Mary Wall

Mary Wall was born around 1804 in England. Little is known about her life; however, she is documented as living and working in President James Buchanan’s White House in 1860, where she served as a chambermaid.¹ As a chambermaid, Wall cleaned rooms within the house. It is possible that Wall served throughout James Buchanan’s presidency; however, no additional documentation has been identified to confirm the length of her service. 

A letter written by Wall in August 1867 provides rare insight into her later life and service. Writing to former President Buchanan, she identified herself as “the old chambermaid who lived at the White House” and requested financial assistance to return to England, noting that she was “nearly to seventy years old.” Her letter reveals the precarity of her circumstances and how White House workers sometimes drew upon their relationships with former presidents later in life. Buchanan forwarded her request to his associate, John B. Blake, indicating that he intended to honor a prior promise of assistance, though he was uncertain of the exact amount.²

Thank you to James Buchanan’s Wheatland for providing research assistance with this biography.