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BIOGRAPHY For the family of Joseph Lee Polk and Hannah Lemaster
Joseph Lee Polk was born about 1788 in North Carolina. His parentage has not yet been positively identified. Hannah Lemaster was born on 26 March 1795 in South Carolina. Her parents were Joseph Lemaster and Mary Waddell. Both families migrated to probably Williamson County, Tennessee, part of which would later become Maury County, Tennessee. According to the Maury County marriage records, Joseph and Hannah were married on 31 December 1810.
The next record we have of this family is the 1820 census, which shows them living at Williamsport, Maury County, Tennessee. They had quickly added to their family and they are listed with 4 boys under the age of 10. (Richard born 1812, William born 1814, Gideon born 1816 and Joseph Jr born 1819. They owned 1 slave - a male to the age of 14.
They should be listed on the 1830 census in Maury County, Tennessee, but I cannot find it.
They are next listed on the 1838 Maury County Tennessee School census. This census enumerated students who were over 6 and under 16 years old. In District 10, "J.Polk" is listed as the parent/guardian and with 4 scholars in his house. (Nancy age 8, Mary age 10, Thomas age 13, John A age 15).
The family is listed on the 1840 census for the 10th civil district in Maury County, Tennessee. This census listing is somewhat of a mystery. We can positively identify: 1 male age 50-59 (Joseph Lee age 52), 1 male age 15-19 (John A), 1 male age 5-9 (Thomas age 10), 1 female age 50-59 (Hannah age 45?).
Unidentified in the household are: 1 male age 20-29; 1 male age 5-9; 1 female age 5-9; 1 female age 0-4; 1 female age 70-79 - probably Joseph's or Hannah's mother. I see 2 possibilities: 1) known children in Joseph & Hannah's household not yet matched to the census: Mary (age 12), Nancy (age 10), Elizabeth (age 6). These might fit if the census taker totally messed up the age columns and it still would not account for the male age 20-29. 2) It is also possible that Joseph & Hannah's oldest son Richard moved back home with them. If his first wife had already died (I have seen information that she died in 1841), then he might have moved back with his parents and his 2 young daughters. This would not account for a male age 5-9, but this could be one of the Polk's daughters enumerated as a male instead of female. And the other 2 daughters would have had to have died by this census.
Also listed with Joseph & Hannah's house in 1840 were 8 slaves: 2 males under 10, 2 males age 10-23, 2 females under 10, 2 females age 24-35.
For the 1850 census, (which is the first census for which each person of a household was listed), Joseph and Hannah are still living in the 10th civil district in Maury County, Tennessee. They are living with their 2 youngest children still at home - Thomas M age 20 and Elizabeth age 15. Joseph (misspelled on the census record) is listed as a farmer, with a value of real estate of $2500 which is more than most of his neighbors. Also in 1850, a separate slave census was taken. Joseph Polk is listed as the owner of 1 male mulatto slave, age 32.
On 01 September 1853, Hannah died. I do not believe there are death records from this early and we only know of her exact death date because of her tombstone. She was buried at the Mt. Nebo Cemetery in Maury County.
Joseph remarried on 01 January 1857 to Isabella Smith, according to Maury County marriage records. They moved and by the 1860 census, they are recorded as living in the 11th civil district in Lawrence County, Tennessee. They are also listed as slave owners on the slave schedule for 1860, owning 1 slave - a 10 year old black female. Why did they move, away from Joseph's home and children?
Other researchers indicate Joseph died in 1868, but I have not found evidence of this yet. His tombstone has no dates indicated on it. Is is possible that a blank tombstone for Joseph was erected when Hannah was buried? And then Joseph buried somewhere in Lawrence County with his 2nd wife?
Children by his first wife, Hannah Lemaster, all surnamed POLK:
Daughters Mary and Nancy are somewhat of a mystery. I have not been able to locate them in any further census records, so their birthdates are not exact. There are no known children by his second wife, Isabella. I have not checked land or probate records for Joseph and Hannah and I'm sure they would shed much light on this family.
Copyright 2008
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