doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives
{{short description|Former parliamentary officer}}
{{more footnotes|date=January 2016}}
{{United States House of Representatives}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
An appointed officer of the United States House of Representatives from 1789 until 1995, the doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives was chosen by a resolution at the opening of each United States Congress. The Office of the Doorkeeper was based on precedent from the Continental Congresses. Without debate, the first federal Congress created the doorkeeper's position by resolution on April 2, 1789. The doorkeeper controlled access to the House chamber and eventually oversaw the press in the gallery.
The doorkeeper's most visible job was introducing American presidents and foreign dignitaries to Congress. For 18 years, before the State of the Union address, Doorkeeper James T. Molloy announced, "Mister Speaker, the president of the United States."{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/former-house-of-representatives-doorkeeper-molloy-dies-at-75/2011/07/20/gIQAsUwTQI_story.html|title=Former House of Representatives doorkeeper Molloy dies at 75|first=Emma|last=Brown|date=July 20, 2011|access-date=December 24, 2020|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}
The Office of the Doorkeeper was abolished during the 104th Congress ({{USPL|104|186}}) in an effort to save money.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/us/politics/24molloy.html|title=James T. Molloy, Last Doorkeeper of the House, Is Dead at 75|first=Dennis|last=Havesi|date=July 23, 2011|access-date=June 7, 2023|via=www.nytimes.com}}{{cite web |title=Other Officers of the House |website=US House of Representatives |publisher=US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives |date=April 9, 1992 |url=https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Other-Officers-of-the-House/ |access-date=March 8, 2025}} Thirty-three doorkeepers served until the position was abolished and the office's duties were divided among the sergeant at arms, the clerk of the House, and the newly created chief administrative officer.
List of doorkeepers
Two doorkeepers also served as members of the United States House of Representatives (indicated below by asterisks) either prior to or after their service as a House officer.
| class = wikitable
! Congress (years) ! Doorkeepers, state or territoryA doorkeeper's state or territory is listed when known. ! Date elected |
| 1st (1789–91)
| rowspan=3 | Gifford Dalley,Gifford Dalley's last name has been spelled "Dalley," "Dally," and "Dudley" in various editions of the Register of Debates. NY | April 4, 1789 |
| 2nd (1791–93)
| October 24, 1791 |
| 3rd (1793–95)
| December 2, 1793 |
| 4th (1795–97)
| rowspan=13 | Thomas Claxton, CT | December 7, 1795 |
| 5th (1797–99)
| May 15, 1797 |
| 6th (1799-1801)
| December 2, 1799 |
| 7th (1801–03)
| December 7, 1801 |
| 8th (1803–05)
| October 17, 1803 |
| 9th (1805–07)
| December 2, 1805 |
| 10th (1807–09)
| October 27, 1807 |
| 11th (1809–11)
| May 22, 1809 |
| 12th (1811–13)
| November 4, 1811 |
| 13th (1813–15)
| May 24, 1813 |
| 14th (1815–17)
| December 4, 1815 |
| 15th (1817–19)
| December 1, 1817 |
| 16th (1819–21)
| December 6, 1819 |
| 17th (1821–23)
| rowspan=5 | Benjamin Birch, MD | December 4, 1821 |
| 18th (1823–25)
| December 1, 1823 |
| 19th (1825–27)
| December 5, 1825 |
| 20th (1827–29)
| December 3, 1827 |
| 21st (1829–31)
| December 7, 1829 |
| 22nd (1831–33)
| rowspan=4 | Overton Carr,Died on March 21, 1838. See [https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/C/CARR,-Overton/ "Carr, Overton"], History, Art & Archives, United States House of Representatives. Retrieved November 20, 2024. MD | December 7, 1831 |
| 23rd (1833–35)
| December 3, 1833 |
| 24th (1835–37)
| December 15, 1835 |
| rowspan=2 | 25th (1837–39)
| September 4, 1837 |
| rowspan=3 | Joseph Follansbee, MA |
| 26th (1839–41)
| December 23, 1839 |
| 27th (1841–43)
| June 9, 1841 |
| 28th (1843–45)
| Jesse E. Dow, CT | December 7, 1843 |
| 29th (1845–47)
| December 3, 1845 |
| 30th (1847–49)
| rowspan=2 | Robert E. Horner, NJ | December 8, 1847 |
| 31st (1849–51) |
| 32nd (1851–53)
| rowspan=2 | Zadock W. McKnew, MD | December 1, 1851 |
| 33rd (1853–55)
| December 5, 1853 |
| 34th (1855–57)
| Nathan Darling, NY | February 5, 1856 |
| rowspan=2 | 35th (1857–59)
| Robert B. Hackney, VADismissed from office May 11, 1858. | December 7, 1857 |
| rowspan=2 | Joseph L. Wright, NJElected on May 18, 1858, to fill the unexpired term of Robert B. Hackney, who was removed from office on May 17, 1858. See, House Journal, 35th Cong., 1st sess., (May 17, 1858): 832-33; and House Journal, 35th Cong., 1st sess., (May 18, 1848): 842-843.
| May 18, 1858 |
| rowspan=2 | 36th (1859–61)
| December 5, 1859 |
| George Marston, NH
| February 6, 1860 |
| 37th (1861–63)
| rowspan=3 | Ira Goodnow, NY | July 5, 1861 |
| 38th (1863–65)
| December 8, 1863 |
| 39th (1865–67)
| December 4, 1865 |
| 40th (1867–69)
| March 5, 1867 |
| 41st (1869–71)
| rowspan=3 | Otis S. Buxton, NY | March 5, 1869 |
| 42nd (1871–73)
| March 4, 1871 |
| 43rd (1873–75)
| December 1, 1873 |
| rowspan=2 | 44th (1875–77)
| Lafayette H. Fitzhugh, TXDismissed from office May 22, 1876. | December 6, 1875 |
| John H. Patterson, NJElected on May 26, 1876, to fill the unexpired term of L.H. Fitzhugh, who was removed from office on May 22, 1876. See, House Journal, 44th Cong., 1st sess., (May 22, 1876): 998; and House Journal, 44th Cong., 1st sess., (May 26, 1876): Addenda.
| May 26, 1876 |
| rowspan=2 | 45th (1877–79)
| John W. Polk, MODismissed from office April 8, 1878. | October 17, 1877 |
| rowspan=2 | Charles W. Field, GAElected on April 8, 1878, to fill the unexpired term of John W. Polk, who was removed from office on April 4, 1878. See, House Journal, 45th Cong., 2nd sess., (April 8, 1876): 808-813.
| April 8, 1878 |
| 46th (1879–81)
| March 18, 1879 |
| 47th (1881–83)
| Walter P. Brownlow, TN | December 5, 1881 |
| 48th (1883–85)
| December 4, 1883 |
| 49th (1885–87)
| December 7, 1885 |
| 50th (1887–89)
| Alvin B. Hurt, MS | December 5, 1887 |
| 51st (1889–91)
| Charles E. Adams, MD | December 2, 1889 |
| 52nd (1891–93)
| Charles H. Turner, NY | December 8, 1891 |
| 53rd (1893–95)
| Alvin B. Hurt, TNHurt is listed in the House Journal as residing in the state of Mississippi in the 50th Congress and in the state of Tennessee in the 53rd Congress. | August 7, 1893 |
| 54th (1895–97)
| rowspan=4 | William J. Glenn, NY | December 2, 1895 |
| 55th (1897–99)
| March 15, 1897 |
| 56th (1899-1901)
| December 4, 1899 |
| rowspan=2 | 57th (1901–03)
| December 2, 1901Died on March 12, 1902. See, Congressional Record, 57th Cong., 1st sess., (March 12, 1902): 2706. |
| rowspan=5 | Frank B. Lyon, NY
| March 18, 1902 |
| 58th (1903–05)
| November 9, 1903 |
| 59th (1905–07)
| December 4, 1905 |
| 60th (1907–09)
| December 2, 1907 |
| 61st (1909–11)
| March 15, 1909 |
| 62nd (1911–13)
| rowspan=4 | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | April 4, 1911 |
| 63rd (1913–15)
| April 7, 1913 |
| 64th (1915–17)
| December 6, 1915 |
| 65th (1917–19)
| April 2, 1917 |
| 66th (1919–21)
| rowspan=6 | Bert W. Kennedy, MI | May 19, 1919 |
| 67th (1921–23)
| April 11, 1921 |
| 68th (1923–25)
| December 5, 1923 |
| 69th (1925–27)
| December 7, 1925 |
| 70th (1927–29)
| December 5, 1927 |
| 71st (1929–31)
| April 15, 1929 |
| 72nd (1931–33)
| rowspan=7 | Joseph J. Sinnott, VADied on January 27, 1943. See, House Journal, 78th Cong., 1st sess. (January 28, 1943): 72. | December 7, 1931 |
| 73rd (1933–35)
| March 9, 1933 |
| 74th (1935–37)
| January 3, 1935 |
| 75th (1937–39)
| January 5, 1937 |
| 76th (1939–41)
| January 3, 1939 |
| 77th (1941–43)
| January 3, 1941 |
| rowspan=2 | 78th (1943–45)
| January 6, 1943 |
| rowspan=2 | Ralph R. Roberts, INElected on February 5, 1943. See, House Journal, 78th Cong., 1st sess. (February 5, 1943): 86.
| February 5, 1943 |
| 79th (1945–47)
| January 3, 1945 |
| 80th (1947–49)
| M.L. Meletio, MO | January 3, 1947 |
| 81st (1949–51)
| rowspan=2 | William M. Miller, MS | January 3, 1949 |
| 82nd (1951–53)
| January 3, 1951 |
| 83rd (1953–55)
| January 3, 1953 |
| 84th (1955–57)
| rowspan=10 | William M. Miller, MSResigned effective December 31, 1974. See, Congressional Record, 93rd Cong., 2nd sess. (December 19, 1974): 2549. | January 5, 1955 |
| 85th (1957–59)
| January 3, 1957 |
| 86th (1959–61)
| January 7, 1959 |
| 87th (1961–63)
| January 3, 1961 |
| 88th (1963–65)
| January 9, 1963 |
| 89th (1965–67)
| January 4, 1965 |
| 90th (1967–69)
| January 10, 1967 |
| 91st (1969–71)
| January 3, 1969 |
| 92nd (1971–73)
| January 21, 1971 |
| rowspan=2 | 93rd (1973–75)
| January 3, 1973 |
| rowspan=11 | James T. Molloy, NYAppointed "to act as and to temporarily exercise" the duties of Doorkeeper effective December 31, 1974. See, Congressional Record, 93rd Cong., 2nd sess. (December 19, 1974): 2549.
| December 31, 1974 |
| 94th (1975–77)
| January 14, 1975 |
| 95th (1977–79)
| January 4, 1977 |
| 96th (1979–81)
| January 15, 1979 |
| 97th (1981–83)
| January 5, 1981 |
| 98th (1983–85)
| January 3, 1983 |
| 99th (1985–87)
| January 3, 1985 |
| 100th (1987–89)
| January 6, 1987 |
| 101st (1989–91)
| January 3, 1989 |
| 102nd (1991–93)
| January 3, 1991 |
| 103rd (1993–95)
| January 5, 1993 |
Notes
{{reflist|30em}}
References
- [http://clerk.house.gov/histHigh/Congressional_History/doorkeepers.html Clerk of the House]:
- House Journal, various editions; Congressional Record, various editions;
- Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (2005);
- Congressional Pictorial Directory, various editions;
- Congressional Directory, various editions;
- Donald Bacon, et al., Encyclopedia of the U.S. Congress, vol. 1 (NY: Simon and Schuster, 1995): 659–661.
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Category:Employees of the United States House of Representatives