Sarah (Childress) Polk
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Sarah (Childress) Polk (1803 - 1891)

Sarah Polk formerly Childress
Born in Murfreesboro, Rutherford, Tennessee, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Wife of — married 1 Jan 1824 in Murfreesboro, Rutherford, Tennessee, United Statesmap
Died at age 87 in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United Statesmap
Profile last modified | Created 18 Mar 2011
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Contents

Biography

Daughter of Joel Childress, of Murfreesburo, Tennesee, who was a merchant. Her mother was Elizabeth Whitsitt. [1]

Sarah married future President James K. Polk on January 1, 1824, in Rutherford County, Tennessee. [2]

In the 1830 census, Sarah and James are listed in Maury County, Tennessee. Sarah is shown as being between 20 and 29 years old.[3]

In the 1840 census, James was Governor of Tennessee, and they were living in Nashville, Davidson County. Sarah was between 30 and 39 years old.[4]

In the 1850 census, Sarah was living in Nashville. She was 46. Also in the household were Mary Childress (perhaps a niece?), age 16; Susan Rucher, age 15; and Sarah P. Jaton, age 4.[5]

In 1860, Sarah is listed in Nashville, age 57. Also in the household is Sarah P. Jetton, age 13.[6]

In 1870, Sarah was listed in Nashville. Her adopted daughter Sarah Fall, Sarah's husband and daughter, were living with her. Sarah's age is given as 67. [7]

Sarah Polk Jetton Fall was the adopted daughter of 11th Pres. James Knox and Sarah (Childress) Polk. Her husband was George William Fall, b. Jan 1835, Kentucky - d. Tennessee. [8]

Obituary

MRS. JAMES K. POLK DEAD

Nashville, Tenn., Aug 14 Surrounded by a few loving relatives and friends, Mrs. James K. Polk, relic of the tenth President of the United States, departed this life at 7:30 o'clock this morning, peacefully and quietly, in full possession of her mental faculties. Mrs. Polk had been in perfect health until last Wednesday evening, when, returning from a short drive she was taken suddenly ill, from which she never rallied. Had she lived until the 4th day of September next she would have been 18 years beyond the three score years and ten allotted the human race. Her death was caused simply from exhaustion resulting from old age. The bells through the city are mournfully tolling, and sympathy and regret are heard from the masses of the people as they gaze upon the bulletins announcing the demise of an honored and loved lady, who spent her years among the people she loved so well, and who respected her as one of the noblest of her sex. Her death was truly that of a Christian. She sank gently to rest without a struggle. She was surrounded by the members of her family, and just before her death she called them up and placing her hand upon their heads, offered prayer and blessings. Her remains will be laid in the vault beside those of her distinguished husband. The funeral takes place tomorrow. Mrs. Polk was 88 years old. [Vernon Courier (Lamar County, AL), August 20, 1891 . [9]

Slaves

Slaves of Sarah Childress Polk, Tennessee

Sources

  • Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Presidential Families of the United States of America. London: Burke's Peerage, 1981. Print.
  • Find A Grave Memorial # 8627 [1]

Footnotes

  1. Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Presidential Families of the United States of America. London: Burke's Peerage, 1981. Print.
  2. "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHS-DWG4 : 10 March 2021), James K Polk and Sarah Childress, 01 Jan 1824; citing Rutherford, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 379,649.
  3. "United States Census, 1830", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG2-K6J : Thu Oct 05 08:53:40 UTC 2023), Entry for James K Polk, 1830.
  4. "United States Census, 1840", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTK-35T : Wed Oct 04 20:46:33 UTC 2023), Entry for James K Polk, 1840.
  5. "United States Census, 1850", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDH-RK3 : Thu Oct 05 06:35:34 UTC 2023), Entry for Sarah Polk and Mary Childress, 1850.
  6. "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8YM-Z9R : Wed Oct 04 10:26:15 UTC 2023), Entry for Sarah Polk, 1860.
  7. "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD8P-629 : Fri Oct 06 23:51:49 UTC 2023), Entry for Sarah Polk and G W Fall, 1870.
  8. Sarah Childress Polk: A Biography of the Remarkable First Lady By John R. Bumgarner
  9. [Submitted by Veneta McKinney | Geneology Trails First Ladies online ]]

Notes

Note N946!Source
Chart compiled by Bob Whitesitt of Kirkwood, Missouri which includes info from Joan Hill Whitsitt of Memphis, Tenneessee. Married on parents plantation near Murfreesboro, TN to James Knox Polk 11th President of the US.




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Sarah by comparing test results with other carriers of her ancestors' mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Sarah:

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Sarah Polk
Sarah Polk



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