Valentine's Day, Potus Geek Edition
February 14 is the anniversary of the first time a sitting President had his photograph taken when, in 1849, photographer Matthew Brady took this photograph of President James K. Polk.
February 14th is also Valentine's Day of course. And while there have been many First Couples who had wonderful romances, everything I've read about James and Sarah Polk leads me to believe that they must have had a very strong relationship. Polk's last words were reported to have been "I love you Sarah, for all eternity, I love you." As author Walter Borneman wrote in his 2008 book entitled Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America, "Even if this utterance was embellished, there was nothing in Polk's life to suggest that the sentiment behind it was not true."
While James K. Polk was a Tennessee Legislator, he began courting Miss Sarah Childress. Borneman writes that Polk asked his mentor Andrew Jackson for advice before asking Sarah to marry him. Old Hickory heartily approved. In 1823 the two became engaged and on January 1, 1824, James and Sarah were married at her parents' home near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The young couple moved to a cottage in Columbia, where Polk could concentrate on his law practice and political career.
The Polks had no children of their own, but raised a nephew, Marshall Tate Polk (1831-1884) as their personal ward. Polk had crude urinary tract surgery when he was 17, which likely left him unable to father children. It wasn't sex that kept the Polks together. They were a power couple with a strong relationship and a strong love. Sarah Polk was described as lively, charming, intelligent, and a good conversationalist. Polk discussed policy matters with her and she was probably his strongest confidant. She helped with his speeches in private, copied his correspondence, and gave him advice. While she enjoyed politics, she also cautioned him against overwork. A devout Presbyterian, she as First Lady banned dancing and hard liquor at official receptions and refused to attend horse races or the theatre. She hosted the first annual Thanksgiving dinner at the White House.
Sarah Polk retired with the former president to Nashville, Tennessee, where she remained after his death in 1849. During the American Civil War, she supported the Confederacy. Sarah Polk lived on in that home for 42 years. She lived through the longest retirement and widowhood of any former US First Lady, and wore black always. She died on August 14, 1891, at age 87. She was buried next to the president at their home in Nashville and was later reinterred with him at the state capitol.
Which First Couple do you think had the strongest relationship together? In the poll below I've included a few suggestions, leaving out those who had affairs (like JFK, FDR, Harding, Clinton), and of course James Buchanan (not that there's anything wrong with that.)
Poll First Couples
February 14th is also Valentine's Day of course. And while there have been many First Couples who had wonderful romances, everything I've read about James and Sarah Polk leads me to believe that they must have had a very strong relationship. Polk's last words were reported to have been "I love you Sarah, for all eternity, I love you." As author Walter Borneman wrote in his 2008 book entitled Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America, "Even if this utterance was embellished, there was nothing in Polk's life to suggest that the sentiment behind it was not true."
While James K. Polk was a Tennessee Legislator, he began courting Miss Sarah Childress. Borneman writes that Polk asked his mentor Andrew Jackson for advice before asking Sarah to marry him. Old Hickory heartily approved. In 1823 the two became engaged and on January 1, 1824, James and Sarah were married at her parents' home near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The young couple moved to a cottage in Columbia, where Polk could concentrate on his law practice and political career.
The Polks had no children of their own, but raised a nephew, Marshall Tate Polk (1831-1884) as their personal ward. Polk had crude urinary tract surgery when he was 17, which likely left him unable to father children. It wasn't sex that kept the Polks together. They were a power couple with a strong relationship and a strong love. Sarah Polk was described as lively, charming, intelligent, and a good conversationalist. Polk discussed policy matters with her and she was probably his strongest confidant. She helped with his speeches in private, copied his correspondence, and gave him advice. While she enjoyed politics, she also cautioned him against overwork. A devout Presbyterian, she as First Lady banned dancing and hard liquor at official receptions and refused to attend horse races or the theatre. She hosted the first annual Thanksgiving dinner at the White House.
Sarah Polk retired with the former president to Nashville, Tennessee, where she remained after his death in 1849. During the American Civil War, she supported the Confederacy. Sarah Polk lived on in that home for 42 years. She lived through the longest retirement and widowhood of any former US First Lady, and wore black always. She died on August 14, 1891, at age 87. She was buried next to the president at their home in Nashville and was later reinterred with him at the state capitol.
Which First Couple do you think had the strongest relationship together? In the poll below I've included a few suggestions, leaving out those who had affairs (like JFK, FDR, Harding, Clinton), and of course James Buchanan (not that there's anything wrong with that.)
Poll First Couples