He supported slavery and was a slaveholder himself. In 1777, Dickinson, Delaware's wealthiest farmer and largest slaveholder, decided to free his slaves. By 1860, the largest slaveholder owned 16 slaves. Polk was the largest slaveholder in the county in 1840, with 111 slaves. A Muslim slaveholder was entitled by law to the sexual enjoyment of his slave women. The former guaranteed a right for a slaveholder to recover an escaped slave. However, he was hesitant to discuss the slavery issue being a slaveholder himself. Tyler was a slaveholder, at one point keeping forty slaves at Greenway. Thus, although a major slaveholder, he opposed the slave system in Virginia. Clark was a planter and slaveholder. Forrest had success as a businessman, planter and slaveholder. His father was Peter Jefferson, a planter, slaveholder, and surveyor in Albemarle County (Shadwell, Virginia). His father Samuel Polk was a farmer, slaveholder, and surveyor of Scots-Irish descent. Her father was a successful farmer, stock trader, and slaveholder of Irish descent. A vocal supporter of slaveholder rights, President James Buchanan endorsed the Lecompton Constitution before Congress.