For years, my late wife, Irene, suggested that I write a book about Sarah Childress Polk, the wife of James K. Polk, the 11th president of the United States. Although I have spoken on Mrs. Polk at a reunion of Polk’s collateral descendants in Sewanee, I have never written her biography. I have always, however, been interested in the important role she played in her husband’s political life.
In 1819, after James K. Polk, a graduate of the University of North Carolina, studied law under Felix Grundy in Nashville, passed the bar exam and practiced for two years. He moved to Murfreesboro, then the state capitol, where he secured a job as clerk of the State Senate. There he met 16-year-old Sarah Childress, who was educated at the Moravian Female Academy in Salem, North Carolina. Polk was struck by her “Spanish style beauty.” Later, Polk asked his mentor Andrew Jackson how to best further his political ambitions. Jackson said ”You should take a wife and become an established member of society.” Polk then asked Jackson if he had anyone in mind. Jackson said Sarah Chilldress, who was from an established and wealthy Murfreesboro family. James began courting her and they were married on New Year’s Day in 1824.
With Jackson’s endorsement, Polk won a congressional seat in August 1825 and headed to Washington. His arrival there as a newly elected congressman followed the presidential election of 1824 when John Quincy Adams was elected president by the House of Representatives because none of the four candidates — Ada, Jackson, Henry Clay of Kentucky and William H. Crawford of Georgia, received an electoral majority of the votes. As House speaker, Clay engineered Adams’ election despite the fact that the clear political sentiment in Kentucky had been for Jackson. The fact that Adams named Clay Secretary of State confirmed, in Jackson’s mind, that there had been “a corrupt bargain,” and he thereafter became Clay’s arch enemy.
During his first term, young Jimmy Polk stayed in a boarding house while Sarah, because of the animosity in Washington over the Eaton affair, remained in Columbia, James’ hometown. James later said that the session of Congress seemed to last forever.
When Polk returned to Washington for the next session of Congress, he brought with him his 23-year-old wife, who quickly emerged as his conspicuous helpmate, handling his correspondence and dealing with all the issues involving the boarding house on Pennsylvania Avenue where they lived. When Polk gave a speech on the house floor, Sarah could often be seen watching from the gallery. Their friends were aware of how enamored Polk was with Sarah. In a letter to a friend, Polk wrote that, on their stage coach travels, Sarah was always cheerful, seldom needed a rest stop and complained about the arduous trips less than he did. Sarah quickly became well known in Washington, “for her acute and unflaging awareness of the dignity of her position as the wife of a young congressman.”
We all know that Andrew Jackson was elected president in 1828 with an overwhelming majority. Polk did everything he could to help him achieve that. By the early 1830s, Polk had emerged as a national figure for his brilliant legislative success in the House. When the Speaker of the House position became open in 1834, Jackson favored Polk for the job. However, it went to John Bell of Tennessee, a critic of Jackson. The next year, Polk wrestled the job away from Bell and won it again in 1837.
As Speaker of the House, the Polks needed to secure larger living quarters than the boarding house with a common mess. James told Sarah that it would not be appropriate for the Speaker to eat every day with other members of the house. Sarah replied, with a smile, “As would inevitably happen, if you were there they couldn’t openly criticize the Speaker.” Sarah believed that, in his new position, her husband would rival the presidency in power and influence.
There was a problem at home, however, as Tennessee Democrats were begging Polk to return home and oust the Republican governor, Newton Cannon. James and Sarah discussed the matter and reluctantly decided Jim should run for governor. He did so, narrowly defeating Cannon. Polk lost his bid for re-election, suffering the first political defeat he had ever had. He lost to “Lean Jimmy” Jones again in 1943 and wondered if his political career was over. It was not, as in 1844, Polk won the presidency defeating Henry Clay primarily because Clay was not in favor of annexing Texas, and Polk was.
Polk ventured beyond Washington only three times during his presidency and had few diversions. When they did go out for pleasure, the excursions were organized by Sarah. On the other hand, they entertained frequently at the White house, which became the focal point of Washington society. Sarah glistened as the city’s premier hostess, usually hosting affairs two or three times each week. She allowed wine to be served, but there was no hard liquor and no dancing. Polk always worked the crowd trying to convince legislators to embrace his legislative aims. He also tended to slip away from receptions to his desk for another hour or two of work.
Throughout Polk’s presidency, Sarah proved to be an antidote to her husband’s famous reserve. She was described as “extremely affable, perfectly self-possessed” and having a stately, regal appearance. She was also her husband’s only intimate advisor. Polk once wrote, “Sarah knew so intimately my private affairs.” Sarah also pushed Polk to open the White House to streams of visitors, including hordes of supplicants for public office. Polk did so reluctantly as he was “greatly disgusted” with the office seekers.
An English lady who visited Washington, described Mrs. Polk this way: “Mrs. Polk is a very handsome woman. Her hair is very black, and her dark eyes and complexion remind one of the Spanish donnas. She is well read, has much talent for conversation and is highly popular. Her excellent taste in dress preserves the subdued though elegant costume that characterizes the lady.”
During the last few months of Polk’s presidency, Sarah’s primary concern was Jim’s failing health. Although only fifty when he took office, he now looked much older, having constantly had attacks of fever and diarrhea.
At the end of his successful presidency, James and Sarah went home by railroad to Wilmington, N.C., a ship from Wilmington to Savannah, a train from there to Montgomery, the boat Emperor down the Alabama River to Mobile, another boat from there to New Orleans, where there was cholera, and a steamer from there to Smithland, Kentucky, where the Polks got off again on the advice of their physician. The Countess, a boat from Nashville, brought them the final leg of their tiresome journey.
In Nashville, where they planned to retire, the Polks had purchased Felix Grundy’s home on Vine Street, which workers were still renovating. Sarah and James named the handsome home Polk Place. James contracted cholera and died peacefully on the fifteenth of June, 1849. He was only 53.
Sarah, who was only 45, continued to live at Polk Place until her death at age 88 on Aug. 14, 1891. She seldom left home except to worship at First Presbyterian Church, where her name is still on a brass plate next to her seat, or to visit her childhood home in Murfreesboro. Sarah Childress Polk was a great lady, kind and intelligent. My great grandfather, Tennessee Senator Howell E. Jackson, who held Mrs. Polk in high regard, introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate that gave her a $5,000 annual pension, which made her last years more pleasant.