Ike Hoover, was a White House usher for forty-two years but what were the circumstances of how he became employed there?

elburcher

In 1891, Edison Co. of New Jersey sent young Ike Hoover to Washington to wire the White House for electric lights. It was a six-month job. President Harrison, skittish about electricity, asked Ike Hoover to remain, take charge of the "incandescents," the bells and pushbuttons. President McKinley made him chief usher. As major-domo of the White House he ran its social functions, stage-managed the ceremonious presentation of diplomatic credentials, arranged seating lists for dinners, kept a check on calling cards, directed Presidential receptions, herded the Cabinet about, told distinguished visitors, where to stand, what to say. As guardian of the front door, he knew whom to let in, whom to keep out. He managed the White House weddings of Alice Lee Roosevelt to Nicholas Longworth, of Eleanor Randolph Wilson to William Gibbs McAdoo. President Wilson trusted him with the secrets of his romance with Mrs. Edith Boiling Gait, let him arrange their marriage. Tall, immaculate, dignified Chief Usher Hoover's manners were rated second only to those of Oliver Wendell Holmes. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,882188,00.html Jan 25 07, 9:11 AM

skysmom65

Yes Elburcher! Very good! The first president to have electric lights in the White House was Benjamin Harrison. A Compton's encyclopedia article about Harrison states: "Congress appropriated $35,000 to have the White House renovated, and Mrs. Harrison spent the money carefully. When the White House was wired for electricity, the Harrisons asked one of the electricians to stay on because they were afraid to turn the lights on and off. The man they selected was Ike Hoover, who remained on the White House staff for 42 years." http://www.ipl.org/div/farq/POTUSFARQ.html Jan 25 07, 9:15 AM

star_gazer

His son Herbet eventually became President. Jan 25 07, 7:32 PM