Lucius Junius Polk Explained

Lucius Junius Polk
Birth Date:March 16, 1802
Death Date:October 3, 1870
Occupation:Politician, planter
Spouse:Mary Ann Eastin, d. 1847
Frances Anne Erwin, d. 1858
Parents:William Polk
Children:9 who survived infancy
Relatives:Leonidas Polk (brother)
Lucius E. Polk (nephew)

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

Early life

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

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

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

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

Notes and References

  1. Garrett . Jill K. . St. John's Church, Ashwood . Tennessee Historical Quarterly . 29 . 1 . 3–23 . 42623126 . Spring 1970 .
  2. Richard Quin, Hamilton Place, The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, December 25, 2009
  3. Betterly . Richard D. . St. John's Episcopal Churchyard: Material Culture and Antebellum Class Distinction . Tennessee Historical Quarterly . 53 . 2 . 88–99 . 42628371 . Summer 1994 .