Jean-Pierre Sioussat
- Positions
- Doorkeeper
- Usher
- Steward
- Years in President's House
- circa 1809 – 1817
- Legal Status
- Free Person
- Gender
- Male
- Race/Ethnicity
- White
- Presidency
- James Madison
- Biography
Born in Paris, France in 1781, Jean-Pierre Sioussat moved to the United States around 1806.1 Sometimes called “French John,” he worked for James and Dolley Madison at the White House; he is sometimes called the doorkeeper, steward, or master of ceremonies. He was present as British troops approached the White House during the War of 1812; Paul Jennings credits Sioussat and White House Gardener Thomas McGrath with the removal of George Washington’s portrait prior to the burning.2 He also allegedly saved Mrs. Madison’s parrot, Polly; according to family recollections, Sioussat taught the bird French phrases.3
Sioussat married three times in his life and had several children; this includes a son he named for James Madison. Sioussat died on April 29, 1864 and is buried at Glenwood Cemetery in Washington, D.C.4
Thank you to the Papers of James Madison, to Hilarie M. Hicks, Senior Research Historian, James Madison's Montpelier, and to Holly Shulman, editor of the Dolley Madison Digital Edition, for providing research assistance with this biography.
- “John “French John” Sioussa Sr.,” FindAGrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144005931/john-sioussa.
- Paul Jennings, A Colored Man’s Reminiscences of James Madison (Brooklyn, NY: George C. Beadle, 1865), 15.
- Hilarie M. Hicks, “Parroting Historical Research,” August 13, 2018, James Madison’s Montpelier, https://www.montpelier.org/parroting-historical-research/#_ftn3.
- “John “French John” Sioussa Sr.,” FindAGrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144005931/john-sioussa.
- Birthplace
- Paris, France
- Glenwood Cemetery
- Related Workers
- Paul JenningsKitchen, Dining Room, Pantry, and Storeroom, Valets, Lady's Maids, and First Family Attendants, 1809 – 1817, 1845
- Thomas McGrathGardens, Grounds, and Flower Shop, circa 1812 – 1819
- Related Association Content
- https://www.whitehousehistory.org/ushers-and-stewards-since-1800
- https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-burning-of-washington
- https://www.whitehousehistory.org/gilbert-stuart
- Educational Resources
- The Burning of the White House
As the official residence of the president and first family, the White House holds a special place in all our hearts. But when British troops set it on fire during the War of 1812, White House staff rallied to save its contents.
- Classroom Resource Packet: War and the White House
The American colonies gained their independence by fighting a war against England. After the American Revolution, the newly formed United States began to establish itself as a nation by ratifying the Constitution, creating a capital in Washington, D.C., and building the President's House. As the home of the president, the White House has confronted war on various occasions in more than two hundred years of its existence. Learn about the physical scars created during the War of 1812, the victory gardens planted on the grounds during World Wars I and II, and other topics highlighting the history of the White House and war.