Name/Title
William PolkEntry/Object ID
Polk, WilliamDescription
Miniature of a man with blue eyes and black hair which falls onto his forehead in separated strands. He wears a dark coat and light checkered vest with a white shirt and stock. The oval frame is studded with continuous jewels.Collection
Private CollectionGeneral Notes
Note Type
Historical NoteNote
William Polk was born on July 9, 1758, in Mecklenburg County, NC, to Thomas Polk and Sussana Spratt Polk. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War he was commissioned a second lieutenant. He fought at the Battle of Brandywine and was shot through the mouth at the Battle of Germantown. He recuperated at Valley Forge and then returned to North Carolina to recruit more soldiers. He fought at the Battle of Camden, Cowpens, and Guilford Courthouse. After the war he served as surveyor general of the Middle District (present-day Tennessee) and later served in the North Carolina House of Commons. He served as the first president of the Bank of North Carolina. He married Grizelda Gilchrist and Sarah Hawkins having at least 4 children between the two marriages. He died in in 1834 and is buried in Raleigh City Cemetery.Create Date
September 25, 2026Update Date
September 25, 2026