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 AppointmentChaplainDenomination

May 1, 1789The Reverend William LinnPresbyterian

Dec 10, 1790The Reverend Samuel BlairPresbyterian

Nov 5, 1792The Reverend Ashbel GreenPresbyterian

Nov 27, 1800The Reverend Thomas LyellMethodist

Dec 10, 1801The Reverend William ParkinsonBaptist

Nov 30, 1804The Reverend James LauriePresbyterian

Dec 4, 1806The Reverend Robert ElliotPresbyterian

Oct 30, 1807The Reverend Obadiah Bruen BrownBaptist

May 27, 1809The Reverend Jesse LeeMethodist

Nov 13, 1811The Reverend Nicholas SnethenMethodist

Nov 6, 1812The Reverend Jesse LeeMethodist

Sep 23, 1814The Reverend Obadiah Bruen BrownBaptist

Dec 7, 1815The Reverend Spencer Houghton ConeBaptist

Dec 5, 1816The Reverend Burgess AllisonBaptist

Nov 16, 1820The Reverend John Nicholson CampbellPresbyterian

Dec 10, 1821The Reverend Jared SparksUnitarian

Dec 10, 1822The Reverend John Breckenridge *Presbyterian

Dec 8, 1823The Reverend Henry Biddleman BascomMethodist

Dec 9, 1824The Reverend Reuben PostPresbyterian

Dec 13, 1830The Reverend Ralph Randolph GurleyPresbyterian

Dec 13, 1831The Reverend Reuben PostPresbyterian

Dec 12, 1832The Reverend William Hammett*Methodist

Dec 9, 1833The Reverend Thomas H. StocktonMethodist

Dec 10, 1834The Reverend Edward Dunlap SmithPresbyterian

Dec 24, 1835The Reverend Thomas H. StocktonMethodist

Dec 20, 1836The Reverend Oliver C. Comstock*Baptist

Sep 12, 1837The Reverend Septimus TustinPresbyterian

Dec 11, 1837The Reverend Levi R. ReeseMethodist

Feb 2, 1840The Reverend Joshua BatesCongregationalist

Dec 15, 1840The Reverend Thomas C. BraxtonBaptist

Jun 9, 1841The Reverend John W. FrenchEpiscopalian

Dec 13, 1841The Reverend John Newland MaffitMethodist

Dec 14, 1842The Reverend Frederick T. TiffanyEpiscopalian

Dec 16, 1843The Reverend Isaac S. TinsleyBaptist

Dec 4, 1844The Reverend William M. DailyMethodist

Dec 22, 1845The Reverend William Henry MilburnMethodist

Dec 17, 1846The Reverend William T.S. SprolePresbyterian

Dec 6, 1847The Reverend Ralph GurleyPresbyterian

Dec 9, 1851The Reverend Littleton F. MorganMethodist

Dec 6, 1852The Reverend James GallaherPresbyterian

Dec 7, 1853The Reverend William Henry MilburnMethodist

Feb 21, 1856The Reverend Daniel WaldoCongregationalist

Jul 5, 1861The Reverend Thomas H. StocktonMethodist

Dec 10, 1863The Reverend William Henry ChanningUnitarian

Dec 5, 1865The Reverend Charles B. BoyntonCongregationalist

Mar 9, 1869The Reverend John George ButlerLutheran

Dec 6, 1875The Reverend I.L. TownsendEpiscopalian

Oct 15, 1877The Reverend John PoisalMethodist

Dec 3, 1877The Reverend W.P. HarrisonMethodist

Dec 5, 1881The Reverend Frederick Dunglison PowerDisciples of Christ

Dec 4, 1883The Reverend John Summerfield LindsayEpiscopalian

Dec 7, 1885The Reverend William Henry MilburnMethodist

Aug 7, 1893The Reverend Samuel W. HaddawayMethodist

Nov 1, 1893The Reverend Edward B. BagbyChristian

Dec 2, 1895The Reverend Henry N. CoudenUniversalist

Apr 11, 1921The Reverend James Shera MontgomeryMethodist

Jan 30, 1950The Reverend Bernard BraskampPresbyterian

Jan 10, 1967The Reverend Edward G. LatchMethodist

Jan 15, 1979The Reverend James D. FordLutheran

Mar 23, 2000The Reverend Daniel P. CoughlinRoman Catholic

May 25, 2011The Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, S.J.Roman Catholic

* Reverend John Breckenridge’s last name has been spelled “Brackenridge” and “Breckinridge” in various sources.