William H. Polk and Family
Files
Dublin Core
Title
William H. Polk and Family
Subject
Polk, William Henry (1891-1972)
Polk, Anna B. (Arrington) (unk-1930)
Polk, Edna H. (Steptoe) (1891-1969)
Polk, William Albert Carter (1922- )
African Americans - Virginia - Shenandoah County
Description
Photograph of William H. Polk standing behind his mother, Anna B. (Arrington) Polk (seated left), his wife, Edna, and his oldest son, William A. Polk. He is most remembered for having worked as a minister in the early 1920’s at the Mt. Zion Methodist Church, a historically black church in Woodstock.
William was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to William Henry Polk (born in Delaware) and Anna B. (Arrington) Polk (born in Alabama). In 1910, he lived with his parents on Fairmont Avenue. His father worked as a Hostler for a factory stable while his mother worked as a dressmaker in a shirtwaist factory. The family also had three lodgers living with them.
When he registered for the WWI draft in 1917, he was a “Minister of the Gospel” in a Methodist Church in Monroe County, West Virginia. His father had died and he supported his mother.
William’s mother, Anna B. Arrington Polk was born in Alabama to Robert Arrington. The name of her mother and the year of her birth are not known. The 1910 census reported that Anna had borne 7 children, of which only 2 were still living. After her husband died, Anna lived with her son, William, for more than ten years. She died in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
The 1920 census, enumerated in February, found William and his widowed mother, Anna, living in Carroll County, Maryland. Shortly after, they moved to Shenandoah County where William met Edna H. Steptoe (1891-1969) who lived in New Market. They married in November 1920. She was born in Grottoes, Rockingham County, and was the daughter of a preacher, Albert C. Steptoe (1892-1944), and Anna (Strother) (1890-1954) Steptoe.
The couple’s first son, William Albert Carter Polk, was born in October 1922, and we believe this photograph was taken a few months later.
William Henry Polk’s work as a minister meant he and Edna moved many times during their decades together. They had four children: William A.C., Leona H., Vaucrosson L. and Anthony F. The two youngest were born in Washington D.C (ca. 1926) and Maryland (ca. 1928), respectively. In 1930, the family lived in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. In 1940, they were in Poolesville, Maryland where they owned their home. By 1950, William and Edna still had one daughter, Leona, living with them. By then, they lived on West Cornwell Street in Leesburg, where they retired and spent most of their remaining days. Both of them are buried in Gleedsville, Loudoun County, Virginia.
Reverend Polk’s son, William A.C. Polk, married twice. First, to Margaret Sallie Atwell in 1948 in Leesburg. Reverend Polk officiated at his son’s first wedding. Her parents were Herman S. and Elizabeth V. (Wells) Atwell. His second wife was Winona Davis (1933-2002) who was originally from Pennsylvania. He spent the latter part of his life with her in Washington, Beaufort County, North Carolina.
William was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to William Henry Polk (born in Delaware) and Anna B. (Arrington) Polk (born in Alabama). In 1910, he lived with his parents on Fairmont Avenue. His father worked as a Hostler for a factory stable while his mother worked as a dressmaker in a shirtwaist factory. The family also had three lodgers living with them.
When he registered for the WWI draft in 1917, he was a “Minister of the Gospel” in a Methodist Church in Monroe County, West Virginia. His father had died and he supported his mother.
William’s mother, Anna B. Arrington Polk was born in Alabama to Robert Arrington. The name of her mother and the year of her birth are not known. The 1910 census reported that Anna had borne 7 children, of which only 2 were still living. After her husband died, Anna lived with her son, William, for more than ten years. She died in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
The 1920 census, enumerated in February, found William and his widowed mother, Anna, living in Carroll County, Maryland. Shortly after, they moved to Shenandoah County where William met Edna H. Steptoe (1891-1969) who lived in New Market. They married in November 1920. She was born in Grottoes, Rockingham County, and was the daughter of a preacher, Albert C. Steptoe (1892-1944), and Anna (Strother) (1890-1954) Steptoe.
The couple’s first son, William Albert Carter Polk, was born in October 1922, and we believe this photograph was taken a few months later.
William Henry Polk’s work as a minister meant he and Edna moved many times during their decades together. They had four children: William A.C., Leona H., Vaucrosson L. and Anthony F. The two youngest were born in Washington D.C (ca. 1926) and Maryland (ca. 1928), respectively. In 1930, the family lived in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. In 1940, they were in Poolesville, Maryland where they owned their home. By 1950, William and Edna still had one daughter, Leona, living with them. By then, they lived on West Cornwell Street in Leesburg, where they retired and spent most of their remaining days. Both of them are buried in Gleedsville, Loudoun County, Virginia.
Reverend Polk’s son, William A.C. Polk, married twice. First, to Margaret Sallie Atwell in 1948 in Leesburg. Reverend Polk officiated at his son’s first wedding. Her parents were Herman S. and Elizabeth V. (Wells) Atwell. His second wife was Winona Davis (1933-2002) who was originally from Pennsylvania. He spent the latter part of his life with her in Washington, Beaufort County, North Carolina.
Creator
Morrison Studio
Source
Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society
Publisher
Shenandoah County Library
Date
Labelled "July 1922" on box of plates.
Contributor
Biographical information was compiled from public records.
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED
Relation
William H. Polk appears in Morrison Studio Collection 000327, 003965, and 007634.
William H. Polk also appears in image 18-0507-0279 of the George W. Smith Collection. This photograph was also taken by Morrison Studios.
Identifier
007634
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Glass Negative
Collection
Citation
Morrison Studio, “William H. Polk and Family,” Shenandoah County Library Archives, accessed April 30, 2024, https://archives.countylib.org/items/show/26541.
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