James K. Polk
#10,911 Most Popular
About
Eleventh President of the United States who led the nation to victory in the Mexican-American War, which gave the U.S. most of its present Southwest.
Before Fame
He worked as a clerk for the Tennessee State Senate after graduating from the University of North Carolina.
Trivia
He was nicknamed the Napoleon of the Stump for his oratorical effectiveness.
Family Life
He was distantly related to religious reformer John Knox through his mother. He married Sarah Childress in 1824, but they did not have children.
Associated With
He was succeeded by Zachary Taylor.
