Art & Artifacts

Funerals in the House Chamber

Under the current House Rule IV, the House Chamber may only be used for legislative functions, conference meetings, and caucus meetings unless the House agrees to take part in a ceremony. Earlier in House history, however, the Chamber also served as a place to memorialize Representatives who died in office.

The United States Capitol Rotunda is known widely as a space where the nation pays tribute to its most revered citizens, whose bodies lie in state or in honor in that room. Comparatively little is known about funerals that took place in the Hall of the House. Beginning with Congressman Nathaniel Hazard of Rhode Island in 1820, the House Chamber has hosted 31 funerals for sitting Members. As timed progressed, the House developed standing practices that were employed when a serving Member passed away: the announcement of the Member’s death was made on the House Floor; a resolution was made regarding the funeral; a resolution was made to don black armbands for a period of 30 days; Congress adjourned out of respect; and the House followed by hosting or attending the funeral.

From the early 1800s to 1870s, many Members of the House that died in the capital city were buried in Congressional Cemetery, located in the northeast section of Washington, D.C. Of the 70 Members buried at Congressional Cemetery, eight had funerals in the House Chamber. In addition, 108 Members of the House are honored in Congressional Cemetery with cenotaphs—four-sided memorial stones with a name engraved on each side of the monument. Eight of the cenotaphs, including that of John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, memorialize those Members whose funerals were held in the House Chamber. The practice of the cenotaphs ended in the 1870s with the exception of two: Representatives Hale Boggs of Louisiana and Nicolas Begich of Alaska, who passed away in 1972. In cases where the late Representatives’ funerals were not held in the Capitol, Members were transported by funeral train back to their home district or a location designated by the family. A delegation from the House was traditionally appointed to attend the funeral. The House paid for the cost of the delegation’s travel and documented the outlay in the Clerk’s contingent expenses report.

On occasion, what was referred to as a "state funeral" was held in the House Chamber. These state funerals generally had a specific guest list consisting of the President, Justices of the Supreme Court, Senators, and fellow House Members. Both Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri and Representative James Mann of Illinois (see photo to the right) were accorded state funerals in the chamber.

With Congress and the country continuing to grow, the House agreed to set a $1,000 spending limit out of its contingent expenses to cover the cost of funerals in 1883. This was designed to put a stop to extravagant funerals, which were becoming more prevalent.

In 1932, during the depths of the Great Depression, the House determined that sitting Member funerals no longer would be paid for with contingent expenses of the House. The last funeral to take place in the House Chamber was Speaker William Bankhead of Alabama in 1940. When retired, Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill of Massachusetts passed away in 1996, Congress honored the former Speaker by adorning the rostrum on the House Floor with funeral wreaths.


Funeral of James Mann in the House Chamber

Funeral of James Mann in the House Chamber Image courtesy of Library of Congress


  Member Date of Funeral Service Location
  Nathaniel Hazard* December 18, 1820 House Chamber
  Jesse Slocumb* December 21, 1820 House Chamber
  John Linn** January 6, 1821 House Chamber
  William A. Burwell* February 17, 1821 House Chamber
  Thomas T. Bouldin* February 13, 1834 House Chamber
  Warren R. Davis* January 30, 1835 House Chamber
  Jonathan Cilley** February 27, 1838 House Chamber
  Joab Lawler* May 9, 1838 House Chamber
  Lewis Williams** February 25, 1842 House Chamber
  Joseph Lawrence* April 19, 1842 House Chamber
  Peter E. Bossier** April 26, 1844 House Chamber
  William Taylor* January 19, 1846 House Chamber
  Richard P. Herrick** June 23, 1846 House Chamber
  John Quincy Adams** February 26, 1848 House Chamber
  James A. Black** April 5, 1848 House Chamber
  Philip Johnson** February 3, 1867 House Chamber
  David B. Mellish May 26, 1874 House Chamber
  Samuel Hooper February 16, 1875 House Chamber
  Julian Hartridge January 9, 1879 House Chamber
  Edmund W.M. Mackey January 30, 1884 House Chamber
  Morrison R. Waite March 28, 1888 House Chamber
  William D. Kelley January 11, 1890 House Chamber
  Nelson Dingley, Jr. January 16, 1899 House Chamber
  Amos Cummings May 4, 1902 House Chamber
  Sereno E. Payne December 13, 1914 House Chamber
  James B. (Champ) Clark March 5, 1921 House Chamber
  James R. Mann December 3, 1922 House Chamber
  Martin B. Madden April 29, 1928 House Chamber
  Edward W. Pou April 2, 1934 House Chamber
  Joseph W. Byrns June 5, 1936 House Chamber
  William B. Bankhead September 17, 1940 House Chamber

*indicates the Member is buried in Congressional Cemetery.

**indicates the Member is memorialized on a cenotaph at Congressional Cemetery.

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