Clerks of the U.S. House of Representatives
(1789 to Present)
“The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers...”
The Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 2
On April 1, 1789, the House of Representatives convened with its first quorum. Its initial order of business was the election of the Speaker, Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg, a Representative from Pennsylvania. The next order of business was the election of the Clerk, John Beckley, Esquire, a citizen of Virginia. Although the Clerk’s title is derived from that of the Clerk of the British House of Commons, the duties are similar to those prescribed for the Secretary of the Continental Congress in March 1785.
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 (indicated by asterisks) either prior to or after their service as a House officer. By clicking on their names, viewers will be linked to their individual biographies in the online Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
For more information about the Clerk's office, visit
History of the Office.
Congress (Years) | Clerk, State | Date Elected |
---|---|---|
1st (1789-91) | John Beckley, VA | Apr. 1, 1789 |
2nd (1791-93) | John Beckley, VA | Oct. 24, 1791 |
3rd (1793-95) | John Beckley, VA | Dec. 2, 1793 |
4th (1795-97) | John Beckley, VA | Dec. 7, 1795 |
5th (1797-99) | Jonathan W. Condy, PA | May 15, 1797 |
6th (1799-1801) | Jonathan W. Condy, PA1 John H. Oswald, PA |
Dec. 2, 1799 Dec. 9, 18002 |
7th (1801-03) | John Beckley, VA | Dec. 7, 1801 |
8th (1803-05) | John Beckley, VA | Oct. 17, 1803 |
9th (1805-07) | John Beckley, VA | Dec. 2, 1805 |
10th (1807-09) | Patrick Magruder, MD* | Oct. 26, 1807 |
11th (1809-11) | Patrick Magruder, MD | May 24, 1809 |
12th (1811-13) | Patrick Magruder, MD | Nov. 4, 1811 |
13th (1813-15) | Patrick Magruder, MD3 Thomas Dougherty, KY |
May 24, 1813 Jan. 30, 18154 |
14th (1815-17) | Thomas Dougherty, KY | Dec. 4, 1815 |
15th (1817-19) | Thomas Dougherty, KY | Dec. 1, 1817 |
16th (1819-21) | Thomas Dougherty, KY | Dec. 6, 1819 |
17th (1821-23) | Thomas Dougherty, KY5 Matthew St. Clair Clarke, PA |
Dec. 4, 1821 Dec. 3, 18226 |
18th (1823-25) | Matthew St. Clair Clarke, PA | Dec. 1, 1823 |
19th (1825-27) | Matthew St. Clair Clarke, PA | Dec. 5, 1825 |
20th (1827-29) | Matthew St. Clair Clarke, PA | Dec. 3, 1827 |
21st (1829-31) | Matthew St. Clair Clarke, PA | Dec. 7, 1829 |
22nd (1831-33) | Matthew St. Clair Clarke, PA | Dec. 5, 1831 |
23rd (1833-35) | Walter S. Franklin, PA | Dec. 2, 1833 |
24th (1835-37) | Walter S. Franklin, PA | Dec. 7, 1835 |
25th (1837-39) | Walter S. Franklin, PA7 Hugh A. Garland, VA |
Sep. 4, 1837 Dec. 3, 18388 |
26th (1839-41) | Hugh A. Garland, VA | Dec. 21, 1839 |
27th (1841-43) | Matthew St. Clair Clarke, PA | May 31, 1841 |
28th (1843-45) | Caleb J. McNulty, OH9 Benjamin B. French, NH |
Dec. 6, 1843 Jan. 18, 184510 |
29th (1845-47) | Benjamin B. French, NH | Dec. 2, 1845 |
30th (1847-49) | Thomas J. Campbell, TN* | Dec. 7, 1847 |
31st (1849-51) | Thomas J. Campbell, TN11 Richard M. Young, IL* |
Jan. 11, 1850 Apr. 17,185012 |
32nd (1851-53) | John W. Forney, PA | Dec. 1, 1851 |
33rd (1853-55) | John W. Forney, PA | Dec. 5, 1853 |
34th (1855-57) | John W. Forney, PA13 William Cullom, TN* |
-- Feb. 4, 185614 |
35th (1857-59) | James C. Allen, IL* | Dec. 7, 1857 |
36th (1859-61) | James C. Allen, IL15 John W. Forney, PA |
-- Feb. 3, 186016 |
37th (1861-63) | Emerson Etheridge, TN* | Jul. 4, 1861 |
38th (1863-65) | Edward McPherson, PA* | Dec. 8, 1863 |
39th (1865-67) | Edward McPherson, PA | Dec. 4, 1865 |
40th (1867-69) | Edward McPherson, PA | Mar. 4, 1867 |
41st (1869-71) | Edward McPherson, PA | Mar. 5, 1869 |
42nd (1871-73) | Edward McPherson, PA | Mar. 4, 1871 |
43rd (1873-75) | Edward McPherson, PA | Dec. 1, 1873 |
44th (1875-77) | George M. Adams, KY* | Dec. 6, 1875 |
45th (1877-79) | George M. Adams, KY | Oct. 15, 1877 |
46th (1879-81) | George M. Adams, KY | Mar. 18, 1879 |
47th (1881-83) | Edward McPherson, PA | Dec. 5, 1881 |
48th (1883-85) | John B. Clark, Jr., MO* | Dec. 4, 1883 |
49th (1885-87) | John B. Clark, Jr., MO | Dec. 7, 1885 |
50th (1887-89) | John B. Clark, Jr., MO | Dec. 5, 1887 |
51st (1889-91) | Edward McPherson, PA | Dec. 2, 1889 |
52nd (1891-93) | James Kerr, PA* | Dec. 8, 1891 |
53rd (1893-95) | James Kerr, PA | Aug. 7, 1893 |
54th (1895-97) | Alexander McDowell, PA* | Dec. 2, 1895 |
55th (1897-99) | Alexander McDowell, PA | Mar. 15, 1897 |
56th (1899-1901) | Alexander McDowell, PA | Dec. 4, 1899 |
57th (1901-03) | Alexander McDowell, PA | Dec. 2, 1901 |
58th (1903-05) | Alexander McDowell, PA | Nov. 9, 1903 |
59th (1905-07) | Alexander McDowell, PA | Dec. 4, 1905 |
60th (1907-09) | Alexander McDowell, PA | Dec. 2, 1907 |
61st (1909-11) | Alexander McDowell, PA | Mar. 15, 1909 |
62nd (1911-13) | South Trimble, KY* | Apr. 4, 1911 |
63rd (1913-15) | South Trimble, KY | Apr. 7, 1913 |
64th (1915-17) | South Trimble, KY | Dec. 6, 1915 |
65th (1917-19) | South Trimble, KY | Apr. 2, 1917 |
66th (1919-21) | William Tyler Page, MD | May 19, 1919 |
67th (1921-23) | William Tyler Page, MD | Apr. 11, 1921 |
68th (1923-25) | William Tyler Page, MD | Dec. 5, 1923 |
69th (1925-27) | William Tyler Page, MD | Dec. 7, 1925 |
70th (1927-29) | William Tyler Page, MD | Dec. 5, 1927 |
71st (1929-31) | William Tyler Page, MD | Apr. 15, 1929 |
72nd (1931-33) | South Trimble, KY | Dec. 7, 1931 |
73rd (1933-35) | South Trimble, KY | Mar. 9, 1933 |
74th (1935-37) | South Trimble, KY | Jan. 3, 1935 |
75th (1937-39) | South Trimble, KY | Jan. 5, 1937 |
76th (1939-41) | South Trimble, KY | Jan. 3, 1939 |
77th (1941-43) | South Trimble, KY | Jan. 3, 1941 |
78th (1943-45) | South Trimble, KY | Jan. 6, 1943 |
79th (1945-47) | South Trimble, KY17 Harry Newlin Megill |
Jan. 3, 1945 Aug. 2, 194618 |
80th (1947-49) | John Andrews, MA | Jan. 3, 1947 |
81st (1949-51) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | Jan. 3, 1949 |
82nd (1951-53) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | Jan. 3, 1951 |
83rd (1953-55) | Lyle O. Snader, IL | Jan. 3, 1953 |
84th (1955-57) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | Jan. 5, 1955 |
85th (1957-59) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | Jan. 3, 1957 |
86th (1959-61) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | Jan. 7, 1959 |
87th (1961-63) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | Jan. 3, 1961 |
88th (1963-65) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | Jan. 9, 1963 |
89th (1965-67) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | Jan. 4, 1965 |
90th (1967-69) | W. Pat Jennings, VA* | Jan. 10, 1967 |
91st (1969-71) | W. Pat Jennings, VA | Jan. 3, 1969 |
92nd (1971-73) | W. Pat Jennings, VA | Jan. 21, 1971 |
93rd (1973-75) | W. Pat Jennings, VA | Jan. 3, 1973 |
94th (1975-77) | W. Pat Jennings, VA19 Edmund L. Henshaw, Jr., VA |
Jan. 14, 1975 Nov. 17, 197520 |
95th (1977-79) | Edmund L. Henshaw, Jr., VA | Jan. 4, 1977 |
96th (1979-81) | Edmund L. Henshaw, Jr., VA | Jan. 15, 1979 |
97th (1981-83) | Edmund L. Henshaw, Jr., VA | Jan. 5, 1981 |
98th (1983-85) | Benjamin J. Guthrie, MD | Jan. 3, 1983 |
99th (1985-87) | Benjamin J. Guthrie, MD | Jan. 3, 1985 |
100th (1987-89) | Donnald K. Anderson, CA | Jan. 6, 1987 |
101st (1989-91) | Donnald K. Anderson, CA | Jan. 3, 1989 |
102nd (1991-93) | Donnald K. Anderson, CA | Jan. 3, 1991 |
103rd (1993-95) | Donnald K. Anderson, CA | Jan. 5, 1993 |
104th (1995-97) | Robin H. Carle, ID | Jan. 4, 1995 |
105th (1997-99) | Robin H. Carle, ID21 Jeff Trandahl, SD |
Jan. 7, 1997 Jan. 1, 199922 |
106th (1999-2001) | Jeff Trandahl, SD | Jan. 6, 1999 |
107th (2001-03) | Jeff Trandahl, SD | Jan. 3, 2001 |
108th (2003-05) | Jeff Trandahl, SD | Jan. 7, 2003 |
109th (2005-07) | Jeff Trandahl, SD23 Karen L. Haas, MD |
Jan. 4, 2005 Nov. 18, 200524 Dec. 6, 200525 |
110th (2007-09) | Karen L. Haas, MD Lorraine C. Miller, TX |
Jan. 4, 2007 Feb. 15, 200726 |
111th (2009-11) | Lorraine C. Miller, TX | Jan. 6, 2009 |
2. Elected on December 9, 1800. House Journal, 6th Congress, (December 9, 1800): H736.
3. Resigned on January 28, 1815. House Journal, 13th Congress, (January 28, 1815): H694.
4. Elected on January 30, 1815. House Journal, 13th Congress, (January 30, 1815): H1113-1114.
5. Died in 1822.
6. Elected on December 3, 1822. House Journal, 17th Congress, (December 3, 1822): H18.
7. Died on September 20, 1838.
8. Elected on December 3, 1838. House Journal, 25th Congress, (December 3, 1838): H14.
9. Dismissed from office on January 18, 1845. House Journal, (January 18, 1845): H230-233.
10.Elected on January 18, 1845. House Journal, (January 18, 1845): H233.
11. Died on April 13, 1850. House Journal, (April 15, 1850): H788-789.
12. Elected on April 17, 1850. House Journal, (April 17, 1850): H804-805.
13. Presided over deadlocked election of the Speaker.
14. Elected on February 4, 1856. House Journal, (February 4, 1856): H452.
15. Presided over deadlocked election of the Speaker.
16. Elected on February 30, 1860. House Journal, 36th Congress, (February 3, 1860): H174.
17. Died on November 23, 1946.
18. H. 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.
19. Resigned on November 15, 1975. House Journal, 94th Cong., 1st sess., (November 17, 1975): H1790.
20. Appointed 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.
21. Resigned on December 21, 1998. See, Roll Call, “House Clerk’s Office Shake-Up Continues,” (January 7, 1999): 1, 21.
22. Appointed 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.
23. Resigned on November 18, 2005. See Congressional Record, House, 109th Cong., 1st sess., (November 18, 2005): H11026.
24. Appointed by the Speaker on November 18, 2005. See Congressional Record, House, 109th Cong., 1st sess., (November 18, 2005): H11026.
25. Elected by the House of Representatives (H. Res. 582) on December 6, 2005. Congressional Record, House, 109th Cong., 1st sess., (December 6, 2005): H11073.
26.Elected by H. Res. 129, on February 6, 2007. See, Congressional Record, 110th Cong., 1st sess., (February 6, 2007): H1230.