Brig-Gen Thomas Polk was born in Cumberland Co., PA, near
what is today Carlisle, as were all the Polk children. He was
born about 1730 and died 26 June 1794. He and Thomas Pratt were said to be first white settlers in what became Mecklenburg Co., NC. Thomas built his home where two Indian Trails crossed. This is today Tryon and Trade Street
intersection. His home was built where the Nations Bank
Tower is located today. From memory, I believe his lot was
#13 or 16. He was commissioned by Mayor to layout the
town of Charlotte (he was also a surveyor). I think two of them worked to do that. Naturally, he began with his intersection of Indian Trails, and perhaps this referred to
Charlotte Town at the time. The information re Nation's Bank
Tower on his old home site came from many documents of
some of the Springs family, with whom we are also connected.

Thomas Polk and Susanna Spratt had son, Lt-Col. William Polk, who was married twice. His second marriage to Sarah Hawkins 1 Jan 1801 in Raleigh, NC, resulted in Rev. Leonidas
Polk being born on 10 Apr 1806. He died on Pine Mountain
near Marietta, GA, 14 June, 1864.

Leonidas' visit with my greatuncle Charles Alexander in Maury
Co., TN, was Sept 8, 1834. Charles died by census of 1840 (he is not on the census) and is bd. at Reece's Chapel, Ebenezer Presbyterian Ch. Cem., w/o a marker. I wish that
I knew for sure who his wife/children were. Some thought he
married Margaret Alexander, d/o James and Rachel Alexander of Mecklenburg Co., NC. He was born in Meck. on
Jan 4, 1755, after family migrated there from Germantown, w.
of Philadelphia, PA.

Deborah Polk, who married Samuel McCleary, stayed with
Charles' brother, Maj. Thomas Alexander, her nephew, after
Samuel died. I show a dau. for the McClearys: Margaret
McCleary, who died 10 jan 1763 in Mecklenburg Co., NC. I
do not have proof of it.

Thomas Polk had a dau., Margaret "Jenny" Polk, who m.
Nathaniel Alexander, later governor of NC. Nathaniel's
father was Col. Moses Alexander, who worked for the Tory
Gen. Waddell. It was Col. Moses who hired Mecklenburg
frontiersmen's wagons (maybe 3) to haul black powder, and
other war goods like canteens, etc., to Alamance, NC. They
stopped at Rocky River Community about where Phifer's Hill
is today. That is where my greatgrandfather, Wm. BB Alexander, led 9 boys (he was only 18) on a raid of the goods
in those wagons. One of 4 Whites (later Maj. White) shot his
pistol into the train of black powder the boys ran from the pile
of war goods including the powder. People for miles around
thought it was thunder, when it exploded. Gen. Wm. Lee
Davidson was founder of Davidson College, where my great
grandfather Daniel, s/o Wm. BB, was appointed head of the college but never inaugurated (whatever that means). Wm.
BB Alexander's sword was given to Davidson College to hang
in the hallway next to Gen. Davidson's. The college wrote to
one of my cousins that that section of Davidson College burned just after they had relocated the library to another
location... the swords were on the wall in the Library Hallway.
W. Shakespeare Harris, Esq., was said to have dedicated the
sword on behalf of the family to the college.

I must leave for a while. I will finish reading your email when
I can, and answer more if needed.

Mac Alexander.