James T. Polk, proprietor of the fruit packing establishment at Greenwood, was born in Gibson County, Ind., February 25, 1844, and is the son of George W. and Mary (Embree) Polk, a history of whom appears elsewhere in this work. When he was fourteen years old his parents came to Johnson County, and settled on a farm which adjoins the town of Greenwood on the southeast. He received a common school education, and in September, 1863, entered the service of the Union Army in Company M, First Indiana Heavy Artillery, with which he served until the close of the war. He returned home and spent two years improving his education. In 1869, in order to improve his health, he spent a period of nine months in a water cure institution, at Danville, New York. Returning home, he soon conceived the idea of establishing a fruit packing business, and in this, by the year 1873, he was fully launched. To it, his entire attention has been given ever since, and under his careful management, has attained enormous proportions. A history of his establishment will be found elsewhere in this work. Mr. Polk was married December 5, 1871, to Laura F. Burdick, who is a native of New York, born February 10, 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Polk have had born to them, three children: Pearl F., Ralph B., and James T., the last of whom died in infancy. Our subject and wife are members of the Baptist Church.