Sarah Polk, Ambitious First Lady
The White House Years (1845-49) and Beyond
When "dark horse" candidate James K. Polk was elected the eleventh president of United States in 1844, no one was happier than his wife, Sarah. For four years (1845-49), Mrs. Polk advised her husband in regards to the direction the country should go. Sarah was very politically literate and expressed her opinions frequently, which often garnered harsh criticism. When she was widowed in 1849, Sarah returned to her native Tennessee, where she was active for the 42 remaining years of her life.
The Polk White House (1845-49)
After having served several years in Congress, James K. Polk decided to run for president in 1844. James became America's first "dark horse" presidential candidate. Running against a formidable Whig opponent, Henry Clay, James seemed like the most unlikely contender for the nation's highest office. In fact, one of Clay's campaign slogans was: "Who is James Polk?" During the 1844 campaign, most voters knew more about Mrs. Polk. Apparently, they were impressed, for James, bolstered by his connections to stars of the Democratic Party, especially former president Andrew Jackson, won the election.
In March of 1845, the Polks moved into the White House to serve as president and first lady. Sarah immediately took on an active role. First, she worked tirelessly to boost her husband's image via her own Southern charm. (James was not the most outgoing person.) Secondly, she changed White House receptions by allowing "regular folks" to attend them. In addition, Sarah began the tradition of having a band play "Hail to the Chief" when the president enters a room. Also, a strict Presbyterian, Sarah banned drinking, smoking, gambling, and most music in her White House. She even urged guests to attend church regularly. Finally, Sarah served as James' private secretary and political advisor and sat in on cabinet meetings, where she voiced her opinions. Many in Washington were less than pleased with this, but the first lady was actually far more popular than the president. She invited top policymakers to dinner weekly and was admired by most for her intelligence and convictions. The Polks had no children, so they were able to devote all their time to their work and each other. This unique partnership came to an end when James died on June 15, 1849, at Polk Place-- the couple's Nashville retirement home.
The Widow Polk
Sarah lived at Polk Place for 42 years after James' death. For the first few years of her widowhood, Sarah was in deep mourning. She always wore black and only left the house to attend church on Sundays. She eventually came out of mourning and returned to being her sociable self. Still, Sarah, who never remarried, grieved over James for the rest of her life. This grief was somewhat alleviated when her grandniece, Sarah Polk Jetton, came to live at Polk Place. When the younger Sarah married and had children, she and her family continued to live in the family home. This made the former first lady very happy.
Sarah also filled her days by entertaining. The Tennessee legislature would visit Polk Place every New Year's Day. Every Nashville parade was specially routed to pass Sarah's house. When the Civil War began in 1861, Sarah naturally sided with the South, but she welcomed both Confederate and Union military personnel into her home. Ever the gracious hostess, she would even have tea with despised Union general William Tecumseh Sherman. The war left Sarah destitute, but Congress eventually rewarded her a widow's pension. (Her family's plantation was overrun, and she had no other source of income.)
The End of a Remarkable Life
Sarah Childress Polk died in Nashville on August 4, 1891. Although, like most Southern women, she was devastated financially by the war, Sarah Polk was remembered as an interesting first lady and a woman ahead of her time.
Source:
Harris, Bill. The First Ladies Fact Book, p. 179-83. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc., 2005.
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