Thomas M. Redmon

Thomas M. Redmon was born in Wellington, Virginia in July 1869.¹ At a young age, Redmon moved to Washington, D.C., and worked as a waiter and butler at a hotel.² Sometime during the presidency of William McKinley, Redmon began working at the White House. The 1900 Census listed Redmon as living at the White House and working as a “servant” and “day laborer” for President McKinley.³ While his exact job description is unclear at this time, he likely worked as a waiter or butler for President McKinley as he did prior to his tenure at the White House. A newspaper article from 1911 states that Redmon began working at the White House under McKinley and stayed there for seven years, but it does not specify the exact years in which he started and ended.⁴ In 1899 and 1901, the official register of federal government employees listed Thomas Redmon working as a laborer for the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds in D.C., which included the White House and surrounding grounds.⁵ 

In 1911, Redmon became the manager of the Old Porter’s Exchange, a hotel and restaurant in D.C. “run on a first-class basis.” The newspaper announcing his appointment stated that “Mr. Redmon is one of Washington’s best citizens” and “when it comes to getting up a first-class meal, Mr. Redmon is the man.”⁶ 

Redmon owned a home in Fairmount Heights, Maryland just across the border from D.C.⁷ Little else is known about Thomas Redmon at this time.