25th United States Congress

The 25th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1837, to March 4, 1839, during the first two years of Martin Van Buren's presidency.

The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1830 United States census. Both houses of congress had a Democratic majority.

Major events



 * March 4, 1837: Martin Van Buren became President of the United States
 * May 10, 1837: Panic of 1837
 * January 6, 1838: First public demonstration of Samuel Morse's telegraph
 * May 26, 1838: Trail of Tears: The Cherokee removal began

Territories organized

 * June 12, 1838: Iowa Territory was formed from the Wisconsin Territory.

Party summary
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this congress. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Senate

 * President: Richard Mentor Johnson (D)
 * President pro tempore: William R. King (D)

House of Representatives

 * Speaker: James K. Polk (D)

Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives by district.


 * Skip to House of Representatives, below

Senate
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, ending in 1839; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, ending in 1841; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, ending in 1843.

Alabama

 * 2. William R. King (D)
 * 3. John McKinley (D), until April 22, 1837
 * Clement C. Clay (D), from June 19, 1837

Arkansas

 * 2. William S. Fulton (D)
 * 3. Ambrose H. Sevier (D)

Connecticut

 * 1. John M. Niles (D)
 * 3. Perry Smith (D)

Delaware

 * 1. Richard H. Bayard (W)
 * 2. Thomas Clayton (W)

Georgia

 * 2. John P. King (D), until November 1, 1837
 * Wilson Lumpkin (D), from November 22, 1837
 * 3. Alfred Cuthbert (D)

Illinois

 * 2. John M. Robinson (D)
 * 3. Richard M. Young (D)

Indiana

 * 1. John Tipton (D)
 * 3. Oliver H. Smith (W)

Kentucky

 * 2. John J. Crittenden (W)
 * 3. Henry Clay (W)

Louisiana

 * 2. Robert C. Nicholas (D)
 * 3. Alexander Mouton (D)

Maine

 * 1. Reuel Williams (D)
 * 2. John Ruggles (D)

Maryland

 * 1. Joseph Kent (W), until November 24, 1837
 * William D. Merrick (W), from January 4, 1838
 * 3. John S. Spence (W)

Massachusetts

 * 1. Daniel Webster (W)
 * 2. John Davis (W)

Michigan

 * 1. Lucius Lyon (D)
 * 2. John Norvell (D)

Mississippi

 * 1. John Black (W), until January 22, 1838
 * James F. Trotter (D), from January 22, 1838, until July 10, 1838
 * Thomas Hickman Williams (D), from November 12, 1838
 * 2. Robert J. Walker (D)

Missouri

 * 1. Thomas H. Benton (D)
 * 3. Lewis F. Linn (D)

New Hampshire

 * 2. Henry Hubbard (D)
 * 3. Franklin Pierce (D)

New Jersey

 * 1. Samuel L. Southard (W)
 * 2. Garret D. Wall (D)

New York

 * 1. Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (D)
 * 3. Silas Wright Jr. (D)

North Carolina

 * 2. Bedford Brown (D)
 * 3. Robert Strange (D)

Ohio

 * 1. Thomas Morris (D)
 * 3. William Allen (D)

Pennsylvania

 * 1. Samuel McKean (D)
 * 3. James Buchanan (D)

Rhode Island

 * 1. Asher Robbins (W)
 * 2. Nehemiah R. Knight (W)

South Carolina

 * 2. John C. Calhoun (D)
 * 3. William C. Preston (W)

Tennessee

 * 1. Felix Grundy (D), until July 4, 1838
 * Ephraim H. Foster (W), from September 17, 1838 – March 3, 1839
 * 2. Hugh Lawson White (W)

Vermont

 * 1. Benjamin Swift (W)
 * 3. Samuel Prentiss (W)

Virginia

 * 1. William C. Rives (D)
 * 2. Richard E. Parker (D), until March 4, 1837
 * William H. Roane (D), from March 14, 1837





House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

Alabama

 * Alabama's 1st congressional district. Reuben Chapman (D)
 * Alabama's 2nd congressional district. Joshua L. Martin (D)
 * Alabama's 3rd congressional district. Joab Lawler (W), until May 8, 1838
 * George W. Crabb (W), from September 4, 1838
 * Alabama's 4th congressional district. Dixon H. Lewis (D)
 * Alabama's 5th congressional district. Francis S. Lyon (W)

Arkansas

 * At-large. Archibald Yell (D)

Connecticut
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Connecticut's 1st congressional district. Isaac Toucey (D)
 * Connecticut's 2nd congressional district. Samuel Ingham (D)
 * Connecticut's 3rd congressional district. Elisha Haley (D)
 * Connecticut's 4th congressional district. Thomas T. Whittlesey (D)
 * Connecticut's 5th congressional district. Lancelot Phelps (D)
 * Connecticut's 6th congressional district. Orrin Holt (D)

Delaware

 * At-large. John J. Milligan (W)

Georgia
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * At-large. Jesse F. Cleveland (D)
 * At-large. William C. Dawson (W)
 * At-large. Thomas Glascock (D)
 * At-large. Seaton Grantland (D)
 * At-large. Charles E. Haynes (D)
 * At-large. Hopkins Holsey (D)
 * At-large. Jabez Y. Jackson (D)
 * At-large. George W. Owens (D)
 * At-large. George W. B. Towns (D)

Illinois

 * Illinois's 1st congressional district. Adam W. Snyder (D)
 * Illinois's 2nd congressional district. Zadok Casey (D)
 * Illinois's 3rd congressional district. William L. May (D)

Indiana

 * Indiana's 1st congressional district. Ratliff Boon (D)
 * Indiana's 2nd congressional district. John Ewing (W)
 * Indiana's 3rd congressional district. William Graham (W)
 * Indiana's 4th congressional district. George H. Dunn (W)
 * Indiana's 5th congressional district. James Rariden (W)
 * Indiana's 6th congressional district. William Herod (W)
 * Indiana's 7th congressional district. Albert S. White (W)

Kentucky

 * Kentucky's 1st congressional district. John L. Murray (D)
 * Kentucky's 2nd congressional district. Edward Rumsey (W)
 * Kentucky's 3rd congressional district. Joseph R. Underwood (W)
 * Kentucky's 4th congressional district. Sherrod Williams (W)
 * Kentucky's 5th congressional district. James Harlan (W)
 * Kentucky's 6th congressional district. John Calhoon (W)
 * Kentucky's 7th congressional district. John Pope (W)
 * Kentucky's 8th congressional district. William J. Graves (W)
 * Kentucky's 9th congressional district. John White (W)
 * Kentucky's 10th congressional district. Richard Hawes (W)
 * Kentucky's 11th congressional district. Richard H. Menefee (W)
 * Kentucky's 12th congressional district. John Chambers (W)
 * Kentucky's 13th congressional district. William W. Southgate (W)

Louisiana

 * Louisiana's 1st congressional district. Henry Johnson (W)
 * Louisiana's 2nd congressional district. Eleazar W. Ripley (D), until March 2, 1839
 * Louisiana's 3rd congressional district. Rice Garland (W)

Maine

 * Maine's 1st congressional district. John Fairfield (D), until December 24, 1838
 * Maine's 2nd congressional district. Francis O. J. Smith (D)
 * Maine's 3rd congressional district. Jonathan Cilley (D), until February 24, 1838
 * Edward Robinson (W), from April 28, 1838
 * Maine's 4th congressional district. George Evans (W)
 * Maine's 5th congressional district. Timothy J. Carter (D), until March 14, 1838
 * Virgil D. Parris (D), from May 29, 1838
 * Maine's 6th congressional district. Hugh J. Anderson (D)
 * Maine's 7th congressional district. Joseph C. Noyes (W)
 * Maine's 8th congressional district. Thomas Davee (D)

Maryland
The 4th district was a plural district with two representatives.
 * Maryland's 1st congressional district. John Dennis (W)
 * Maryland's 2nd congressional district. James A. Pearce (W)
 * Maryland's 3rd congressional district. John T. H. Worthington (D)
 * Maryland's 4th congressional district. Benjamin C. Howard (D)
 * Maryland's 4th congressional district. Isaac McKim (D), until April 1, 1838
 * John P. Kennedy (W), from April 25, 1838
 * Maryland's 5th congressional district. William Cost Johnson (W)
 * Maryland's 6th congressional district. Francis Thomas (D)
 * Maryland's 7th congressional district. Daniel Jenifer (W)

Massachusetts

 * Massachusetts's 1st congressional district. Richard Fletcher (W)
 * Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district. Stephen C. Phillips (W), until September 28, 1838
 * Leverett Saltonstall I (W), from December 25, 1838
 * Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district. Caleb Cushing (W)
 * Massachusetts's 4th congressional district. William Parmenter (D)
 * Massachusetts's 5th congressional district. Levi Lincoln Jr. (W)
 * Massachusetts's 6th congressional district. George Grennell Jr. (W)
 * Massachusetts's 7th congressional district. George N. Briggs (W)
 * Massachusetts's 8th congressional district. William B. Calhoun (W)
 * Massachusetts's 9th congressional district. William S. Hastings (W)
 * Massachusetts's 10th congressional district. Nathaniel B. Borden (D)
 * Massachusetts's 11th congressional district. John Reed Jr. (W)
 * Massachusetts's 12th congressional district. John Quincy Adams (W)

Michigan

 * At-large. Isaac E. Crary (D)

Mississippi
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * At-large. John F. H. Claiborne (D), from July 18, 1837, until February 5, 1838
 * Seargent S. Prentiss (W), from May 30, 1838
 * At-large. Samuel J. Gholson (D), from July 18, 1837, until February 5, 1838
 * Thomas J. Word (W), from May 30, 1838

Missouri
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * At-large. Albert G. Harrison (D)
 * At-large. John Miller (D)

New Hampshire
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * At-large. Charles G. Atherton (D)
 * At-large. Samuel Cushman (D)
 * At-large. James Farrington (D)
 * At-large. Joseph Weeks (D)
 * At-large. Jared W. Williams (D)

New Jersey
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * At-large. John B. Aycrigg (W)
 * At-large. William Halstead (W)
 * At-large. John P. B. Maxwell (W)
 * At-large. Joseph F. Randolph (W)
 * At-large. Charles C. Stratton (W)
 * At-large. Thomas Jones Yorke (W)

New York
There were four plural districts, the 8th, 17th, 22nd & 23rd had two representatives each, the 3rd had four representatives.
 * New York's 1st congressional district. Thomas B. Jackson (D)
 * New York's 2nd congressional district. Abraham Vanderveer (D)
 * New York's 3rd congressional district. Churchill C. Cambreleng (D)
 * New York's 3rd congressional district. Edward Curtis (W)
 * New York's 3rd congressional district. Ogden Hoffman (W)
 * New York's 3rd congressional district. Ely Moore (D)
 * New York's 4th congressional district. Gouverneur Kemble (D)
 * New York's 5th congressional district. Obadiah Titus (D)
 * New York's 6th congressional district. Nathaniel Jones (D)
 * New York's 7th congressional district. John C. Brodhead (D)
 * New York's 8th congressional district. Robert McClellan (D)
 * New York's 8th congressional district. Zadock Pratt (D)
 * New York's 9th congressional district. Henry Vail (D)
 * New York's 10th congressional district. Albert Gallup (D)
 * New York's 11th congressional district. John I. De Graff (D)
 * New York's 12th congressional district. David A. Russell (W)
 * New York's 13th congressional district. John Palmer (D)
 * New York's 14th congressional district. James B. Spencer (D)
 * New York's 15th congressional district. John Edwards (D)
 * New York's 16th congressional district. Arphaxed Loomis (D)
 * New York's 17th congressional district. Henry A. Foster (D)
 * New York's 17th congressional district. Abraham P. Grant (D)
 * New York's 18th congressional district. Isaac H. Bronson (D)
 * New York's 19th congressional district. John H. Prentiss (D)
 * New York's 20th congressional district. Amasa J. Parker (D)
 * New York's 21st congressional district. John C. Clark (D)
 * New York's 22nd congressional district. Andrew D. W. Bruyn (D), until July 27, 1838
 * Cyrus Beers (D), from December 3, 1838
 * New York's 22nd congressional district. Hiram Gray (D)
 * New York's 23rd congressional district. Bennet Bicknell (D)
 * New York's 23rd congressional district. William Taylor (D)
 * New York's 24th congressional district. William H. Noble (D)
 * New York's 25th congressional district. Samuel Birdsall (D)
 * New York's 26th congressional district. Mark H. Sibley (W)
 * New York's 27th congressional district. John T. Andrews (D)
 * New York's 28th congressional district. Timothy Childs (W)
 * New York's 29th congressional district. William Patterson (W), until August 14, 1838
 * Harvey Putnam (W), from November 7, 1838
 * New York's 30th congressional district. Luther C. Peck (W)
 * New York's 31st congressional district. Richard P. Marvin (W)
 * New York's 32nd congressional district. Millard Fillmore (W)
 * New York's 33rd congressional district. Charles F. Mitchell (W)

North Carolina

 * North Carolina's 1st congressional district. Samuel T. Sawyer (W)
 * North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Jesse A. Bynum (D)
 * North Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Edward Stanly (W)
 * North Carolina's 4th congressional district. Charles B. Shepard (W)
 * North Carolina's 5th congressional district. James I. McKay (D)
 * North Carolina's 6th congressional district. Micajah T. Hawkins (D)
 * North Carolina's 7th congressional district. Edmund Deberry (W)
 * North Carolina's 8th congressional district. William Montgomery (D)
 * North Carolina's 9th congressional district. Augustine H. Shepperd (W)
 * North Carolina's 10th congressional district. Abraham Rencher (W)
 * North Carolina's 11th congressional district. Henry W. Connor (D)
 * North Carolina's 12th congressional district. James Graham (W)
 * North Carolina's 13th congressional district. Lewis Williams (W)

Ohio

 * Ohio's 1st congressional district. Alexander Duncan (D)
 * Ohio's 2nd congressional district. Taylor Webster (D)
 * Ohio's 3rd congressional district. Patrick G. Goode (W)
 * Ohio's 4th congressional district. Thomas Corwin (W)
 * Ohio's 5th congressional district. Thomas L. Hamer (D)
 * Ohio's 6th congressional district. Calvary Morris (W)
 * Ohio's 7th congressional district. William K. Bond (W)
 * Ohio's 8th congressional district. Joseph Ridgway (W)
 * Ohio's 9th congressional district. John Chaney (D)
 * Ohio's 10th congressional district. Samson Mason (W)
 * Ohio's 11th congressional district. James Alexander Jr. (W)
 * Ohio's 12th congressional district. Alexander Harper (W)
 * Ohio's 13th congressional district. Daniel P. Leadbetter (D)
 * Ohio's 14th congressional district. William H. Hunter (D)
 * Ohio's 15th congressional district. John W. Allen (W)
 * Ohio's 16th congressional district. Elisha Whittlesey (W), until July 9, 1838
 * Joshua R. Giddings (W), from December 3, 1838
 * Ohio's 17th congressional district. Andrew W. Loomis (W), until October 20, 1837
 * Charles D. Coffin (W), from December 20, 1837
 * Ohio's 18th congressional district. Matthias Shepler (D)
 * Ohio's 19th congressional district. Daniel Kilgore (D), until July 4, 1838
 * Henry Swearingen (D), from December 3, 1838

Pennsylvania
There were two plural districts, the 2nd had two representatives, the 4th had three representatives.
 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. Lemuel Paynter (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. John Sergeant (W)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. George W. Toland (W)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. Francis J. Harper (D), until March 18, 1837
 * Charles Naylor (W), from June 29, 1837
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. Edward Darlington (AM)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. Edward Davies (AM)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. David Potts Jr. (AM)
 * Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. Jacob Fry Jr. (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district. Mathias Morris (W)
 * Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. David D. Wagener (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district. Edward B. Hubley (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district. Henry A. P. Muhlenberg (D), until February 9, 1838
 * George M. Keim (D), from March 17, 1838
 * Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district. Luther Reily (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district. Henry Logan (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district. Daniel Sheffer (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district. Charles McClure (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district. William W. Potter (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district. David Petrikin (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district. Robert H. Hammond (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district. Samuel W. Morris (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district. Charles Ogle (AM)
 * Pennsylvania's 19th congressional district. John J. Klingensmith Jr. (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 20th congressional district. Andrew Buchanan (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 21st congressional district. Thomas M. T. McKennan (AM)
 * Pennsylvania's 22nd congressional district. Richard Biddle (AM)
 * Pennsylvania's 23rd congressional district. William Beatty (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 24th congressional district. Thomas Henry (AM)
 * Pennsylvania's 25th congressional district. Arnold Plumer (D)

Rhode Island
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * At-large. Robert B. Cranston (W)
 * At-large. Joseph L. Tillinghast (W)

South Carolina

 * South Carolina's 1st congressional district. Hugh S. Legaré (D)
 * South Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Robert Rhett (D)
 * South Carolina's 3rd congressional district. John Campbell (N)
 * South Carolina's 4th congressional district. Franklin H. Elmore (States Rights D)
 * South Carolina's 5th congressional district. Francis W. Pickens (N)
 * South Carolina's 6th congressional district. Waddy Thompson Jr. (W)
 * South Carolina's 7th congressional district. William K. Clowney (N)
 * South Carolina's 8th congressional district. John P. Richardson (D)
 * South Carolina's 9th congressional district. John K. Griffin (N)

Tennessee

 * Tennessee's 1st congressional district. William B. Carter (W)
 * Tennessee's 2nd congressional district. Abraham McClellan (D)
 * Tennessee's 3rd congressional district. Joseph L. Williams (W)
 * Tennessee's 4th congressional district. James I. Standifer (W), until August 20, 1837
 * William Stone (W), from September 14, 1837
 * Tennessee's 5th congressional district. Hopkins L. Turney (D)
 * Tennessee's 6th congressional district. William B. Campbell (W)
 * Tennessee's 7th congressional district. John Bell (W)
 * Tennessee's 8th congressional district. Abram P. Maury (W)
 * Tennessee's 9th congressional district. James K. Polk (D)
 * Tennessee's 10th congressional district. Ebenezer J. Shields (W)
 * Tennessee's 11th congressional district. Richard Cheatham (W)
 * Tennessee's 12th congressional district. John W. Crockett (W)
 * Tennessee's 13th congressional district. Christopher H. Williams (W)

Vermont

 * Vermont's 1st congressional district. Hiland Hall (W)
 * Vermont's 2nd congressional district. William Slade (W)
 * Vermont's 3rd congressional district. Horace Everett (W)
 * Vermont's 4th congressional district. Heman Allen (W)
 * Vermont's 5th congressional district. Isaac Fletcher (D)

Virginia

 * Virginia's 1st congressional district. Francis Mallory (W)
 * Virginia's 2nd congressional district. Francis E. Rives (D)
 * Virginia's 3rd congressional district. John W. Jones (D)
 * Virginia's 4th congressional district. George C. Dromgoole (D)
 * Virginia's 5th congressional district. James W. Bouldin (D)
 * Virginia's 6th congressional district. Walter Coles (D)
 * Virginia's 7th congressional district. Archibald Stuart (D)
 * Virginia's 8th congressional district. Henry A. Wise (W)
 * Virginia's 9th congressional district. Robert M. T. Hunter (W)
 * Virginia's 10th congressional district. John Taliaferro (W)
 * Virginia's 11th congressional district. John Robertson (W)
 * Virginia's 12th congressional district. James Garland (D)
 * Virginia's 13th congressional district. John M. Patton (D), until April 7, 1838
 * Linn Banks (D), from April 28, 1838
 * Virginia's 14th congressional district. Charles F. Mercer (W)
 * Virginia's 15th congressional district. James M. Mason (D)
 * Virginia's 16th congressional district. Isaac S. Pennybacker (D)
 * Virginia's 17th congressional district. Robert Craig (D)
 * Virginia's 18th congressional district. George W. Hopkins (D)
 * Virginia's 19th congressional district. Andrew Beirne (D)
 * Virginia's 20th congressional district. Joseph Johnson (D)
 * Virginia's 21st congressional district. William S. Morgan (D)

Non-voting members

 * At-large. Charles Downing
 * At-large. William W. Chapman (D), from September 10, 1838
 * At-large. George Wallace Jones (D), until January 14, 1839
 * James D. Doty (D), from January 14, 1839

25 us house membership.png]]

Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.

Senate

 * Replacements: 6
 * Democrats: no net change
 * Whigs: no net change
 * Deaths: 1
 * Resignations: 6
 * Total seats with changes: 7


 * Virginia (2)
 * | Richard E. Parker (D)
 * Resigned March 4, 1837, after accepting a seat on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
 * | William H. Roane (D)
 * Elected March 14, 1837
 * Alabama (3)
 * | John McKinley (D)
 * Resigned April 22, 1837, after being appointed Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
 * | Clement C. Clay (D)
 * Elected June 19, 1837
 * Georgia (2)
 * | John P. King (D)
 * Resigned November 1, 1837
 * | Wilson Lumpkin (D)
 * Elected November 22, 1837
 * Maryland (1)
 * | Joseph Kent (W)
 * Died November 24, 1837
 * | William D. Merrick (W)
 * Elected January 4, 1838
 * Mississippi (1)
 * | John Black (W)
 * Resigned January 22, 1838
 * | James F. Trotter (D)
 * Appointed January 22, 1838
 * Tennessee (1)
 * | Felix Grundy (D)
 * Resigned July 4, 1838, after being appointed United States Attorney General
 * | Ephraim H. Foster (W)
 * Elected September 17, 1838
 * Mississippi (1)
 * | James F. Trotter (D)
 * Resigned July 10, 1838
 * | Thomas H. Williams (D)
 * Appointed November 12, 1838, and subsequently elected
 * Tennessee (1)
 * | Ephraim H. Foster (W)
 * Resigned March 3, 1839 before start of new Congress under orders of state legislature.
 * Vacant
 * }
 * | Thomas H. Williams (D)
 * Appointed November 12, 1838, and subsequently elected
 * Tennessee (1)
 * | Ephraim H. Foster (W)
 * Resigned March 3, 1839 before start of new Congress under orders of state legislature.
 * Vacant
 * }
 * }
 * }

House of Representatives

 * Replacements: 16
 * Democrats: 5-seat net loss
 * Whigs: 5-seat net gain
 * Deaths: 9
 * Resignations: 6
 * Contested election:1
 * Total seats with changes: 20


 * Mississippi's at-large congressional district
 * Vacant
 * Rep-elect Claiborne presented credentials July 18, 1837
 * | John F. H. Claiborne (D)
 * Seated July 18, 1837
 * Mississippi's at-large congressional district
 * Vacant
 * Rep-elect Gholson presented credentials July 18, 1837
 * | Samuel J. Gholson (D)
 * Seated July 18, 1837
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district
 * | Francis J. Harper (D)
 * Died March 18, 1837
 * | Charles Naylor (W)
 * Seated June 29, 1837
 * Tennessee's 4th congressional district
 * | James I. Standifer (W)
 * Died August 20, 1837
 * | William Stone (W)
 * Seated September 14, 1837
 * Ohio's 17th congressional district
 * | Elisha Whittlesey (W)
 * Resigned October 20, 1837
 * | Charles D. Coffin (W)
 * Seated December 20, 1837
 * Mississippi's at-large congressional district
 * | John F. H. Claiborne (D)
 * Seat declared vacant February 5, 1838
 * | Seargent S. Prentiss (W)
 * Seated May 30, 1838
 * Mississippi's at-large congressional district
 * | Samuel J. Gholson (D)
 * Seat declared vacant February 5, 1838
 * | Thomas J. Word (W)
 * Seated May 30, 1838
 * Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district
 * | Henry A. P. Muhlenberg (D)
 * Resigned February 9, 1838, after being appointed Minister to Austrian Empire
 * | George M. Keim (D)
 * Seated March 17, 1838
 * Maine's 3rd congressional district
 * | Jonathan Cilley (D)
 * Killed in a duel February 24, 1838, by Rep. William J. Graves
 * | Edward Robinson (W)
 * Seated April 28, 1838
 * Maine's 5th congressional district
 * | Timothy J. Carter (D)
 * Died March 14, 1838
 * | Virgil D. Parris (D)
 * Seated May 29, 1838
 * Maryland's 4th congressional district
 * | Isaac McKim (D)
 * Died April 1, 1838
 * | John P. Kennedy (W)
 * Seated April 25, 1838
 * Virginia's 13th congressional district
 * | John M. Patton (D)
 * Resigned April 7, 1838
 * | Linn Banks (D)
 * Seated April 28, 1838
 * Alabama's 3rd congressional district
 * | Joab Lawler (W)
 * Died May 8, 1838
 * | George W. Crabb (W)
 * Seated October 5, 1835
 * Ohio's 19th congressional district
 * | Daniel Kilgore (D)
 * Resigned July 4, 1838
 * | Henry Swearingen (D)
 * Seated December 3, 1838
 * Ohio's 16th congressional district
 * | Elisha Whittlesey (W)
 * Resigned July 9, 1838
 * | Joshua R. Giddings (W)
 * Seated December 3, 1838
 * New York's 22nd congressional district
 * | Andrew D. Bruyn (D)
 * Died July 27, 1838
 * | Cyrus Beers (D)
 * Seated December 3, 1838
 * New York's 29th congressional district
 * | William Patterson (W)
 * Died August 14, 1838
 * | Harvey Putnam (W)
 * Seated November 7, 1838
 * Iowa Territory's at-large congressional district
 * New seat
 * Iowa Territory seated its first delegate September 10, 1838
 * | George Wallace Jones (D)
 * Seated September 10, 1838
 * New York's 22nd congressional district
 * | Andrew D. Bruyn (D)
 * Died July 27, 1838
 * | Cyrus Beers (D)
 * Seated December 3, 1838
 * New York's 29th congressional district
 * | William Patterson (W)
 * Died August 14, 1838
 * | Harvey Putnam (W)
 * Seated November 7, 1838
 * Iowa Territory's at-large congressional district
 * New seat
 * Iowa Territory seated its first delegate September 10, 1838
 * | George Wallace Jones (D)
 * Seated September 10, 1838
 * Iowa Territory seated its first delegate September 10, 1838
 * | George Wallace Jones (D)
 * Seated September 10, 1838


 * Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district
 * | Stephen C. Phillips (W)
 * Seat declared vacant September 28, 1838
 * | Leverett Saltonstall (W)
 * Seated December 15, 1838
 * Maine's 1st congressional district
 * | John Fairfield (D)
 * Resigned December 24, 1838, after being elected Governor of Maine
 * Vacant
 * Not filled this congress
 * Wisconsin Territory's at-large congressional district
 * | George Wallace Jones (D)
 * Lost contested election January 14, 1839
 * | James D. Doty (D)
 * Seated January 14, 1839
 * Louisiana's 2nd congressional district
 * | Eleazar W. Ripley (D)
 * Died March 2, 1839
 * Vacant
 * Not filled this congress
 * }
 * Died March 2, 1839
 * Vacant
 * Not filled this congress
 * }

Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

 * Agriculture (Chairman: Perry Smith)
 * Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Samuel McKean)
 * Claims (Chairman: Henry Hubbard)
 * Commerce (Chairman: William R. King)
 * Danger of Steam Vessels (Select)
 * Distributing Public Revenue Among the States (Select)
 * District of Columbia (Chairman: William H. Roane)
 * Engrossed Bills (Chairman: John Norvell)
 * Finance (Chairman: Silas Wright)
 * Foreign Relations (Chairman: James Buchanan)
 * Indian Affairs (Chairman: Hugh Lawson White)
 * Judiciary (Chairman: Felix Grundy)
 * Letter of Mr. Ruggles (Select)
 * Manufactures (Chairman: John M. Niles)
 * Memorial of A. B. Quinby (Select)
 * Memorial of the Citizens of Georgetown (DC) for the Retrocession of that Part of the District (Select)
 * Memorial of Duff Green (Select)
 * Memorial of Edward D. Tippett (Select)
 * Mileage of Members of Congress (Select)
 * Military Affairs (Chairman: Thomas Hart Benton)
 * Militia (Chairman: Clement C. Clay)
 * Naval Affairs (Chairman: William C. Rives)
 * Occupation of the Columbia River (Select)
 * Oregon Territory (Select)
 * Patents and the Patent Office (Chairman: John Ruggles then Robert Strange)
 * Pensions (Chairman: Thomas Morris)
 * Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: John M. Robinson)
 * Private Land Claims (Chairman: Lewis F. Linn)
 * Public Buildings and Grounds (Chairman: N/A)
 * Public Lands (Chairman: Robert J. Walker)
 * Purchasing Boyd Reilly's Gas Apparatus (Select)
 * Revolutionary Claims (Chairman: Bedford Brown)
 * Roads and Canals (Chairman: Thomas Tipton)
 * Tariff Regulation (Select)
 * Whole

House of Representatives

 * Accounts (Chairman: Joseph Johnson)
 * Agriculture (Chairman: Edmund Deberry)
 * Amendment to the Constitution (Select)
 * Claims (Chairman: John Chambers)
 * Commerce (Chairman: Samuel Cushman)
 * District of Columbia (Chairman: James W. Bouldin)
 * Elections (Chairman: Andrew Buchanan)
 * Expenditures in the Navy Department (Chairman: John C. Brodhead)
 * Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Chairman: Timothy Childs)
 * Expenditures in the State Department (Chairman: Mathias Morris)
 * Expenditures in the Treasury Department (Chairman: Heman Allen)
 * Expenditures in the War Department (Chairman: William K. Clowney)
 * Expenditures on Public Buildings (Chairman: Samuel T. Sawyer)
 * Foreign Affairs (Chairman: Benjamin C. Howard)
 * Indian Affairs (Chairman: John Bell)
 * Invalid Pensions (Chairman: William Taylor)
 * Judiciary (Chairman: Francis Thomas)
 * Manufactures (Chairman: John Quincy Adams)
 * Mileage (Chairman: William C. Dawson)
 * Military Affairs (Chairman: James I. McKay)
 * Militia (Chairman: David D. Wagener)
 * Naval Affairs (Chairman: Samuel Ingham)
 * Patents (Chairman: Isaac Fletcher)
 * Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Henry W. Connor)
 * Private Land Claims (Chairman: William L. May)
 * Public Buildings and Grounds (Chairman: Levi Lincoln Jr.)
 * Public Expenditures (Chairman: Elisha Haley)
 * Public Lands (Chairman: Ratliff Boon until 1838, then Zadok Casey)
 * Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Matthias Shepler)
 * Revolutionary Claims (Chairman: Robert Craig)
 * Revolutionary Pensions (Chairman: William S. Morgan)
 * Roads and Canals (Chairman: Charles F. Mercer)
 * Rules (Select)
 * Standards of Official Conduct
 * Territories (Chairman: Isaac H. Bronson)
 * Ways and Means (Chairman: Churchill C. Cambreleng)
 * Whole

Joint committees

 * Enrolled Bills
 * The Library

Employees

 * Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan

Senate

 * Chaplain: John R. Goodman (Episcopalian), until September 11, 1837
 * Henry Slicer (Methodist), elected September 11, 1837
 * Secretary: Asbury Dickins
 * Sergeant at Arms: John Shackford (died)
 * Stephen Haight, elected September 4, 1837

House of Representatives

 * Chaplain: Septimus Tustin (Presbyterian), elected September 4, 1837
 * Levi R. Reese (Methodist), elected December 4, 1837
 * Clerk: Walter S. Franklin, until September 20, 1838 (died)
 * Hugh A. Garland, elected December 3, 1838
 * Doorkeeper: Overton Carr
 * Postmaster: William J. McCormick
 * Reading Clerks:
 * Sergeant at Arms: Roderick Dorsey