Margaret Walsh
Cite this Page
"Margaret Walsh," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whitehouseworkers.org/Detail/workers/345.
- Position
- Kitchen Assistant
- Years in President's House
- circa 1860
- Legal Status
- Free Person
- Gender
- Female
- Race/Ethnicity
- White
- Presidency
- James Buchanan
- Biography
- Margaret Walsh was born around 1820 in Ireland, and at some point she moved to the United States. Little is known about her life; however, she is documented as living and working in President James Buchanan’s White House in 1860, serving as a kitchen maid.1 As a kitchen maid, Walsh supported the cook in meal preparation, washed dishes, and ensured the kitchen remained clean and orderly. It is possible that Walsh served for the entirety of James Buchanan’s presidency; however, no additional documentation has been identified to confirm the length of her service.
- 1860 U.S. Census, Washington, District of Columbia, Ward 1, p. 203, dwelling 1471, family 1470; National Archives microfilm publication M653, Washington, DC, https://www.archives.gov/research/census/presidents/buchanan.html.
- Birthplace
- Ireland
- Burial Place
- Unclear from Context
- Blue markers indicate birthplaces and green markers indicate burial places. Black markers are used for places of both birth and burial.