Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/379

 POLK

POLLOCK

ica. He was the owner of 100,000 acres of land in Tennessee, and Samuel Polk, the father of President Polk, was his agent. Jacob Johnson, the father of President Johnson, was a porter in his bank, and President Andrew Jackson received large tracts of valuable lands in Tennessee through his friendly advice. He was twice mar- ried : first to Griselda Gilchrist, a native of Scot- land ; and secondly, to Sarah, daughter of Col. Philemon Hawkins. He was a member of the So- ciety of the Cincinnati, and at the time of his death was the last surviving field officer of the North Carolina line. He died in Raleigh, N.C., Jan. 4. 1834.

POLK, William Hawkins, representative, was born in Maury county, Tenn., May 24, 1815 ; son of Samuel and Jane (Knox) Polk, and brother of President James K. Polk. He was a student at the University of North Carolina, 1833-33 ; was graduated from East Tennessee college ; was admitted to the bar in 1839, and began practice in Columbia, Tenn. He was a rep- resentative in the state legislature,

1842-45 ; charge d'af- faires at Naples, 1845-47 ; negotiated a treaty with the Two Sicilies, and resigned, Aug. 31, 1847, to take part in the war with Mexico. He was thereupon commis- sioned major of the 3d dragoons and served in the army in Mexico until July 20, 1848. He was a delegate to the Nashville convention in 1850, and a Democratic representative in the 32d congress, 1851-53. He was married first to a Miss Corse of New York, and secondly, July 14, 1854, to Lucy E. Williams of Warren county, N. C. He opposed the secession movement in Tennessee in 1861, and joined the L'nion party. He died in Nash- ville, Tenn.. Dec. 16. 1802.

POLK, William Mecklenburg, physician, was born at Ash wood, Maury county, Tenn., Aug. 15, 1844 ; son of the Right Rev. Leonidas Polk (q.v.). He was graduated from the Virginia Mili- tary institute with the class of 1861 by special act of the faculty, for services in the army. He was a member of the body of students that left with Professor Thomas Jonathan Jackson imme- diately after the secession of Virginia, and acted as drill corps for the Virginia state troops. He was assigned as drill-master under Gen. ZoUi- coffer, was promoted 2d lieutenant in Bankhead's battery, at Columbus, Ky., and 1st lieutenant

in Scott's battery in 1862. He was appointed as- sistant chief of artillery in his father's corps in 1863, and also captain in the adjutant and in- spector-general's department. Army of the Tenn, essee, in March, 1865. He was engaged in the battles of Columbus, Ky., New Madrid, Shiloh- Corinth, Perryville. Stone's River, Chickamauga ; in the Meridian, Atlanta and Tennessee campaigns, and in the surrender at Meridian in May, 1865. He studied medicine at the University of Louisiana, 1867-68, and was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, NewYork city, in 1869. He practised in New Y'ork city from 1869 ; was professor of therapeutics and clinical medicine at Bellevue college, 1875-79, and became professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the medical de- partment of the University of the City of New Y'ork in 1879. He was connected with several hospitals as surgeon, and a member of several im- portant medical societies at home and abroad. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by the University of the South in 1893, and he was appointed dean and medical director of the medical department of Cornell university in 1898. He is the author of : Biography of Leonidas Polk, Bishop and General, and many contributions to medical journals.

POLLARD, Josephine, author, was born in New Y^ork city, about 1842. She received a superior education ; was editorial writer on the Sunday School Times from its foundation, and was connected with the Methodist Book Concern for twenty j-ears, having charge of a publication issued for the benefit of the Negroes in the South. She is the author of various hymns, including Outside the Gate. Her other writings include : The Gypsy Books (1873-74); A Piece of Silver (1876); Decorative Sisters (1881); Elfin Land, poems (1882); Gellivor (1882); Tlie Boston Tea- Party (1882) ; Songs of Bird Life (1885) ; Vagrant Verses (1887); The Home Book (with John H. Vincent, 1887); Favorite Birds, and ivhat Poets Sing of Tlievi (1888). She died in New York city, Aug. 15, 1892.

POLLOCK, James, governor of Pennsylvania, was born in Milton, Pa., Sept. 11, 1810; son of William and Sarah (Wilson) Pollock : grandson of Samuel and Margaret Pollock, and of Fleming and Margaret (Bainbridge) Wilson, and a de- scendant of Scotch emigrants, who came from Londonderry, Belfast and county Antrim. Ire- land, in 1732 and landed at Chester, Pa. He was graduated from the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1831, A.M., 1834 ; studied law under Samuel Hep- burn of Milton, Pa., 1831-33, and practised in Milton, 1833-61. He was married, Dec. 19, 1837, to Sarah Ann, daughter of Samuel and Edith (MiUei) Hepburn. He was elected district attorney of Northumberland county in 1835 ; was a Whig