James K. Polk was elected to the Tennessee state legislature in 1823 and then to the United States House of Representatives.  He became Speaker of the House in 1835, the only person to serve both as Speaker and U.S. president. Polk left Congress to run for governor of Tennessee, winning in 1839. Cave Johnson served as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives (1829-37, 1839-45), postmaster general of the United States (1845-49), and president of the Bank of Tennessee (1854-60). Exhibit includes artifacts borrowed and from the collection. This exhibition is sponsored by F&M Bank and is part of the Customs House Museum’s celebration of America’s 250th.