White House Historical Association

August Flegel Jr.

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"August Flegel Jr.," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/763.
Position
Chauffeur
Years in President's House
circa 1927 – 1929
Legal Status
Free Person
Gender
Male
Race/Ethnicity
White
Presidencies
Calvin Coolidge
Herbert Hoover
Biography
August Flegel Jr. was born in Vienna, Austria on January 8, 1898. He and his parents immigrated to the United States in 1907, and he later became a naturalized citizen. (1) Flegel worked as a chauffeur for the U.S. Post Office, and as early as 1927, he was detailed to the White House Garage; that year, he was mentioned working alongside other White House chauffeurs in a newspaper report on Charles Lindbergh’s visit to Washington, D.C. (2) In 1929, he was included on First Lady Lou Hoover’s annual Christmas list as a member of the Garage staff on detail, but does not appear on future staff lists. (3) By 1940, he worked as a guard for the Federal Works Agency. (4) August Flegel Jr. died in December 1974 and was buried at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. (5)
(1) August Flegel in the U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For District of Columbia, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 75, Ancestry.com; August Flegel in the 1920 United States Federal Census, Year: 1920; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: T625_208; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 125, Ancestry.com.
(2) “Cheering Thousands Hail Lindbergh in Avenue Parade,” Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), pg. 2; August Flegel in the 1920 United States Federal Census, Year: 1920; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: T625_208; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 125, Ancestry.com.
(3) Employees on Duty at the Executive Office, 1929, Lou Henry Hoover Papers, Subject Files, White House Christmas 1929, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library.
(4) August Flegel in the 1940 United States Federal Census, Year: 1940; Census Place: Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia; Roll: m-t0627-00558; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 1-169, Ancestry.com.
(5) August Flegel in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA; Social Security Death Index, Master File, Ancestry.com; “August Flegel Jr,” Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79103330/august-flegel.
Birthplace
Vienna, Austria