White House Historical Association

Thomas Stackpole

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"Thomas Stackpole," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/313.
Positions
Doorkeeper
Watchman
Steward
Years in President's House
circa 1853 – 1865
Legal Status
Free Person
Gender
Male
Race/Ethnicity
White
Presidencies
Franklin Pierce
James Buchanan
Abraham Lincoln
Andrew Johnson
Biography
Thomas Stackpole was born in New Hampshire around 1829.1 According to Abraham Lincoln, President Franklin Pierce brought Stackpole to the White House from their home state.2 He served as a doorkeeper/watchman for presidents Pierce, Buchanan, and Lincoln. Lincoln called him a “straight, energetic man,” despite rumors that Stackpole was a Confederate sympathizer.3 Following the assassination of President Lincoln, he was appointed steward by Andrew Johnson. Stackpole served in this role, overseeing the household and conducting a major inventory, before resigning in August 1865; he was replaced by William Slade.4 After leaving the White House, he became the captain of the Arrow, a local steamer that carried passengers between Washington, D.C. and Mount Vernon.5 Sources indicate that he began doing so while still employed at the White House, though it is unclear how he could juggle both positions. He died on March 10, 1872 and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.6
  1. The 1860 Federal Census places his date of birth in 1825 while Civil War draft registration records place it in 1829. See The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: Washington Ward 1, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: M653_102; Page: 411; Family History Library Film: 803102 ; The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General's Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110; Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 3 of 5.
  2. “Abraham Lincoln Recommends a Franklin Pierce White House Appointee to General Benjamin Butler,” Manuscript, January 14, 1864, Shapell, https://www.shapell.org/manuscript/abraham-lincoln-franklin-pierce-thomas-stackpole-general-butler/.  
  3. Ibid; “Benjamin B. French to Abraham Lincoln,” Manuscript, October 15, 1861, Abraham Lincoln Papers: Series 1, General Correspondence, 1833 to 1916, Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.1246100/?st=text.
  4. Untitled article, Alexandria Gazette, April 29, 1865, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress; “Steward to the White House,” New York Herald, August 8, 1865, pg. 5, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030313/1865-08-08/ed-1/seq-5/; “The White House Plundering-Card from the Late Steward,” Public Ledger (Memphis, TN), March 14, 1866, pg. 1, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033673/1866-03-14/ed-1/seq-1/.
  5. “Death of Captain Thomas Stackpole,” National Republican, March 11, 1872, pg. 4.
  6. Ibid. See also “Thomas Stackpole,” FindAGrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70815017/thomas-stackpole.
(1) The 1860 Federal Census places his date of birth in 1825 while Civil War draft registration records place it in 1829. See The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: Washington Ward 1, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: M653_102; Page: 411; Family History Library Film: 803102 ; The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General's Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110; Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 3 of 5. (2) “Abraham Lincoln Recommends a Franklin Pierce White House Appointee to General Benjamin Butler,” Manuscript, January 14, 1864, Shapell, https://www.shapell.org/manuscript/abraham-lincoln-franklin-pierce-thomas-stackpole-general-butler/. (3) Ibid; “Benjamin B. French to Abraham Lincoln,” Manuscript, October 15, 1861, Abraham Lincoln Papers: Series 1, General Correspondence, 1833 to 1916, Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.1246100/?st=text. (4) Untitled article, Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, D.C.), April 29, 1865, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, ; “Steward to the White House,” New York Herald, August 8, 1865, pg. 5, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030313/1865-08-08/ed-1/seq-5/; “The White House Plundering-Card from the Late Steward,” Public Ledger (Memphis, TN), March 14, 1866, pg. 1, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033673/1866-03-14/ed-1/seq-1/. (5) “Death of Captain Thomas Stackpole,” National Republican, March 11, 1872, pg. 4. (6) Ibid. See also “Thomas Stackpole,” FindAGrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70815017/thomas-stackpole.
(1) The 1860 Federal Census places his date of birth in 1825 while Civil War draft registration records place it in 1829. See The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: Washington Ward 1, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: M653_102; Page: 411; Family History Library Film: 803102 ; The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General's Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110; Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 3 of 5.
(2) “Abraham Lincoln Recommends a Franklin Pierce White House Appointee to General Benjamin Butler,” Manuscript, January 14, 1864, Shapell, https://www.shapell.org/manuscript/abraham-lincoln-franklin-pierce-thomas-stackpole-general-butler/.
(3) Ibid; “Benjamin B. French to Abraham Lincoln,” Manuscript, October 15, 1861, Abraham Lincoln Papers: Series 1, General Correspondence, 1833 to 1916, Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.1246100/?st=text.
(4) Untitled article, Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, D.C.), April 29, 1865, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, ; “Steward to the White House,” New York Herald, August 8, 1865, pg. 5, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030313/1865-08-08/ed-1/seq-5/; “The White House Plundering-Card from the Late Steward,” Public Ledger (Memphis, TN), March 14, 1866, pg. 1, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033673/1866-03-14/ed-1/seq-1/.
(5) “Death of Captain Thomas Stackpole,” National Republican, March 11, 1872, pg. 4.
(6) Ibid. See also “Thomas Stackpole,” FindAGrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70815017/thomas-stackpole.
(1) The 1860 Federal Census places his date of birth in 1825 while Civil War draft registration records place it in 1829. See The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: Washington Ward 1, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: M653_102; Page: 411; Family History Library Film: 803102 ; The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General's Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110; Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 3 of 5.
(2) “Abraham Lincoln Recommends a Franklin Pierce White House Appointee to General Benjamin Butler,” Manuscript, January 14, 1864, Shapell, https://www.shapell.org/manuscript/abraham-lincoln-franklin-pierce-thomas-stackpole-general-butler/.
(3) Ibid; “Benjamin B. French to Abraham Lincoln,” Manuscript, October 15, 1861, Abraham Lincoln Papers: Series 1, General Correspondence, 1833 to 1916, Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.1246100/?st=text.
(4) Untitled article, Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, D.C.), April 29, 1865, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, ; “Steward to the White House,” New York Herald, August 8, 1865, pg. 5, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030313/1865-08-08/ed-1/seq-5/; “The White House Plundering-Card from the Late Steward,” Public Ledger (Memphis, TN), March 14, 1866, pg. 1, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033673/1866-03-14/ed-1/seq-1/.
(5) “Death of Captain Thomas Stackpole,” National Republican, March 11, 1872, pg. 4.
(6) Ibid. See also “Thomas Stackpole,” FindAGrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70815017/thomas-stackpole.
Birthplace
New Hampshire, USA
Oak Hill Cemetery
Related Worker
Charles Forbes
Transportation, Ushers, Stewards, and Doorkeepers, Kitchen, Dining Room, Pantry, and Storeroom, circa 1861 – 1865