General Thomas Polk

The nine children of Margaret Taylor and William Polk were:

2. Thomas Polk, Gen. 1729..1734-1794. Married Susanna Spratt

• DAR Ancestor #: A090178

  ---

American Revolutionary War Military, Political Figure. Born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, he moved to North Carolina, in 1853 and participated in the War of Sugar Creek, when local settlers took up arms against large private landholders who were speculating on real estate in the area. In 1775, with the support of his fellow settlers, he founded Charlotte, North Carolina and signed the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. During the American Revolutionary War, he served as a Colonel in command of the 4th North Carolina Regiment of Continental Line at the Battle of Brandywine. In 1780, he accepted a commission as General of purchases for both the State of North Carolina and the Continental Army. After the war, he returned to North Carolina, was elected to the North Carolina Council of State, serving (1783-84) and was elected as a delegate to the Third Continental Congress in 1786, but did not attend any of that Congress' sessions. Polk's home accommodated President George Washington during his tour of the southern states, in 1791. He died at the age of 62 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was also the great uncle of the 11th US President James K. Polk. (bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith)

Notes

• Thomas Polk born 1730 was a surveyor and employed to run the line between N + S Carolina. He was a Colonel of Militia at outbreak of Rev War and fought at King's Mountain. Signer of Mecklinburg Dec of Ind. Peace restored to NC 1781. After the war Soldiers of NC received land warrants for military service. Gen'l Thomas Polk purchases many of these warrants and went in 1786 with 4 sons to Duck River Co. in Tenn. to locate them.
• On September 18, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, a convoy of wagons carrying the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia to Allentown, under the command of Col. Thomas Polk (Charlotte, North Carolina), stopped in Quakertown. The Liberty Bell was stored overnight behind the home of Evan Foulke (1237 West Broad Street), and the entourage stayed at the Red Lion Inn. The John Fries' Rebellion was also started in the Red Lion Inn in 1799.
• *From the inception of this painting... I had been under the impression that the transport of the bell, was under the command of Col. William Polk. In June 2006, I am informed by William Polk Cheshire, of North Carolina, 3rd great grandson of William Polk and 4th great granson of Thomas Polk, that I have been in error, as follows:
• * "The Polk who commanded the Continental troops that removed the Liberty Bell and other bells from Philadelphia to Allentown in September 1777 was not "Col. William Polk," as is sometimes reported, but William's father, Col. Thomas Polk of the 4th Regiment, North Carolina Continental Line. At the time William was a major in the 9th Regiment, North Carolina Line, one of the regiments engaged in the Battle of Brandywine that month and afterward in the Battle of Germantown, where he was seriously wounded. He and his regiment were with Washington at Valley Forge, following which the North Carolina regiments, weakened from illness and expiring enlistments, were reduced in number from ten to three, and William Polk was rendered a supernumerary officer. He returned home and subsequently was commissioned a lieutenant colonel of the South Carolina militia under Thomas Sumter. His father, rescuer of the Liberty Bell, also was rendered supernumerary, was appointed commissary general under Gen. Nathanael Greene." (2)

  ---

Family

William Polk was born near Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co, NC, the eldest (along with his twin, Thomas Polk) of 11 known children born to Gen. Thomas Polk & Susanna "Sarah" Spratt. His father was born in Carlisle, PA, and his mother from Accomack County, VA. He is the grandson of William Polk II and Margaret Taylor of Whitehall, Somerset Co, MD, who also migrated to Mecklenburg Co, NC. He is the gr-grandson of William Polk I (1662-1704) who came to Somerset Co, MD from Donegal, Ireland and married Ann Nancy Knox.

Following their father's example, three of Thomas Polk's sons served as officers in the war against the British. The younger Thomas was killed in action serving alongside his brother William at the Battle of Eutaw Springs.

William's father was commander of the local militia, a rumored key player in adoption of the Mecklenburg Resolves of May 31, 1775, and later colonel of the 4th North Carolina Regiment, Continental Line.

From North Carolina, Church Records, 1700-1970", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WZZD-8VZM : 12 August 2019) See image:
HERE LIES INTERR'D THE EARTHLY REMAINS OF GENERAL THOMAS POLK AND HIS WIFE SUSANNA POLK WHO LIVED MANY YEARS TOGETHER PURLEY BELOVED AND RESPECTED IN THEIR MANY VIRTUES AND DIED UNIVERSALLY REGRETTED BY ALL WHO HAD THE PLEASURE OF THEIR ACQUAINTANCE. THEIR SON WILLIAM POK AS A TOKEN OF HIS FILIAL REGARDS HAS CAUSED THIS TOMB TO BE ERECTED TO THEIR MEMORY.

Links

• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/a/i/Joseph-F-Bailey-CA...
• http://www.jamesmannartfarm.com/libbell

  ---

• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/p/o/l/Billy-F-Polk/GENE1...

  ---

• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9190

  ---

• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees via brother William Polk by SmartCopy: Jun 22 2015, 23:51:44 UTC
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GWV9-7H6
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHBP-Z1H