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109th Congress, 2nd Session
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November 14, 2006 |
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| Home > Historical Highlights > Congressional History > Doorkeepers of the House |
(1789 to 1995)
A House of Representatives officer from 1789 to 1995, the Doorkeeper was elected by a resolution at the opening of each Congress. The Office of the Doorkeeper was based on precedent from the Continental Congresses. Without debate, the First Federal Congress (1789-1791) created the Doorkeeper’s position by resolution on April 2, 1789. The Doorkeeper controlled access to the House Chamber and eventually oversaw the press in the gallery. A total of 34 individuals served in the Doorkeeper position until it was terminated in the 104th Congress (1995-1997) and many of its duties were transferred to the Sergeant at Arms, the Clerk of the House, and the newly created Chief Administrative Officer.
Two Doorkeepers also served as U.S. Representatives (indicated by asterisks) either prior to or after their service as a House officer. By clicking on their names, viewers will be linked to their individual biographies in the Online Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, http://bioguide.congress.gov.
| Congress (Years) |
Doorkeepers, State or Territory1 |
Date Elected |
| 1st (1789-91) | Gifford Dalley2 |
April 4, 1789 |
| 2nd (1791-93) | Gifford Dalley |
Oct. 24, 1791 |
| 3rd (1793-95) | Gifford Dalley |
Dec. 2, 1793 |
| 4th (1795-97) | Thomas Claxton |
Dec. 7, 1795 |
| 5th (1797-99) | Thomas Claxton |
May 15, 1797 |
| 6th (1799-1801) | Thomas Claxton |
Dec. 2, 1799 |
| 7th (1801-03) | Thomas Claxton |
Dec. 7, 1801 |
| 8th (1803-05) | Thomas Claxton |
Oct. 17, 1803 |
| 9th (1805-07) | Thomas Claxton |
Dec. 2, 1805 |
| 10th (1807-09) | Thomas Claxton |
Oct. 27, 1807 |
| 11th (1809-11) | Thomas Claxton |
May 22, 1809 |
| 12th (1811-13) | Thomas Claxton |
Nov. 4, 1811 |
| 13th (1813-15) | Thomas Claxton |
May 24, 1813 |
| 14th (1815-17) | Thomas Claxton |
Dec. 4, 1815 |
| 15th (1817-19) | Thomas Claxton |
Dec. 1, 1817 |
| 16th (1819-21) | Thomas Claxton |
Dec. 6, 1819 |
| 17th (1821-23) | Benjamin Birch, MD |
Dec. 4, 1821 |
| 18th (1823-25) | Benjamin Birch, MD |
Dec. 1, 1823 |
| 19th (1825-27) | Benjamin Birch, MD |
Dec. 5, 1825 |
| 20th (1827-29) | Benjamin Birch, MD |
Dec. 3, 1827 |
| 21st (1829-31) | Benjamin Birch, MD |
Dec. 7, 1829 |
| 22nd (1831-33) | Overton Carr, MD |
Dec. 7, 1831 |
| 23rd (1833-35) | Overton Carr, MD |
Dec. 3, 1833 |
| 24th (1835-37) | Overton Carr, MD |
Dec. 15, 1835 |
| 25th (1837-39) | Overton Carr, MD |
Sept. 4, 1837 |
| 26th (1839-41) | Joseph Follansbee, MA |
Dec. 23, 1839 |
| 27th (1841-43) | Joseph Follansbee, MA |
June 9, 1841 |
| 28th (1843-45) | Jesse E. Dow, CT |
Dec. 7, 1843 |
| 29th (1845-47) | Cornelius S. Whitney, DC |
Dec. 3, 1845 |
| 30th (1847-49) | Robert E. Horner, NJ |
Dec. 8, 1847 |
| 31st (1849-51) | Robert E. Horner, NJ |
N/A3 |
| 32nd (1851-53) | Zadock W. McKnew, MD |
Dec. 1, 1851 |
| 33rd (1853-55) | Zadock W. McKnew, MD |
Dec. 5, 1853 |
| 34th (1855-57) | Nathan Darling, NY |
Feb. 5, 1856 |
| 35th (1857-59) | Robert B. Hackney, VA |
Dec. 7, 1857 |
| 36th (1859-61) | George Marston, NH |
Feb. 6, 1860 |
| 37th (1861-63) | Ira Goodnow, NY |
July 5, 1861 |
| 38th (1863-65) | Ira Goodnow, NY |
Dec. 8, 1863 |
| 39th (1865-67) | Ira Goodnow, NY |
Dec. 4, 1865 |
| 40th (1867-69) | Charles E. Lippincott, IL |
March 5, 1867 |
| 41st (1869-71) | Otis S. Buxton, NY |
March 5, 1869 |
| 42nd (1871-73) | Otis S. Buxton, NY |
March 4, 1871 |
| 43rd (1873-75) | Otis S. Buxton, NY |
Dec. 1, 1873 |
| 44th (1875-77) | Lafayette H. Fitzhugh, TX |
Dec. 6, 1875 May 26, 18764 |
| 45th (1877-79) | John W. Polk, MO |
Oct. 17, 1877 |
| 46th (1879-81) | Charles W. Field, GA |
March 18, 1879 |
| 47th (1881-83) | Dec. 5, 1881 | |
| 48th (1883-85) | James G. Wintersmith, TX |
Dec. 4, 1883 |
| 49th (1885-87) | Samuel Donelson, TN |
Dec. 7, 1885 |
| 50th (1887-89) | Alvin B. Hurt, MS |
Dec. 5, 1887 |
| 51st (1889-91) | Charles E. Adams, MD |
Dec. 2, 1889 |
| 52nd (1891-93) | Dec. 8, 1891 | |
| 53rd (1893-95) | Alvin B. Hurt, TN5 |
Aug. 7, 1893 |
| 54th (1895-97) | William J. Glenn, NY |
Dec. 2, 1895 |
| 55th (1897-99) | William J. Glenn, NY |
March 15, 1897 |
| 56th (1899-1901) | William J. Glenn, NY |
Dec. 4, 1899 |
| 57th (1901-03) | William J. Glenn, NY |
Dec. 2, 1901 |
| 58th (1903-05) | Frank B. Lyon, NY |
Nov. 9, 1903 |
| 59th (1905-07) | Frank B. Lyon, NY |
Dec. 4, 1905 |
| 60th (1907-09) | Frank B. Lyon, NY |
Dec. 2, 1907 |
| 61st (1909-11) | Frank B. Lyon, NY |
March 15, 1909 |
| 62nd (1911-13) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
Apr. 4, 1911 |
| 63rd (1913-15) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
Apr. 7, 1913 |
| 64th (1915-17) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
Dec. 6, 1915 |
| 65th (1917-19) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
Apr. 2, 1917 |
| 66th (1919-21) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI |
May 19, 1919 |
| 67th (1921-23) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI |
Apr. 11, 1921 |
| 68th (1923-25) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI |
Dec. 5, 1923 |
| 69th (1925-27) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI |
Dec. 7, 1925 |
| 70th (1927-29) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI |
Dec. 5, 1927 |
| 71st (1929-31) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI |
Apr. 15, 1929 |
| 72nd (1931-33) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
Dec. 7, 1931 |
| 73rd (1933-35) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
March 9, 1933 |
| 74th (1935-37) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
Jan. 3, 1935 |
| 75th (1937-39) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
Jan. 5, 1937 |
| 76th (1939-41) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
Jan. 3, 1939 |
| 77th (1941-43) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA |
Jan. 3, 1941 |
| 78th (1943-45) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA 6 |
Jan. 6, 1943 Feb. 5, 19437 |
| 79th (1945-47) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN |
Jan. 3, 1945 |
| 80th (1947-49) | M.L. Meletio, MO |
Jan. 3, 1947 |
| 81st (1949-51) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 3, 1949 |
| 82nd (1951-53) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 3, 1951 |
| 83rd (1953-55) | Tom J. Kennamer, MO |
Jan. 3, 1953 |
| 84th (1955-57) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 5, 1955 |
| 85th (1957-59) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 3, 1957 |
| 86th (1959-61) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 7, 1959 |
| 87th (1961-63) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 3, 1961 |
| 88th (1963-65) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 9, 1963 |
| 89th (1965-67) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 4, 1965 |
| 90th (1967-69) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 10, 1967 |
| 91st (1969-71) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 3, 1969 |
| 92nd (1971-73) | William M. Miller, MS |
Jan. 21, 1971 |
| 93rd (1973-75) | William M. Miller, MS8 |
Jan. 3, 1973 Dec. 31, 19749 |
| 94th (1975-77) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 14, 1975 |
| 95th (1977-79) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 4, 1977 |
| 96th (1979-81) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 15, 1979 |
| 97th (1981-83) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 5, 1981 |
| 98th (1983-85) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 3, 1983 |
| 99th (1985-87) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 3, 1985 |
| 100th (1987-89) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 6, 1987 |
| 101st (1989-91) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 3, 1989 |
| 102nd (1991-93) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 3, 1991 |
| 103rd (1993-95) | James T. Molloy, NY |
Jan. 5, 1993 |
Sources: House Journal, various editions; Congressional Record, various editions; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (2005); Congressional Directory, various editions; Donald Bacon, et al., Encyclopedia of the U.S. Congress, vol. 1 (NY: Simon and Schuster, 1995): 659-661.
1. A Doorkeeper’s state or territory is listed when known.
2. Gifford Dalley’s last name has been spelled “Dalley,” “Dally,” and “Dudley” in various editions of the Register of Debates.
3. Election of Doorkeeper was postponed to March 1, 1851, when it was postponed indefinitely. Horner retained the duties of Doorkeeper from the 30th Congress until his removal on May 27, 1850. House Journal, 31st Cong., 1st sess. (May 27, 1850): 966; House Journal, 31st Cong., 2nd sess. (March 3, 1851): 406.
4. Elected on May 26, 1876, to fill the unexpired term of L.H. Fitzhugh, who was removed from office on May 22, 1876. See, House Journal, 44th Cong., 1st sess. (May 22, 1876): 998; and House Journal, 44th Cong., 1st sess. (May 26, 1876): Addenda.
5. Hurt is listed in the House Journal as residing in the state of Mississippi in the 50th Congress and in the state of Tennessee in the 53rd Congress.
6. Died on January 27, 1943. See, House Journal, 78th Cong., 1st sess. (January 28, 1943): 72.
7. Elected on February 5, 1943. See, House Journal, 78th Cong., 1st sess. (February 5, 1943): 86.
8. Resigned effective December 31, 1974. See, Congressional Record, 93rd Cong., 2nd sess. (December 19, 1974): 2549.
9. Appointed “to act as and to temporarily exercise” the duties of Doorkeeper effective December 31, 1974. See, Congressional Record, 93rd Cong., 2nd sess. (December 19, 1974): 2549.
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August 16, 2006 |