Michel Kromenaker

Little is known about Michel Kromenacker though we know he worked in the White House as a chef and steward from at least 1811 to 1813.¹ In 1812, Michel invoiced President James Madison fifty cents for chickens he purchased at Madison’s plantation, Montpelier, likely from enslaved workers. The invoice indicates that Michel moved back and forth between Montpelier and the White House as needed during Madison’s presidency.² On June 10, 1813, First Lady Dolley Madison wrote a letter to Edward Coles, private secretary to the president, and stated that Michel had recently left his job and moved to France.³ Michel appears to have been highly regarded by the Madisons. In the same letter to Coles, the first lady lamented Michel’s departure. “I am acting in his Dept.” she declared, meaning she assumed most of his duties, and then added: “My head is dizy” with all of the work.⁴ In Coles’s response, he recommended a butler to replace Michel to relieve Dolley of her “troubles and difficulties.”⁵ 

Another clue that the Madisons approved of Michel and his work appears in a 1814 letter from White House Steward Henry F. Doyhar to President Madison. Doyhar had recently been fired and wrote to Madison to complain about his termination and list the reasons for his poor performance. He mentions that Madison criticized Doyhar for spending more money on groceries than Michel.⁶

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.