# Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives

An appointed officer of the United States House of Representatives from 1789 until 1995, the doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives was chosen by a resolution at the opening of each United States Congress. The Office of the Doorkeeper was based on precedent from the Continental Congresses. Without debate, the first federal Congress created the doorkeeper's position by resolution on April 2, 1789. The doorkeeper controlled access to the House chamber and eventually oversaw the press in the gallery.
The doorkeeper's most visible job was introducing American presidents and foreign dignitaries to Congress. For 18 years, before the State of the Union address, Doorkeeper James T. Molloy announced, "Mister Speaker, the president of the United States."
The Office of the Doorkeeper was abolished during the 104th Congress (Pub. L. 104–186 (text) (PDF)) in an effort to save money. Thirty-three doorkeepers served until the position was abolished and the office's duties were divided among the sergeant at arms, the clerk of the House, and the newly created chief administrative officer.

## List of doorkeepers

Two doorkeepers also served as members of the United States House of Representatives (indicated below by asterisks) either prior to or after their service as a House officer.
| Congress (years) | Doorkeepers, state or territory | Date elected |
| 1st (1789–91) | Gifford Dalley, NY | April 4, 1789 |
| 2nd (1791–93) | Gifford Dalley, NY | October 24, 1791 |
| 3rd (1793–95) | Gifford Dalley, NY | December 2, 1793 |
| 4th (1795–97) | Thomas Claxton, CT | December 7, 1795 |
| 5th (1797–99) | Thomas Claxton, CT | May 15, 1797 |
| 6th (1799-1801) | Thomas Claxton, CT | December 2, 1799 |
| 7th (1801–03) | Thomas Claxton, CT | December 7, 1801 |
| 8th (1803–05) | Thomas Claxton, CT | October 17, 1803 |
| 9th (1805–07) | Thomas Claxton, CT | December 2, 1805 |
| 10th (1807–09) | Thomas Claxton, CT | October 27, 1807 |
| 11th (1809–11) | Thomas Claxton, CT | May 22, 1809 |
| 12th (1811–13) | Thomas Claxton, CT | November 4, 1811 |
| 13th (1813–15) | Thomas Claxton, CT | May 24, 1813 |
| 14th (1815–17) | Thomas Claxton, CT | December 4, 1815 |
| 15th (1817–19) | Thomas Claxton, CT | December 1, 1817 |
| 16th (1819–21) | Thomas Claxton, CT | December 6, 1819 |
| 17th (1821–23) | Benjamin Birch, MD | December 4, 1821 |
| 18th (1823–25) | Benjamin Birch, MD | December 1, 1823 |
| 19th (1825–27) | Benjamin Birch, MD | December 5, 1825 |
| 20th (1827–29) | Benjamin Birch, MD | December 3, 1827 |
| 21st (1829–31) | Benjamin Birch, MD | December 7, 1829 |
| 22nd (1831–33) | Overton Carr, MD | December 7, 1831 |
| 23rd (1833–35) | Overton Carr, MD | December 3, 1833 |
| 24th (1835–37) | Overton Carr, MD | December 15, 1835 |
| 25th (1837–39) | Overton Carr, MD | September 4, 1837 |
| 25th (1837–39) | Joseph Follansbee, MA | April 5, 1838 |
| 26th (1839–41) | Joseph Follansbee, MA | December 23, 1839 |
| 27th (1841–43) | Joseph Follansbee, MA | June 9, 1841 |
| 28th (1843–45) | Jesse E. Dow, CT | December 7, 1843 |
| 29th (1845–47) | Cornelius S. Whitney, DC | December 3, 1845 |
| 30th (1847–49) | Robert E. Horner, NJ | December 8, 1847 |
| 31st (1849–51) | Robert E. Horner, NJ | N/A |
| 32nd (1851–53) | Zadock W. McKnew, MD | December 1, 1851 |
| 33rd (1853–55) | Zadock W. McKnew, MD | December 5, 1853 |
| 34th (1855–57) | Nathan Darling, NY | February 5, 1856 |
| 35th (1857–59) | Robert B. Hackney, VA | December 7, 1857 |
| 35th (1857–59) | Joseph L. Wright, NJ | May 18, 1858 |
| 36th (1859–61) | Joseph L. Wright, NJ | December 5, 1859 |
| 36th (1859–61) | George Marston, NH | February 6, 1860 |
| 37th (1861–63) | Ira Goodnow, NY | July 5, 1861 |
| 38th (1863–65) | Ira Goodnow, NY | December 8, 1863 |
| 39th (1865–67) | Ira Goodnow, NY | December 4, 1865 |
| 40th (1867–69) | Charles E. Lippincott, IL | March 5, 1867 |
| 41st (1869–71) | Otis S. Buxton, NY | March 5, 1869 |
| 42nd (1871–73) | Otis S. Buxton, NY | March 4, 1871 |
| 43rd (1873–75) | Otis S. Buxton, NY | December 1, 1873 |
| 44th (1875–77) | Lafayette H. Fitzhugh, TX | December 6, 1875 |
| 44th (1875–77) | John H. Patterson, NJ | May 26, 1876 |
| 45th (1877–79) | John W. Polk, MO | October 17, 1877 |
| 45th (1877–79) | Charles W. Field, GA | April 8, 1878 |
| 46th (1879–81) | Charles W. Field, GA | March 18, 1879 |
| 47th (1881–83) | Walter P. Brownlow, TN* | December 5, 1881 |
| 48th (1883–85) | James G. Wintersmith, TX | December 4, 1883 |
| 49th (1885–87) | Samuel Donelson, TN | December 7, 1885 |
| 50th (1887–89) | Alvin B. Hurt, MS | December 5, 1887 |
| 51st (1889–91) | Charles E. Adams, MD | December 2, 1889 |
| 52nd (1891–93) | Charles H. Turner, NY* | December 8, 1891 |
| 53rd (1893–95) | Alvin B. Hurt, TN | August 7, 1893 |
| 54th (1895–97) | William J. Glenn, NY | December 2, 1895 |
| 55th (1897–99) | William J. Glenn, NY | March 15, 1897 |
| 56th (1899-1901) | William J. Glenn, NY | December 4, 1899 |
| 57th (1901–03) | William J. Glenn, NY | December 2, 1901 |
| 57th (1901–03) | Frank B. Lyon, NY | March 18, 1902 |
| 58th (1903–05) | Frank B. Lyon, NY | November 9, 1903 |
| 59th (1905–07) | Frank B. Lyon, NY | December 4, 1905 |
| 60th (1907–09) | Frank B. Lyon, NY | December 2, 1907 |
| 61st (1909–11) | Frank B. Lyon, NY | March 15, 1909 |
| 62nd (1911–13) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | April 4, 1911 |
| 63rd (1913–15) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | April 7, 1913 |
| 64th (1915–17) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | December 6, 1915 |
| 65th (1917–19) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | April 2, 1917 |
| 66th (1919–21) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI | May 19, 1919 |
| 67th (1921–23) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI | April 11, 1921 |
| 68th (1923–25) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI | December 5, 1923 |
| 69th (1925–27) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI | December 7, 1925 |
| 70th (1927–29) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI | December 5, 1927 |
| 71st (1929–31) | Bert W. Kennedy, MI | April 15, 1929 |
| 72nd (1931–33) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | December 7, 1931 |
| 73rd (1933–35) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | March 9, 1933 |
| 74th (1935–37) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | January 3, 1935 |
| 75th (1937–39) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | January 5, 1937 |
| 76th (1939–41) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | January 3, 1939 |
| 77th (1941–43) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | January 3, 1941 |
| 78th (1943–45) | Joseph J. Sinnott, VA | January 6, 1943 |
| 78th (1943–45) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | February 5, 1943 |
| 79th (1945–47) | Ralph R. Roberts, IN | January 3, 1945 |
| 80th (1947–49) | M.L. Meletio, MO | January 3, 1947 |
| 81st (1949–51) | William M. Miller, MS | January 3, 1949 |
| 82nd (1951–53) | William M. Miller, MS | January 3, 1951 |
| 83rd (1953–55) | Tom J. Kennamer, MO | January 3, 1953 |
| 84th (1955–57) | William M. Miller, MS | January 5, 1955 |
| 85th (1957–59) | William M. Miller, MS | January 3, 1957 |
| 86th (1959–61) | William M. Miller, MS | January 7, 1959 |
| 87th (1961–63) | William M. Miller, MS | January 3, 1961 |
| 88th (1963–65) | William M. Miller, MS | January 9, 1963 |
| 89th (1965–67) | William M. Miller, MS | January 4, 1965 |
| 90th (1967–69) | William M. Miller, MS | January 10, 1967 |
| 91st (1969–71) | William M. Miller, MS | January 3, 1969 |
| 92nd (1971–73) | William M. Miller, MS | January 21, 1971 |
| 93rd (1973–75) | William M. Miller, MS | January 3, 1973 |
| 93rd (1973–75) | James T. Molloy, NY | December 31, 1974 |
| 94th (1975–77) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 14, 1975 |
| 95th (1977–79) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 4, 1977 |
| 96th (1979–81) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 15, 1979 |
| 97th (1981–83) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 5, 1981 |
| 98th (1983–85) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 3, 1983 |
| 99th (1985–87) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 3, 1985 |
| 100th (1987–89) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 6, 1987 |
| 101st (1989–91) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 3, 1989 |
| 102nd (1991–93) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 3, 1991 |
| 103rd (1993–95) | James T. Molloy, NY | January 5, 1993 |