Leonidas Polk Quick Facts

Name Meaning:
Leonidas is of Greek origin and means “lion”.

Vital Stats
Birthday: April 10th, 1806
Birth Name: Leonidas Polk
Birthplace: Raleigh, North Carolina
Height: About 6 Feet
Date of Death: June 14th, 1864
Place of Death: Pine Mountain, Cobb County, Georgia
Cause of Death: Killed in action during Atlanta Campaign
Nationality: American
Ancestry: Scottish and Scotch Irish
Occupation before Civil War:
Briefly an officer in U.S. Army after graduating from West Point in 1827, then Episcopal clergyman
Occupation during Civil War:
Major General and Lieutenant General in Confederate Army

Major Battles:
Shiloh, Perryville,
Stones River, Chickamauga
Atlanta Campaign

Relatives
Father: William Polk (1758-1834)
Mother: Sarah Hawkins Polk (1784-1843)
Half Brother: Thomas G. Polk (1791-1869)
Half Brother: William J. Polk (1793-1860)
Brother: Lucius J. Polk (1802-1870)
Sister: Lucinda D. Polk (1804-1805)
Sister: Mary B. Polk (1808-1835)
Brother: Alexander H. Polk (1810-1830)
Brother: John H. Polk (1812-1813)
Brother: Rufus K. Polk (1814-1846)
Brother: George W. Polk (1817-1892)
Sister: Susan S. Polk (1822-1909)
Cousin of President James K. Polk

Romance
Married Frances Ann Devereux (1807-1875)
on May 6th, 1830

Children
Son: Alexander H. Polk (1831-1872)
Daughter: Frances D. Polk (1835-1884)
Daughter: Katherine Polk (1838-1916)
Daughter: Sarah H. Polk (1840-1926)
Daughter: Susan R. Polk (1842-1921)
Daughter: Elizabeth D. Polk (1843-1918)
Son: William M. Polk (1844-1918)
Daughter Rebecca L Polk (1848-1883)

Resources

Leonidas Polk; Bishop And General: In Two Volumes, Vol. I
by William M. Polk

The Bishop of the Old South: The Ministry and Civil War Legacy of Leonidas Polk
by Glenn Robins