Fast Facts
The House has elected or appointed employees to carry out a wide variety of tasks throughout its history. The officers’ duties are prescribed both by law and Rule II of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
More >Chaplains of the House
The Opening of Congress—Characteristic Sketches (detail), Collection of the U.S. House of RepresentativesAbout this object
In addition to opening proceedings with prayer, the Chaplain provides pastoral counseling to the House community, coordinates the scheduling of guest chaplains, and arranges memorial services for the House and its staff. In the past, Chaplains have performed marriage and funeral ceremonies for House members.
Two Chaplains also served as U.S. Representatives either prior to or after their service as House Chaplain.
| Congress and Years | Name | Denomination | Date Appointed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (1789–1791) | The Reverend William LINN | Presbyterian | May 01, 1789 |
| 1st (1789–1791) | The Reverend Samuel BLAIR | Presbyterian | Jan 04, 1790 |
| 2nd (1791–1793) | The Reverend Samuel BLAIR | Presbyterian | Jan 04, 1790 |
| 2nd (1791–1793) | The Reverend Ashbel GREEN | Presbyterian | Nov 05, 1792 |
| 3rd (1793–1795) | The Reverend Ashbel GREEN | Presbyterian | Dec 03, 1793 |
| 4th (1795–1797) | The Reverend Ashbel GREEN | Presbyterian | Dec 11, 1795 |
| 5th (1797–1799) | The Reverend Ashbel GREEN | Presbyterian | May 17, 1797 |
| 6th (1799–1801) | The Reverend Thomas LYELL | Methodist | Nov 17, 1800 |
| 6th (1799–1801) | The Reverend Ashbel GREEN | Presbyterian | Dec 04, 1800 |
| 7th (1801–1803) | The Reverend William PARKINSON | Baptist | Dec 10, 1801 |
| 8th (1803–1805) | The Reverend William PARKINSON | Baptist | Oct 20, 1803 |
| 8th (1803–1805) 1 | The Reverend James LAURIE | Presbyterian | Nov 30, 1804 |
| 9th (1805–1807) 2 | The Reverend James LAURIE | Presbyterian | Dec 13, 1805 |
| 9th (1805–1807) | The Reverend Robert ELLIOT | Presbyterian | Dec 04, 1806 |
| 10th (1807–1809) | The Reverend Obadiah Bruen BROWN | Baptist | Oct 30, 1807 |
| 11th (1809–1811) | The Reverend Jesse LEE | Methodist | May 27, 1809 |
| 12th (1811–1813) | The Reverend Nicholas SNEATHEN | Methodist | Nov 13, 1811 |
| 13th (1813–1815) | The Reverend Jesse LEE | Methodist | Nov 06, 1812 |
| 13th (1813–1815) | The Reverend Obadiah Bruen BROWN | Baptist | Sep 23, 1814 |
| 14th (1815–1817) | The Reverend Spencer Houghton CONE | Baptist | Dec 07, 1815 |
| 14th (1815–1817) | The Reverend Burgess ALLISON | Baptist | Dec 05, 1816 |
| 15th (1817–1819) | The Reverend Burgess ALLISON | Baptist | Dec 05, 1817 |
| 16th (1819–1821) | The Reverend Burgess ALLISON | Baptist | Dec 08, 1819 |
| 16th (1819–1821) | The Reverend John Nicholson CAMPBELL | Presbyterian | Nov 16, 1820 |
| 17th (1821–1823) | The Reverend Jared SPARKS | Unitarian | Dec 10, 1821 |
| 17th (1821–1823) | The Reverend John BRACKENRIDGE | Presbyterian | Dec 05, 1822 |
| 18th (1823–1825) | The Reverend Henry Biddleman BASCOM | Methodist | Dec 08, 1823 |
| 18th (1823–1825) | The Reverend Reuben POST | Presbyterian | Dec 09, 1824 |
| 19th (1825–1827) | The Reverend Reuben POST | Presbyterian | Dec 09, 1825 |
| 20th (1827–1829) | The Reverend Reuben POST | Presbyterian | Dec 10, 1827 |
| 21st (1829–1831) | The Reverend Reuben POST | Presbyterian | Dec 10, 1829 |
| 21st (1829–1831) | The Reverend Ralph Randolph GURLEY | Presbyterian | Dec 13, 1830 |
| 22nd (1831–1833) | The Reverend Reuben POST | Presbyterian | Dec 13, 1831 |
| 22nd (1831–1833) | The Reverend William Henry HAMMETT | Methodist | Dec 12, 1832 |
| 23rd (1833–1835) | The Reverend Thomas H. STOCKTON | Methodist | Dec 09, 1833 |
| 23rd (1833–1835) | The Reverend Edward Dunlap SMITH | Presbyterian | Dec 10, 1834 |
| 24th (1835–1837) | The Reverend Thomas H. STOCKTON | Methodist | Dec 24, 1835 |
| 24th (1835–1837) | The Reverend Oliver Cromwell COMSTOCK | Baptist | Dec 20, 1836 |
| 25th (1837–1839) 3 | The Reverend Septimus TUSTIN | Presbyterian | Sep 12, 1837 |
| 25th (1837–1839) | The Reverend Levi R. REESE | Methodist | Dec 11, 1837 |
| 26th (1839–1841) | The Reverend Joshua BATES | Congregationalist | Feb 04, 1840 |
| 26th (1839–1841) | The Reverend Thomas W. BRAXTON | Baptist | Dec 15, 1840 |
| 27th (1841–1843) | The Reverend John W. FRENCH | Episcopalian | Jun 09, 1841 |
| 27th (1841–1843) | The Reverend John Newland MAFFIT | Methodist | Dec 13, 1841 |
| 27th (1841–1843) | The Reverend Frederick T. TIFFANY | Episcopalian | Dec 14, 1842 |
| 28th (1843–1845) | The Reverend Isaac S. TINSLEY | Baptist | Dec 16, 1843 |
| 28th (1843–1845) | The Reverend William M. DAILY | Methodist | Dec 04, 1844 |
| 29th (1845–1847) 4 | The Reverend William Henry MILBURN | Methodist | Dec 22, 1845 |
| 29th (1845–1847) | The Reverend William T.S. SPROLE | Presbyterian | Dec 17, 1846 |
| 30th (1847–1849) | The Reverend Ralph GURLEY | Presbyterian | Dec 14, 1847 |
| 31st (1849–1851) 5 | The Reverend Ralph GURLEY | Presbyterian | Feb 01, 1850 |
| 32nd (1851–1853) | The Reverend Littleton F. MORGAN | Methodist | Dec 09, 1851 |
| 32nd (1851–1853) | The Reverend James GALLAGHER | Presbyterian | Dec 07, 1852 |
| 33rd (1853–1855) | The Reverend William Henry MILBURN | Methodist | Dec 07, 1853 |
| 34th (1855–1857) 6 | The Reverend Daniel WALDO | Congregationalist | Feb 21, 1856 |
| 37th (1861–1863) 7 | The Reverend Thomas H. STOCKTON | Methodist | Jul 05, 1861 |
| 38th (1863–1865) | The Reverend William Henry CHANNING | Unitarian | Dec 10, 1863 |
| 39th (1865–1867) | The Reverend Charles B. BOYNTON | Congregationalist | Dec 05, 1865 |
| 40th (1867–1869) | The Reverend Charles B. BOYNTON | Congregationalist | Mar 05, 1867 |
| 41st (1869–1871) | The Reverend John George BUTLER | Presbyterian | Mar 09, 1869 |
| 42nd (1871–1873) | The Reverend John George BUTLER | Presbyterian | Mar 04, 1871 |
| 43rd (1873–1875) | The Reverend John George BUTLER | Presbyterian | Dec 02, 1873 |
| 44th (1875–1877) | The Reverend S.L. TOWNSEND | Episcopalian | Dec 06, 1875 |
| 45th (1877–1879) 8 | The Reverend John POISAL | Methodist | Oct 15, 1877 |
| 45th (1877–1879) | The Reverend W.P. HARRISON | Methodist | Dec 03, 1877 |
| 46th (1879–1881) | The Reverend W.P. HARRISON | Methodist | Mar 18, 1879 |
| 47th (1881–1883) | The Reverend Frederick Dunglison POWER | Disciples of Christ | Dec 05, 1881 |
| 48th (1883–1885) | The Reverend John Summerfield LINDSAY | Episcopalian | Dec 04, 1883 |
| 49th (1885–1887) | The Reverend William Henry MILBURN | Methodist | Dec 07, 1885 |
| 50th (1887–1889) | The Reverend William Henry MILBURN | Methodist | Dec 05, 1887 |
| 51st (1889–1891) | The Reverend William Henry MILBURN | Methodist | Dec 02, 1889 |
| 52nd (1891–1893) | The Reverend William Henry MILBURN | Methodist | Dec 08, 1891 |
| 53rd (1893–1895) 9 | The Reverend Samuel W. HADDAWAY | Methodist | Aug 07, 1893 |
| 53rd (1893–1895) | The Reverend Edward B. BAGBY | Christian | Nov 01, 1893 |
| 54th (1895–1897) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Dec 02, 1895 |
| 55th (1897–1899) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Mar 15, 1897 |
| 56th (1899–1901) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Dec 04, 1899 |
| 57th (1901–1903) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Dec 02, 1901 |
| 58th (1903–1905) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Nov 09, 1903 |
| 59th (1905–1907) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Dec 04, 1905 |
| 60th (1907–1909) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Dec 02, 1907 |
| 61st (1909–1911) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Mar 15, 1909 |
| 62nd (1911–1913) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Apr 04, 1911 |
| 63rd (1913–1915) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Apr 07, 1913 |
| 64th (1915–1917) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Dec 06, 1915 |
| 65th (1917–1919) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | Apr 02, 1917 |
| 66th (1919–1921) | The Reverend Henry N. COUDEN | Universalist | May 19, 1919 |
| 67th (1921–1923) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Apr 11, 1921 |
| 68th (1923–1925) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Dec 05, 1923 |
| 69th (1925–1927) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Dec 07, 1925 |
| 70th (1927–1929) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Dec 05, 1927 |
| 71st (1929–1931) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Apr 15, 1929 |
| 72nd (1931–1933) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Dec 07, 1931 |
| 73rd (1933–1935) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Mar 09, 1933 |
| 74th (1935–1937) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Jan 03, 1935 |
| 75th (1937–1939) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Jan 05, 1937 |
| 76th (1939–1941) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Jan 03, 1939 |
| 77th (1941–1943) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Jan 03, 1941 |
| 78th (1943–1945) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Jan 06, 1943 |
| 79th (1945–1947) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Jan 03, 1945 |
| 80th (1947–1949) | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Jan 03, 1947 |
| 81st (1949–1951) 10 | The Reverend James Shera MONTGOMERY | Methodist | Jan 03, 1949 |
| 81st (1949–1951) | The Reverend Bernard BRASKAMP | Presbyterian | Jan 30, 1950 |
| 82nd (1951–1953) | The Reverend Bernard BRASKAMP | Presbyterian | Jan 03, 1951 |
| 83rd (1953–1955) | The Reverend Bernard BRASKAMP | Presbyterian | Jan 03, 1953 |
| 84th (1955–1957) | The Reverend Bernard BRASKAMP | Presbyterian | Jan 05, 1955 |
| 85th (1957–1959) | The Reverend Bernard BRASKAMP | Presbyterian | Jan 03, 1957 |
| 86th (1959–1961) | The Reverend Bernard BRASKAMP | Presbyterian | Jan 07, 1959 |
| 87th (1961–1963) | The Reverend Bernard BRASKAMP | Presbyterian | Jan 03, 1961 |
| 88th (1963–1965) | The Reverend Bernard BRASKAMP | Presbyterian | Jan 03, 1963 |
| 89th (1965–1967) | The Reverend Bernard BRASKAMP | Presbyterian | Jan 04, 1965 |
| 90th (1967–1969) | The Reverend Edward G. LATCH | Methodist | Jan 10, 1967 |
| 91st (1969–1971) | The Reverend Edward G. LATCH | Methodist | Jan 03, 1969 |
| 92nd (1971–1973) | The Reverend Edward G. LATCH | Methodist | Jan 21, 1971 |
| 93rd (1973–1975) | The Reverend Edward G. LATCH | Methodist | Jan 03, 1973 |
| 94th (1975–1977) | The Reverend Edward G. LATCH | Methodist | Jan 14, 1975 |
| 95th (1977–1979) | The Reverend Edward G. LATCH | Methodist | Jan 04, 1977 |
| 96th (1979–1981) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 15, 1979 |
| 97th (1981–1983) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 05, 1981 |
| 98th (1983–1985) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 03, 1983 |
| 99th (1985–1987) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 03, 1985 |
| 100th (1987–1989) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 06, 1987 |
| 101st (1989–1991) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 03, 1989 |
| 102nd (1991–1993) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 03, 1991 |
| 103rd (1993–1995) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 05, 1993 |
| 104th (1995–1997) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 04, 1995 |
| 105th (1997–1999) | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 07, 1997 |
| 106th (1999–2001) 11 | The Reverend James D. FORD | Lutheran | Jan 06, 1999 |
| 106th (1999–2001) | The Reverend Daniel P. COUGHLIN | Roman Catholic | Mar 23, 2000 |
| 107th (2001–2003) | The Reverend Daniel P. COUGHLIN | Roman Catholic | Jan 03, 2001 |
| 108th (2003–2005) | The Reverend Daniel P. COUGHLIN | Roman Catholic | Jan 07, 2003 |
| 109th (2005–2007) | The Reverend Daniel P. COUGHLIN | Roman Catholic | Jan 04, 2005 |
| 110th (2007–2009) | The Reverend Daniel P. COUGHLIN | Roman Catholic | Jan 04, 2007 |
| 111th (2009–2011) | The Reverend Daniel P. COUGHLIN | Roman Catholic | Jan 06, 2009 |
| 112th (2011–2013) 12 | The Reverend Daniel P. COUGHLIN | Roman Catholic | Jan 05, 2011 |
| 112th (2011–2013) | The Reverend Patrick J. CONROY | Roman Catholic | May 25, 2011 |
Footnotes
1For the second session of the 8th Congress, Reverend William Bentley was elected on Nov. 7, 1804, but declined the position. Reverend William Parkinson was elected to fill the position on Nov. 27, 1804, but declined the position. Finally, Reverend James Laurie was elected as Chaplain on Nov. 30, 1804.
2For the first session of the 9th Congress, Reverend John Glendy was elected on Dec. 4, 1805, but declined the position. Reverend James Laurie was elected in his place on Dec. 13, 1805.
3Reverend Samuel Tustin's last name has been spelled "Tuston" in various editions of the Congressional Globe.
4Reverend William Henry Milburn's last name has been spelled "Milburne" in various editions of the Congressional Globe.
5There was no Chaplain elected for the 31st Congress from Dec. 3, 1849–Feb. 1, 1850.
6For the first three months of the 34th Congress (Dec. 3, 1855–Feb. 21, 1856) the duties of the Chaplain fell upon the local ministers in and around Washington. On Feb. 21, 1856, the system was debated in the House, and a permanent Chaplain, Reverend Daniel Waldo, was elected for the duration of the 34th Congress.
7There were no elected Chaplains for the 35th–36th Congresses. Instead, ministers in Washington were invited to perform the opening prayer, and were not compensated to perform the duties of a Chaplain.
8Reverend John Poisal's last name has been spelled "Poisel" and "Poisol" in various editions of the Congressional Record. Poisal resigned from the Chaplaincy on Nov. 7, 1877, and succeeded by Reverend W. P. Harrison on Nov. 9, 1877.
9Reverend Samuel W. Haddaway died on October 26, 1893, and succeeded by Reverend Edward B. Bagby on Nov. 1, 1893.
10Reverend James Shera Montgomery resigned as Chaplain on Jan. 30, 1950, and succeeded by Reverend Bernard Braskamp on Jan. 30, 1950.
11Reverend James D. Ford resigned as Chaplain on March 23, 2000, and was succeeded by Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin. Coughlin was appointed "to act as and to exercise temporarily the duties of Chaplain of the House of Representatives" on March 23, 2000 (Congressional Record, 106th Cong., 2nd sess.: H3481).
12Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin resigned as Chaplain on May 25, 2011, and succeeded by Reverend Patrick J. Conroy on May 25, 2011.