John Thornton

Little is known about John Thornton outside of his employment at the White House under President James K. Polk.¹ 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. Thornton is included on the list and identified as a “waiter at table,” earning $12, presumably per month.² 

No records have been found from Polk’s time as president confirming that Thornton worked there. However, other individuals on the list did end up working there, suggesting Thornton likely did as well. If he did, Thornton would have worked alongside fellow waiter Paul Jennings, an enslaved man “hired out” to President Polk by former First Lady Dolley Madison to work as a waiter at the White House. At this point, nothing else is known about Thornton, including how long he may have worked at the White House.