“Young Hickory”

Presidential Basics

Full name: James Knox Polk
Years in office: 1845–1849
Political party: Democratic
Vice president: George M. Dallas
Age at inauguration: 49
Nicknames: “Young Hickory,” “Napoleon of the Stump”

Random Trivia

Just once: Polk promised during the campaign that he would only serve only one term if elected.
The Dark Horse: Polk was not expected to win the election. Read more about Polk as president here.

Birth & Death

Birthday: November 2, 1795
Birthplace: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Death date: June 15, 1849
Place of death: Nashville, Tennessee
Place of burial: State Capitol Grounds in Nashville, Tennessee
Last words: “I love you, Sarah. For all eternity, I love you.”

Family

Father: Samuel Polk (1772–1827); Farmer
Mother: Jane Knox Polk (1776–1852)
Wife: Sarah Childress (1803 – 1891)
Marriage: January 1, 1824 in Tennessee
Kids: None
Home: Polk House in Columbia, Tennessee

Other Facts

Height: 5’8″
Eye color: Gray
Ancestry: Scotch-Irish
Religion: Presbyterian
Born in a log cabin: No
Owned enslaved people: Yes
Freemason: Yes

Education

Early education: Private school
College degree: Yes
College: University of North Carolina (graduated with B.A. in 1818); studied law

Career

Military Service: Yes
Lawyer: Yes
Lawyer (1820–)
Member of the Tennessee Legislature (1823–1825)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1825–1839)
Speaker of the House (1835–1839)
Governor of Tennessee (1839–1841)
President (1845–1849)

Writings

The Diary of James K. Polk; Correspondence of James K. Polk

Elections

James K. Polk was our country’s first dark-horse candidate to win the presidency. His close political ties to Andrew Jackson earned him the nickname “Young Hickory.” He agreed with Jackson on the importance of territorial expansion.

His main opponent was Whig candidate Henry Clay. Clay was favored, but failed to take a stance on expansion and Texas Annexation. As a result, Polk was elected. He kept his campaign promise to only serve one term in office.

11. James K. Polk