Sergeants at Arms of the House
(1789 to Present)
An officer of the House whose history extends back to the First Congress, the Sergeant at Arms is the chamber’s principal law enforcement official, charged with maintaining security on the floor and for the House side of the Capitol complex. The modern Sergeant at Arms serves on the Capitol Police Board and the Capitol Guide Board along with the Senate Sergeant at Arms and the Architect of the Capitol. A total of 35 individuals have served as the House Sergeant at Arms since 1789.
Mandated under the current House Rule II, the Sergeant at Arms also enforces protocol and ensures decorum during floor proceedings. The Mace, which symbolizes the authority of the House, is maintained by the Office of the Sergeant at Arms. On occasion, the Sergeant at Arms has presented the Mace to restore order on the floor. The Sergeant at Arms also is empowered to compel absent Members onto the House floor to conduct business. Over time, the office’s duties have encompassed administrative functions: arranging Capitol funerals, managing parking facilities, and issuing identification to Members and staff.
Eight Sergeants at Arms also served as U.S. Representatives (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.
Congress (Years) |
Sergeant at Arms, State or Territory |
Date Elected |
---|---|---|
1st (1789-91) | Joseph Wheaton, RI |
May 12, 1789 |
2nd (1791-93) | Joseph Wheaton, RI |
Oct. 24, 1791 |
3rd (1793-95) | Joseph Wheaton, RI |
Dec. 2, 1793 |
4th (1795-97) | Joseph Wheaton, RI |
Dec. 7, 1795 |
5th (1797-99) | Joseph Wheaton, RI |
May 15, 1797 |
6th (1799-1801) | Joseph Wheaton, RI |
Dec. 2, 1799 |
7th (1801-03) | Joseph Wheaton, RI |
Dec. 7, 1801 |
8th (1803-05) | Joseph Wheaton, RI |
Oct. 17, 1803 |
9th (1805-07) | Joseph Wheaton, RI |
Dec. 2, 1805 |
10th (1807-09) | Thomas Dunn, MD |
Oct. 27, 1807 |
11th (1809-11) | Thomas Dunn, MD |
May 22, 1809 |
12th (1811-13) | Thomas Dunn, MD |
Nov. 4, 1811 |
13th (1813-15) | Thomas Dunn, MD |
May 24, 1813 |
14th (1815-17) | Thomas Dunn, MD |
Dec. 4, 1815 |
15th (1817-19) | Thomas Dunn, MD |
Dec. 1, 1817 |
16th (1819-21) | Thomas Dunn, MD |
Dec. 6, 1819 |
17th (1821-23) | Thomas Dunn, MD |
Dec. 4, 1821 |
18th (1823-25) | Thomas Dunn, MD John O. Dunn, DC1 |
Dec. 1, 1823; Dec. 6, 1824 |
19th (1825-27) | John O. Dunn, DC |
Dec. 5, 1825 |
20th (1827-29) | John O. Dunn, DC |
Dec. 3, 1827 |
21st (1829-31) | John O. Dunn, DC |
Dec. 7, 1829 |
22nd (1831-33) | John O. Dunn, DC |
Dec. 7, 1831 |
23rd (1833-35) | Thomas B. Randolph, VA |
Dec. 3, 1833 |
24th (1835-37) | Roderick Dorsey , MD |
Dec. 15, 1835 |
25th (1837-39) | Roderick Dorsey , MD |
Sept. 4, 1837 |
26th (1839-41) | Roderick Dorsey , MD |
Dec. 21, 1839 |
27th (1841-43) | Eleazor M. Townsend, CT |
Jun. 8, 1841 |
28th (1843-45) | Newton Lane, KY |
Dec. 7, 1843 |
29th (1845-47) | Newton Lane, KY |
Dec. 3, 1845 |
30th (1847-49) | Nathan Sergeant, VT |
Dec. 8, 1847 |
31st (1849-51) | Adam J. Glossbrenner, PA* |
Jan. 15, 1850 |
32nd (1851-53) | Adam J. Glossbrenner, PA |
Dec. 1, 1851 |
33rd (1853-55) | Adam J. Glossbrenner, PA |
Dec. 5, 1853 |
34th (1855-57) | Adam J. Glossbrenner, PA |
Feb. 4, 1856 |
35th (1857-59) | Adam J. Glossbrenner, PA |
Dec. 7, 1857 |
36th (1859-61) | Henry
W. Hoffman, MD* |
Feb. 3, 1860 |
37th (1861-63) | Edward Ball, OH* |
July 5, 1861 |
38th (1863-65) | Nehemiah G. Ordway, NH |
Dec. 8, 1863 |
39th (1865-67) | Nehemiah G. Ordway, NH |
Dec. 4, 1865 |
40th (1867-69) | Nehemiah G. Ordway, NH |
March 5, 1867 |
41st (1869-71) | Nehemiah G. Ordway, NH |
March 5, 1869 |
42nd (1871-73) | Nehemiah G. Ordway, NH |
March 4, 1871 |
43rd (1873-75) | Nehemiah G. Ordway, NH |
Dec. 1, 1873 |
44th (1875-77) | John G. Thompson, OH |
Dec. 6, 1875 |
45th (1877-79) | John G. Thompson, OH |
Oct. 15, 1877 |
46th (1879-81) | John G. Thompson, OH |
March 18, 1879 |
47th (1881-83) | George W. Hooker, VT |
Dec. 5, 1881 |
48th (1883-85) | John P. Leedom, OH* |
Dec. 4, 1883 |
49th (1885-87) | John P. Leedom, OH |
Dec. 7, 1885 |
50th (1887-89) | John P. Leedom, OH |
Dec. 5, 1887 |
51st (1889-91) | Adoniram J. Holmes, IA* |
Dec. 2, 1889 |
52nd (1891-93) | Samuel S. Yoder, OH* |
Dec. 8, 1891 |
53rd (1893-95) | Herman W. Snow, IL* |
Aug. 7, 1893 |
54th (1895-97) | Benjamin F. Russell, MO |
Dec. 2, 1895 |
55th (1897-99) | Benjamin F. Russell, MO |
March 15, 1897 |
56th (1899-1901) | Henry Casson, WI |
Dec. 4, 1899 |
57th (1901-03) | Henry Casson, WI |
Dec. 2, 1901 |
58th (1903-05) | Henry Casson, WI |
Nov. 9, 1903 |
59th (1905-07) | Henry Casson, WI |
Dec. 4, 1905 |
60th (1907-09) | Henry Casson, WI |
Dec. 2, 1907 |
61st (1909-11) | Henry Casson, WI |
March 15, 1909 |
62nd (1911-13) | Uriah Stokes Jackson, IN2 Charles F. Riddell, IN |
Apr. 4, 1911 July 18, 19123 |
63rd (1913-15) | Robert B. Gordon, OH* |
Apr. 7, 1913 |
64th (1915-17) | Robert B. Gordon, OH |
Dec. 6, 1915 |
65th (1917-19) | Robert B. Gordon, OH |
Apr. 2, 1917 |
66th (1919-21) | Joseph G. Rodgers, PA4 |
May 19, 1919 |
67th (1921-23) | Joseph G. Rodgers, PA |
Apr. 11, 1921 |
68th (1923-25) | Joseph G. Rodgers, PA |
Dec. 3, 1923 |
69th (1925-27) | Joseph G. Rodgers, PA |
Dec. 7, 1925 |
70th (1927-29) | Joseph G. Rodgers, PA |
Dec. 5, 1927 |
71st (1929-31) | Joseph G. Rodgers, PA |
Apr. 15, 1929 |
72nd (1931-33) | Kenneth Romney, MT |
Dec. 7, 1931 |
73rd (1933-35) | Kenneth Romney, MT |
March 9, 1933 |
74th (1935-37) | Kenneth Romney, MT |
Jan. 3, 1935 |
75th (1937-39) | Kenneth Romney, MT |
Jan. 5, 1937 |
76th (1939-41) | Kenneth Romney, MT |
Jan. 3, 1939 |
77th (1941-43) | Kenneth Romney, MT |
Jan. 3, 1941 |
78th (1943-45) | Kenneth Romney, MT |
Jan. 6, 1943 |
79th (1945-47) | Kenneth Romney, MT |
Jan. 3, 1945 |
80th (1947-49) | William F. Russell, PA |
Jan. 3, 1947 |
81st (1949-51) | Joseph H. Callahan, KY |
Jan. 3, 1949 |
82nd (1951-53) | Joseph H. Callahan, KY |
Jan. 3, 1951 |
83rd (1953-55) | William F. Russell, PA5 Lyle O. Snader, IL William R. Bonsell, PA |
Jan. 3, 1953 July 8, 19536 Jan. 11, 19547 |
84th (1955-57) | Zeake W. Johnson, Jr., TN |
Jan. 5, 1955 |
85th (1957-59) | Zeake W. Johnson, Jr., TN |
Jan. 3, 1957 |
86th (1959-61) | Zeake W. Johnson, Jr., TN |
Jan. 7, 1959 |
87th (1961-63) | Zeake W. Johnson, Jr., TN |
Jan. 3, 1961 |
88th (1963-65) | Zeake W. Johnson, Jr., TN | Jan. 9, 1963 |
89th (1965-67) | Zeake W. Johnson, Jr., TN | Jan. 4, 1965 |
90th (1967-69) | Zeake W. Johnson, Jr., TN | Jan. 10, 1967 |
91st (1969-71) | Zeake W. Johnson, Jr., TN | Jan. 3, 1969 |
92nd (1971-73) | Zeake W. Johnson, Jr., TN8 Kenneth R. Harding, VA |
Jan. 21, 1971 Oct. 1, 19729 |
93rd (1973-75) | Kenneth R. Harding, VA | Jan. 3, 1973 |
94th (1975-77) | Kenneth R. Harding, VA | Jan. 14, 1975 |
95th (1977-79) | Kenneth R. Harding, VA | Jan. 4, 1977 |
96th (1979-81) | Kenneth R. Harding, VA10 Benjamin J. Guthrie, VA |
Jan. 15, 1979 Mar. 1, 198011 |
97th (1981-83) | Benjamin J. Guthrie, VA | Jan. 5, 1981 |
98th (1983-85) | Jack Russ, MD | Jan. 3, 1983 |
99th (1985-87) | Jack Russ, MD | Jan. 3, 1985 |
100th (1987-89) | Jack Russ, MD | Jan. 6, 1987 |
101st (1989-91) | Jack Russ, MD | Jan. 3, 1989 |
102nd (1991-93) | Jack Russ, MD12 Werner W. Brandt, VA |
Jan. 3, 1991 Mar. 12, 199213 |
103rd (1993-95) | Werner W. Brandt, VA | Jan. 5, 1993 |
104th (1995-97) | Wilson “Bill” Livingood, VA | Jan. 4, 1995 |
105th (1997-99) | Wilson “Bill” Livingood, VA | Jan. 7, 1997 |
106th (1999-2001) | Wilson “Bill” Livingood, VA | Jan. 6, 1999 |
107th (2001-03) | Wilson “Bill” Livingood, VA | Jan. 3, 2001 |
108th (2003-05) | Wilson “Bill” Livingood, VA | Jan. 7, 2003 |
109th (2005-07) | Wilson “Bill” Livingood, VA | Jan. 4, 2005 |
110th (2007-09) | Wilson “Bill” Livingood, VA | Jan. 4, 2007 |
111th (2009-11) | Wilson “Bill” Livingood, VA | Jan. 6, 2009 |
Sources: House
Journal, various editions; Congressional Record, various editions; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (2005); Congressional
Directory, various editions; Jefferson’s
Manual, 108th Congress: 363-366.
1. Elected to full the vacancy caused
by the death of Thomas Dunn, House Journal, 18th Cong., 2nd sess., (December
6, 1824): 8.
2. Died in June 1912. Also listed in the House Journal as Ulysses S. Jackson and W. Stokes Jackson.
3. Elected to fill the vacancy following
Jackson’s death. See, House Journal, 62nd Cong., 1st sess., (July
18, 1912): 873.
4. Rodgers’ last name is listed as both “Rodgers” and “Rogers” in House Journal and Congressional Directory.
5. Died July 7, 1953.
6. Snader was the Clerk of the House and
was appointed the duties of Sergeant at Arms until a replacement was elected.
See, House Journal, 83rd Cong., 1st sess., (July 8, 1953): 545.
7. Appointed September 15, 1953, “to act temporarily as Sergeant at Arms.”
See House Journal, 93rd Cong., 1st sess., (January 6, 1954): 14. Elected
to position on January 11, 1954, by H. Res. 402. See, Congressional Record,
92nd Cong., 2nd sess., (January 11, 1954): 783.
8. Resigned office on September 30, 1972. See, House Journal, 92nd Cong.,
2nd sess., (September 25, 1972): 1105.
9. Elected Sergeant at Arms, effective October 1, 1972. See, H. Res. 1134, Congressional
Record, 92nd Congress, 2nd sess., (September 25, 1972): 1105.
10.
Resigned February 29, 1980. See, House Journal, 96th Cong., 2nd sess.,
(February 28, 1980): 279.
11.
Appointed “to act as and to temporarily exercise” the duties of
Sergeant at Arms after the resignation of Harding on February 29, 1980. See, House Journal, 96th Cong., 2nd sess., (March 1, 1980): 280.
12.
Resigned March 12, 1992. See, Congressional Record, 102nd Cong., 2nd
sess., (March 12, 1992): 1224.
13.
Appointed by the Speaker on March 12, 1992, “to act as and to exercise
temporarily” the duties of the Sergeant at Arms. See, Congressional
Record, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., (March 12, 1992): 1224.