I have a patron who is researching Valentino Melah (b. ca. 1807, Italy), who was the White House steward/chef for at least part of President Grant's term of office. Grant, of course, has no presidential library. I've checked NUCMC, and also know that Julia Dent Grant's memoirs were published in 1975, and will refer the patron to them and the U. S. Grant papers at LC. I also found mention of Melah in _The First Ladies Cookbook_, _The President's Cookbook_, and a book by John Crumwold called _Real Life at the White House._ However, I wonder if the National Archives would be likely to have any information about Melah (even something as simple as records of payments to him, which would help to determine how long he was at the White House, as the patron is not sure that he stayed for the entire length of Grant's presidency). My patron's understanding is that the Grants paid for the food, but the government paid Valentino Melah. Replies should probably off list. Thanks for any help you can give me. Christine Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer Information Services Librarian Conrad N. Hilton Library: http://www.ciachef.edu/admissions/about/library.asp The Culinary Institute of America 1946 Campus Drive Hyde Park, NY 12538 (845) 451-1322 fax (845) 451-1092 [log in to unmask] Learn more about The World's Premier Culinary College at www.ciachef.edu A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>