George Alfred Diggs was born on January 16, 1879 in Maryland.¹ His obituary states that he “was employed as a hostler in the White House stables early in the century.” It goes on to say that later, “he became a footman, and then, as the automobile supplanted the carriage” his work shifted to the White House Garage.² It is unclear exactly when he joined the staff, but the earliest known documentation of his service is in 1910. A local newspaper article detailed an incident where a D.C. streetcar collided with President William Howard Taft’s carriage while Diggs sat inside – luckily, he was uninjured.³ Six years later, Diggs was in another accident while on duty which left him hospitalized; he recovered fully after being treated by White House Physician Cary T. Grayson.⁴ Diggs’ title changed often in the decades that followed, and he is sometimes listed as a wagon driver, baggage man, porter, and truck driver; these make sense, as he typically transported packages and supplies to and from the White House, rather than people.⁵ In addition, he sometimes stepped in as “Master of Hounds” for President Calvin Coolidge, “having under his jurisdiction… Paul Pry, airdale (sp.), and Rob Roy, white collie.”⁶ Outside of work, Diggs was an officer in the Chandelier Club, a social group made up of Black men on the domestic staff at the White House.7 He retired from the White House Garage in August 1942 and passed away on December 7, 1943. George Diggs was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Washington, D.C.⁸

George Alfred Diggs in the U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War II Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) For the District of Columbia; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Box or Roll Number: 018, Ancestry.com.
“Funeral Services Today for White House Veteran,” Evening Star, December 12, 1943, pg. 29.
“Hits President’s Carriage,” Evening Star, June 9, 1910, pg. 2, Chronicling America, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83045462/1910-06-09/ed-1/.
“White House Men Hurt,” Evening Star, October 1, 1916, pg. 2, Chronicling America, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83045462/1916-10-01/ed-1/.
“Selecting Vacation Spot and Moving Are Big Presidential Jobs,” Evening Star, May 1, 1927, pg. 95, Chronicling America, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83045462/1927-05-01/ed-1/.
“Coolidge Ready for His Vacation,” South Bend News-Times, June 21, 1925, pg. 1, Chronicling America, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn87055779/1925-06-21/ed-1/.
“The Chandelier Club in the Limelight,” The Freeman (Indiana), February 28, 1914, pg. 1, Chronicling America, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn82016211/1914-02-28/ed-1/.
“Funeral Services Today for White House Veteran,” Evening Star, December 12, 1943, pg. 29; Diggs, George A.,” Evening Star, December 11, 1943, pg. 12.

Birthplace

Maryland, USA

Mount Olivet Cemetery

Related Worker: Emerick Johnson
Transportation, circa 1916