Abraham Golden
Cite this Page
"Abraham Golden," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/127.
- Positions
- Footman
- Valet
- Years in President's House
- 1801 – 1804
- Legal Status
- Free Person
- Gender
- Male
- Race/Ethnicity
- White
- Presidency
- Thomas Jefferson
- Biography
- Little is known about Abraham Golden outside of his White House employment. It is possible he was a relative of Abraham Gaulding of Albemarle County, Virginia. This older Gaulding appears in Jefferson’s memorandum book from 1778.1 Abraham served as a personal servant for Thomas Jefferson’s private secretary Meriweather Lewis for two years. In 1803, Lewis departed the White House to explore the Louisiana Territory. Following his departure, President Jefferson hired Lewis Harvie as a replacement. Abraham continued in the personal servant role with Harvie and also served as a footman. He earned $12.00 per month with an additional $2.00 gratuity for alcohol.2 A May 1803 letter from John A. Houseman to Thomas Jefferson reveals a disturbing incident involving Abraham: “I have a sister by name Sally Houseman living in your House. She has been ill used by one of your Domesticks (Abraham Golden) and knocked prostrate on the floor; and that without any assault from her side.” Despite this incident, he remained employed at the White House until the following year.3 In April 1804, steward Etienne Lemaire wrote to Jefferson announcing Abraham’s resignation: “Abraham resigned around the 15th of the month to board a frigate, thinking this would be better for him. He was a mediocre worker…Dougherty’s brother has asked to replace Abraham.”4
- “Memorandum Books, 1778,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/02-01-02-0012. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series, Jefferson’s Memorandum Books, vol. 1, ed. James A Bear, Jr. and Lucia C. Stanton. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997, pp. 456–474.]
- “Memorandum Books, 1803,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/02-02-02-0013. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series, Jefferson’s Memorandum Books, vol. 2, ed. James A Bear, Jr. and Lucia C. Stanton. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997, pp. 1089–1117.]; Lucia Stanton, “‘A Well-Ordered Household’: Domestic Servants in Jefferson’s White House,” The White House Historical Association, accessed April 10, 2025, https://www.whitehousehistory.org/a-well-ordered-household.
- “To Thomas Jefferson from John A. Houseman, 18 May 1803,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-40-02-0299. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 40, 4 March–10 July 1803, ed. Barbara B. Oberg. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2013, p. 391.]
- “To Thomas Jefferson from Étienne Lemaire, 19 April 1804,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-43-02-0230. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 43, 11 March–30 June 1804, ed. James P. McClure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017, pp. 265–266.]
- Birthplace
- Unclear from Context
- Unclear from Context
- Related Workers
- John PernierTransportation, Valets, Lady's Maids, and First Family Attendants, 1804 – 1807
- Sally HousemanHousekeeping and Laundry, circa 1803
- Étienne LemaireUshers, Stewards, and Doorkeepers, 1801 – 1809
- Joseph DoughertyTransportation, 1800s
- Robert DoughertyTransportation, 1807 – 1809
- Related Association Content
- https://www.whitehousehistory.org/a-well-ordered-household