Samuel A. Henry
Cite this Page
"Samuel A. Henry," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/1146.
- Positions
- Houseman
- Engineer
- Years in President's House
- 1962 – circa 1988
- Legal Status
- Free Person
- Gender
- Male
- Race/Ethnicity
- Black or African American
- Biography
Samuel Allen Henry Sr. was born on September 15, 1940, in Greenville, South Carolina.1 He later moved to the Washington, D.C. area and began working at the White House on August 18, 1962.2 He initially worked as a houseman, responsible for general cleaning and upkeep, but later transitioned into the role of operating engineer. In the latter role, he helped maintain the HVAC, plumbing, and refrigeration systems.3 It is unclear exactly how long Henry worked at the White House, but he appears on Residence Staff personnel rosters through January 1988.4 Further information about his career is limited at this time.
Samuel A. Henry died on November 17, 2015, and was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Suitland, Maryland.5
- Samuel Allen Henry in U.S., Korean War Era Draft Cards, 1948-1959, National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 1926–1975; Record Group Number: 147; Series: Post-WWII through Vietnam Era Selective Service Records, South Carolina; Series Number: 147-76A-541, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62234/records/11112250.
- “Length of Service Emblems,” May 23, 1986, Office of the Executive Residence: Usher’s Office: Records, 1981-1989, Personnel (Residence) – [General, 1972-1987] (2), Ronald Reagan Library.
- White House Office of the Curator, e-mail message to author, March 16, 2026; U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations (Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations) Vol. 1 (1974), pg. 47-48; “Birthdays,” Undated, folder: folder “Birthdays (Residence Staff),” box 29, Betty Ford White House Papers, Gerald R. Ford Library, https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/sites/default/files/pdf_documents/library/document/0018/81556614.pdf.
- “Executive Residence Organization Roster,” January 30, 1988, folder Personnel (Residence) - [Staffing Reports] (1), Office of the Executive Residence: Usher’s Office: Records, 1981-1989, Ronald Reagan Library.
- “Samuel Henry Obituary,” Legacy.com, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/samuel-henry-obituary?pid=176553810#obituary.
- Birthplace
- Greenville, South Carolina, USA
- Cedar Hill Cemetery