Wikip
List of historical longest-serving members of the United States Congress
This is a list of United States congressmen who have set records for longevity of service since the United States 1st Congress in 1789. It is divided up into several categories.
Uninterrupted time
Senate and House
| Begin date | End date | Name | Party | State | Service | Length of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 4, 1789 | March 3, 1807 | John Brown | Anti-Administration/ Democratic-Republican |
Virginia/Kentucky | March 4, 1789 - March 3, 1805 (S, H) | 5,842 dd |
| March 3, 1807 | November 13, 1892 | Nathaniel Macon | Anti-Administration/ Democratic-Republican |
North Carolina | March 4, 1791 - November 14, 1828 (S, H) | 13,769 dd |
| November 13, 1892 | December 28, 1950 | Justin Smith Morrill | Whig/Republican | Vermont | March 4, 1855 - December 28, 1898 (S, H) | 16,005 dd |
| December 28, 1950 | October 24, 1957 | Adolph J. Sabath | Democratic | Illinois | March 4, 1907 - November 6, 1952 (H) | 16,684 dd |
| October 24, 1957 | November 18, 2009 | Carl Hayden | Democratic | Arizona | February 19, 1912 - January 3, 1969 (S, H) | 20,773 dd |
| November 18, 2009 | June 6, 2013 | Robert Byrd | Democratic | West Virginia | January 3, 1953 - June 28, 2010 (S, H) | 20,995 dd |
| June 6, 2013 | John Dingell | Democratic | Michigan | December 13, 1955 - January 3, 2015 (H) | 21,571 dd |
Senate
| Begin date | End date | Name | Party | State | Service | Length of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 4, 1789 | June 6, 1802 | James Gunn | Anti-Administration/ Federalist |
Georgia | March 4, 1789 - March 3, 1801 | 4,381 dd |
| John Langdon | Pro-Administration/ Anti-Administration/ Democratic-Republican |
New Hampshire | ||||
| June 6, 1802 | December 6, 1808 | Theodore Foster | Pro-Administration/ Federalist/ Democratic-Republican |
Rhode Island | June 7, 1790 - March 3, 1803 | 4,651 dd |
| December 6, 1808 | December 25, 1811 | James Hillhouse | Federalist | Connecticut | March 12, 1796 - June 10, 1810 | 5,202 dd |
| December 25, 1811 | May 12, 1822 | Joseph Anderson | Democratic-Republican | Tennessee | September 26, 1797 - March 3, 1815 | 6,366 dd |
| May 12, 1822 | March 5, 1841 | John Gaillard | Democratic-Republican | South Carolina | December 6, 1804 - February 26, 1826 | 7,752 dd |
| March 5, 1841 | December 11, 1845 | William R. King | Democratic-Republican/ Democratic |
Alabama | December 14, 1819 - April 15, 1844 | 8,889 dd |
| December 11, 1845 | September 24, 1896 | Thomas Hart Benton | Democratic-Republican/ Democratic |
Missouri | August 10, 1821 - March 3, 1851 | 10,797 dd |
| September 24, 1896 | December 29, 1904 | Justin Smith Morrill | Whig/ Republican |
Vermont | March 4, 1867 - December 28, 1898 | 11,622 dd |
| December 29, 1904 | August 3, 1944 | William B. Allison | Republican | Iowa | March 4, 1873 - August 4, 1908 | 12,936 dd |
| August 3, 1944 | November 17, 1952 | Ellison D. Smith | Democratic | South Carolina | March 4, 1909 - November 17, 1944 | 13,042 dd |
| November 17, 1952 | January 3, 1963 | Kenneth McKellar | Democratic | Tennessee | March 4, 1917 - January 3, 1953 | 13,089 dd |
| January 3, 1963 | September 9, 1998 | Carl Hayden | Democratic | Arizona | March 4, 1927 - January 3, 1969 | 15,281 dd |
| September 9, 1998 | February 28, 2005 | Strom Thurmond | Democratic/ Republican |
South Carolina | November 7, 1956 - January 3, 2003 | 16,858 dd |
| February 28, 2005 | Robert Byrd | Democratic | West Virginia | January 3, 1959 - June 28, 2010 | 18,804 dd |
House
| Begin date | End date | Name | Party | State | Service | Length of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 4, 1789 | March 3, 1803 | George Thatcher | Pro-Administration/ Federalist |
Massachusetts | March 4, 1789 - March 3, 1801 | 4,381 dd |
| March 3, 1803 | December 12, 1825 | Nathaniel Macon | Anti-Administration/ Democratic-Republican |
North Carolina | March 4, 1791 - December 13, 1815 | 9,049 dd |
| December 12, 1825 | March 9, 1908 | Thomas Newton, Jr. | Democratic-Republican | Virginia | March 4, 1801 - March 9, 1830 | 10,597 dd |
| March 9, 1908 | March 21, 1940 | Henry H. Bingham | Republican | Pennsylvania | March 4, 1879 - March 22, 1912 | 12,071 dd |
| March 21, 1940 | October 24, 1957 | Adolph J. Sabath | Democratic | Illinois | March 4, 1907 - November 6, 1952 | 16,684 dd |
| October 24, 1957 | July 18, 1963 | Sam Rayburn | Democratic | Texas | March 4, 1913 - November 16, 1961 | 17,789 dd |
| July 18, 1963 | January 5, 1992 | Carl Vinson | Democratic | Georgia | November 3, 1914 - January 3, 1965 | 18,324 dd |
| January 5, 1992 | February 10, 2009 | Jamie L. Whitten | Democratic | Mississippi | November 4, 1941 - January 3, 1995 | 19,418 dd |
| February 10, 2009 | John Dingell | Democratic | Michigan | December 13, 1955 - January 3, 2015 | 21,571 dd |
Interrupted time
Senate and House
| Begin date | End date | Name | Party | State | Service | Length of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 4, 1789 | March 3, 1807 | John Brown | Anti-Administration/ Democratic-Republican |
Virginia/Kentucky | March 4, 1789 - March 3, 1805 (S, H) | 5,842 dd |
| March 3, 1807 | October 15, 1831 | Nathaniel Macon | Anti-Administration/ Democratic-Republican |
North Carolina | March 4, 1791 - November 14, 1828 (S, H) | 13,769 dd |
| October 15, 1831 | April 2, 1894 | Samuel Smith | Anti-Administration/ Democratic-Republican |
Maryland | March 4, 1793 - March 3, 1815 January 31, 1816 - March 3, 1833 (S, H) |
14,274 dd |
| April 2, 1894 | December 31, 1920 | Justin Smith Morrill | Whig/Republican | Vermont | March 4, 1855 - December 28, 1898 (S, H) | 16,005 dd |
| December 31, 1920 | February 14, 1958 | Joseph G. Cannon | Republican | Illinois | March 4, 1873 - March 3, 1891 March 4, 1893 - March 3, 1913 March 4, 1915 - March 3, 1923 (H) |
16,797 dd |
| February 14, 1958 | November 18, 2009 | Carl Hayden | Democratic | Arizona | February 19, 1912 - January 3, 1969 (S, H) | 20,773 dd |
| November 18, 2009 | June 6, 2013 | Robert Byrd | Democratic | West Virginia | January 3, 1953 - June 28, 2010 (S, H) | 20,995 dd |
| June 6, 2013 | John Dingell | Democratic | Michigan | December 13, 1955 - January 3, 2015 (H) | 21,571 dd |
Senate
| Begin date | End date | Name | Party | State | Service | Length of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 4, 1789 | June 6, 1802 | James Gunn | Anti-Administration/ Federalist |
Georgia | March 4, 1789 - March 3, 1801 | 4,381 dd |
| John Langdon | Pro-Administration/ Anti-Administration/ Democratic-Republican |
New Hampshire | ||||
| June 6, 1802 | December 6, 1808 | Theodore Foster | Pro-Administration/ Federalist/ Democratic-Republican |
Rhode Island | June 7, 1790 - March 3, 1803 | 4,651 dd |
| December 6, 1808 | December 25, 1811 | James Hillhouse | Federalist | Connecticut | March 12, 1796 - June 10, 1810 | 5,202 dd |
| December 25, 1811 | May 12, 1822 | Joseph Anderson | Democratic-Republican | Tennessee | September 26, 1797 - March 3, 1815 | 6,366 dd |
| May 12, 1822 | March 8, 1832 | John Gaillard | Democratic-Republican | South Carolina | December 6, 1804 - February 26, 1826 | 7,752 dd |
| March 8, 1832 | February 28, 1842 | Samuel Smith | Democratic-Republican | Maryland | March 4, 1803 - March 3, 1815 December 16, 1822 - March 3, 1833 |
8,112 dd |
| February 28, 1842 | December 11, 1845 | William R. King | Democratic-Republican/ Democratic |
Alabama | December 14, 1819 - April 15, 1844[1] | 8,889 dd |
| December 11, 1845 | October 8, 1894 | Thomas Hart Benton | Democratic-Republican/ Democratic |
Missouri | August 10, 1821 - March 3, 1851 | 10,797 dd |
| October 8, 1894 | February 20, 1905 | John Sherman | Republican | Ohio | March 21, 1861 - March 8, 1877 March 4, 1881 - March 4, 1897 |
11,675 dd |
| February 20, 1905 | April 20, 1928 | William B. Allison | Republican | Iowa | March 4, 1873 - August 4, 1908 | 12,936 dd |
| April 20, 1928 | March 8, 1964 | Francis E. Warren | Republican | Wyoming | November 18, 1890 - March 3, 1893 March 4, 1895 - November 24, 1929 |
13,519 dd |
| March 8, 1964 | May 30, 1997 | Carl Hayden | Democratic | Arizona | March 4, 1927 - January 3, 1969 | 15,281 dd |
| May 30, 1997 | June 10, 2006 | Strom Thurmond | Democratic/ Republican |
South Carolina | December 24, 1954 - April 4, 1956 November 7, 1956 - January 3, 2003 |
17,325 dd |
| June 10, 2006 | Robert Byrd | Democratic | West Virginia | January 3, 1959 - June 28, 2010 | 18,804 dd |
House
| Begin date | End date | Name | Party | State | Service | Length of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 4, 1789 | March 3, 1803 | George Thatcher | Pro-Administration/ Federalist |
Massachusetts | March 4, 1789 - March 3, 1801 | 4,381 dd |
| March 3, 1803 | December 12, 1825 | Nathaniel Macon | Anti-Administration/ Democratic-Republican |
North Carolina | March 4, 1791 - December 13, 1815 | 9,049 dd |
| December 12, 1825 | March 11, 1904 | Thomas Newton, Jr. | Democratic-Republican | Virginia | March 4, 1801 - March 9, 1830 March 4, 1831 - March 3, 1833 |
11,327 dd |
| March 11, 1904 | November 3, 1908 | John H. Ketcham | Republican | New York | March 4, 1865 - March 3, 1873 March 4, 1877 - March 3, 1893 March 4, 1897 - November 4, 1906 |
12,295 dd |
| November 3, 1908 | February 28, 1959 | Joseph G. Cannon | Republican | Illinois | March 4, 1873 - March 3, 1891 March 4, 1893 - March 3, 1913 March 4, 1915 - March 3, 1923 |
16,797 dd |
| February 28, 1959 | July 18, 1963 | Sam Rayburn | Democratic | Texas | March 4, 1913 - November 16, 1961 | 17,789 dd |
| July 18, 1963 | January 5, 1992 | Carl Vinson | Democratic | Georgia | November 3, 1914 - January 3, 1965 | 18,324 dd |
| January 5, 1992 | February 10, 2009 | Jamie L. Whitten | Democratic | Mississippi | November 4, 1941 - January 3, 1995 | 19,418 dd |
| February 10, 2009 | John Dingell | Democratic | Michigan | December 13, 1955 - January 3, 2015 | 21,571 dd |
References
- ^ Also served from July 1, 1848 to December 20, 1852, but Benton surpassed his tenure in 1845.