111th Congress, 2nd Session
Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives Joe Sinnott
April 02, 1911
On this date, Joe Sinnott was elected Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives. Born in Richmond, Virginia, on August 9, 1860, Sinnott spent nearly 60 years as a congressional employee and House Officer. He worked in a variety of positions, including secretary and minority sergeant at arms, before his election as Doorkeeper at the beginning of the 62nd Congress (1911–1913). “I just worked my way up,” he once noted. At the time, the Office of the Doorkeeper encompassed wide-ranging responsibilities, including maintaining order in the House Chamber, supervising the doormen and House Pages, and administering the press sections of the House Gallery. Sinnott’s service as Doorkeeper ended in 1919 when the Republicans took control of the House in the 66th Congress (1919–1921). Relegated to a special employee position for the minority, Sinnott was the perennial Democratic nominee for Doorkeeper for more than a decade. He eventually resumed his former position in 1931 when the Democrats gained the majority in the House and served as Doorkeeper until his death on January 27, 1943. Members extolled Sinnott: “There is a great man who has grown up with this Capitol and is an inseparable part of it,” Congressman Dave Satterfield of Virginia extolled. During his career, Sinnott served under six Democratic Speakers: James Beauchamp (Champ) Clark of Missouri; John Nance Garner of Texas; Henry Rainey of Illinois; Joseph Byrns of Tennessee; William Bankhead of Alabama; and Sam Rayburn of Texas.
Related Highlight Subjects
Cite this Highlight
Office of History and Preservation, Office of the Clerk, http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/highlights.html?action=view&intID=322, (December 02, 2010).For Additional Information
Office of History and Preservation(202) 226-1300
history@mail.house.gov
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House Doorkeeper Joe Sinnott served as an employee in the United States Capitol for nearly 60 years.
Image courtesy of Library of Congress
Teaching Tip
Wielding the Gavel
Ask students to locate three stories pertaining to Speakers of the House. Have students select and conduct research on one of the Speakers using historical highlights and the Biographical Directory bibliography.
