Rudolph J. Hollenback
- Position
- Painter
- Years in President's House
- circa 1961
- Gender
- Male
- Race/Ethnicity
- White
- Presidency
- John F. Kennedy
- Biography
Rudolph John Hollenback was born on May 3, 1906 in Astoria, New York, though he subsequently moved with his family to nearby Brooklyn.1 By 1950, Hollenback lived in Arlington, Virginia, and worked as a painter at the Pentagon, the recently-constructed headquarters for the U.S. military.2
In 1961, Hollenback’s name appeared on a list of White House Residential Staff compiled during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. Hollenback was identified as one of the painters on staff, responsible for painting the interior and exterior of the building as well as hanging paper, glazing windows, and finishing or refinishing historic furnishings, picture frames, doors, or other architectural details.3 This 1961 staff list is currently the only known White House record in which Hollenback appears. As such, it is difficult to discern the duration of his service and whether he was assigned to the White House from a different government agency or a full-time residential staff member.
Hollenback passed away on December 16, 1984, and was buried in Augusta Memorial Park in Augusta County, Virginia.4
- “Rudolph John Hollenback,” U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, accessed via Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2238/images/44027_03_00136-00970?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=193701428.
- “Rudolph Holenback,” 1950 United States Federal Census, accessed via Ancestry.com, 43290879-Virginia-027608-0019
- “Christmas: 1961 (2 of 2 folders),” Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis Personal Papers, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
- “Rudolph John Hollenback,” Virginia, U.S., Death Records, 1912-2014, accessed via Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9278/records/2496688; “Rudolph J Hollenback,” U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current, accessed via Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60525/records/137863466?tid=&pid=&queryId=8bf8f7d6-35f5-49fe-9afc-2409797f3596&_phsrc=SaP245&_phstart=successSource
- Birthplace
- Astoria, New York, USA
- Burial Place
- Augusta Memorial Park
- Blue markers indicate birthplaces and green markers indicate burial places. Black markers are used for places of both birth and burial.
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