Skip to content

Biography · Business & Enterprise

James Wormley

1819–1884

United States

Source image for James WormleyLoading image…
Visit the source record ↗

Biography

James Wormley (January 16, 1819 – October 18, 1884) was the owner and operator of the Wormley Hotel, which opened in Washington, D.C., in 1869. He was reported in 1865 to have been at the bedside of Abraham Lincoln when he died, but that claim has been widely disputed. Wormley was born a free black citizen in 1819 in Washington.

Sources & collection details

Wikipedia contributors — original record ↗

Black heritage reference ↗

Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Continue exploring Series 1

Business & Enterprise →

Explore all Series 1 cards →