James H. Hicks

James Henry Hicks was born on April 26, 1875 in Virginia.¹ Little is known about his early life, but by 1892 he was living in Washington, D.C., and working as a hostler, or one who cares for horses in a stable.²

It is unclear when exactly he began working at the White House Stables, but he was employed there as a hostler by 1899. In February of that year, Hicks got into a physical altercation with the White House coachman Frederick K. Douglass. According to newspaper reports, the fight began when Douglass criticized the way Hicks placed harnesses on the horses after President William McKinley requested they prepare for a sleigh ride. In response to the criticism, Hicks beat Douglass and was arrested. Early reports indicated that Douglass was seriously hurt but recovered.³ It is unclear if Hicks faced any legal consequences from this fight, but he ceased working at the White House soon after. According to the 1900 Census, he was working in D.C. as a bellman in a hotel.⁴ Beginning in 1907, Hicks began working as a butler at a private club in Washington, D.C., and maintained this position for several decades. He passed away on April 22, 1849, and was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Washington, D.C.⁵