First Lovebirds: James and Sarah Polk
There are two reasons why I think James and Sarah Polk belong on the list of "First Lovebirds", even though I doubt that the dour President Polk had much interest in being considered a "romantic." The first reason is that, like Grace Coolidge, Pat Nixon and others, Sarah Polk had a husband who would have been a difficult man to love, and yet his dying words were a profession of his eternal love for his beloved Sarah. It is also likely that a crude operation that James had as a teenager to remove urinary tract stones left him unable to function sexually, so her devotion to him would have to have been genuine affection. The other reason I think they had a strong relationship is because, at a time when women were relegated to the kitchens and other domestic settings, James Polk frequently sought his wife's counsel on political matters, content of speeches and other areas, so he clearly had a great deal of respect for her judgement and intellect.
The future Mrs. James K. Polk was born Sarah Childress on September 4, 1803 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She was the younger of two daughters and third of six children. She was a tall woman with black hair, had brown eyes and sallow coloring, as a result of which, she was given the nickname "Sahara Sarah" (and later "the Spanish Donna"). As a child Sarah met General and Mrs. Andrew Jackson. After her father’s death, Sarah and her family suffered a number of financial reverses due to her brother’s mismanagement of the estate. Sarah met James K. Polk, who had been a farmer schoolmate of her brother. Her first impression of him was that he was ambitious, earnest, and a rather silent young man who had the approval of Andrew Jackson. According to some sources, Jackson urged Polk to marry Miss Childress, telling him that she was "wealthy, pretty, ambitious and intelligent." It was Sarah encouraged James Polk to run for the state legislature and soon after his election, on January 1, 1824, they were married in her home in Murfreesboro.
Her personality was similar to her husband's in that both were serious, religious, and had a love of politics. Sarah was known to remain behind with the men to talk, rather than retire to the parlor with the ladies. It is said that humor was never a strong point with her (or with her husband). She loved to read and she regularly read the newspapers. She eventually took on the duties of an unpaid secretary to her husband. The Polks had no children, likely due to his problems from the urinary tract operation he had as a teenager. His career became like a surrogate child for Sarah.
Sarah Polk was able to be a part of her husband’s life and career to an unusual degree for those times. Her sharp intellect, wit and charm were definite assets to his career. Future President Franklin Pierce once quipped that he would rather discuss politics with Sarah than with James. But for all her love of politics, Sarah Polk never forgot the place of women in society at the time.
Sarah Polk joined her husband in Washington, where he was serving in the House of Representatives. She would remain at her husband’s side – as his nurse, his secretary, his confidante, and his unofficial chief of staff. Her strong religious beliefs were respected, and no business was transacted on the Sabbath. She was against card playing, dancing and hard liquor as part of her religious beliefs. Although she was a supportive wife, this did not mean that she didn’t have a mind of her own. Privately, she disagreed with Polk’s stance against the use of paper money, pointing out how difficult it would be for a woman to carry gold or silver on her person. As evidenced by her diary and her letters, she expressed herself freely on all issues, personalities and topics. Her diary suggests that the First Lady preferred the company of men and had few women friends.
In the height of the Peggy Eaton affair, Sarah Polk created something of a difficult time for her husband, from whom Jackson expected full support. Peggy Eaton was the wife of the Secretary of War. She was shunned by Washington wives because she had an immoral reputation, but Andrew Jackson insisted that the Cabinet wives accept and receive her. Sarah refused.
In 1838 the couple returned to Tennessee where Polk campaigned for Governor. Sarah remained behind the scenes, organizing the campaign. Polk won that election, but was defeated in 1841 and again in 1843. He then returned to his law practice. In 1844, to his great surprise, he was nominated as a dark horse candidate by the Democrats. Sarah handled the campaign from their home in Columbia and wrote his press releases. The campaign was successful, and the Polks departed for Washington early in 1845. Sarah asked that the bands greeting them in various cities along the way refrain from playing on Sundays.
Wearing a red and gray striped silk dress, a beige cape and a red velvet bonnet, Sarah watched as her husband took the oath of office. They didn’t dance at the Inaugural Ball, but Sarah appeared there wearing a powder blue silk dress, with a brocade of poinsettias woven into the material. In her hands, she carried her husband’s gift to her: a fan bearing the portraits of the first eleven presidents.
As first lady, Sarah Polk did not spend lavishly. She saved half the money given to her to refurbish the White House, though she did install gas lighting in 1846. Her social occasions were proper, genteel and even elegant, but lacked the spark and music of Julia Tyler’s receptions. She thought that dancing was improper in the Presidents’ house, and it was banned until Caroline Scott Harrison restored it in 1889. After a short interval, Mrs. Polk restored the playing of "Hail to the Chief" because her rather short husband tended to be overlooked, and the tune helped people to identify him.
The long trip home, after the inauguration of Zachary Taylor, was exhausting for both of the Polks. After four demanding years in the White House, James Polk had little strength to combat the fever that afflicted them. James Polk died on June 15, 1849. Author Walter Borneman wrote of his subject, in his 2008 biography Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency:
"At twenty minutes before five on the afternoon of June 15, 1849, James Knox Polk breathed his last. Reportedly, his final words were 'I love you Sarah, for all eternity, I love you.' Even if this utterance was embellished, there was nothing in Polk's life to suggest that the sentiment behind it was not true."
Sarah Polk’s last forty plus years were spent in Nashville at the home she and her husband had built called "Polk Place". During the Civil War, both sides respected Mrs. Polk’s neutrality, and she entertained officers from both armies. After James Polk’s death, Sarah turned their home into a shrine in his memory. Her husband was buried on the grounds of Polk Place, until it was torn down in 1893 and his body, along with that of Sarah, was moved to the grounds of the State Capitol. She remained in mourning, wearing black, though her life was brightened by the adoption of a great niece, Sarah Polk Jetton, and the visits of President and Mrs. Hayes and, later, President and Mrs. Cleveland.
Sarah Polk lived for almost 88 years. She died at Polk Place, in Nashville, Tennessee on August 14, 1891.
The future Mrs. James K. Polk was born Sarah Childress on September 4, 1803 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She was the younger of two daughters and third of six children. She was a tall woman with black hair, had brown eyes and sallow coloring, as a result of which, she was given the nickname "Sahara Sarah" (and later "the Spanish Donna"). As a child Sarah met General and Mrs. Andrew Jackson. After her father’s death, Sarah and her family suffered a number of financial reverses due to her brother’s mismanagement of the estate. Sarah met James K. Polk, who had been a farmer schoolmate of her brother. Her first impression of him was that he was ambitious, earnest, and a rather silent young man who had the approval of Andrew Jackson. According to some sources, Jackson urged Polk to marry Miss Childress, telling him that she was "wealthy, pretty, ambitious and intelligent." It was Sarah encouraged James Polk to run for the state legislature and soon after his election, on January 1, 1824, they were married in her home in Murfreesboro.
Her personality was similar to her husband's in that both were serious, religious, and had a love of politics. Sarah was known to remain behind with the men to talk, rather than retire to the parlor with the ladies. It is said that humor was never a strong point with her (or with her husband). She loved to read and she regularly read the newspapers. She eventually took on the duties of an unpaid secretary to her husband. The Polks had no children, likely due to his problems from the urinary tract operation he had as a teenager. His career became like a surrogate child for Sarah.
Sarah Polk was able to be a part of her husband’s life and career to an unusual degree for those times. Her sharp intellect, wit and charm were definite assets to his career. Future President Franklin Pierce once quipped that he would rather discuss politics with Sarah than with James. But for all her love of politics, Sarah Polk never forgot the place of women in society at the time.
Sarah Polk joined her husband in Washington, where he was serving in the House of Representatives. She would remain at her husband’s side – as his nurse, his secretary, his confidante, and his unofficial chief of staff. Her strong religious beliefs were respected, and no business was transacted on the Sabbath. She was against card playing, dancing and hard liquor as part of her religious beliefs. Although she was a supportive wife, this did not mean that she didn’t have a mind of her own. Privately, she disagreed with Polk’s stance against the use of paper money, pointing out how difficult it would be for a woman to carry gold or silver on her person. As evidenced by her diary and her letters, she expressed herself freely on all issues, personalities and topics. Her diary suggests that the First Lady preferred the company of men and had few women friends.
In the height of the Peggy Eaton affair, Sarah Polk created something of a difficult time for her husband, from whom Jackson expected full support. Peggy Eaton was the wife of the Secretary of War. She was shunned by Washington wives because she had an immoral reputation, but Andrew Jackson insisted that the Cabinet wives accept and receive her. Sarah refused.
In 1838 the couple returned to Tennessee where Polk campaigned for Governor. Sarah remained behind the scenes, organizing the campaign. Polk won that election, but was defeated in 1841 and again in 1843. He then returned to his law practice. In 1844, to his great surprise, he was nominated as a dark horse candidate by the Democrats. Sarah handled the campaign from their home in Columbia and wrote his press releases. The campaign was successful, and the Polks departed for Washington early in 1845. Sarah asked that the bands greeting them in various cities along the way refrain from playing on Sundays.
Wearing a red and gray striped silk dress, a beige cape and a red velvet bonnet, Sarah watched as her husband took the oath of office. They didn’t dance at the Inaugural Ball, but Sarah appeared there wearing a powder blue silk dress, with a brocade of poinsettias woven into the material. In her hands, she carried her husband’s gift to her: a fan bearing the portraits of the first eleven presidents.
As first lady, Sarah Polk did not spend lavishly. She saved half the money given to her to refurbish the White House, though she did install gas lighting in 1846. Her social occasions were proper, genteel and even elegant, but lacked the spark and music of Julia Tyler’s receptions. She thought that dancing was improper in the Presidents’ house, and it was banned until Caroline Scott Harrison restored it in 1889. After a short interval, Mrs. Polk restored the playing of "Hail to the Chief" because her rather short husband tended to be overlooked, and the tune helped people to identify him.
The long trip home, after the inauguration of Zachary Taylor, was exhausting for both of the Polks. After four demanding years in the White House, James Polk had little strength to combat the fever that afflicted them. James Polk died on June 15, 1849. Author Walter Borneman wrote of his subject, in his 2008 biography Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency:
"At twenty minutes before five on the afternoon of June 15, 1849, James Knox Polk breathed his last. Reportedly, his final words were 'I love you Sarah, for all eternity, I love you.' Even if this utterance was embellished, there was nothing in Polk's life to suggest that the sentiment behind it was not true."
Sarah Polk’s last forty plus years were spent in Nashville at the home she and her husband had built called "Polk Place". During the Civil War, both sides respected Mrs. Polk’s neutrality, and she entertained officers from both armies. After James Polk’s death, Sarah turned their home into a shrine in his memory. Her husband was buried on the grounds of Polk Place, until it was torn down in 1893 and his body, along with that of Sarah, was moved to the grounds of the State Capitol. She remained in mourning, wearing black, though her life was brightened by the adoption of a great niece, Sarah Polk Jetton, and the visits of President and Mrs. Hayes and, later, President and Mrs. Cleveland.
Sarah Polk lived for almost 88 years. She died at Polk Place, in Nashville, Tennessee on August 14, 1891.