William Polk (colonel)
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Colonel William Polk |
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| Member of North Carolina Council of State | |
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In office 1806–1807 Serving with Robert Burton, Nathaniel Jones, William Boylan, Bryan Whitfield, Reuben Wood, Lawrence Smith |
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| Appointed by | North Carolina House of Commons |
| Governor | Nathaniel Alexander |
| Supervisor of Internal Revenue for the District of North Carolina | |
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In office 1791–1808 |
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| Appointed by | George Washington |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Commons | |
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In office 1785–1786 Serving with Elijah Robertson |
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| Governor | Alexander Martin then Richard Caswell |
| Preceded by | Ephraim McLean |
| Succeeded by | Robert Ewing/Robert Hayes |
| Constituency | Davidson County (now part of Tennessee) |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Commons | |
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In office 1787–1788 Serving with Caleb Phifer |
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| Governor | Samuel Johnston |
| Preceded by | George Alexander |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Douglass |
| Constituency | Mecklenburg County, North Carolina |
Fifth Grand Master of Masons of North Carolina
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In office 1799–1801 |
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| Preceded by | William Richardson Davie |
| Succeeded by | John Louis Taylor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 July 1758 Mecklenburg County, North Carolina |
| Died | 14 Jan 1834 Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Resting place |
City Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina Section E-3 35°46′41″N 78°37′57″W / 35.77802°N 78.63237°W |
| Political party | Federalist |
| Spouse(s) | Griselda Glichrist(1789-1799), Sarah Hawkins (1801-1843) |
| Relations | James K. Polk (first cousin, once removed), Ezekiel Polk (nephew of), Leonidas Polk (father of) |
| Alma mater | Queen's College(not Queens University of Charlotte) |
| Occupation | Soldier, Surveyor, Land Speculator, Banker, Politician, Educator |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
United States of America
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| Service/branch | Army |
| Years of service | 1775-1781 |
| Rank | Major, later Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Canebrake, Brandywine, Germantown, Camden, Cowan's Ford, Guilford Court House, and Eutaw Springs |
| Survivor of | The 1777/1788 Encampment at Valley Forge |
Colonel William Polk (9 July 1758 – 14 January 1834) was a North Carolina banker, educational administrator, political leader, renowned Continental officer in the War for American Independence, and survivor of the 1777/1778 encampment at Valley Forge.
William Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on July 9, 1758, the eldest child of Thomas Polk and his wife Sussana Spratt. From the earliest days of rebellion against British authority, Mecklenburg had been a hotbed of revolutionary fervor, and the Polk family was very active in this cause. William's father was commander of the local militia, a rumored key player in adoption of the Mecklenburg Resolves of May 31, 1775, and later colonel of the 4th North Carolina Regiment, Continental Line.
Following their father's example, three of Thomas Polk's sons served as officers in the war against the British. The younger Thomas was killed in action serving alongside his brother William at the Battle of Eutaw Springs.
Lieutenant-Colonels Polk and Middleton were no less conspicuous for their good conduct than their intrepidity, and the troops under their command gave a specimen of what may be expected from men naturally brave when improved by proper discipline.
In 1783 the North Carolina General Assembly appointed Polk as Surveyor General of the Middle District, now a part of Tennessee. In this capacity Polk also acquired large tracts of land in the area. Twice he was elected to the House of Commons before returning in 1786 to his native Mecklenburg County. He was re-elected to the House of Commons in 1787, served a one-year term and was re-elected in 1790. He was a candidate for Speaker of the House in 1791, but was defeated by Stephen Cabarrus. That March President George Washington appointed him as Supervisor of Internal Revenue for the District of North Carolina, a position he held for seventeen years, or until the Internal Revenue Laws were repealed.
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