The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1844-06-08
A Shert Biography OF
JAMES Ks POLK.
THE CANDIDATE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PAR
TY FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

TY FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
Since Mr.. Polk has received The nomins.
ion of the Democratic party for the office
of President, the events Of his life and his
public career have become matters of public
interest. We find brief biographical
sketch in the New York Pleban, which
gives the public career of this gentleman,
which we extract Ii will be seen that Mr..
Polk was born on tho % of November
1895, and is therefore in his 49lh year,
This is ripe age when the intellect Of the
individual has been matured by knowledge
and experience, and the passions and preiu.
does of earlier years so sobered and mel.
lowed by time as TO assist the judgment,
" Nj. Polk was born in Mech lenburg
county, North Carolina, on the ID of No.
ve,nber, 1895, and consequently is now in
The 40h year of his age. His ancestors
temigraled more than century ago, from
Ireland The original name was Pollock;
but an elision of two of the middle letters
has changed the name TO a monosy liable -
| They first established themselves in the
State OF Mary land, where many of the fam.
lily still reside. Previous TO lhe Revolui on
airy War, the branch of the family from
which sprung ;he distinguished gentleman
who is the subject OF this short biography,
and who is destined 10 Gil one of the mosl
exalted ,staions in the world, removed to
Carlisle in the State of Pennsy Ivania, and
thence to the western frontier Of North Car
oliha The part taken by the Polk family
IN the glorious struggle for American Inde
pendence is one oi rare distinction. On
lhe 20h of May, more than one year ante.
rior TO the Declaration of independence, the
inhabitants of Mechlenburg county, The birth
place of Mr.. Polk, assembled and publicly
absolved themselves from their allegiance io
the British crown, and issued declaration
10 that effect. The terms of manly elo
quence In which this manifesto was written
has caused it TO BIS telmed by some the first
Declaration oil Independence. Col. Tho
mas Polk, the great uncle of James K. Polk
the present Democratic nominee for the
Presidency. was one of The prime movers
nd sgnel of this first Declaration of In.
IutUtUNGuCG. uC vi tllt dulutn'
ticity and genuineness Of this interesting
document has been collected by the Legs
lia,ure of North Carolina, and deposited in
The archieves Of the State. The people o
Mechlenburg were almost 10 man, siauncI
Wings in the revolutionary acseplstion OF
the term, and have ever since been very
remark able for their firm sdherance TO De
mocra,ic principles. As ap evidence of ,ht
, ,unwavering condition of the Democracy o
Meohlenburg county, 1t has often been OBJ
served of them, in style of humor anC
, pleasantly, that, at the las, war, they tool
4 Iup arms six months before the Govern
ment and did not lay them down until |:
months after. In the mighty struggle 70
independence the relatives of Mr.. Polk dis
tnguished themselves. To be allied (,
such people TO be the descendant of sucl
an ancestry is fit subject Of honorable
pride. The American people ever have
manifested an affeclionale regard for the sa
yes, heroes and martyrs of the Revolution
They furnish proofs that Republics are no
,lungraiefu.
The father Of Mr.. Polk was farmer o
unassumlng pretensions. but enterprsnl
character. In early life he was thrown or
his own resources, and became the archi
lect of his own fortune. He was warm
supporter of Jefferson and through life
firm aud consistent Republican. In the au
tumn of 1906 he removed TO Tennessee ,anC
Iseuled on The fertile valley of the Duck rv
Ter, then wilderness, bu. aow The mos
Aourishing and populous portion of the
lStae. ln this region MrPolk still resides
so thal it may be said OF him that he has
grown with lis growth, and Strengthened
with lis strength. OF course in the infancy
of the country the opportunities for insruc.
lion could not be very great, still he acqnir
led the elements Of good English education
i'he constitution of Mr.. Polk being feeble
lhis father determined against the will Of bis
Ison, to make commercial man of him and
with this view placed him with merchant
He remained, however, bat few weeks in
la situation so adverse TO his wishes, and in
lcompslbIe with his taste. In July 1912
he was placed under the care of the Rev.
DR., Henderson, and subsequently at the A.
cademy ofMurfreesboIough, Tennessee ,lb on
under The charge Of Mr.. Samuel p Black
Iluslly celebrated as a classical teacher. L.
The autumn Of 1915, he entered the Univer
lsiiy Of North Carolina having in about tive
Years and half thoroughly prepared him
self to commence his collegiate course
Upon what slender thread sometimes hang
The dcstinies OF mans life! little more
land Iamps X Palk the candidate fnt I'm