Reference
- Polk, Sarah ChildressSarah Childress was born near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to Joel and Elizabeth Whitsett Childress on September 4, 1803; she was the third of six children. The family was prosperous, religiously principled, and politically connected. Sarah's parents believed in educating all of their children equally. After completing the primary grades, Sarah and her sister Susan were tutored at home after hours by the principal of Bradley Academy, where her brothers attended school. She was an avid reader and enjoyed reading the newspapers and engaging in conversation about the political issues of the day. General Andrew Jackson was a frequent visitor. In 1817, the sisters enrolled in Monrovian Female Academy in Salem, North Carolina, touted as the best girl's school in the South. Though their enrollment was cut short by their father's death, Sarah's educational foundation allowed her to approach the role of first lady as a political partner to the president...
- Sarah Polk: Ideas of Her OwnIt has been said that James Polk, eleventh president of the United States, “has not been one of our best known Presidents” (Library of Congress, 1969: v). The same might be said of his wife, Sarah Childress Polk. Although scholars have ranked Sarah the sixth most influential first lady in history, and she is credited with taking the role of first lady to a new level, she has not gained the recognition that other first ladies have enjoyed (Borneman, 2009: 358; Peterson, 2002: 61). This oversight might be attributed to the fact that her written remains are scarce and few book-length biographies of her exist (Bumgarner, 1997; Nelson and Nelson, 1892; Peterson, 2002). In fact, much of what is known about Mrs. Polk derives from biographies of her husband, which roundly affirm her myriad contributions to his political success and her distinction as first lady (Borneman, 2009; Haynes, 2006; Merry, 2009). Presidential historian Walter Borneman (2009: 358) appropriately captures her sway when he states: “Sarah's long involvement with her husband's political campaigns, her in-depth knowledge of the issues and personalities of Washington, and her unrivaled role as presidential confidante all made her a powerful and influential first lady.” Sarah's political acumen and activity were distinguished, especially considering the limited roles available to women who came of age in the early nineteenth century...
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The Polk Presidency
- James K. Polk: Democrat 1845-1849Polk pledged to finish the work started by Andrew Jackson. Polk is called the hardest working and most accessible president in U.S. history. He was the first president to get deeply involved in the budget. Distributed by A&E Television Networks.
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Perspectives
Sarah Childress Polk
Historians generally consider James K. Polk one of the most effective presidents in United States history. Many of them doubt, however, that President Polk would have been successful without the counsel of his wife Sarah. The president dominated his cabinet and trusted no one--except for his wife. Sarah Childress Polk (1803-1891) was a highly educated woman who became President Polk's virtual secretary and more: She critiqued his speeches, evaluated his Cabinet decisions, and worked side by side with her husband. Mrs. Polk was praised for her astute views on matters of state by both Polk's supporters and his opponents. She outlived her husband by 42 years, and was often consulted by politicians who respected her opinions and trusted her instincts, including Confederate and Union officers in the Civil War. This is the story of a powerful and tireless first lady who became one of the most influential Americans of the middle and late nineteenth century.
Memorials of Sarah Childress Polk
This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.