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The election of William Linn as Chaplain of the House on May 1, 1789, continued the tradition established by the Continental Congresses of each day's proceedings opening with a prayer by a chaplain. The early Chaplains alternated duties with their Senate counterparts on a weekly basis. The two conducted Sunday services for the Washington community in the House chamber every other week.
In addition to opening proceedings with prayer, the Chaplain provides pastoral counseling to the House community, coordinates the scheduling of guest chaplains, and arranges memorial services for the House and its staff. In the past, Chaplains have performed marriage and funeral ceremonies for House members.
| Date of Appointment |
Chaplain |
Denomination |
| May 1, 1789 |
William Linn |
Presbyterian |
| January 4, 1790 |
Samuel Blair |
Presbyterian |
| November 5, 1792 |
Ashbel Green |
Presbyterian |
| November 17, 1800 |
Thomas Lyell |
Methodist |
| December 7, 1801 |
William Parkinson |
Baptist |
| November 5, 1804 |
James Laurie |
Presbyterian |
| December 1, 1806 |
Robert Elliot |
Presbyterian |
| October 26, 1807 |
Obadiah Bruen Brown |
Baptist |
| May 22, 1809 |
Jesse Lee |
Methodist |
| November 4, 1811 |
Nicholas Sneathen |
Methodist |
| November 2, 1812 |
Jesse Lee |
Methodist |
| September 19, 1814 |
Obadiah Bruen Brown |
Baptist |
| December 4, 1815 |
Spencer Houghton Cone |
Baptist |
| December 2, 1816 |
Burgess Allison |
Baptist |
| November 18, 1820 |
John Nicholson Campbell |
Presbyterian |
| December 3, 1821 |
Jared Sparks |
Unitarian |
| December 2, 1822 |
John Brackenridge |
Presbyterian |
| December 1, 1823 |
Henry Bidleman Bascom |
Methodist |
| December 6, 1824 |
Reuben Post |
Presbyterian |
| December 6, 1830 |
Ralph Randolph Gurley |
Presbyterian |
| December 5, 1831 |
Reuben Post |
Presbyterian |
| December 3, 1832 |
William Hammett |
Methodist |
| December 2, 1833 |
Thomas H. Stockton |
Methodist |
| December 1, 1834 |
Edward Dunlap Smith |
Presbyterian |
| December 7, 1835 |
Thomas H. Stockton |
Methodist |
| December 5, 1836 |
Oliver C. Comstock |
Baptist |
| September 4, 1837 |
Septimus Tustin |
Presbyterian |
| December 4, 1837 |
Levi R. Reese |
Methodist |
| December 2, 1839 |
Joshua Bates |
Congregationalist |
| December 7, 1840 |
Thomas W. Braxton |
Baptist |
| May 31, 1841 |
John W. French |
Episcopalian |
| December 6, 1841 |
John Newland Maffit |
Methodist |
| December 5, 1842 |
Frederick T. Tiffany |
Episcopalian |
| December 4, 1843 |
Isaac S. Tinsley |
Baptist |
| December 4, 1844 |
William M. Daily |
Methodist |
| December 1, 1845 |
William Henry Milburn |
Methodist |
| December 7, 1846 |
William T.S. Sprole |
Presbyterian |
| December 6, 1847 |
Ralph Gurley |
Presbyterian |
| December 1, 1851 |
Littleton F. Morgan |
Methodist |
| December 6, 1852 |
James Gallagher |
Presbyterian |
| December 5, 1853 |
William Henry Milburn |
Methodist |
| March 4, 1855 |
None |
See note* |
| July 4, 1861 |
Thomas H. Stockton |
Methodist |
| December 7, 1863 |
William Henry Channing |
Unitarian |
| December 4, 1865 |
Charles B. Boynton |
Congregationalist |
| March 4, 1869 |
John George Butler |
Presbyterian |
| December 6, 1875 |
S.L. Townsend |
Episcopalian |
| October 15, 1877 |
John Poise |
Methodist |
| December 3, 1877 |
W.P. Harrison |
Methodist |
| December 5, 1881 |
Frederick Dunglison Power |
Disciples of Christ |
| December 3, 1883 |
John Summerfield Lindsay |
Episcopalian |
| December 7, 1885 |
William Henry Milburn |
Methodist |
| August 7, 1893 |
Samuel W. Haddaway |
Methodist |
| December 4, 1893 |
Edward B. Bagby |
Christian |
| December 2, 1895 |
Henry N. Couden |
Universalist |
| April 11, 1921 |
James Shera Montgomery |
Methodist |
| January 3, 1950 |
Bernard Braskamp |
Presbyterian |
| January 10, 1967 |
Edward G. Latch |
Methodist |
| January 15, 1979 |
James D. Ford |
Lutheran |
| March 23, 2000 |
Daniel P. Coughlin |
Roman Catholic |
- From 1855 to 1861 the local clergy in the District of Columbia conducted the opening prayer. Thereafter, the House has elected a Chaplain at the beginning of each Congress.
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