General informationJames Knox Polk
James Knox Polk
President order: 11
Democrat
Born in North Carolina
Sworn in on 3/4/1845
Age at inauguration: 49
1 term

Biography

James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States (1845–1849). Polk was born
 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented the state of 
Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as Speaker of the House (1835–1839) and Governor of 
Tennessee (1839–1841). Polk was the surprise ("dark horse") candidate for president in 
1844, defeating Henry Clay of the rival Whig Party by promising to annex Texas. Polk 
was a leader of Jacksonian Democracy during the Second Party System.

Early life:
James Knox Polk, the first of ten children, was born in a farmhouse (possibly a "log"
 cabin)in what is now Pineville, North Carolina in Mecklenburg County on November 2, 
1795, just outside of Charlotte.His father, Samuel Polk, was a slaveholder, successful
 farmer and surveyor of Scots-Irish descent. His mother, Jane Polk (née Knox), was a 
descendant of a brother of the Scottish religious reformer John Knox. She named her 
firstborn after her father James Knox.


Marriage and family:
Polk courted Sarah Childress, and they married on January 1, 1824.Polk was then 28, 
and Sarah was 20 years old. Throughout their marriage they had no children. They were 
married until his death in 1849. During Polk's political career, Sarah was said to 
assist her husband with his speeches, give him advice on policy matters and was always 
active in his campaigns. An old story told that Andrew Jackson had encouraged their
 romance when they began to court.

Web

James K. Polk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James Knox Polk ( / ' p o? k / "poke"; November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th
President of the United States (1845–1849). Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North 
Carolina ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_K._PolkJames K. Polk
James K. Polk was the 11th President of the United States, from 1845-1849.
www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/jamespolkJames K. Polk - President of the United 
States (POTUS)
James Knox Polk-- from the Hall of Forgotten Presidents A case for considering Polk as 
one of the "near-great" presidents. James K. Polk-- from the North Carolina Encyclopedia
www.potus.com/jkpolk.html