances Polk also died in her 30s.

Death edit

He died in 1870.[1] He was buried on the grounds of St. John's Episcopal Church.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Garrett, Jill K. (Spring 1970). "St. John's Church, Ashwood". Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 29 (1): 3–23. JSTOR 42623126.
  2. ^ a b c d Richard Quin, Hamilton Place, The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, December 25, 2009
  3. ^ Betterly, Richard D. (Summer 1994). "St. John's Episcopal Churchyard: Material Culture and Antebellum Class Distinction". Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 53 (2): 88–99. JSTOR 42628371.

External links edit