25th United States Congress

United States Capitol

The Twenty-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1837 to March 3, 1839, during the first two years of the administration of U.S. President Martin Van Buren.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Fifth Census of the United States in 1830. Both chambers had a Democratic, majority.

Dates of sessions

March 4, 1837 - March 3, 1839

• Special session of the Senate: March 4, 1837 – March 10, 1837.
• First session: September 4, 1837 - October 16, 1837.
• Second session: December 4, 1837 - July 9, 1838.
• Third session: December 3, 1838 - March 3, 1839.
• Previous congress: 24th Congress
  
• Next congress: 26th Congress

Party summary

The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Senate Democratic (D) : 35 (majority) Whig (W) : 17 TOTAL members: 52

House of Representatives Democratic (D) : 129 (majority) Whig (W) : 100 Anti Masonic (AM) : 7 Nullifier (N) : 6 TOTAL members: 242

Leadership

Senate Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate): Richard M. Johnson, Democratic of Kentucky, President pro tempore of the Senate: William R. King, Democratic of Alabama (U.S. state), elected March 7, 1837. House of Representatives Speaker of the House James K. Polk, Democratic of Tennessee, elected September 4, 1837.

Major events

Events of 1837, 1838 & 1839

• March 4, 1837 -- Martin Van Buren became President of the United States of America

Major legislation

List of United States federal legislation in the 25th Congress

• June 12, 1838 -- Iowa Territory was formed from the Wisconsin Territory

Membership highlights by chamber

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.

Senate

Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1838; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1840; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1842.

Alabama 2: William R. D. King (D) 3: John McKinley, (D) Clement C. Clay (D) Arkansas 2: William S. Fulton (D) 3: Ambrose H. Sevier (D) Connecticut 1: John M. Niles (D) 3: Perry Smith (D) Delaware 1: Richard H. Bayard (W) 2: Thomas Clayton (W) Georgia 3: Alfred Cuthbert (D) 2: John P. King (D) Wilson Lumpkin (D) Illinois 2: John M. Robinson (D) 3: Richard M. Young (D) Indiana 1: John Tipton (D) 3: Oliver H. Smith (W) Kentucky 3: Henry Clay (W) 2: John J. Crittenden (W) Louisiana 2: Robert C. Nicholas (D) 3: Alexander Mouton (D)

Maine 2: John Ruggles (D) 1: Reuel Williams (D) Maryland 1: Joseph Kent (W) William D. Merrick (W) 3: John S. Spence (W) Massachusetts 1: Daniel Webster (W) 2: John Davis (W) Michigan 1: Lucius Lyon (D) 2: John Norvell (D) Mississippi 1: John Black (W) James F. Trotter (D) Thomas H. Williams (D) 2: Robert J. Walker (D) Missouri 1: Thomas H. Benton (D) 3: Lewis F. Linn (D) New Hampshire 2: Henry Hubbard (D) 3: Franklin Pierce (D) New Jersey 1: Samuel L. Southard (W) 2: Garret D. Wall (D)

New York 3: Silas Wright, Jr. (D) 1: Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (D) North Carolina 2: Bedford Brown (D) 3: Robert Strange (D) Ohio 1: Thomas Morris (D) 3: William Allen (D) Pennsylvania 1: Samuel McKean (D) 3: James Buchanan (D) Rhode Island 2: Nehemiah R. Knight (W) 1: Asher Robbins (W) South Carolina 2: John C. Calhoun (D) 3: William C. Preston (W) Tennessee 2: Hugh Lawson White (W) 1: Felix Grundy (D) Ephraim H. Foster (W) Vermont 3: Samuel Prentiss (W) 1: Benjamin Swift (W) Virginia 1: William C. Rives (D) 2: Richard E. Parker (D) William H. Roane (D)

House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise 'at-large are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.

Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.

Alabama 1: Reuben Chapman (D) 2: Joshua L. Martin (D) 3: Joab Lawler (W) George W. Crabb (W) 4: Dixon H. Lewis (D) 5: Francis S. Lyon (W) Arkansas A/L: Archibald Yell (D) Connecticut 1: Isaac Toucey (D) 2: Samuel Ingham (D) 3: Elisha Haley (D) 4: Thomas T. Whittlesey (D) 5: Lancelot Phelps (D) 6: Orrin Holt (D) Delaware A/L: John J. Milligan (W) Georgia A/L: Jesse F. Cleveland (D) A/L: William C. Dawson (W) A/L: Thomas Glascock (D) A/L: Seaton Grantland (D) A/L: Charles E. Haynes (D) A/L: Hopkins Holsey (D) A/L: Jabez Y. Jackson (D) A/L: George W. Owens (D) A/L: George W. B. Towns (D) Illinois 1: Adam W. Snyder (D) 2: Zadok Casey (D) 3: William L. May (D) Indiana 1: Ratliff Boon (D) 2: John Ewing (W) 3: William Graham (W) 4: George H. Dunn (W) 5: James Rariden (W) 6: William Herod (W) 7: Albert S. White (W) Kentucky 1: John L. Murray (D) 2: Edward Rumsey (W) 3: Joseph R. Underwood (W) 4: Sherrod Williams (W) 5: James Harlan (W) 6: John Calhoon (W) 7: J ohn Pope (IW) 8: William J. Graves (W) 9: John White (W) 10: Richard Hawes (W) 11: Richard H. Menefee (W) 12: John Chambers (W) 13: William W. Southgate (W) Louisiana 1: Henry Johnson (W) 2: Eleazar W. Ripley (D) 3: Rice Garland (W) Maine 1: John Fairfield (D) 2: Francis O. J. Smith (D) 3: Jonathan Cilley (D) Edward Robinson (W) 4: George Evans (W) 5: Timothy J. Carter (D) Virgil D. Parris (D) 6: Hugh J. Anderson (D) 7: Joseph C. Noyes (W) 8: Thomas Davee (D) Maryland 1: John Dennis (W) 2: James A. Pearce (W) 3: John T. H. Worthington (D) 4: Benjamin C. Howard (D) 4: Isaac McKim (D) John P. Kennedy (W) 5: William Cost Johnson (W) 6: Francis Thomas (D) 7: Daniel Jenifer (W) Massachusetts 1: Richard Fletcher (W) 2: Stephen C. Phillips (W) Leverett Saltonstall (W) 3: Caleb Cushing (W) 4: William Parmenter (D) 5: Levi Lincoln, Jr. (W) 6: George J. Grennell, Jr. (W) 7: George N. Briggs (W) 8: William B. Calhoun (W) 9: William S. Hastings (W) 10: Nathaniel B. Borden (D) 11: John Reed, Jr. (W) 12: John Quincy Adams (W) Michigan A/L: Isaac E. Crary (D)

Mississippi A/L: John F. H. Claiborne (D) Thomas J. Word (W) A/L: Samuel J. Gholson (D) Seargent S. Prentiss (W) Missouri A/L: Albert G. Harrison (D) A/L: John Miller (D) New Hampshire A/L: Charles G. Atherton (D) A/L: Samuel Cushman (D) A/L: James Farrington (D) A/L: Joseph Weeks (D) A/L: Jared W. Williams (D) New Jersey A/L: John B. Aycrigg (W) A/L: William Halstead (W) A/L: John P. B. Maxwell (W) A/L: Joseph F. Randolph (W) A/L: Charles C. Stratton (W) A/L: Thomas Jones Yorke (W) New York 1: Thomas B. Jackson (D) 2: Abraham Vanderveer (D) 3: Churchill C. Cambreleng (D) 3: Edward Curtis (W) 3: Ogden Hoffman (W) 3: Ely Moore (D) 4: Gouverneur Kemble (D) 5: Obadiah Titus (D) 6: Nathaniel Jones (D) 7: John C. Brodhead (D) 8: Robert McClellan (D) 8: Zadock Pratt (D) 9: Henry Vail (D) 10: Albert Gallup (D) 11: John I. De Graff (D) 12: David A. Russell (W) 13: John Palmer (D) 14: James B. Spencer (D) 15: John Edwards (D) 16: Arphaxed Loomis (D) 17: Henry A. Foster (D) 17: Abraham P. Grant (D) 18: Isaac H. Bronson (D) 19: John H. Prentiss (D) 20: Amasa J. Parker (D) 21: John C. Clark (D) 22: Andrew D. W. Bruyn (D) Cyrus Beers (D) 22: Hiram Gray (D) 23: Bennet Bicknell (D) 23: William Taylor (D) 24: William H. Noble (D) 25: Samuel Birdsall (D) 26: Mark H. Sibley (W) 27: John T. Andrews (D) 28: Timothy Childs (W) 29: William Patterson (W) Harvey Putnam (W) 30: Luther C. Peck (W) 31: Richard P. Marvin (W) 32: Millard Fillmore (W) 33: Charles F. Mitchell (W) North Carolina 1: Samuel T. Sawyer (W) 2: Jesse A. Bynum (D) 3: Edward Stanly (W) 4: Charles B. Shepard (W) 5: James I. McKay (D) 6: Micajah T. Hawkins (D) 7: Edmund Deberry (W) 8: William Montgomery (D) 9: Augustine H. Shepperd (W) 10: Abraham Rencher (W) 11: Henry W. Connor (D) 12: James Graham (W) 13: Lewis Williams (W) Ohio 1: Alexander Duncan (D) 2: Taylor Webster (D) 3: Patrick G. Goode (W) 4: Thomas Corwin (W) 5: Thomas L. Hamer (D) 6: Calvary Morris (W) 7: William K. Bond (W) 8: Joseph Ridgway (W) 9: John Chaney (D) 10: Samson Mason (W) 11: James Alexander, Jr. (W) 12: Alexander Harper (W) 13: Daniel P. Leadbetter (D) 14: William H. Hunter (D) 15: John W. Allen (W) 16: Elisha Whittlesey (W) Joshua R. Giddings (W) 17: Andrew W. Loomis (W) Charles D. Coffin (W) 18: Matthias Shepler (D) 19: Daniel Kilgore (D) Henry Swearingen (D)

Pennsylvania 1: Lemuel Paynter (D) 2: John Sergeant (W) 2: George W. Toland (W) 3: Francis J. Harper (D) Charles Naylor (W) 4: Edward Darlington (AM) 4: Edward Davies (AM) 4: David Potts, Jr. (AM) 5: Jacob Fry, Jr. (D) 6: Mathias Morris (W) 7: David D. Wagener (D) 8: Edward B. Hubley (D) 9: Henry A. P. Muhlenberg (D) George M. Keim (D) 10: Luther Reily (D) 11: Henry Logan (D) 12: Daniel Sheffer (D) 13: Charles McClure (D) 14: William W. Potter (D) 15: David Petrikin (D) 16: Robert H. Hammond (D) 17: Samuel W. Morris (D) 18: Charles Ogle (AM) 19: John J. Klingensmith, Jr. (D) 20: Andrew Buchanan (D) 21: Thomas M. T. McKennan (AM) 22: Richard Biddle (AM) 23: William Beatty (D) 24: Thomas Henry (AM) 25: Arnold Plumer (D) Rhode Island A/L: Robert B. Cranston (W) A/L: Joseph L. Tillinghast (W) South Carolina 1: Hugh S. Legaré (D) 2: R. Barnwell Rhett ( N) 3: John Campbell ( N) 4: Franklin H. Elmore ( N) 5: Francis W. Pickens ( N) 6: Waddy Thompson, Jr. (W) 7: William K. Clowney (N) 8: John P. Richardson (D) 9: John K. Griffin ( N) Tennessee 1: William B. Carter (W) 2: Abraham McClellan (D) 3: Joseph L. Williams (W) 4: James I. Standifer (W) William Stone (W) 5: Hopkins L. Turney (D) 6: William B. Campbell (W) 7: John Bell (W) 8: Abram P. Maury (W) 9: James K. Polk (D) 10: Ebenezer J. Shields (W) 11: Richard Cheatham (W) 12: John W. Crockett (W) 13: Christopher H. Williams (W) Vermont 1: Hiland Hall (W) 2: William Slade (W) 3: Horace Everett (W) 4: Heman Allen (W) 5: Isaac Fletcher (D) Virginia 1: Francis Mallory (W) 2: Francis E. Rives (D) 3: John W. Jones (D) 4: George C. Dromgoole (D) 5: James W. Bouldin (D) 6: Walter Coles (D) 7: Archibald Stuart (D) 8: Henry A. Wise (W) 9: Robert M. T. Hunter (W) 10: John Taliaferro (W) 11: John Robertson (W) 12: James Garland (D) 13: John M. Patton (D) Linn Banks (D) 14: Charles F. Mercer (W) 15: James M. Mason (D) 16: Isaac S. Pennybacker (D) 17: Robert Craig (D) 18: George W. Hopkins (D) 19: Andrew Beirne (D) 20: Joseph Johnson (D) 21: William S. Morgan (D)

Delegates

Florida Territory A/L: Charles Downing

Iowa Territory A/L: William W. Chapman (D)

Wisconsin Territory A/L: George W. Jones (D) James D. Doty (D)

Membership detail by state

Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1838; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1840; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1842.

The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.

Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.

The list below is arranged by state, then by chamber. Senators are shown in order of seniority, House members in district order.

Alabama Senate

• 2: William R. D. King (1786-1853), Democratic
• 3: John McKinley (1780-1852), Democratic …resigned April 22, 1837.

  Clement C. Clay (1789-1866), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy June 19, 1837.

Alabama House of Representatives (5 seats)

• 1:Reuben Chapman (1799-1882), Democratic
• 2:Joshua L. Martin (1799-1856), Democratic
• 3: Joab Lawler (1796-1838), Whig …died May 8, 1838.

  George W. Crabb (1804-1846), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 3, 1838.

• 4: Dixon H. Lewis (1802-1848), Democratic
• 5: Francis S. Lyon (1800-1882), Whig

Arkansas

Senate

• 2: William S. Fulton (1795-1844), Democratic
• 3: Ambrose H. Sevier (1801-1848), Democratic

House of Representatives (1 seat)

• A/L: Archibald Yell (1797-1847), Democratic

Connecticut

Senate

• 1: John M. Niles (1787-1856), Democratic
• 3: Perry Smith (1783-1852), Democratic

House of Representatives (6 seats)

• A/L: Isaac Toucey (1792-1869), Democratic
• A/L: Samuel Ingham (1793-1881), Democratic
• A/L: Elisha Haley (1776-1860), Democratic
• A/L: Thomas T. Whittlesey (1798-1868), Democratic
• A/L: Lancelot Phelps (1784-1866), Democratic
• A/L: Orrin Holt (1792-1855), Democratic

Delaware

Senate

• 1: Richard H. Bayard (1796-1868), Whig
• 2: Thomas Clayton (1777-1854), Whig

House of Representatives (1 seat)

• A/L: John J. Milligan (1795-1875), Whig

Georgia

Senate

• 2: John P. King (1799-1888), Democratic …resigned November 1, 1837.

  Wilson Lumpkin (1783-1870), Democratic…elected to fill vacancy November 22, 1837.

• 3: Alfred Cuthbert (1785-1856), Democratic

House of Representatives (9 seats)

• A/L: Jesse F. Cleveland (1804-1841), Democratic
• A/L: William C. Dawson (1798-1856), Whig
• A/L: Thomas Glascock (1790-1841), Democratic
• A/L: Seaton Grantland (1782-1864), Democratic
• A/L: Charles E. Haynes (1784-1841), Democratic
• A/L: Hopkins Holsey (1779-1859), Democratic
• A/L: Jabez Y. Jackson (1790- ), Democratic
• A/L: George W. Owens (1786-1856), Democratic
• A/L: George W. B. Towns (1801-1854), Democratic

Illinois

Senate

• 2: John M. Robinson (1794-1843), Democratic
• 3: Richard M. Young (1798-1861), Democratic

House of Representatives (3 seats)

• 1: Adam W. Snyder (1799-1842), Democratic
• 2: Zadok Casey (1796-1862), Democratic
• 3: William L. May (1793c-1849), Democratic

Indiana

Senate

• 1: John Tipton (1786-1839), Democratic
• 3: Oliver H. Smith (1794-1859), Whig

House of Representatives (7 seats)

• 1: Ratliff Boon (1781-1844), Democratic
• 2: John Ewing (1789-1858), Whig
• 3: William Graham (1782-1858), Whig
• 4: George H. Dunn (1794-1854), Whig
• 5: James Rariden (1795-1856), Whig
• 6: William Herod (1801-1871), Whig
• 7: Albert S. White (1803-1864), Whig

Kentucky

Senate

• 3: Henry Clay (1777-1852), Whig
• 2: John J. Crittenden (1786-1863), Whig

House of Representatives (13 seats)

• 1: John L. Murray (1806-1842), Democratic
• 2: Edward Rumsey (1796-1868), Whig
• 3: Joseph R. Underwood (1791-1876), Whig
• 4: Sherrod Williams (1804- ), Whig
• 5: James Harlan (1800-1863), Whig
• 6: John Calhoon (1797- ), Whig
• 7: John Pope (1770-1845), Independent Whig
• 8: William J. Graves (1805-1848), Whig
• 9: John White (1802-1845), Whig
• 10: Richard Hawes (1797-1877), Whig
• 11: Richard H. Menefee (1809-1841), Whig
• 12: John Chambers (1780-1852), Whig
• 13: William W. Southgate (1800-1849), Whig

Louisiana

Senate

• 2: Robert C. Nicholas (1793-1857), Democratic
• 3: Alexander Mouton (1804-1885), Democratic

House of Representatives (3 seats)

• 1: Henry Johnson (1783-1864), Whig
• 2: Eleazar W. Ripley (1782-1839), Democratic …never qualified
• 3: Rice Garland (1795c-1861), Whig

Maine

Senate

• 2: John Ruggles (1789-1874), Democratic
• 1: Reuel Williams (1783-1862), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy from preceding Congress February 22, 1837.

House of Representatives (8 seats)

• 1: John Fairfield (1797-1847), Democratic …resigned December 24, 1838.
• 2: Francis O. J. Smith (1806-1876), Democratic
• 3: Jonathan Cilley (1802-1838), Democratic …died February 24, 1838.

  Edward Robinson (1796-1857), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated April 28, 1838.

• 4: George Evans (1797-1867), Whig
• 5: Timothy J. Carter (1800-1838), Democratic …died March 14, 1838.

  Virgil D. Parris (1807-1874), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated May 29, 1838.

• 6: Hugh J. Anderson (1801-1881), Democratic
• 7: Joseph C. Noyes (1798-1868), Whig
• 8: Thomas Davee (1797-1841), Democratic

Maryland

Senate

• 1: Joseph Kent (1779-1837), Whig …died November 24, 1837.

  William D. Merrick (1793-1857), Whig …elected to fill vacancy January 4, 1838.

• 3: John S. Spence (1788-1840), Whig

House of Representatives (8 seats)

• 1: John Dennis (1807-1859), Whig
• 2: James A. Pearce (1805-1862), Whig
• 3: John T. H. Worthington (1788-1849), Democratic
• 4: Benjamin C. Howard (1791-1872), Democratic
• 4: Isaac McKim (1775-1838), Democratic …died April 1, 1838.

  John P. Kennedy (1795-1870), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated April 30, 1838.

• 5: William Cost Johnson (1806-1860), Whig
• 6: Francis Thomas (1799-1876), Democratic
• 7: Daniel Jenifer (1791-1855), Whig

Massachusetts

Senate

• 1: Daniel Webster (1782-1852), Whig
• 2: John Davis (1787-1854), Whig

House of Representatives (12 seats)

• 1: Richard Fletcher (1788-1869), Whig
• 2: Stephen C. Phillips (1801-1857), Whig …resigned September 28, 1838.

  Leverett Saltonstall (1783-1845), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1838.

• 3: Caleb Cushing (1800-1879), Whig
• 4: William Parmenter (1789-1866), Democratic
• 5: Levi Lincoln, Jr. (1782-1868), Whig
• 6: George J. Grennell, Jr. (1786-1877), Whig
• 7: George N. Briggs (1796-1861), Whig
• 8: William B. Calhoun (1796-1865), Whig
• 9: William S. Hastings (1798-1842), Whig
• 10: Nathaniel B. Borden (1801-1865), Democratic
• 11: John Reed, Jr. (1781-1860), Whig
• 12: John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), Whig

Michigan

Senate

• 1: Lucius Lyon (1800-1851), Democratic
• 2: John Norvell (1789-1850), Democratic

House of Representatives (1 seat)

• A/L: Isaac E. Crary (1804-1854), Democratic

Mississippi

Senate

• 1: John Black ( -1854), Whig …resigned January 22, 1838.

  James F. Trotter (1802-1866), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy January 22, 1838, resigned July 10, 1838.

  Thomas H. Williams (1801-1851), Democratic …appointed to fill vacancy November 12, 1838, subsequently elected.

• 2: Robert J. Walker (1801-1869) Democratic

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• A/L: John F. H. Claiborne (1809-1884), Democratic …contested election, served until February 5, 1838.

  Thomas J. Word ( - ), Whig …contested election, seated February 5, 1838.

• A/L: Samuel J. Gholson (1808-1883), Democratic …contested election, served until February 5, 1838.

  Seargent S. Prentiss (1808-1850), Whig …contested election, seated February 5, 1838.

Missouri

Senate

• 1: Thomas H. Benton (1782-1858), Democratic
• 3: Lewis F. Linn (1796-1843), Democratic

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• A/L: Albert G. Harrison (1800-1839), Democratic
• A/L: John Miller (1781-1846), Democratic

New Hampshire

Senate

• 2: Henry Hubbard (1784-1857), Democratic
• 3: Franklin Pierce (1804-1869), Democratic

House of Representatives (5 seats)

• A/L: Charles G. Atherton (1804-1853), Democratic
• A/L: Samuel Cushman (1783-1851), Democratic
• A/L: James Farrington (1791-1859), Democratic
• A/L: Joseph Weeks (1773-1845), Democratic
• A/L: Jared W. Williams (1796-1864), Democratic

New Jersey

Senate

• 1: Samuel L. Southard (1787-1842), Whig
• 2: Garret D. Wall (1783-1850), Democratic

House of Representatives (6 seats)

• A/L: John B. Aycrigg (1798-1856), Whig
• A/L: William Halstead (1794-1878), Whig
• A/L: John P. B. Maxwell (1804-1845), Whig
• A/L: Joseph F. Randolph (1803-1873), Whig
• A/L: Charles C. Stratton (1796-1859), Whig
• A/L: Thomas Jones Yorke (1801-1882), Whig

New York

Senate

• 3: Silas Wright, Jr. (1795-1847), Democratic
• 1: Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (1795-1864), Democratic

House of Representatives (40 seats)

• 1: Thomas B. Jackson (1797-1881), Democratic
• 2: Abraham Vanderveer (1781-1839), Democratic
• 3: Churchill C. Cambreleng (1786-1862), Democratic
• 3: Edward Curtis (1801-1856), Whig
• 3: Josiah Ogden Hoffman (1793-1856), Whig
• 3: Ely Moore (1798-1860), Democratic
• 4: Gouverneur Kemble (1786-1875), Democratic
• 5: Obadiah Titus (1789-1854), Democratic
• 6: Nathaniel Jones (1788-1866), Democratic
• 7: John C. Brodhead (1780-1859), Democratic
• 8: Robert McClellan (1806-1860), Democratic
• 8: Zadock Pratt (1790-1871), Democratic
• 9: Henry Vail (1782-1853), Democratic
• 10: Albert Gallup (1796-1851), Democratic
• 11: John I. De Graff (1783-1848), Democratic
• 12: David A. Russell (1780-1861), Whig
• 13: John Palmer (1785-1840), Democratic
• 14: James B. Spencer (1781-1848), Democratic
• 15: John Edwards (1781-1850), Democratic
• 16: Arphaxed Loomis (1798-1885), Democratic
• 17: Henry A. Foster (1800-1889), Democratic
• 17: Abraham P. Grant (1804-1871), Democratic
• 18: Isaac H. Bronson (1802-1855), Democratic
• 19: John H. Prentiss (1784-1861), Democratic
• 20: Amasa J. Parker (1807-1890), Democratic
• 21: John C. Clark (1793-1852), Democratic
• 22: Andrew D. W. Bruyn (1790-1838), Democratic …died July 27, 1838.

  Cyrus Beers (1786-1850), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 3, 1838.

• 22: Hiram Gray (1801-1890), Democratic
• 23: Bennet Bicknell (1781-1841), Democratic
• 23: William Taylor (1791-1865), Democratic
• 24: William H. Noble (1788-1850), Democratic
• 25: Samuel Birdsall (1791-1872), Democratic
• 26: Mark H. Sibley (1796-1852), Whig
• 27: John T. Andrews (1803-1894), Democratic
• 28: Timothy Childs (1785-1847), Whig
• 29: William Patterson (1789-1838), Whig …died August 14, 1838.

  Harvey Putnam (1793-1855), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 3, 1838.

• 30: Luther C. Peck (1800-1876), Whig
• 31: Richard P. Marvin (1803-1892), Whig
• 32: Millard Fillmore (1800-1874), Whig
• 33: Charles F. Mitchell (1808c- ), Whig

North Carolina

Senate

• 2: Bedford Brown (1795-1870), Democratic
• 3: Robert Strange (1796-1854), Democratic

House of Representatives (13 seats)

• 1: Samuel T. Sawyer (1800-1865), Whig
• 2: Jesse A. Bynum (1797-1868), Democratic
• 3: Edward Stanly (1810-1872), Whig
• 4: Charles B. Shepard (1808-1843), Whig
• 5: James I. McKay (1793-1853), Democratic
• 6: Micajah T. Hawkins (1790-1858), Democratic
• 7: Edmund Deberry (1787-1859), Whig
• 8: William Montgomery (1789-1844), Democratic
• 9: Augustine H. Shepperd (1792-1864), Whig
• 10: Abraham Rencher (1798-1883), Whig
• 11: Henry W. Connor (1793-1866), Democratic
• 12: James Graham (1793-1851), Whig
• 13: Lewis Williams (1782-1842), Whig

Ohio

Senate

• 1: Thomas Morris (1776-1844), Democratic
• 3: William Allen (1803-1879), Democratic

House of Representatives (19 seats)

• 1: Alexander Duncan (1788-1853), Democratic
• 2: Taylor Webster (1800-1876), Democratic
• 3: Patrick G. Goode (1798-1862), Whig
• 4: Thomas Corwin (1794-1865), Whig
• 5: Thomas L. Hamer (1800-1846), Democratic
• 6: Calvary Morris (1798-1871), Whig
• 7: William K. Bond (1792-1864), Whig
• 8: Joseph Ridgway (1783-1861), Whig
• 9: John Chaney (1790-1881), Democratic
• 10: Samson Mason (1793-1869), Whig
• 11: James Alexander, Jr. (1789-1846), Whig
• 12: Alexander Harper (1786-1860), Whig]
• 13: Daniel P. Leadbetter (1797-1870), Democratic
• 14: William H. Hunter ( -1842), Democratic
• 15: John W. Allen (1802-1887), Whig
• 16: Elisha Whittlesey (1783-1863), Whig …resigned July 9, 1838.

  Joshua R. Giddings (1795-1864), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 3, 1838.

• 17: Andrew W. Loomis (1797-1873), Whig …resigned October 20, 1837.

  Charles D. Coffin (1805-1880), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 20, 1837.

• 18: Matthias Shepler (1790-1863), Democratic
• 19: Daniel Kilgore (1793-1851), Democratic …resigned July 4, 1838.

  Henry Swearingen (1792c-1849), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 3, 1838.

Pennsylvania

Senate

• 1: Samuel McKean (1787-1841), Democratic
• 3: James Buchanan (1791-1868), Democratic

House of Representatives (28 seats)

• 1: Lemuel Paynter (1788-1863), Democratic
• 2: John Sergeant (1779-1852), Whig
• 2: George W. Toland (1796-1869), Whig
• 3: Francis J. Harper (1800-1837), Democratic …died March 18, 1837, before Congress assembled.

  Charles Naylor (1806-1872), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated September 4, 1837.

• 4: Edward Darlington (1795-1884), Anti-Masonic
• 4: Edward Davies (1779-1853), Anti-Masonic
• 4: David Potts, Jr. (1794c-1863), Anti-Masonic
• 5: Jacob Fry, Jr. (1802-1866), Democratic
• 6: Mathias Morris (1787-1839), Whig
• 7: David D. Wagener (1792-1860), Democratic
• 8: Edward B. Hubley (1792-1856), Democratic
• 9: Henry A. P. Muhlenberg (1782-1844), Democratic …resigned February 9, 1838.

  George M. Keim (1805-1861), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated March 17, 1838.

• 10: Luther Reily (1794-1854), Democratic
• 11: Henry Logan (1784-1866), Democratic
• 12: Daniel Sheffer (1783-1880), Democratic
• 13: Charles McClure (1804-1846), Democratic
• 14: William W. Potter (1792-1839), Democratic
• 15: David Petrikin (1788-1847), Democratic
• 16: Robert H. Hammond (1791-1847), Democratic
• 17: Samuel W. Morris (1786-1847), Democratic
• 18: Charles Ogle (1798-1841), Anti-Masonic
• 19: John J. Klingensmith, Jr. (1786-1854), Democratic
• 20: Andrew Buchanan (1780-1848), Democratic
• 21: Thomas M. T. McKennan (1794-1852), Anti-Masonic
• 22: Richard Biddle (1796-1847), Anti-Masonic
• 23: William Beatty (1787-1851), Democratic
• 24: Thomas Henry (1779-1849), Anti-Masonic
• 25: Arnold Plumer (1801-1869), Democratic

Rhode Island

Senate

• 2: Nehemiah R. Knight (1780-1854), Whig
• 1: Asher Robbins (1757-1845), Whig

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• A/L: Robert B. Cranston (1791-1873), Whig
• A/L: Joseph L. Tillinghast (1791-1844), Whig

South Carolina

Senate

• 2: John C. Calhoun (1782-1850), Democratic
• 3: William C. Preston (1794-1860), Whig

House of Representatives (9 seats)

• 1: Hugh S. Legaré (1797-1843), Democratic
• 2: R. Barnwell Rhett (1800-1876), Nullifier
• 3: John Campbell ( -1845), Nullifier
• 4: Franklin H. Elmore (1799-1850), Nullifier
• 5: Francis W. Pickens (1805-1869), Nullifier
• 6: Waddy Thompson, Jr. (1798-1868), Whig
• 7: William K. Clowney (1797-1851), Nullifier
• 8: John P. Richardson (1801-1864), Democratic
• 9: John K. Griffin (1789-1841), Nullifier

Tennessee

Senate

• 2: Hugh Lawson White (1773-1840), Whig
• 1: Felix Grundy (1777-1840), Democratic …resigned July 4, 1838.

  Ephraim H. Foster (1794-1854), Whig …appointed to fill vacancy September 17, 1838, subsequently elected, resigned March 3, 1839.

House of Representatives (13 seats)

• 1: William B. Carter (1792-1848), Whig
• 2: Abraham McClellan (1789-1866), Democratic
• 3: Joseph L. Williams (1810-1865), Whig
• 4: James I. Standifer (1782-1837), Whig …died August 20, 1837.

  William Stone (1791-1853), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated October 6, 1837.

• 5: Hopkins L. Turney (1797-1857), Democratic
• 6: William B. Campbell (1807-1867), Whig
• 7: John Bell (1797-1869), Whig
• 8: Abram P. Maury (1801-1848), Whig
• 9: James K. Polk (1795-1849), Democratic
• 10: Ebenezer J. Shields (1778-1846), Whig
• 11: Richard Cheatham (1799-1845), Whig
• 12: John W. Crockett (1807-1852), Whig
• 13: Christopher H. Williams (1798-1857), Whig

Vermont

Senate

• 3: Samuel Prentiss (1782-1857), Whig
• 1: Benjamin Swift (1781-1847), Whig

House of Representatives (5 seats)

• 1: Hiland Hall (1795-1885), Whig
• 2: William Slade (1786-1859), Whig
• 3: Horace Everett (1779-1851), Whig
• 4: Heman Allen (1777-1844), Whig
• 5: Isaac Fletcher (1784-1842), Democratic

Virginia

Senate

• 1: William C. Rives (1793-1868), Democratic
• 2: Richard E. Parker (1783-1840), Democratic …resigned March 13, 1837.

  William H. Roane (1787-1845), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy March 14, 1837.

House of Representatives (21 seats)

• 1: Francis Mallory (1807-1860), Whig
• 2: Francis E. Rives (1792-1861), Democratic
• 3: John W. Jones (1791-1848), Democratic
• 4: George C. Dromgoole (1797-1847), Democratic
• 5: James W. Bouldin (1792-1854), Democratic
• 6: Walter Coles (1790-1857), Democratic
• 7: Archibald Stuart (1795-1855), Democratic
• 8: Henry A. Wise (1806-1876), Whig
• 9: Robert M. T. Hunter (1809-1887), Whig
• 10: John Taliaferro (1768-1852), Whig
• 11: John Robertson (1787-1873), Whig
• 12: James Garland (1791-1885), Democratic
• 13: John M. Patton (1797-1858), Democratic …resigned in 1838.

  Linn Banks (1784-1842), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated May 19, 1838.

• 14: Charles F. Mercer (1778-1858), Whig
• 15: James M. Mason (1798-1871), Democratic
• 16: Isaac S. Pennybacker (1805-1847), Democratic
• 17: Robert Craig (1792-1852), Democratic
• 18: George W. Hopkins (1804-1861), Democratic
• 19: Andrew Beirne (1771-1845), Democratic
• 20: Joseph Johnson (1785-1877), Democratic
• 21: William S. Morgan (1801-1878), Democratic

Delegates

Florida Territory

• A/L: Charles Downing ( -1845)

Iowa Territory

• A/L: William W. Chapman (1808-1892), Democratic …newly created territory, seated December 3, 1838.

Wisconsin Territory

• A/L: James D. Doty (1799-1865), Democratic …contested election, seated January 14, 1839.
• A/L: George W. Jones (1804-1896), Democratic …contested election, served until January 14, 1839.

Membership detail by Chamber/Party

The list below is arranged by chamber, then by political party. Members are shown in alphabetical order.

Senate

Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress.

Democratic

A-F William Allen, Ohio Thomas H. Benton, Missouri Bedford Brown, North Carolina (U.S. state) James Buchanan, Pennsylvania John C. Calhoun, South Carolina Clement C. Clay, Alabama (U.S. state) Alfred Cuthbert, Georgia William S. Fulton, Arkansas (U.S. state) G-L Felix Grundy, Tennessee Henry Hubbard, New Hampshire John P. King, Georgia William R. D. King, Alabama (U.S. state) Lewis F. Linn, Missouri Wilson Lumpkin, Georgia Lucius Lyon, Michigan

M-R Samuel McKean, Pennsylvania John McKinley, Alabama (U.S. state) Thomas Morris, Ohio Alexander Mouton, Louisiana Robert C. Nicholas, Louisiana John M. Niles, Connecticut John Norvell, Michigan Richard E. Parker, Virginia Franklin Pierce, New Hampshire William C. Rives, Virginia William H. Roane, Virginia John M. Robinson, Illinois (U.S. state) John Ruggles, Maine

S-Z Ambrose H. Sevier, Arkansas (U.S. state) Perry Smith, Connecticut Robert Strange, North Carolina (U.S. state) Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, New York John Tipton, Indiana James F. Trotter, Mississippi Robert J. Walker, Mississippi Garret D. Wall, New Jersey Reuel Williams, Maine Thomas H. Williams, Mississippi Silas Wright, Jr. , New York Richard M. Young, Illinois (U.S. state)

Whig

A-F Richard H. Bayard, Delaware John Black, Mississippi Henry Clay, Kentucky Thomas Clayton, Delaware John J. Crittenden, Kentucky John Davis, Massachusetts Ephraim H. Foster, Tennessee

G-L Joseph Kent, Maryland Nehemiah R. Knight, Rhode Island M-R William D. Merrick, Maryland Samuel Prentiss, Vermont William C. Preston, South Carolina Asher Robbins, Rhode Island

S-Z Oliver H. Smith, Indiana Samuel L. Southard, New Jersey John S. Spence, Maryland Benjamin Swift, Vermont Daniel Webster, Massachusetts Hugh Lawson White, Tennessee

House of Representatives

Members of the [[U.S. House of Representatives |House of Representatives, were elected by popular vote, variously to single member districts or at-large.

Democratic

A-B-C Hugh J. Anderson, Maine John T. Andrews, New York Charles G. Atherton, New Hampshire Linn Banks, Virginia William Beatty, Pennsylvania Cyrus Beers, New York Andrew Beirne, Virginia Bennet Bicknell, New York Samuel Birdsall, New York Ratliff Boon, Indiana Nathaniel B. Borden, Massachusetts James W. Bouldin, Virginia John C. Brodhead, New York Isaac H. Bronson, New York Andrew D. W. Bruyn, New York Andrew Buchanan, Pennsylvania Jesse A. Bynum, North Carolina (U.S. state) Churchill C. Cambreleng, New York Timothy J. Carter, Maine Zadok Casey, Illinois (U.S. state) John Chaney, Ohio Reuben Chapman, Alabama (U.S. state) Jonathan Cilley, Maine John F. H. Claiborne, Mississippi John C. Clark, New York Jesse F. Cleveland, Georgia Walter Coles, Virginia Henry W. Connor, North Carolina (U.S. state) Robert Craig, Virginia Isaac E. Crary, Michigan Samuel Cushman, New Hampshire D-E-F Thomas Davee, Maine John I. De Graff, New York George C. Dromgoole, Virginia Alexander Duncan, Ohio John Edwards, New York John Fairfield, Maine James Farrington, New Hampshire Isaac Fletcher, Vermont Henry A. Foster, New York Jacob Fry, Jr. , Pennsylvania

G-H-I Albert Gallup, New York James Garland, Virginia Samuel J. Gholson, Mississippi Thomas Glascock, Georgia Abraham P. Grant, New York Seaton Grantland, Georgia Hiram Gray, New York Elisha Haley, Connecticut Thomas L. Hamer, Ohio Robert H. Hammond, Pennsylvania Francis J. Harper, Pennsylvania Albert G. Harrison, Missouri Micajah T. Hawkins, North Carolina (U.S. state) Charles E. Haynes, Georgia Hopkins Holsey, Georgia Orrin Holt, Connecticut George W. Hopkins, Virginia Benjamin C. Howard, Maryland Edward B. Hubley, Pennsylvania William H. Hunter, Ohio Samuel Ingham, Connecticut J-K-L Jabez Y. Jackson, Georgia Thomas B. Jackson, New York Joseph Johnson, Virginia John W. Jones, Virginia Nathaniel Jones, New York George M. Keim, Pennsylvania Gouverneur Kemble, New York Daniel Kilgore, Ohio’’ John J. Klingensmith, Jr., Pennsylvania Daniel P. Leadbetter, Ohio Hugh S. Legaré, South Carolina Dixon H. Lewis, Alabama (U.S. state) Henry Logan, Pennsylvania Arphaxed Loomis, New York M-N-O Joshua L. Martin, Alabama (U.S. state) James M. Mason, Virginia William L. May, Illinois (U.S. state) Abraham McClellan, Tennessee Robert McClellan, New York Charles McClure, Pennsylvania James I. McKay, North Carolina (U.S. state) Isaac McKim, Maryland John Miller, Missouri William Montgomery, North Carolina (U.S. state) Ely Moore, New York William S. Morgan, Virginia Samuel W. Morris, Pennsylvania Henry A. P. Muhlenberg, Pennsylvania John L. Murray, Kentucky William H. Noble, New York George W. Owens, Georgia

P-Q-R John Palmer, New York Amasa J. Parker, New York William Parmenter, Massachusetts Virgil D. Parris, Maine John M. Patton, Virginia Lemuel Paynter, Pennsylvania Isaac S. Pennybacker, Virginia David Petrikin, Pennsylvania Lancelot Phelps, Connecticut Arnold Plumer, Pennsylvania James K. Polk, Tennessee William W. Potter, Pennsylvania Zadock Pratt, New York John H. Prentiss, New York Luther Reily, Pennsylvania John P. Richardson, South Carolina Eleazar W. Ripley, Louisiana Francis E. Rives, Virginia S-T-U-V Daniel Sheffer, Pennsylvania Matthias Shepler, Ohio Francis O. J. Smith, Maine Adam W. Snyder, Illinois (U.S. state) James B. Spencer, New York Archibald Stuart, Virginia Henry Swearingen, Ohio William Taylor, New York Francis Thomas, Maryland Obadiah Titus, New York Isaac Toucey, Connecticut George W. B. Towns, Georgia Hopkins L. Turney, Tennessee Henry Vail, New York Abraham Vanderveer, New York W-X-Y-Z David D. Wagener, Pennsylvania Taylor Webster, Ohio Joseph Weeks, New Hampshire Thomas T. Whittlesey, Connecticut Jared W. Williams, New Hampshire John T. H. Worthington, Maryland Archibald Yell, Arkansas (U.S. state)

Whig

A-B-C John Quincy Adams, Massachusetts James Alexander, Jr., Ohio Heman Allen, Vermont John W. Allen, Ohio John B. Aycrigg, New Jersey John Bell, Tennessee William K. Bond, Ohio George N. Briggs, Massachusetts John Calhoon, Kentucky William B. Calhoun, Massachusetts William B. Campbell, Tennessee William B. Carter, Tennessee John Chambers, Kentucky Richard Cheatham, Tennessee Timothy Childs, New York Charles D. Coffin, Ohio Thomas Corwin, Ohio George W. Crabb, Alabama (U.S. state) Robert B. Cranston, Rhode Island John W. Crockett, Tennessee Edward Curtis, New York Caleb Cushing, Massachusetts William C. Dawson, Georgia D-E-F Edmund Deberry, North Carolina (U.S. state) John Dennis, Maryland George H. Dunn, Indiana George Evans, Maine Horace Everett, Vermont John Ewing, Indiana Millard Fillmore, New York Richard Fletcher, Massachusetts

G-H-I Rice Garland, Louisiana Joshua R. Giddings, Ohio Patrick G. Goode, Ohio James Graham, North Carolina (U.S. state) William Graham, Indiana William J. Graves, Kentucky George J. Grennell, Jr., Massachusetts Hiland Hall, Vermont William Halstead, New Jersey James Harlan, Kentucky Alexander Harper, Ohio William S. Hastings, Massachusetts Richard Hawes, Kentucky William Herod, Indiana Josiah Ogden Hoffman, New York Robert M. T. Hunter, Virginia J-K-L Daniel Jenifer, Maryland Henry Johnson, Louisiana William Cost Johnson, Maryland John P. Kennedy, Maryland Joab Lawler, Alabama (U.S. state) Levi Lincoln, Jr., Massachusetts Andrew W. Loomis, Ohio Francis S. Lyon, Alabama (U.S. state) M-N-O Francis Mallory, Virginia Richard P. Marvin, New York Samson Mason, Ohio Abram P. Maury, Tennessee John P. B. Maxwell, New Jersey Richard H. Menefee, Kentucky Charles F. Mercer, Virginia John J. Milligan, Delaware Charles F. Mitchell, New York Calvary Morris, Ohio Mathias Morris, Pennsylvania Charles Naylor, Pennsylvania Joseph C. Noyes, Maine

P-Q-R William Patterson, New York James A. Pearce, Maryland Luther C. Peck, New York Stephen C. Phillips, Massachusetts . Seargent S. Prentiss, Mississippi Harvey Putnam, New York Joseph F. Randolph, New Jersey James Rariden, Indiana John Reed, Jr., Massachusetts Abraham Rencher, North Carolina (U.S. state) Joseph Ridgway, Ohio John Robertson, Virginia Edward Robinson, Maine Edward Rumsey, Kentucky David A. Russell, New York S-T-U-V Leverett Saltonstall, Massachusetts Samuel T. Sawyer, North Carolina (U.S. state) John Sergeant, Pennsylvania Charles B. Shepard, North Carolina (U.S. state) Augustine H. Shepperd, North Carolina (U.S. state) Ebenezer J. Shields, Tennessee Mark H. Sibley, New York William Slade, Vermont William W. Southgate, Kentucky James I. Standifer, Tennessee Edward Stanly, North Carolina (U.S. state) William Stone, Tennessee Charles C. Stratton, New Jersey John Taliaferro, Virginia Waddy Thompson, Jr., South Carolina Joseph L. Tillinghast, Rhode Island George W. Toland, Pennsylvania Joseph R. Underwood, Kentucky W-X-Y-Z Albert S. White, Indiana John White, Kentucky Elisha Whittlesey, Ohio . Christopher H. Williams, Tennessee Joseph L. Williams, Tennessee Lewis Williams, North Carolina (U.S. state) Sherrod Williams, Kentucky Henry A. Wise, Virginia Thomas J. Word, Mississippi Thomas Jones Yorke, New Jersey

Anti-Masonic

A-F Richard Biddle, Pennsylvania Edward Darlington, Pennsylvania Edward Davies, Pennsylvania

G-O Thomas Henry, Pennsylvania Thomas M. T. McKennan, Pennsylvania Charles Ogle, Pennsylvania

P-Z David Potts, Jr, Pennsylvania

Nullifier

A-F John Campbell, South Carolina William K. Clowney, South Carolina Franklin H. Elmore, South Carolina

G-Z John K. Griffin, South Carolina Francis W. Pickens, South Carolina R. Barnwell Rhett, South Carolina

Independent Whig

John Pope, Kentucky

Membership Changes

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.

Senate replacements: 6 Democrats: no net change Whig: no net change deaths: 1 resignations: 6 Total seats with changes: 7

House of Representatives replacements: 16 Democrats: 5 seat net loss Whigs: 5 seat net gain deaths: 8 resignations: 7 contested election:2 Total seats with changes: 17

Officers

Senate Secretary of the Senate: Asbury Dickens, of North Carolina (U.S. state), elected December 12, 1836, Sergeant at Arms of the Senate: John Shackford, of New Hampshire, elected December 9, 1833, died in office. Stephen Haight, of New York, elected September 4, 1837 Chaplain of the Senate: The Rev. John R. Goodman, Episcopalian, elected December 28, 1836, The Rev. Henry Slicer, Methodist, elected September 11, 1837

House of Representatives Clerk of the House: Walter S. Franklin of Pennsylvania, elected September 4, 1837, died September 20, 1838. Hugh A. Garland of Virginia, elected December 3, 1838. Sergeant at Arms of the House: Roderick Dorsey of Maryland, elected September 4, 1837. Doorkeeper of the House: Overton Carr of Maryland, elected September 4, 1837. Postmaster of the House: William J. McCormick, Chaplain of the House The Rev. Septimus Tustin, Presbyterian, elected September 4, 1837. The Rev. Levi R. Reese, Methodist, elected December 4, 1837.