White House Historical Association

Elizabeth Seldon

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"Elizabeth Seldon," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/692.
Position
Laundress
Years in President's House
1919 – circa 1930
Legal Status
Free Person
Gender
Female
Race/Ethnicity
Black or African American
Presidencies
Woodrow Wilson
Warren G. Harding
Calvin Coolidge
Herbert Hoover
Biography
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Seldon was born in Washington, D.C. ca. 1881.1 She began working at the White House as a laundress in 1919. In this role, she likely assisted with the cleaning of linens such as bedsheets, napkins, towels, and other household goods in the White House.2 Her daughter, Lorena Acwith, worked alongside her at the White House starting in 1926.3 Seldon continued to work there until about 1930.4 She died on July 20, 1942, and was interred at Columbian Harmony Cemetery. Burials there were later disinterred during Metro construction, and moved to National Harmony Memorial Park Cemetery in Maryland.5
  1. Census data lists many different years for Seldon’t birth. See “Lizzie Seldon,” Family Tree, Ancestry, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/196228120/person/202553515655/facts?sort=-created.
  2. Ellen A. Riley to Lou Henry Hoover, January 1929, Lou Henry Hoover Papers, Subject Files, Servants and Aides General 1929-1933, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Lizzie Seldon in the 1930 United States Federal Census, Year: 1930; Census Place: Washington, District of Columbia; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 0036; FHL microfilm: 2340028, Ancestry.com.
  5. “Seldon, Lizzie,” Evening Star, July 23, 1942, pg. A-14, Chronicling America, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1942-07-23/ed-1/seq-16/.
Birthplace
Washington, D.C., USA
National Harmony Memorial Park (formerly Columbian Harmony Payne Cemetery)
Related Worker
Lorena Acwith
Housekeeping and Laundry, 1926 – circa 1931