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Leonidas Lafayette Polk

Leonidas L. Polk
ColLLPolk.jpg
1st North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
In office
1877–1880
Preceded by None
Succeeded by Montford McGehee
Member of the
North Carolina House of Representatives
Delegate to the North Carolina Constitutional Convention
In office
1865–1866
Personal details
Born Leonidas Lafayette Polk
(1837-04-24)April 24, 1837
Anson County, North Carolina
Died June 11, 1892(1892-06-11) (aged 55)
Washington, D.C.
Resting place Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina
Political party Populist Party
Spouse(s) Sarah Pamela Gaddy Polk
Alma mater Davidson College
Military service
Allegiance Confederate States of America
Rank Lieutenant
Battles/wars

American Civil War


American Civil War

Leonidas Lafayette Polk (April 24, 1837 – June 11, 1892), or L.L. Polk, was an American farmer, journalist and political figure. He was a leader of the Farmers' Alliance and helped found the Populist Party.

He was born in Anson County, North Carolina. L.L. Polk fought in the American Civil War for the Confederate States of America, and was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Returning to North Carolina after the war, he founded the town of Polkton, incorporated in 1875, where he started a weekly newspaper called The Ansonian. Through it he advocated for farmers and for the Grange movement. Polk, a distant relative of President James K. Polk, became active in state politics, serving in the North Carolina House of Representatives and as a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1865–66. In 1877, he was appointed the first North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture and served until 1880. An agricultural collection he established as Commissioner was the basis for what became the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

He returned to journalism by founding the Progressive Farmer in 1886 in Winston. The magazine is still published to this day. At first, the paper's primary aim was to teach new agricultural methods, but soon it also focused on politics.

Meanwhile, he was also active in the Baptist church, once serving as president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Polk was instrumental in establishing the North Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical College and Baptist Female University.


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