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His education was attained at Yale University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in 1831. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1835 after moving to Missouri, and then established his legal career, serving as the St. Louis city counselor […]" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.nga.org/governor/trusten-polk/" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="National Governors Association" /> <meta property="article:publisher" content="https://www.facebook.com/nationalgovernorsassociation" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/nga.share_.light_.png" /> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200" /> <meta property="og:image:height" content="630" /> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/png" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@NatlGovsAssoc" /> <meta name="twitter:label1" content="Est. reading time" /> <meta name="twitter:data1" content="1 minute" /> <script type="application/ld+json" 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href="https://www.nga.org/about/#contact-section">Contact</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul></div> </nav> </div> </header>  <main class="content page-publication"> <header class="page-publication__header hero-post"> <div class="hero-post__container page-publication__header__container"> <div class="hero-post__container__left"> <a href="/former-governors/missouri" class="hero-post__back-link" > Back to former Missouri governors </a> <div class="hero-post__img-container hero-post__img-container--lg"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/bio_anon-934.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> </div> <div class="hero-post__container__right hero-post__container__right--lg"> <h5 class="title__label">Missouri</h5> <h1 class="title title--no-border">Gov. Trusten Polk</h1> <ul class="list--horizontal"> <li class="item"> <label class="label">Terms</label> January 5, 1857 - February 27, 1857 </li> <li class="item"> <label class="label">Party</label> Democratic </li> <li class="item"> <label class="label">Born</label> May 29, 1811 </li> <li class="item"> <label class="label">Passed</label> April 14, 1876 </li> <li class="item"> <label class="label">Birth State</label> Delaware </li> <li class="item"> <label class="label">School</label> Yale University </li> <li class="item"> <label class="label">Family</label> Married Elizabeth Skinner; five children </li> <li class="item"> <label class="label">Status</label> Resigned </li> <li class="item"> <label class="label">National Office(s) Served</label> Senator </li> <li class="item"> <label class="label">Military Service</label> Army </li> </ul> </div> </div> </header> <section class="page-publication__container"> <div class="page-publication__section"> <div class="page-publication__article"> <section aria-labelledby="about-governor" class="page-publication__article__section"> <h2 id="about-governor" class="title">About</h2> <p>TRUSTEN POLK was born near Bridgeville, Sussex County, Delaware on May 29, 1811. His education was attained at Yale University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in 1831. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1835 after moving to Missouri, and then established his legal career, serving as the St. Louis city counselor in 1843. Polk first entered politics as a delegate to the 1845 Missouri Constitutional Convention. He also served as a presidential elector on the 1848 Democratic ticket. Polk next secured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, and was elected governor on August 4, 1856. He was sworn into office on January 5, 1857. Shortly after his inauguration, the legislature designated him to serve in the U.S. Senate. Consequently, he resigned from the governor’s office on February 27, 1857. Polk served in his senatorial seat from March 4, 1857 until January 10, 1862, when he was expelled from office for his support of the Confederacy. He served as a colonel in the Confederate Army, serving in the department of Mississippi as a military court judge. He was taken prisoner and confined to Johnson’s Island in 1864. Governor Trusten Polk returned to St. Louis following the war, passed away on April 16, 1876, and was buried in the Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.</p> </section> <section aria-labelledby="additional-information" class="page-publication__article__section"> <h2 class="title">Source</h2> <p><a href="http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=p000411">Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress</a></p> <p>Messages and Proclamations of the Governors of the State of Missouri (Produced by the Missouri Historical Society)</p> <p><a href="http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/">Missouri State Archives (Jefferson City, MO)</a></p> <p><a href="http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/poinier-polke.html">The Political Graveyard</a></p> <p>Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 2, Westport, Conn.; Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols.</p> <p><a href="http://www.famousamericans.net/trustenpolk/">Virtual American Biographies</a></p> </section> </div> <aside class="page-publication__sidebar"> <div class="page-publication__sidebar__group"> <h4 class="title">Current Missouri Governor</h4> <ul> <li class="item"> <i class="fas fa-landmark"></i> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/mike-parson/">Mike Parson</a> </li> </ul> </div> </aside> </div> </section> </main> <section class="slider"> <div class="slider__container"> <div class="slider__header"> <h2 class="title">Recent Missouri Governors</h2> </div> <div class="owl-carousel slider-posts"> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/MO-EricGreitens.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/eric-greitens/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. Eric Greitens</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="January 8, 2017" itemprop="termStart">January 8, 2017</time> - <time datetime="June 1, 2018" itemprop="termEnd">June 1, 2018</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/eric-greitens/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/MO-JayNixon.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/jeremiah-w-jay-nixon/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="January 12, 2009" itemprop="termStart">January 12, 2009</time> - <time datetime="January 8, 2017" itemprop="termEnd">January 8, 2017</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/jeremiah-w-jay-nixon/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/MBLUNT.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/matt-blunt/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. Matt Blunt</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="January 10, 2005" itemprop="termStart">January 10, 2005</time> - <time datetime="January 12, 2009" itemprop="termEnd">January 12, 2009</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/matt-blunt/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/HOLDEN.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/robert-l-holden/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. Robert L. Holden</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="January 8, 2001" itemprop="termStart">January 8, 2001</time> - <time datetime="January 10, 2005" itemprop="termEnd">January 10, 2005</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/robert-l-holden/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/bio_anon-845.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/roger-b-wilson-2/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. Roger B. Wilson</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="October 18, 2000" itemprop="termStart">October 18, 2000</time> - <time datetime="January 8, 2001" itemprop="termEnd">January 8, 2001</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/roger-b-wilson-2/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/PGCARNAHANMO.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/mel-eugene-carnahan/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. Mel Eugene Carnahan</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="January 11, 1993" itemprop="termStart">January 11, 1993</time> - <time datetime="October 16, 2000" itemprop="termEnd">October 16, 2000</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/mel-eugene-carnahan/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/John_Ashcroft_official_photo_as_Governor.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/john-ashcroft/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. John Ashcroft</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="January 14, 1985" itemprop="termStart">January 14, 1985</time> - <time datetime="January 11, 1993" itemprop="termEnd">January 11, 1993</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/john-ashcroft/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/PGBONDMO.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/christopher-s-bond/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. Christopher S. Bond</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="January 12, 1981" itemprop="termStart">January 12, 1981</time> - <time datetime="January 14, 1985" itemprop="termEnd">January 14, 1985</time><br> <time datetime="January 8, 1973" itemprop="termStart">January 8, 1973</time> - <time datetime="January 10, 1977" itemprop="termEnd">January 10, 1977</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/christopher-s-bond/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/bio_anon-896.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/joseph-p-teasdale/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. Joseph P. Teasdale</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="January 10, 1977" itemprop="termStart">January 10, 1977</time> - <time datetime="January 12, 1981" itemprop="termEnd">January 12, 1981</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/joseph-p-teasdale/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> <div class="slider__item"> <div class="slider__item__img"> <img src="https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Warren_E._Hearnes.jpg" alt="Trusten Polk" /> </div> <div class="slider__item__content"> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/warren-e-hearnes/"> <h4 class="title">Gov. Warren E. Hearnes</h4> </a> <p class="caption"> <time datetime="January 11, 1965" itemprop="termStart">January 11, 1965</time> - <time datetime="January 8, 1973" itemprop="termEnd">January 8, 1973</time><br> </p> <a href="https://www.nga.org/governor/warren-e-hearnes/" class="link">Learn More</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section class="ad-gov-search"> <div class="ad-gov-search__container"> <div class="row"> <div class="ad-gov-search__content"> <h2 class="title">Search For Former Governors</h2> <p class="description">This searchable database identifies former governors by state and dates of service. The governors' biographies available on the NGA website provide summary biographical information only and are edited infrequently.</p> <a class="button--secondary button--lg" href="/former-governors/">Start Searching</a> </div> </div> <div aria-label="state map of united states" class="ad-gov-search__bg-image"></div> </div> </section> <div class="ut-scroll-up-waypoint" data-section="section-trusten-polk"></div> <footer role="contentinfo" class="site-footer"> <div class="site-footer__container"> <div class="site-footer__action"> <a id="footer-top" href="#top" class="site-footer__action__link scroll-top">  <i class="fas fa-chevron-double-up"></i> </a> </div>  <div class="site-footer__container__left"> <h5 class="title">We <i class="fas fa-heart"></i> state solutions</h5> <p class="dateline">© <time>2024</time> NGA. 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