Henry Bowman

Little is known about Henry Bowman’s early life. President James K. Polk described Bowman as “my faithful German steward,” indicating he was likely born in the German-speaking region of Europe, but this cannot be confirmed at this time.¹ He was likely not the original steward for President Polk. The James Polk Papers at the Library of Congress contain a list of staff members “to be employed at the President’s House” compiled in February 1845, just before Polk assumed office in March. Bowman is not included on the list; instead, the list names James Wilkins, the acting steward and butler for President John Tyler.² Bowman likely replaced Wilkins as steward sometime in 1846, as the first documentation of him working at the White House is from September of that year.³ However, Bowman served in this role for the remainder of Polk’s term. 

Bowman’s responsibilities as steward included managing the other workers in the president’s household and procuring supplies for the White House and negotiating with local businesses to supply products, food, and labor. Records reveal Bowman purchased a wide variety of items, from dairy cows and agricultural supplies to slippers for the first lady. He also negotiated the contract with the Baltimore Gas Company to install gas lighting in the White House in 1848 to replace candles and oil lamps.⁴ Bowman lived at the White House in a small room to the right of the northern entrance, which today is the office of the Chief Usher.⁵ He also occasionally traveled to other cities including Baltimore and New York to procure supplies for the White House.⁶ In November 1848, Bowman accompanied First Lady Sarah Polk to New York to purchase furniture for the Polk family home, then under construction in Nashville, Tennessee.⁷ 

After their time in the White House ended in March 1849, the Polks set out for Tennessee. Polk recorded in his diary that Bowman went with them “to pay bills, take care of the baggage, &C.”⁸ In April 1849, Bowman briefly moved into the Polks’ house in Nashville to supervise the unpacking of their possessions and furniture while Henry and Sarah visited relatives.⁹ 

On May 2, 1849, James Polk wrote in his diary: “This morning my good and faithful steward, Henry Bowman, who had acted in that capacity for more than three years at Washington and who had accompanied me on my return to Tennessee, left for Washington. I had no longer any employment for him. I made him a donation of an extra month’s wages and of the additional sum of $50 to bear his expenses back to Washington.” Polk also wrote Bowman a letter of recommendation to assist in his job search. In this diary entry, Polk praised Bowman’s “good character, honesty, and capacity; He is, I believe, the most faithful man I have ever known.”¹⁰ 

Upon Bowman’s return to Washington, he briefly resumed work as steward at the White House under Polk’s successor, Zachary Taylor, until either the end of 1849 or early 1850. Commissioner of Public Buildings Ignatius Mudd recorded in December 1849 that Bowman was “likely to leave” at the end of the year. After this, Bowman disappeared from the historical record.¹¹