Longtime White House Gardener John Ousley was born in Ireland in 1795.¹ Ousley replaced President James Monroe’s gardener, Charles Bizet, in 1825; he was paid $450 per year for his work.² President John Quincy Adams frequently wrote about Ousley’s horticultural expertise in his daily diary and spent many hours learning from the Irishman; in fact, he called Ousley “my living dictionary,” as he could always provide the names and information about various plants on the White House Grounds.³ Ousley remained in his role for twenty-seven years, impressing several American presidents with his delicious vegetables and extensive knowledge.⁴ While working at the White House, Ousley became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1830, and married Caroline Hilbus in 1833.⁵ On January 19, 1852, the Office of the Commissioner of Public Buildings informed Mr. Ousley that his services as gardener “will not be required after the end of the present month.”⁶ He died five years later and was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Washington, D.C..⁷

John Ousley in U.S. Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Index to Naturalization Records of the U.S. Supreme Court for the District of Columbia, 1802-1909; Microfilm Serial: M1827; Microfilm Roll: 1; see also John Ousley in Washington, D.C., U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1737-1952 Probate Records (District of Columbia), 1801-1930; Author: District of Columbia. Register of Wills; Probate Place: District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.
Untitled Article in The Ohio Democrat and Dover Advertiser, August 14, 1840, pg. 1.
John Quincy Adams Daily Diary, June 7, 1827, Massachusetts Historical Society, https://www.masshist.org/publications/jqadiaries/index.php/document/jqadiaries-v37-1827-06-07-p210#sn=4.
Untitled article in The Daily Union, November 3, 1847, pg. 3; “Early Vegetables,” American Telegraph, April 4, 1851, pg. 2; Untitled Article in The Daily Union, April 7, 1847, pg. 3.
John Ousley in U.S. Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Index to Naturalization Records of the U.S. Supreme Court for the District of Columbia, 1802-1909; John Ousley in Ancestry.com. Washington, D.C., U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1826-1850 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
Letter to John Ousley, January 19, 1852, quoted in William Seale, The President’s House Vol. 1 (Washington, D.C.: White House Historical Association, 1986), 292.
“John Ousley,” Find a Grave, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/14486776:60525.

Birthplace

Ireland

Mount Olivet Cemetery

Related Workers: Charles Bizet
Gardens, Grounds, and Flower Shop, 1819 – 1825; James Maher
Gardens, Grounds, and Flower Shop, circa 1834 – 1859; William Whelan
Gardens, Grounds, and Flower Shop, 1834 – circa 1844

Related Association Content: https://White House Vegetable Gardens
Educational Resources: Digging Up History: The White House Gardener
Ever wondered who maintains the White House lawn? In this video, learn about the historic role of the White House gardener, from the 1800s up until today.