Sarah Childlress Polk
1845-1849

Sarah Childress was born on September 4, 1803 near Murfreesboro, TN.

She attended a boarding school and then went to the Moravian Female Academy in Salem, North Carolina.

Sarah met James Knox Polk in 1821. He proposed to her in 1823.

Library of Congress

President Andrew Jackson knew Sarah and thought would be the perfect wife: wealthy, intelligent, and good-looking.

The Polk's had no children.

When Polk ran for Governor of Tennessee, she acted as his campaign. She arranged his schedule and sent out campaign literature.

The election of 1844 was very bitter. James Polk was very unpopular with some people in Washington.

She was Presbyterian and very religious. She did not allow card playing or dancing in the White House.

Sarah became Polk's unofficial advisor when he was President. She read over his speeches and gave her opinions.

Mr. Polk became ill while on tour of the Eastern States. He had cholera. He died from this disease on June 15, 1849.

Sara Childress Polk died on August 14, 1891. She was 87. She is buried next to her husband in Nashville, TN.

Visit our site on U.S. Presidents

Books and Websites

Books

Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladiesby James Barber and Amy Pastan.
First Ladies: Women Who Called The White House Home (First Ladies) by Beatrice Gormeley.

Websites

http://www.firstladies.org/ National First Ladies Library
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/058_flal.htmlLibrary of Congress, Images of the First Ladies

Comments and/or corrections should be sent to Jim at jim@anewadventure.org.