Enslaved Polks Wayside

As I mentioned at the first stop, the Polks were slave owners. Samuel and Jane started their newlywedded life on the farm with two enslaved little girls, Violet and Lucy. The girls helped with the chores, the garden, food preparation and likely served as nannies and midwives for Jane when she was giving birth. Eventually, Samuel purchased two more enslaved laborers to work on the farm. We do not know the demographics of these two additional enslaved people, but we believe they were most likely young males. In 1806, shortly before the family moved to Tennessee, baby Elias was born to either Lucy or Violet. We do not know which one. Elias was eleven years younger than James and served James in the White House during his presidency. While Elias was eventually emancipated after the Civil War, he, surprisingly, was a firm supporter of the Confederacy and of slavery. Elias lived until his 80s.

Violet and  Lucy were eventually separated, with Lucy going to the Polk’s plantation in Mississippi and Violet remaining in Columbia. Both women, died in enslavement. This wayfinding sign is an attempt to give the enslaved Polks back their identity and offers more paths of exploration for those interested in the lives of the enslaved in the Polk family.

Next, we will move to the main cabin, the larger of the two historic structures.