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1838–39 United States House of Representatives elections

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The 1838–39 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between July 2, 1838, and November 5, 1839. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 26th United States Congress convened on December 2, 1839. They occurred during President Martin Van Buren's term. Elections were held for all 242 seats, representing 26 states.

1838–39 United States House of Representatives elections
← 1836 & 1837July 2, 1838 – November 5, 18391840 & 1841 →
All 242 seats in the United States House of Representatives
122 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
 
LeaderJohn JonesRobert M. T. Hunter
PartyDemocraticWhig
Leader's seatVirginia 3rdVirginia 9th
Last election128 seats100 seats
Seats won126116
Seat changeDecrease 2Increase 16
Popular vote995,133989,712
Percentage50.01%49.73%
SwingDecrease 0.94%Increase 3.23%
 Third party
 
PartyIndependent
Last election1 seat
Seats won0
Seat changeDecrease 1
Popular vote8,205
Percentage0.41%
SwingDecrease 0.58%
Speaker before election

James K. Polk
Democratic

Elected Speaker

Robert M. T. Hunter
Whig

The Panic of 1837 and consequent economic downturn drove Whig Party gains. Van Buren's Democratic Party had lost popularity and Whig policies of economic nationalism appealed to a larger number of voters. Democrats were able, however, to contain the political fallout by blaming banks for the crisis. The Anti-Masonic Party, influential in New York, Pennsylvania, and other Northern states, lost seats, while the Southern Nullifier Party disappeared. Two Virginia representatives were elected on that state's Conservative Party ticket.

Early business of the new House reflected the close partisan division. When Congress first Convened on December 3, 1839, two contingents of New Jersey representatives-elect, one composed of Democrats and the other of Whigs, arrived and both requested to be seated as members. Charging the Whigs with election fraud and facing loss of control of the House, the Democratic Party majority (119 to 118 Whigs from outside New Jersey) refused to seat all but one Whig.[1] Massachusetts Representative John Quincy Adams presided as "chairman" of the House after the clerk lost control. Two weeks later, when voting for speaker of the House finally commenced, 11 ballots were needed before Robert M. T. Hunter, a compromise Whig candidate, was elected, receiving 119 votes (out of 232 cast).[2] This congress also enacted the first Independent Treasury bill.

Election summaries

↓
1258109
Democratic[a]Whig
StateTypeDateTotal
seats		DemocraticWhigOthers
SeatsChangeSeatsChangeSeatsChange
LouisianaDistrictsJuly 2–4, 183830 13 10
IllinoisDistrictsAugust 6, 183832 11 10
MissouriAt-largeAugust 6, 183822 0 0
VermontDistrictsSeptember 1, 183852 13 10
MaineDistrictsSeptember 10, 183886 2 0
ArkansasAt-largeOctober 1, 183811 0 0
GeorgiaAt-largeOctober 1, 183890 89 80
New JerseyAt-largeOctober 8, 183865 51 50
South CarolinaDistrictsOctober 8–9, 183898 61 0 6[b]
OhioDistrictsOctober 9, 18381911 38 30
PennsylvaniaDistricts[c]October 9, 18382817 5 16[d] 1
MichiganAt-largeNovember 6, 183811 0 0
New YorkDistricts[e]November 5–7, 18384019 1121 110
MassachusettsDistrictsNovember 12, 1838122 10 0
DelawareAt-largeNovember 13, 183811 10 10
New HampshireAt-largeMarch 12, 183955 0 0
ConnecticutDistrictsApril 1, 183960 66 60
VirginiaDistrictsMay 23, 18392112 37 12[f] 2
KentuckyDistrictsAugust 1, 1839132 111 0 1[g]
TennesseeDistrictsAugust 1, 1839136 37 30
AlabamaDistrictsAugust 5, 183953 2 0
IndianaDistrictsAugust 5, 183975 42 40
North CarolinaDistrictsAugust 8, 1839138 35 30
Rhode IslandAt-largeAugust 27, 183920 2 0
MarylandDistricts[h]October 3, 183985 13 10
MississippiAt-largeNovember 4–5, 183922 20 20
Total242125
51.7%		 3109
45.0%		 98
3.3%		 6
Popular vote
Democratic
 
50.01%
Whig
 
49.73%
Others
 
0.26%
House seats
Democratic
 
52.07%
Whig
 
47.93%

Special elections

There were special elections in 1838 and 1839 to the 25th United States Congress and 26th United States Congress.

Special elections are listed by date then district.

25th Congress

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Pennsylvania 9New member elected March 8, 1838.
Maine 3New member elected April 28, 1838.
Maine 5New member elected May 29, 1838.
Mississippi at-large
2 seats on a general ticket		John F. H. ClaiborneDemocratic1835The House rescinded its former decision February 5, 1838 and declared the seats vacant.
New members elected May 29, 1838.
Two Whig gains.
Successors seated May 30, 1838.[3]
Samuel J. GholsonDemocratic1836 (special)
Ohio 16New member elected October 9, 1838.
Ohio 19New member elected November 5, 1838.
Massachusetts 2Stephen C. PhillipsWhig1834 (special)Incumbent resigned September 28, 1838 to become Mayor of Salem.
New member elected November 12, 1838.
Whig hold.
Successor also elected the same day to the next term; see below.

26th Congress

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Missouri at-largeAlbert G. HarrisonDemocratic1835New member elected.
October 28, 1839 and seated December 5, 1839.
Democratic hold.
Massachusetts 1Richard FletcherWhig1836Incumbent member-elect declined to serve.
New member elected November 11, 1839.
Whig hold.
Pennsylvania 14New member elected November 20, 1839.
Massachusetts 6James C. AlvordWhig1838Incumbent died September 27, 1839.
New member elected December 23, 1839 on the second ballot.
Whig hold.		First ballot (November 11, 1839):
  • ▌Rodolphus Dickensen (Democratic) 48.99%
  • ▌Osmyn Baker (Whig) 44.48%
  • ▌Henry Chapman (Unknown) 4.58%
  • ▌Israel Billings (Anti-Slavery) 1.95%[8]

Second ballot (December 23, 1839):
  • ▌ Y Osmyn Baker (Whig) 51.09%
  • ▌Rodolphus Dickensen (Democratic) 39.98%
  • ▌Israel Billings (Anti-Slavery) 8.93%[9]

Alabama

Arkansas

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Arkansas at-largeArchibald YellDemocratic1836Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.

Connecticut

Connecticut elected its six members April 1, 1839, flipping all six seats from Democratic to Whig.

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Connecticut 1Isaac TouceyDemocratic1835Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 2Samuel InghamDemocratic1835Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 3Elisha HaleyDemocratic1835Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 4Thomas T. WhittleseyDemocratic1836 (special)Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 5Lancelot PhelpsDemocratic1835Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 6Orrin HoltDemocratic1836 (special)Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.

Delaware

Florida Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Maine 1
Maine 2
Maine 3
Maine 4
Maine 5
Maine 6
Maine 7
Maine 8Thomas DaveeDemocratic1836Incumbent re-elected.

Maryland

Massachusetts

Elections were held November 12, 1838, but one district's election went to a fourth ballot in 1839, after the March 4, 1839 start of the term but before the House convened in December 1839.

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Massachusetts 1Richard FletcherWhig1836Incumbent re-elected, but declined to serve, leading to a special election.
Massachusetts 2Stephen C. PhillipsWhig1834 (special)Incumbent resigned September 28, 1838 to become Mayor of Salem.
New member elected.
Whig hold.
Successor also elected the same day to finish the current term.
Massachusetts 3Caleb CushingWhig1834Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 4William ParmenterDemocratic1836Incumbent re-elected late on the fourth ballot.First ballot (November 12, 1838):
  • ▌William Parmenter (Democratic) 49.24%
  • ▌Nathan Brooks (Whig) 48.24%
  • ▌James T. Woodbury (Democratic) 1.27%
  • ▌Amos Farnsworth (Anti-Slavery) 1.25%[20]

Second ballot (December 17, 1838):
  • ▌William Parmenter (Democratic) 47.23%
  • ▌Nathan Brooks (Whig) 45.59%
  • ▌Levi Farwell (Unknown) 3.18%
  • ▌James T. Woodbury (Democratic) 2.22%
  • ▌Amos Farnsworth (Anti-Slavery) 1.79%[21]

Third ballot (February 4, 1839):
  • ▌William Parmenter (Democratic) 49.92%
  • ▌Nathan Brooks (Whig) 42.24%
  • ▌Levi Farwell (Unknown) 4.1%
  • ▌James T. Woodbury (Democratic) 1.83%[22]

Fourth ballot (April 1, 1839):
  • ▌ Y William Parmenter (Democratic) 51.38%
  • ▌Nathan Brooks (Whig) 45.81%
  • ▌James T. Woodbury (Democratic) 1.83%[23]
Massachusetts 5Levi Lincoln Jr.Whig1834 (special)Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 6George Grennell Jr.Whig1834Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig hold.
Massachusetts 7George N. BriggsWhig1830Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 8William CalhounWhig1834Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 9William S. HastingsWhig1836Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 10Nathaniel B. BordenDemocratic1835Incumbent lost re-election from a different party.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Massachusetts 11John Reed Jr.Whig1812
1816 (lost)
1820		Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 12John Quincy AdamsWhig1830Incumbent re-elected.

Michigan

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Michigan at-largeIsaac E. CraryDemocratic1835Incumbent re-elected.

Mississippi

A special election was held in Mississippi on July 17–18, 1837. Its winners were Democrats John F. H. Claiborne and Samuel J. Gholson. The first session of the 25th Congress was a special session beginning on September 4, 1837, extending to October 16. In November, Mississippi held the regular election. Seargent Smith Prentiss, a Vicksburg lawyer and Whig, unexpectedly launched a vigorous, partisan campaign. He and fellow Whig Thomas J. Word won in an upset. Claiborne and Gholson then argued that the July result entitled them to serve full terms. With the Whig Party newly organizing, the closely divided House, in which Anti-Masons, Nullifiers, and the Independent tended to align more with Whigs and to oppose Democrats, agreed to hear Prentiss. He spoke for nine hours over three days, packing the gallery, drawing Senators, and earning a national reputation for oratory and public admiration from leading Whigs including Senators Clay and Webster. The Elections Committee then required a third election. Scheduled for April 1838, it confirmed the November result. Both Whigs were seated in May late in the second session, also serving for the third session.

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Mississippi at-large
(2 seats)		Seargent S. PrentissWhig1837Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Thomas J. WordWhig1837Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates[i][29]
Pennsylvania 1Lemuel PaynterDemocratic1836Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 2
Plural district with 2 seats		John SergeantWhig1816
1836		Incumbent re-elected.
George W. TolandWhig1836Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 3Charles NaylorWhig1837 (special)Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 4
Plural district with 3 seats		Edward DaviesAnti-Masonic1836Incumbent re-elected.
Edward DarlingtonAnti-Masonic1832Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Masonic hold.
David Potts Jr.Anti-Masonic1830Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Masonic hold.
Pennsylvania 5Jacob Fry Jr.Democratic1834Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 6Mathias MorrisWhig1834Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Pennsylvania 7David D. WagenerDemocratic1832Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 8Edward B. HubleyDemocratic1834Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
  • ▌ Y Peter Newhard (Democratic) 54.5%
  • ▌Walter C. Livingston (Whig) 45.5%
Pennsylvania 9George KeimDemocratic1838 (special)Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌ Y George Keim (Democratic) 69.3%
  • ▌Daniel M. Bieber (Whig) 30.7%
Pennsylvania 10Luther ReilyDemocratic1836Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Pennsylvania 11Henry LoganDemocratic1834Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 12Daniel ShefferDemocratic1836Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Pennsylvania 13Charles McClureDemocratic1836Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 14William W. PotterDemocratic1836Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 15David PetrikinDemocratic1836Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 16Robert H. HammondDemocratic1836Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 17Samuel W. MorrisDemocratic1836Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 18Charles OgleAnti-Masonic1836Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 19John Klingensmith Jr.Democratic1832Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 20Andrew BuchananDemocratic1832Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
  • ▌ Y Enos Hook (Democratic) 62.4%
  • ▌Fideleo Hughes (Whig) 37.6%
Pennsylvania 21Thomas M. T. McKennanAnti-Masonic1830Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Pennsylvania 22Richard BiddleAnti-Masonic1836Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌ Y Richard Biddle (Anti-Masonic) 58.1%
  • ▌James Power (Democratic) 41.9%
Pennsylvania 23William BeattyDemocratic1836Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌ Y William Beatty (Democratic) 61.5%
  • ▌George W. Smith (Whig) 38.5%
Pennsylvania 24Thomas HenryAnti-Masonic1836Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌ Y Thomas Henry (Anti-Masonic) 54.7%
  • ▌James D. White (Democratic) 45.3%
Pennsylvania 25Arnold PlumerDemocratic1836Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.

In the 3rd district, Charles Naylor's election was unsuccessfully contested by Charles J. Ingersoll.[30]

There were three special elections in Pennsylvania during the 26th Congress.[31] The first was in the 14th district caused by the death of William W. Potter (Democratic) on October 28, 1839. This vacancy was filled by George McCulloch (Democratic). The second was in the 22nd district caused by the resignation of Richard Biddle. This vacancy was filled by Henry M. Brackenridge (Whig). The third was in the 13th district caused by the death of William S. Ramsey (Democratic) on October 17, 1840. Ramsey had also been re-elected to the 27th Congress and so an additional special election was held the following May to fill the vacancy in the 27th Congress.

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Elections held late, on August 1, 1839.

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Tennessee 1William B. CarterWhig1835Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 2Abraham McClellanDemocratic1837Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 3Joseph L. WilliamsWhig1837Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 4William StoneWhig1837 (special)Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 5Hopkins L. TurneyDemocratic1837Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 6William B. CampbellWhig1837Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 7John BellWhig1827Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌ Y John Bell (Whig) 59.38%
  • ▌Robert M. Burton (Democratic) 40.63%[38]
Tennessee 8Abram P. MauryWhig1835Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig hold.
Tennessee 9James K. PolkDemocratic1825Incumbent retired to run for Governor.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Tennessee 10Ebenezer J. ShieldsWhig1835Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 11Richard CheathamWhig1837Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 12John W. CrockettWhig1837Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 13Christopher H. WilliamsWhig1837Incumbent re-elected.

Vermont

Virginia

Wisconsin Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Non-voting delegates

25th Congress

DistrictIncumbentThis race
DelegatePartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Iowa Territory at-largeNew districtNew seat.
New delegate elected September 10, 1848.
Democratic gain.

26th Congress

DistrictIncumbentThis race
DelegatePartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
Florida Territory at-largeCharles DowningDemocratic1836Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date.
Iowa Territory at-largeWilliam W. ChapmanDemocratic1838Incumbent lost re-election.
New delegate elected August 5, 1839, but election was invalidated due to a misdrafting of the a territorial statute, and Congress extended the term of the incumbent delegate to 1840.[46]
Wisconsin Territory at-largeGeorge Wallace JonesDemocratic1836Incumbent lost re-election.
New delegate elected in September 1838.
Democratic hold.
Incumbent claimed that prior 1836 election had entitled him to serve until March 1839, but the house disagreed and seated the winner January 14, 1839.

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

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