The Buffalo Soldier - Thomas Elzey Polk, Sr. with Erwin Polk

History has always been a favorite subject for Erwin, and his genealogy research made it possible for him to be interviewed live by Bryant Gumble on the Friday July 3, 1993 “Today Show.”  He has been featured in the Wilmington News Journal in 1996, regarding the history of his family and a memorial service for his great grandfather Thomas Elzey Polk Sr. a 9th Cavalry Regiment soldier (a Buffalo Soldier). He has been interviewed for another News Journal Article for the Sunday August 16, 2009 edition regarding a celebration of 200 years of Freedom in the United States by his Polk Ancestors. 

Erwin Polk is constantly working on genealogy projects and in 1997 made a break through in discovering the ancestors of a childhood friend and neighbor also named Polk.  His findings which started from the name of a Northwestern Pennsylvania town and the name of one person has taken the research back to 1825 Delaware and numerous stories about the Underground Railroad and escapes from slavery. 

Erwin’s genealogy and historical research projects have included many states such as: North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Illinois.  He has also researched information from England, Trinidad, Canada, Grenada, Poland and Germany at various times. 

Thomas Elzey Polk, Sr. the oldest son of Morris and Rebecca Black Polk, served in the United States 9th Cavalry Regiment Company C, from 1882 until 1892.  He was a Buffalo Soldier in the Indian Territory of the West and earned the rank of sergeant during both of his enlistments.  Thomas Polk earned a pension for his ten years of service in the Indian Territories.