John A. Simms
Cite this Page
"John A. Simms," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/451.
- Position
- Steward
- Years in President's House
- 1877 – 1879
- Legal Status
- Free Person
- Gender
- Male
- Race/Ethnicity
- Black or African American
- Presidency
- Rutherford B. Hayes
- Biography
- John A. Simms was born in Marlborough, Maryland around 1829. Little is known about his early life, but a 1867 document from the Freedman’s Bank suggests that Simms was born a free man.(2) According to his obituary, he “entered the employ of the government as a messenger in the ordnance bureau in 1849 and was transferred to the board of construction for the Navy Department in 1853,” though other documentation suggests he began his government service around 1857.(3) In March 1877, multiple newspapers reported that “John Simms, a colored resident of Washington” was appointed steward at the White House and “given bonds for $20,000.”(4) His annual salary was $2,000.(5) According to historian William Seale, Simms and his family lived “beneath the conservatories,” which at that time meant the West Colonnade; this likely included his wife Martha, sons John, Maurice, and Milton, and daughter Louisa.(6) After two years, he left the White House in May 1879 and William T. Crump filled the position.(7) Simms worked as a watchman at the Navy Department.(8) He remained in D.C. for the rest of his life. He died on March 31, 1918, and was buried in Columbian Harmony Cemetery.(9) Burials there were later disinterred during Metro construction, and moved to National Harmony Memorial Park Cemetery in Maryland.
- (1) “John A. Simms Dies,” Evening Star, April 1, 1918. (2) Record for John A. Simms, June 26, 1867, Freedman’s Bank Records, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8755/records/173797 (3) “John A. Simms Dies,” Evening Star, April 1, 1918. See Official Register, 1857 pg. 134 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=loc.ark:/13960/t6737jg25&view=1up&seq=156&q1=John+Simms (4) The Springfield Daily Republican, March 23, 1877; “Domestic,” Donaldsonville Chief, March 31, 1877. See also Daily Fort Worth Standard, March 23, 1877. (5) Official Register 1877, pg. 1, https://archive.org/details/officialregister70unit/page/n9/mode/2up?q=John+Sims&view=theater (6) William Seale, The President’s House Vol. 1 (Washington, D.C.: White House Historical Association, 2008), 478; 1880 Federal Census Year: 1880; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia; Roll: 122; Page: 14c; Enumeration District: 023 https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/records/35123684?tid=&pid=&queryId=54777f83-005e-43bc-a684-0338ff5638fd&_phsrc=zKN80&_phstart=successSource (7) National Republican, May 2, 1879. (8) Official Register 1879, pg. 275 https://books.google.com/books?id=vC0XAAAAYAAJ&pg=PP7#v=onepage&q=John Simms&f=false (9) “John A. Simms Dies,” Evening Star, April 1, 1918.
- Birthplace
- Maryland, USA