Here in the United States, next Monday is Presidents’ Day, the day when we stop to remember the Commanders-in-Chief that have served our nation. Of course, the President alone cannot run the government and relies on a cabinet of advisors to assist them. One hundred seventy nine years ago the cabinet photo was taken of President Polk and his cabinet. In honor of this and the upcoming holiday, let’s explore the life of President and Brother James K. Polk, a Famous Freemason!
Bro. Polk was born in a log cabin in Pineville, North Carolina, to Jane and Samuel Polk on November 2, 1795. Named after his maternal grandfather, James Knox, Polk was also distantly related to founding father James Madison and his successor in office, Zachary Taylor. At age 11, Polk and his family moved to Maury County, Tennessee, where his father was a county judge. James began his political career early here, as the family hosted former Congressman and County Judge, and soon to be President Andrew Jackson for dinner.
As a young adult, Bro. Polk had a robust education. He attended the Zion Church Academy in 1813, went to Bradley Academy, and was admitted to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a second-semester sophomore. At college, he roomed with future Governor of Florida William Dunn Moseley, became president of the Dialectic Society, and graduated with honors. When he returned home, he studied law under Attorney Felix Grundy.
James was admitted to the bar in 1820, and petitioned for membership that same year. He was raised on September 4, 1820, in Columbia Lodge No. 31, beginning his long and fulfilling Masonic career.
Due to his familial connection and similar politics, Bro. Polk’s political career is heavily tied to Jackson, so much so that they were respectively nicknamed “Young Hickory” and “Old Hickory”. This all began in 1823 when the freshman legislator Polk broke the deadlock to send Jackson to the Senate. Both Polk’s family and his wife, Sarah Childress’ family, were close to Jackson, as there are rumors that Childress’ family called Jackson “Uncle Andrew.”
This close connection between the two continued when Polk served in the House of Representatives, first with Polk opposing the Adams Administration due to costing Jackson the 1824 election, and then once Jackson won in 1828 as an acolyte of his. Bro. Polk supported every Jackson initiative, such as investigating the Second Bank of the United States before Jackson vetoed its charter. At points, there were even questions of if Polk were writing Jackson’s veto messages to Congress on his behalf.
After his term in office, Jackson continued to help Polk’s political career. In 1833 Jackson helped Polk receive the powerful chairman ship on the House Ways and Means Committee, in 1835 called in political favors to get Polk the Speaker’s Gavel, and in 1844 used his influence to win Polk the Democratic nomination for President.
As President, Polk continued several Jackson and Van Buren policies but is most well known for his expansionism. The recently independent Republic of Texas was annexed under his watch, as was ample territory won in the Mexican-American War, and he pushed the Oregon Territory’s northern border to the 49° parallel, though he and other expansionists were pushing to 54° 40’.
Throughout his political career, Bro. Polk was highly active in Freemasonry. Shortly after being raised, he was elected Junior Deacon of his mother lodge. He took the Past, Most Excellent, and Royal Arch degrees in the newly constituted LaFayette Chapter No. 4 in 1825. During his Presidency, he attended the Masonic Cornerstone laying of the Smithsonian and had a Masonic procession for him in Portsmouth, New Hampshire under the direction of the Grand Master.
In 1848, Polk honored his commitment to only serve one term and retired to Nashville. However, the Presidency took a toll on his health as he was exhausted. On his tour of the Southern states, he came into contact with cholera and remained ill for the rest of his life. At 53, only 103 days after he left office, President and Brother James Polk passed away. He had the shortest post-presidency of any one who served without dying in office.
Bro. Polk had such a fascinating life that a simple article cannot contain. To read more, click the link below!
