Historical Highlight
Oral History
Clerks of the House
The Hon. Edward McPherson, Clerk of the House (detail), Collection of the U.S. House of RepresentativesAbout this object
A total of 35 individuals have served as Clerks of the House. Thirteen Clerks also served as Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate either prior to or after their service as a House officer.
| Congress and Years | Name | State or Territory | Date Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (1789–1791) | BECKLEY, John | VA | Apr 01, 1789 |
| 2nd (1791–1793) | BECKLEY, John | VA | Dec 24, 1791 |
| 3rd (1793–1795) | BECKLEY, John | VA | Dec 02, 1793 |
| 4th (1795–1797) | BECKLEY, John | VA | Dec 07, 1795 |
| 5th (1797–1799) | CONDY, Jonathan W. | PA | May 15, 1797 |
| 6th (1799–1801) | CONDY, Jonathan W. 1 | PA | Dec 02, 1799 |
| 6th (1799–1801) | OSWALD, John H. | PA | Dec 09, 1800 2 |
| 7th (1801–1803) | BECKLEY, John | VA | Dec 07, 1801 |
| 8th (1803–1805) | BECKLEY, John | VA | Dec 17, 1803 |
| 9th (1805–1807) | BECKLEY, John | VA | Dec 02, 1805 |
| 10th (1807–1809) | MAGRUDER, Patrick | MD | Dec 26, 1807 |
| 11th (1809–1811) | MAGRUDER, Patrick | MD | May 24, 1809 |
| 12th (1811–1813) | MAGRUDER, Patrick | MD | Nov 04, 1811 |
| 13th (1813–1815) | MAGRUDER, Patrick 3 | MD | May 24, 1813 |
| 13th (1813–1815) | DOUGHERTY, Thomas | KY | Jan 20, 1815 4 |
| 14th (1815–1817) | DOUGHERTY, Thomas | KY | Dec 04, 1815 |
| 15th (1817–1819) | DOUGHERTY, Thomas | KY | Dec 01, 1817 |
| 16th (1819–1821) | DOUGHERTY, Thomas | KY | Dec 06, 1819 |
| 17th (1821–1823) | DOUGHERTY, Thomas 5 | KY | Dec 04, 1821 |
| 17th (1821–1823) | CLARKE, Matthew St. Clair | PA | Dec 03, 1822 6 |
| 18th (1823–1825) | CLARKE, Matthew St. Clair | PA | Dec 01, 1823 |
| 19th (1825–1827) | CLARKE, Matthew St. Clair | PA | Dec 05, 1825 |
| 20th (1827–1829) | CLARKE, Matthew St. Clair | PA | Dec 03, 1827 |
| 21st (1829–1831) | CLARKE, Matthew St. Clair | PA | Dec 07, 1829 |
| 22nd (1831–1833) | CLARKE, Matthew St. Clair | PA | Dec 05, 1831 |
| 23rd (1833–1835) | FRANKLIN, Walter S. | PA | Dec 02, 1833 |
| 24th (1835–1837) | FRANKLIN, Walter S. | PA | Dec 07, 1835 |
| 25th (1837–1839) | FRANKLIN, Walter S. 7 | PA | Sep 04, 1837 |
| 25th (1837–1839) | GARLAND, Hugh A. | VA | Dec 03, 1838 8 |
| 26th (1839–1841) | GARLAND, Hugh A. | VA | Dec 21, 1839 |
| 27th (1841–1843) | CLARKE, Matthew St. Clair | PA | May 31, 1841 |
| 28th (1843–1845) | MCNULTY, Caleb J. 9 | OH | Dec 06, 1843 |
| 28th (1843–1845) | FRENCH, Benjamin B. | NH | Jan 18, 1845 10 |
| 29th (1845–1847) | FRENCH, Benjamin B. | NH | Dec 02, 1845 |
| 30th (1847–1849) | CAMPBELL, Thomas Jefferson | TN | Dec 07, 1847 |
| 31st (1849–1851) | CAMPBELL, Thomas Jefferson 11 | TN | Jan 11, 1850 |
| 31st (1849–1851) | YOUNG, Richard M. | IL | Apr 17, 1850 12 |
| 32nd (1851–1853) | FORNEY, John W. | PA | Dec 01, 1851 |
| 33rd (1853–1855) | FORNEY, John W. | PA | Dec 05, 1853 |
| 34th (1855–1857) | FORNEY, John W. 13 | PA | - |
| 34th (1855–1857) | CULLOM, William | TN | Feb 04, 1856 14 |
| 35th (1857–1859) | ALLEN, James Cameron | IL | Dec 07, 1857 |
| 36th (1859–1861) | ALLEN, James Cameron 15 | IL | - |
| 36th (1859–1861) | FORNEY, John W. | PA | Feb 03, 1860 16 |
| 37th (1861–1863) | ETHERIDGE, Emerson | TN | Jul 04, 1861 |
| 38th (1863–1865) | MCPHERSON, Edward | PA | Dec 08, 1863 |
| 39th (1865–1867) | MCPHERSON, Edward | PA | Dec 04, 1865 |
| 40th (1867–1869) | MCPHERSON, Edward | PA | Mar 04, 1867 |
| 41st (1869–1871) | MCPHERSON, Edward | PA | Mar 05, 1869 |
| 42nd (1871–1873) | MCPHERSON, Edward | PA | Mar 04, 1871 |
| 43rd (1873–1875) | MCPHERSON, Edward | PA | Dec 01, 1873 |
| 44th (1875–1877) | ADAMS, George Madison | KY | Dec 06, 1875 |
| 45th (1877–1879) | ADAMS, George Madison | KY | Oct 15, 1877 |
| 46th (1879–1881) | ADAMS, George Madison | KY | Mar 18, 1879 |
| 47th (1881–1883) | MCPHERSON, Edward | PA | Dec 05, 1881 |
| 48th (1883–1885) | CLARK, John Bullock, Jr. | MO | Dec 04, 1883 |
| 49th (1885–1887) | CLARK, John Bullock, Jr. | MO | Dec 07, 1885 |
| 50th (1887–1889) | CLARK, John Bullock, Jr. | MO | Dec 05, 1887 |
| 51st (1889–1891) | MCPHERSON, Edward | PA | Dec 02, 1889 |
| 52nd (1891–1893) | KERR, James | PA | Dec 08, 1891 |
| 53rd (1893–1895) | KERR, James | PA | Aug 07, 1893 |
| 54th (1895–1897) | MCDOWELL, Alexander | PA | Dec 02, 1895 |
| 55th (1897–1899) | MCDOWELL, Alexander | PA | Mar 15, 1897 |
| 56th (1899–1901) | MCDOWELL, Alexander | PA | Dec 04, 1899 |
| 57th (1901–1903) | MCDOWELL, Alexander | PA | Dec 02, 1901 |
| 58th (1903–1905) | MCDOWELL, Alexander | PA | Nov 09, 1903 |
| 59th (1905–1907) | MCDOWELL, Alexander | PA | Dec 04, 1905 |
| 60th (1907–1909) | MCDOWELL, Alexander | PA | Dec 02, 1907 |
| 61st (1909–1911) | MCDOWELL, Alexander | PA | Mar 15, 1909 |
| 62nd (1911–1913) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Apr 04, 1911 |
| 63rd (1913–1915) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Apr 07, 1913 |
| 64th (1915–1917) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Dec 06, 1915 |
| 65th (1917–1919) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Apr 02, 1917 |
| 66th (1919–1921) | PAGE, William Tyler | MD | May 19, 1919 |
| 67th (1921–1923) | PAGE, William Tyler | MD | Apr 11, 1921 |
| 68th (1923–1925) | PAGE, William Tyler | MD | Dec 05, 1923 |
| 69th (1925–1927) | PAGE, William Tyler | MD | Dec 07, 1925 |
| 70th (1927–1929) | PAGE, William Tyler | MD | Dec 05, 1927 |
| 71st (1929–1931) | PAGE, William Tyler | MD | Apr 15, 1929 |
| 72nd (1931–1933) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Dec 07, 1931 |
| 73rd (1933–1935) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Mar 09, 1933 |
| 74th (1935–1937) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Jan 03, 1935 |
| 75th (1937–1939) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Jan 05, 1937 |
| 76th (1939–1941) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Jan 03, 1939 |
| 77th (1941–1943) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Jan 03, 1941 |
| 78th (1943–1945) | TRIMBLE, South | KY | Jan 06, 1943 |
| 79th (1945–1947) | TRIMBLE, South 17 | KY | Jan 03, 1945 |
| 79th (1945–1947) | MEGILL, Harry Newlin | DC | Aug 02, 1946 18 |
| 80th (1947–1949) | ANDREWS, John | MA | Jan 03, 1947 |
| 81st (1949–1951) | ROBERTS, Ralph R. | IN | Jan 03, 1949 |
| 82nd (1951–1953) | ROBERTS, Ralph R. | IN | Jan 03, 1951 |
| 83rd (1953–1955) | SNADER, Lyle O. | IL | Jan 03, 1953 |
| 84th (1955–1957) | ROBERTS, Ralph R. | IN | Jan 05, 1955 |
| 85th (1957–1959) | ROBERTS, Ralph R. | IN | Jan 03, 1957 |
| 86th (1959–1961) | ROBERTS, Ralph R. | IN | Jan 07, 1959 |
| 87th (1961–1963) | ROBERTS, Ralph R. | IN | Jan 03, 1961 |
| 88th (1963–1965) | ROBERTS, Ralph R. | IN | Jan 09, 1963 |
| 89th (1965–1967) | ROBERTS, Ralph R. | IN | Jan 04, 1965 |
| 90th (1967–1969) | JENNINGS, William Pat | VA | Jan 10, 1967 |
| 91st (1969–1971) | JENNINGS, William Pat | VA | Jan 03, 1969 |
| 92nd (1971–1973) | JENNINGS, William Pat | VA | Jan 21, 1971 |
| 93rd (1973–1975) | JENNINGS, William Pat | VA | Jan 03, 1973 |
| 94th (1975–1977) | JENNINGS, William Pat 19 | VA | Jan 14, 1975 |
| 94th (1975–1977) | HENSHAW, Edmund L., Jr. | VA | Nov 17, 1975 20 |
| 95th (1977–1979) | HENSHAW, Edmund L., Jr. | VA | Jan 04, 1977 |
| 96th (1979–1981) | HENSHAW, Edmund L., Jr. | VA | Jan 15, 1979 |
| 97th (1981–1983) | HENSHAW, Edmund L., Jr. | VA | Jan 05, 1981 |
| 98th (1983–1985) | GUTHRIE, Benjamin J. | VA | Jan 03, 1983 |
| 99th (1985–1987) | GUTHRIE, Benjamin J. | VA | Jan 03, 1985 |
| 100th (1987–1989) | ANDERSON, Donnald K. | CA | Jan 06, 1987 |
| 101st (1989–1991) | ANDERSON, Donnald K. | CA | Jan 03, 1989 |
| 102nd (1991–1993) | ANDERSON, Donnald K. | CA | Jan 03, 1991 |
| 103rd (1993–1995) | ANDERSON, Donnald K. | CA | Jan 05, 1993 |
| 104th (1995–1997) | CARLE, Robin H. | ID | Jan 04, 1995 |
| 105th (1997–1999) | CARLE, Robin H. 21 | ID | Jan 07, 1997 |
| 105th (1997–1999) | TRANDAHL, Jeff | SD | Jan 01, 1999 22 |
| 106th (1999–2001) | TRANDAHL, Jeff | SD | Jan 06, 1999 |
| 107th (2001–2003) | TRANDAHL, Jeff | SD | Jan 03, 2001 |
| 108th (2003–2005) | TRANDAHL, Jeff | SD | Jan 07, 2003 |
| 109th (2005–2007) | TRANDAHL, Jeff 23 | SD | Jan 04, 2005 |
| 109th (2005–2007) | HAAS, Karen L. | MD | Nov 18, 2005 24 |
| 109th (2005–2007) | HAAS, Karen L. | MD | Dec 06, 2005 25 |
| 110th (2007–2009) | HAAS, Karen L. | MD | Jan 04, 2007 |
| 110th (2007–2009) | MILLER, Lorraine C. | TX | Feb 15, 2007 26 |
| 111th (2009–2011) | MILLER, Lorraine C. | TX | Jan 06, 2009 |
| 112th (2011–2013) | HAAS, Karen L. | MD | Jan 05, 2011 |
Footnotes
1Resigned on December 4, 1800. House Journal, 6th Congress, (December 9, 1800): H736.
2Elected on December 9, 1800. House Journal, 6th Congress, (December 9, 1800): H736.
3Resigned on January 28, 1815. House Journal, 13th Congress, (January 28, 1815): H694.
4Elected on January 30, 1815. House Journal, 13th Congress, (January 30, 1815): H1113-1114.
5Died in 1822.
6Elected on December 3, 1822. House Journal, 17th Congress, (December 3, 1822): H18.
7Died on September 20, 1838.
8Elected on December 3, 1838. House Journal, 25th Congress, (December 3, 1838): H14.
9Dismissed from office on January 18, 1845. House Journal, (January 18, 1845): H230-233.
10Elected on January 18, 1845. House Journal, (January 18, 1845): H233.
11Died on April 13, 1850. House Journal, (April 15, 1850): H788-789.
12Elected on April 17, 1850. House Journal, (April 17, 1850): H804-805.
13Presided over deadlocked election of the Speaker.
14Elected on February 4, 1856. House Journal, (February 4, 1856): H452.
15Presided over deadlocked election of the Speaker.
16Elected on February 3, 1860. House Journal, 36th Congress, (February 3, 1860): H174.
17Died on November 23, 1946.
18H. Res. 753, passed by Congress on August 2, 1946, authorized the "appointment of an acting Clerk." Harry Newlin Megill was designated that same day. See, House Journal, 79th Cong., 2nd sess., (August 2, 1946): H799; H918.
19Resigned on November 15, 1975. House Journal, 94th Cong., 1st sess., (November 17, 1975): H1790.
20Appointed acting Clerk on November 16, 1975, "to act as and to exercise temporarily" the duties of Clerk of the House. See, House Journal, 94th Cong., 1st sess., (November 17, 1975): H1790
21Resigned on December 21, 1998. See, Roll Call, "House Clerk's Office Shake-Up Continues," (January 7, 1999): 1, 21.
22Appointed by the Speaker effective January 1, 1999. See, "Appointment by the Speaker After Sine Die Adjournment," Congressional Record, 106th Cong., 1st sess., (January 6, 1999): H228.
23Resigned on November 18, 2005. See Congressional Record, House, 109th Cong., 1st sess., (November 18, 2005): H11026.
24Appointed by the Speaker on November 18, 2005. See Congressional Record, House, 109th Cong., 1st sess., (November 18, 2005): H11026.
25Elected by the House of Representatives (H. Res. 582) on December 6, 2005. Congressional Record, House, 109th Cong., 1st sess., (December 6, 2005): H11073.
26Elected by H. Res. 129, on February 6, 2007. See, Congressional Record, 110th Cong., 1st sess., (February 6, 2007): H1230.