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Polk Heritage

The history of the Polk family is traceable back into what is called the Dark Ages, when the progress of civilization was Stoped Suddenly and hidden from view for several centuries by a cloud of war and destruction, evoked by superstition. 
 
From members of the family in Ireland and Scotland, and from official records in Maryland, Information has come down to us the Polk family history beginning in the year 1053, during the reign of Edward the Confessor. 
 
Fulbert the Saxon, the first recorded forfather of the family, had come over to England before Harold was overthrown at Hastings by William the Conqueror.  He is said to have been Chamberlain (a high European court official) to the Latter, and one of his beneficiaries. 
 
From British genealogical sources, and from descendants of Fulbert in Scotland and Ireland, was derived the pedigree down to the emigration of Robert Bruce Polk and family to America. From official records of Maryland and Delaware, and from family documents, this history of the family has been continued down to the present.  We thus have presented a view of the family history during apperiod of 858 years, a length of retrospect possessed by but few families in America. 
 
William accompanied William the Conqueror to England and was engaged with him in the battle of Hastings (1066).  Shortly after, he received from William a large grant of land in Scotland which later became known as the Barony of Pollock.
 
In the reign of King David 1st, the vast feudal barony of Pollok, in Renfrewshire, was held by "Fulbert the Saxon", a great noble and territorial king, who had come from Normandy, France, to England, as Chamberlain of William the Conqueror. Fulbert died in 1153, at the beginning of the reign of Malcolm the 4th, and was succeeded by his son Petrus.
 
Petrus assumed as a surname, (which at that time only came to be used), instead of a patronymic, the name of his great hereditary lands of Pollok.  The Lord Baron Pollok of this feudal kingdom, was a man of great eminence in his time, and a benefactor of the monastery of Paisley, which donation was confirmed by Joceline, Bishop of Glasgow, who died in 1190.  Petrus was a law unto himself, and equalled the sovereign in wealth, rank and power.  He was the ancestor of many brave warriors and Crusade knights, who joined in the mighty struggle of Europe, during the eleventh and twefth centuries, to free the holy sepulchre from the grip of the Moslem. 
 
Petrus de Pollok was greatly distinquished for valor in arms and prowess (strength) in the chase, and his exploits in them were the subject of many minstrel lays (Minstrel songs).  His next perish to eastward.
 
Besides the vast estates in Renfrewshire, the chevron (V shape insigne)of which barony is still borne on the shield of arms of the Prince of Wales, he held the great Barony of Rothes, in Aberdeenshire, which he gave to his only daughter Mauricle, who married the celebrated Sir Norman de Lesle. Mauricle de Rothes was the ancestress of the great Earls of Rothes and Lords of Lesley.  The 8th Earl of Rothes was constituted after the Restoration, Marquis of Ballenbriech, Duke de Rothes, President of the Council and Lord High Chancellor of Schotland.
 
 

In the State records shows that many inter-marriages have taken place between the Lesleys, Polloks and Royal Stuarts.  Sir John Pollok Leslie (knight) was receiver General to King James 4th, and married a grand daughter of that monarch. 
 
On the death of Petrus de Pollok, his ancient patrimonial estates of Pollok being settled on heirs male, passed to his brother, Robert de Pollok (1175), and its noticeable how the name of Robert has been handed down from father to son to the present generation.
 
Robert the 1st was witness in the donation of the Kirks of Strathgry and Ninerwick, by Walter, founder of the Monastery of Paisley in the beginning of the reighn of William the Lion.  He is also witness in several of the charters of Allen, the son of Walter.  Robert de Pollok 1st, was succeeded by his son Robert 2nd.
 
Robert de Pollok 2nd was living at the time of Alexander 2nd, (1214), and mortified a yearly rent to the same Monastery for the souls of Petrus de Pollok and Robert, son of Fulbert.  Alexander 2nd reigned from 1214 to 1249.  Robert 2nd was succeeded by his son, Thomas. 
 
Thomas de Pollok, was witness to sundry charters of donation to the Abbey of Paisley 1249.  He was living at the time of Alexander 2nd and Alexander 3rd of Scotland.  Alexander 3rd reigned form 1249 to 1286.  Thomas was succeeded by his son, Petrus de Pollok, 2nd. 
 
Petrus de Pollok, 2nd was one of the person of rank who in 1296, gave a forced submission to Edward 1st of England, in the bond known as the Ragman's Roll.  He was succeeded by his son Robertus.
 
Robertus de Pollok married Agnes, daughter of Sir John Maxwell, Lord of Caerlaverok and was succeeded by his son, John.
 
John de Pollok, in 1320, obtained from his grandfather the said John Lord Maxwell, a charter of certain lands, dated at Caerlaverok, and was succeeded by his son Brucii or Brucis de Pollok. 
 
John de Pollok left a son John de Pollok.  and he was designated in charter by James 2nd of scotland, of date 12, Dec 1439, as Nobilis Sir Johannes de Pollok, filius et heires Brucii de Pollok.  He fought on Queen Mary's side at the battle of Langside, for which he was forfeited.  His son: John de Pollok was killed at the faction fight of Locerbie (1593), when assisting his kinsman, Lord Maxwell, against the Laird of John's Stone.  From this famous noble sprang the Illustrious line of Pollok of that Ilk.  His successor was: Charles de Pollok of that Ilk.  John de Pollok last mentioned had another son besides Charles.  This other son was Robert de Pollok, who became Sir Robert de Pollok of Ireland, and who received form King James 2nd (1440), the great land grant of "Vetus Scotia", or New Scotland, as Ireland was then called.  This Sir Robert's eldest son, Sir John, inherited the hereditary estates in Old Scotland.  Sir Robert's younger son, Robert, inherited the estates in Ireland, and became Sir Robert.
 
Sir Robert de Pollok, 2nd of Ireland, inherited the estates in Ireland and became the founder of the family in Ireland, where the name to this day is often spelled and prononunced (Polk), as of one syllable by the natives, and whose American descendants, the Polks still preserve the lineal memorial of their noble and knightly ancestors. 
 
In 1640 Sir Robert of Ireland Joined the Scotch Covenanters whose Commander in Chief and governor of Dunbarton Castle was a relation to General Sir Alexander Leslie, one of the most famous soliders of his time.
 
In 1646, Sir George Maxwell, of the Nether Pollok, was married to Lady Annabella Stuart, lineal descendant of King Robert III, and their grand daughter Annabella married her cousin, Sir Robert Pollok of Upper Pollok, Grandnephew of sir Robert of Ireland, whose nephew Ezekiel Stuart, married Debora Annerly..  Sir Robert Pollok was succeeded by his son Thomas Pollok.  This Sir Robert also had a second son, Robert Bruce Pollok. Thomas, Eldest son of Sir Robert II, succeeded to the Irish estates located in Doinegal county, and not far from Londonderry.

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Date
Place or Source

1941

Some descendents from Cap't William Polk of Accomac, VA. Chicago, Ill.: Author: unkown