Named Entity Results, Thomas Polk

It came from the north of Ireland about 1722, to Maryland; and about 1753, Thomas, the son of William Polk, found a congenial home in the Scotch-Irish settlement of Mecklenburg County, in the province of North Carolina. Here he married and prospered, attaining wealth and eminence among his people. It may be recollected that for Mecklenburg County is claimed the honor of making the first Declaration of Independence from the mother-country. According to the historian of these events, Colonel Thomas Polk convoked the meeting that took this first step in treason. He was a prime mover for resistance, an active patriot and soldier in the War of the Revolution, and rose to the rank of brigadier-general in the State forces. William Polk, his eldest son, then a lad not seventeen years old, left college in April, 1775, to become a lieutenant in the South Carolina line. He was actively engaged to the end of the war, toward the close as lieutenant-colonel, and was twice desperately wound

as born at Raleigh, N. C., April 10 1806, the son of Colonel William Polk, the latest survivor of the field officers of the North Carolina line, and grandson of Thomas Polk, a leader in the Mecklenburg convention. He received a literary education at the university of North Carolina, and then determining to embrace a military careed command in the field, and co-operated with Johnston in the campaign against Sherman, until he was killed on Pine Mountain, near Marietta, Ga., June 14, 1864. General Polk, writes his son, walked to the crest of the hill, and, entirely exposed, turned himself around, as if to take a farewell view. Folding his arms across his breof divisions won the renewed admiration of his opponents. On December 2, 1863, he succeeded General Bragg in command of the army, but soon turned this over to General Polk, who in turn gave place to Gen. J. E. Johnston. Under the latter and his successor, J. B. Hood, he commanded a corps of the army of Tennessee through the Atla

brogate all dependence on the royal authority. But the militia companies were sworn to allegiance; and how, it was objected, can we be absolved from our oath? The oath, it was answered, binds only while the king protects. At the instance of Thomas Polk, the commander of the militia of the county, two delegates from each company were called together in Charlotte, as a representative committee. Before their consultations had ended, the message of the innocent blood shed at Lexington came up fthey knew would never take Chap. XXXV.} 1775. May. place, till the British parliament should resign its arbitrary pretensions with respect to America. At the same time the militia companies were directed to provide themselves with arms, and Thomas Polk and Joseph Kenedy were specially appointed to purchase powder, lead and flints. Before the month of May had come to an end, the May. 31. resolutions were signed by Ephraim Brevard, as clerk of the committee, and were adopted by the people

Brigadier General Polk. --The Raleigh (North Carolina) Register has the following in relation to Brigadier, late Bishop, Polk: Bishop Polk is a native of this city, a grandson of Col. Thomas Polk, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg DecPolk: Bishop Polk is a native of this city, a grandson of Col. Thomas Polk, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration, and a son of Col. William Polk, who died here about the year 1860. The latter entered the Army and served through the Revolution. He was with Gen. Washington at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, in the latter of which he was woundBishop Polk is a native of this city, a grandson of Col. Thomas Polk, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration, and a son of Col. William Polk, who died here about the year 1860. The latter entered the Army and served through the Revolution. He was with Gen. Washington at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, in the latter of which he was wounded. He was also with Gen. Gates at Camden, and with Gen. Greene at Gullford, and was severely wounded at Entaw Springs. At the close of the war he had attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Col. Thomas Polk, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration, and a son of Col. William Polk, who died here about the year 1860. The latter entered the Army and served through the Revolution. He was with Gen. Washington at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, in the latter of which he was wounded. He was also with Gen. Gates at Camden, and with Gen. Greene at Gullford, and was severely wounded at Entaw Springs. At the close of the war he had attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.