Owners and Tenants, 1819-1956

• Decatur
• Hyde de Neuville
• de Tuyll
• Clay
• Van Buren
• Livingston
• Vaughn
• Gadsby
• Dallas
• Gales
• John & James King
• Appleton
• Orr
• Benjamin
• McBlair
• United States Army
• Edward Beale &
  Mary Beale
• Truxtun Beale
• Marie Beale

TIMELINE OF OWNERS AND TENANTS
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Martin Van Buren (tenant, 1829-1831)
Son Colonel Abraham Van Buren
Domestic staff of 2 free and 4 enslaved African American women, including Charlotte Dupuy

In 1829, Martin Van Buren left his post as governor of New York and arrived in Washington to serve as the Jackson administration’s first Secretary of State – a position last held by his predecessor at Decatur House, Henry Clay. Van Buren, now a widower with four grown-up children, likely wished to utilize his new home as a means of extending his political influence and ambition. He also adhered to the social tradition of the house by holding lavish parties, which were observed by a contemporary as “not outdone by Mr. Clay in the style of his entertainments, which were handsome.” These events were likely attended to by Van Buren’s sizable domestic staff of six African American women, four of whom were enslaved (and hired by Van Buren who was not himself a slave owner). Among these women was Charlotte Dupuy, who remained at Decatur House for the duration of her court case against her owner, Henry Clay.

In 1831, the sensational Peggy Eaton Affair resulted in the breakup of Jackson’s entire cabinet. Jackson had appointed, as Secretary of War, his friend Major John Eaton, recently wed to Margaret “Peggy” Timberlake, a widow of only four months. The Eatons’ apparent rush to the altar served to strengthen rumors of an earlier extra-marital affair and as a result, the women
of Washington ostracized Peggy, starting the “Petticoat Wars.” Jackson,
whose own marriage had been the subject of scandal, took personal offense and tried to force Peggy’s social acceptance. Van Buren supported Jackson and welcomed Peggy to events at Decatur House. The social deadlock created a political stalemate between rivals in Jackson’s cabinet. As a dramatic solution Van Buren and Eaton resigned, forcing the rest of the
cabinet to follow suit.

Van Buren left Washington soon after, bound for London as the American foreign minister. He would return two years later – this time as Jackson’s vice president, a reward for his loyalty to Jackson during the Eaton scandal. In
1836, Van Buren was elected the eighth president of the United States.

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