Howell G. Crim
| Howell G. Crim | |
|---|---|
Crim at his desk in the Chief Usher's office at the White House
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| 5th White House Chief Usher | |
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In office 1938–1957 |
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| President |
Franklin D. Roosevelt Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Preceded by | Raymond Muir |
| Succeeded by | James B. West |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
October 2, 1898 Sharpsburg, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | May 11, 1959 (aged 60) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
Howell Gardner Crim (October 2, 1898 – May 11, 1959) was an American civil servant best known for being the Chief Usher of the White House in Washington, D.C., from 1938 to 1957.
Howell Gardner Crim was born October 2, 1898, in Sharpsburg, Maryland, to William and Mary (née Hoffmaster) Crim. His maternal grandmother was Margaret "Maggie" (née Grice) Hoffmaster, who, as a child, famously hid in a cave with her family while the Battle of Antietam raged around them on September 17, 1862. His maternal grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Hoffmaster, was one of the first rural mail carriers in Washington County, Maryland.
Little is known about Crim's upbringing or education, although the National Park Service asserts he was an attorney. The Hagerstown Daily Mail, Crim's hometown newspaper, reported that he left the United States in his late teens and traveled and worked abroad for some years until joining the United States Navy during World War I.
Crim joined the staff of the Veterans' Bureau (the forerunner to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs) in 1919. While working there during the Calvin Coolidge administration, he was asked to join the White House staff. About to be married, Crim declined due to the long hours required. Crim married Catherine Long (also spelled Katherine Long), and the couple had two children: Howell Gardner Crim, Jr. and Catherine Isabelle Crim. The couple divorced some time before 1946.
Crim left the Veteran's Bureau in the fall of 1930 to join the White House staff. The White House had asked for two people with military experience to become ushers. One would take a newly created position as Assistant Chief Usher to Chief Usher Irwin "Ike" H. Hoover, while the other would be hired into an existing position as assistant usher. Raymond Muir was named to the former position, while Crim took the assistant usher job.
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