History of the Chaplaincy
Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution states: "The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers."
The election of the Rev. 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.
Since the election of Rev. Linn in 1789, the House has been served by chaplains of various religious denominations, including Baptist (7), Christian (1), Congregationalist (3), Disciples of Christ (1), Episcopalian (4), Lutheran (1), Methodist (16), Presbyterian (15), Roman Catholic (2), Unitarian (2), and Universalist (1).
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.
Chaplains of the House
(1789–Present)
| Date of Appointment | Chaplain | Denomination |
|---|---|---|
| May 1, 1789 | The Reverend William Linn | Presbyterian |
| Dec 10, 1790 | The Reverend Samuel Blair | Presbyterian |
| Nov 5, 1792 | The Reverend Ashbel Green | Presbyterian |
| Nov 27, 1800 | The Reverend Thomas Lyell | Methodist |
| Dec 10, 1801 | The Reverend William Parkinson | Baptist |
| Nov 30, 1804 | The Reverend James Laurie | Presbyterian |
| Dec 4, 1806 | The Reverend Robert Elliot | Presbyterian |
| Oct 30, 1807 | The Reverend Obadiah Bruen Brown | Baptist |
| May 27, 1809 | The Reverend Jesse Lee | Methodist |
| Nov 13, 1811 | The Reverend Nicholas Snethen | Methodist |
| Nov 6, 1812 | The Reverend Jesse Lee | Methodist |
| Sep 23, 1814 | The Reverend Obadiah Bruen Brown | Baptist |
| Dec 7, 1815 | The Reverend Spencer Houghton Cone | Baptist |
| Dec 5, 1816 | The Reverend Burgess Allison | Baptist |
| Nov 16, 1820 | The Reverend John Nicholson Campbell | Presbyterian |
| Dec 10, 1821 | The Reverend Jared Sparks | Unitarian |
| Dec 10, 1822 | The Reverend John Breckenridge * | Presbyterian |
| Dec 8, 1823 | The Reverend Henry Biddleman Bascom | Methodist |
| Dec 9, 1824 | The Reverend Reuben Post | Presbyterian |
| Dec 13, 1830 | The Reverend Ralph Randolph Gurley | Presbyterian |
| Dec 13, 1831 | The Reverend Reuben Post | Presbyterian |
| Dec 12, 1832 | The Reverend William Hammett* | Methodist |
| Dec 9, 1833 | The Reverend Thomas H. Stockton | Methodist |
| Dec 10, 1834 | The Reverend Edward Dunlap Smith | Presbyterian |
| Dec 24, 1835 | The Reverend Thomas H. Stockton | Methodist |
| Dec 20, 1836 | The Reverend Oliver C. Comstock* | Baptist |
| Sep 12, 1837 | The Reverend Septimus Tustin | Presbyterian |
| Dec 11, 1837 | The Reverend Levi R. Reese | Methodist |
| Feb 2, 1840 | The Reverend Joshua Bates | Congregationalist |
| Dec 15, 1840 | The Reverend Thomas C. Braxton | Baptist |
| Jun 9, 1841 | The Reverend John W. French | Episcopalian |
| Dec 13, 1841 | The Reverend John Newland Maffit | Methodist |
| Dec 14, 1842 | The Reverend Frederick T. Tiffany | Episcopalian |
| Dec 16, 1843 | The Reverend Isaac S. Tinsley | Baptist |
| Dec 4, 1844 | The Reverend William M. Daily | Methodist |
| Dec 22, 1845 | The Reverend William Henry Milburn | Methodist |
| Dec 17, 1846 | The Reverend William T.S. Sprole | Presbyterian |
| Dec 6, 1847 | The Reverend Ralph Gurley | Presbyterian |
| Dec 9, 1851 | The Reverend Littleton F. Morgan | Methodist |
| Dec 6, 1852 | The Reverend James Gallaher | Presbyterian |
| Dec 7, 1853 | The Reverend William Henry Milburn | Methodist |
| Feb 21, 1856 | The Reverend Daniel Waldo | Congregationalist |
| Jul 5, 1861 | The Reverend Thomas H. Stockton | Methodist |
| Dec 10, 1863 | The Reverend William Henry Channing | Unitarian |
| Dec 5, 1865 | The Reverend Charles B. Boynton | Congregationalist |
| Mar 9, 1869 | The Reverend John George Butler | Lutheran |
| Dec 6, 1875 | The Reverend I.L. Townsend | Episcopalian |
| Oct 15, 1877 | The Reverend John Poisal | Methodist |
| Dec 3, 1877 | The Reverend W.P. Harrison | Methodist |
| Dec 5, 1881 | The Reverend Frederick Dunglison Power | Disciples of Christ |
| Dec 4, 1883 | The Reverend John Summerfield Lindsay | Episcopalian |
| Dec 7, 1885 | The Reverend William Henry Milburn | Methodist |
| Aug 7, 1893 | The Reverend Samuel W. Haddaway | Methodist |
| Nov 1, 1893 | The Reverend Edward B. Bagby | Christian |
| Dec 2, 1895 | The Reverend Henry N. Couden | Universalist |
| Apr 11, 1921 | The Reverend James Shera Montgomery | Methodist |
| Jan 30, 1950 | The Reverend Bernard Braskamp | Presbyterian |
| Jan 10, 1967 | The Reverend Edward G. Latch | Methodist |
| Jan 15, 1979 | The Reverend James D. Ford | Lutheran |
| Mar 23, 2000 | The Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin | Roman Catholic |
| May 25, 2011 | The Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, S.J. | Roman Catholic |
* Reverend John Breckenridge’s last name has been spelled “Brackenridge” and “Breckinridge” in various sources.
Visit the Prayer Archive to view the First Prayer of the Continental Congress.