28th United States Congress



The Twenty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1843 to March 3, 1845, during the last two years of the administration of U.S. President John Tyler.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Sixth Census of the United States in 1840. The Senate had a Whig majority, and the House had a  Democratic majority.

Dates of sessions
March 4, 1843 - March 3, 1845
 * First session: December 4, 1843 - June 17, 1844.
 * Second session: December 2, 1844 - March 3, 1845.
 * Previous congress: 27th Congress
 * Next congress: 29th Congress

Party summary
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Major events
Events of 1843, 1844 & 1845

Major legislation
List of United States federal legislation in the 28th Congress
 * March 3, 1845 -- Florida was admitted as a state into the Union.

Membership highlights by chamber
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.

Senate
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1844; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1846; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1848.

House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.

Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.

Membership detail by state
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1844; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1846; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1848.

The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.

Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.

The list below is arranged by state, then by chamber. Senators are shown in order of seniority, House members in district order.

{|width=100%
 * -valign=top

Alabama

 * Senate


 * 2: William R. D. King (1786-1853), Democratic …resigned April 14, 1844.
 * Dixon H. Lewis (1802-1848), Democratic …appointed to fill vacancy, April 22, 1844, subsequently elected.
 * 3: Arthur P. Bagby (1794-1858), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (7 seats)


 * 1: James Dellet (1788-1848), Whig
 * 2: James E. Belser (1805-1859), Democratic
 * 3: Dixon H. Lewis (1802-1848), Democratic …resigned April 22, 1844.
 * William L. Yancey (1814-1863), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 2, 1844.
 * 4: William W. Payne (1807-1874), Democratic
 * 5: George S. Houston (1811-1879), Democratic
 * 6: Reuben Chapman (1799-1882), Democratic
 * 7: Felix G. McConnell (1809-1846), Democratic

Arkansas

 * Senate


 * 2: William S. Fulton (1795-1844), Democratic …died August 15, 1844.
 * Chester Ashley (1790-1848), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, November 8, 1844.
 * 3: Ambrose H. Sevier (1801-1848), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (1 seat)


 * A/L: Edward Cross (1798-1887), Democratic

Connecticut

 * Senate


 * 1: Jabez W. Huntington (1788-1847), Whig
 * 3: John M. Niles (1787-1856), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (4 seats)


 * 1: Thomas H. Seymour (1807-1868), Democratic
 * 2: John Stewart (1795-1860), Democratic
 * 3: George S. Catlin (1808-1851), Democratic
 * 4: Samuel Simons (1792-1847), Democratic

Delaware

 * Senate


 * 1: Richard H. Bayard (1796-1868), Whig
 * 2: Thomas Clayton (1777-1854), Whig
 * House of Representatives (1 seat)


 * A/L: George B. Rodney (1803-1883), Whig

Georgia

 * Senate


 * 2: John Mcpherson Berrien (1781-1856), Whig
 * 3: Walter T. Colquitt (1799-1855), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (8 seats)


 * A/L: Edward J. Black (1806-1846), Democratic
 * A/L: Howell Cobb (1815-1868), Democratic
 * A/L: Mark A. Cooper (1800-1885), Democratic …resigned April 14, 1844.
 * Alexander H. Stephens (1812-1883), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1843.
 * A/L: Hugh A. Haralson (1805-1854), Democratic
 * A/L: John B. Lamar (1812-1862), Democratic …resigned July 29, 1843, before Congress assembled.
 * Absalom H. Chappell (1801-1878), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1843.
 * A/L: John H. Lumpkin (1812-1860), Democratic
 * A/L: John Millen (1804-1843), Democratic …died October 15, 1843, before Congress assembled.
 * Duncan L. Clinch (1787-1849), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated February 15, 1844.
 * A/L: William H. Stiles (1808-1865), Democratic

Illinois

 * Senate


 * 2: Samuel McRoberts (1799-1843), Democratic …died March 27, 1843.
 * James Semple (1798-1866), Democratic …appointed to fill vacancy, August 16, 1843, subsequently elected.
 * 3: Sidney Breese (1800-1878), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (7 seats)


 * 1: Robert Smith (1802-1867), Democratic
 * 2: John A. McClernand (1812-1900), Democratic
 * 3: Orlando B. Ficklin (1808-1886), Democratic
 * 4: John Wentworth (1815-1888), Democratic
 * 5: Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861), Democratic
 * 6: Joseph P. Hoge (1810-1891), Democratic
 * 7: John J. Hardin (1810-1847), Whig

Indiana

 * Senate


 * 1: Albert S. White (1803-1864), Whig
 * 3: Edward A. Hannegan (1807-1859), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (10 seats)


 * 1: Robert D. Owen (1801-1877), Democratic
 * 2: Thomas J. Henley (1810-1865), Democratic
 * 3: Thomas Smith (1799-1876), Democratic
 * 4: Caleb B. Smith (1808-1864), Whig
 * 5: William J. Brown (1805-1857), Democratic
 * 6: John W. Davis (1799-1859), Democratic
 * 7: Joseph A. Wright (1810-1867), Democratic
 * 8: John Pettit (1807-1877), Democratic
 * 9: Samuel C. Sample (1796-1855), Whig
 * 10: Andrew Kennedy (1810-1847), Democratic

Kentucky

 * Senate


 * 2: James T. Morehead (1797-1854), Whig
 * 3: John J. Crittenden (1786-1863), Whig
 * House of Representatives (10 seats)


 * 1: Linn Boyd (1800-1859), Democratic
 * 2: Willis Green ( - ), Whig
 * 3: Henry Grider (1796-1866), Whig
 * 4: George A. Caldwell (1814-1866), Democratic
 * 5: James W. Stone (1813-1854), Democratic
 * 6: John White (1802-1845), Whig
 * 7: William P. Thomasson (1797-1882), Whig
 * 8: Garrett Davis (1801-1872), Whig
 * 9: Richard French (1792-1854), Democratic
 * 10: John W. Tibbatts (1802-1852), Democratic

Louisiana

 * Senate


 * 2: Alexander Barrow (1801-1846), Whig
 * 3: Henry Johnson (1783-1864), Whig …elected to fill vacancy in class, February 12, 1844.
 * House of Representatives (4 seats)


 * 1: John Slidell (1793-1871), Democratic
 * 2: Alcée L. La Branche (1806-1861), Democratic
 * 3: John B. Dawson (1798-1845), Democratic
 * 4: Pierre E. J. B. Bossier (1797-1844), Democratic …died April 24, 1844.
 * Isaac E. Morse (1809-1866), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 2, 1844.

Maine

 * Senate


 * 2: George Evans (1797-1867), Whig
 * 1: John Fairfield (1797-1847), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (7 seats)


 * 1: Joshua Herrick (1793-1874), Democratic
 * 2: Robert P. Dunlap (1794-1859), Democratic
 * 3: Luther Severance (1797-1855), Whig
 * 4: Freeman H. Morse (1807-1891), Whig
 * 5: Benjamin White (1790-1860), Democratic …seated December 2, 1844.
 * 6: Hannibal Hamlin (1809-1891), Democratic
 * 7: Shepard Cary (1805-1866), Democratic …seated May 10, 1844.

Maryland

 * Senate


 * 1: William D. Merrick (1793-1857), Whig
 * 3: James A. Pearce (1805-1862), Whig
 * House of Representatives (6 seats)


 * 1: John M. S. Causin (1811-1861), Whig
 * 2: Francis Brengle (1807-1846), Whig
 * 3: John Wethered (1809-1888), Whig
 * 4: John P. Kennedy (1795-1870), Whig
 * 5: Jacob A. Preston (1796-1868), Whig
 * 6: Thomas A. Spence (1810-1877), Whig

Massachusetts

 * Senate


 * 2: Isaac C. Bates (1779-1845), Whig
 * 1: Rufus Choate (1799-1859), Whig
 * House of Representatives (10 seats)


 * 1: Robert C. Winthrop (1809-1894), Whig
 * 2: Daniel P. King (1801-1850), Whig
 * 3: Amos Abbott (1786-1868), Whig
 * 4: William Parmenter (1789-1866), Democratic
 * 5: Charles Hudson (1795-1881), Whig
 * 6: Osmyn Baker (1800-1875), Whig
 * 7: Julius Rockwell (1805-1888), Whig
 * 8: John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), Whig
 * 9: Henry Williams (1805-1887), Democratic
 * 10: Barker Burnell (1798-1843), Whig …died June 15, 1843, before Congress assembled.
 * Joseph Grinnell (1788-1885), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 7, 1843.

Michigan

 * Senate


 * 1: Augustus S. Porter (1798-1872), Whig
 * 2: William Woodbridge (1780-1861), Whig
 * House of Representatives (3 seats)


 * 1: Robert McClelland (1807-1880), Democratic
 * 2: Lucius Lyon (1800-1851), Democratic
 * 3: James B. Hunt (1799-1857), Democratic

Mississippi

 * Senate


 * 2: Robert J. Walker (1801-1869), Democratic
 * 1: John Henderson (1797-1857), Whig
 * House of Representatives (4 seats)


 * A/L: William H. Hammett (1799-1861), Democratic
 * A/L: Robert W. Roberts (1784-1865), Democratic
 * A/L: Jacob Thompson (1810-1885), Democratic
 * A/L: Tilghman M. Tucker (1802-1859), Democratic

Missouri

 * Senate


 * 1: Thomas H. Benton (1782-1858), Democratic
 * 3: Lewis F. Linn (1796-1843), Democratic …died October 3, 1843.
 * David R. Atchison (1807-1886), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1844.
 * House of Representatives (5 seats)


 * A/L: Gustavus M. Bower (1790-1864), Democratic
 * A/L: James B. Bowlin (1804-1874), Democratic
 * A/L: James M. Hughes (1809-1861), Democratic
 * A/L: John Jameson (1802-1857), Democratic
 * A/L: James H. Relfe (1791-1863), Democratic

New Hampshire

 * Senate


 * 2: Levi Woodbury (1789-1851), Democratic
 * 3: Charles G. Atherton (1804-1853), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (4 seats)


 * A/L: Edmund Burke (1809-1882), Democratic
 * A/L: John P. Hale (1806-1873), Democratic
 * A/L: Moses Norris, Jr. (1799-1855), Democratic
 * A/L: John R. Reding (1805-1892), Democratic

New Jersey

 * Senate


 * 2: Jacob W. Miller (1800-1862), Whig
 * 1: William L. Dayton (1807-1864), Whig
 * House of Representatives (5 seats)


 * 1: Lucius Q. C. Elmer (1793-1883), Democratic
 * 2: George Sykes (1802-1880), Democratic
 * 3: Isaac G. Farlee (1787-1855), Democratic
 * 4: Littleton Kirkpatrick (1797-1859), Democratic
 * 5: William Wright (1794-1866), Independent Whig

New York

 * Senate


 * 3: Silas Wright, Jr. (1795-1847), Democratic …resigned November 26, 1844.
 * Henry A. Foster (1800-1889), Democratic …appointed to fill vacancy, November 30, 1844.
 * John A. Dix (1798-1879), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, January 18, 1844.
 * 1: Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (1795-1864), Whig …resigned June 17, 1844.
 * Daniel S. Dickinson (1800-1866), Democratic …appointed to fill vacancy, November 30, 1844.
 * House of Representatives (34 seats)


 * 1: Selah B. Strong (1792-1872), Democratic
 * 2: Henry C. Murphy (1810-1882), Democratic
 * 3: J. Phillips Phoenix (1788-1859), Whig
 * 4: William B. Maclay (1812-1882), Democratic
 * 5: Moses G. Leonard (1809-1899), Democratic
 * 6: Hamilton Fish (1808-1893), Whig
 * 7: Joseph H. Anderson (1800-1870), Democratic
 * 8: Richard D. Davis (1799-1871), Democratic
 * 9: James G. Clinton (1804-1849), Democratic
 * 10: Jeremiah Russell (1786-1867), Democratic
 * 11: Zadock Pratt (1790-1871), Democratic
 * 12: David L. Seymour (1803-1867), Democratic
 * 13: Daniel D. Barnard (1797-1861), Whig
 * 14: Charles Rogers (1800-1874), Whig
 * 15: Lemuel Stetson (1804-1868), Democratic
 * 16: Chesselden Ellis (1808-1854), Democratic
 * 17: Charles S. Benton (1810-1882), Democratic
 * 18: Preston King (1806-1865), Democratic
 * 19: Orville Hungerford (1790-1851), Democratic
 * 20: Samuel Beardsley (1790-1860), Democratic …resigned March 6, 1844.
 * Levi D. Carpenter (1802-1856), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 2, 1844.
 * 21: Jeremiah E. Cary (1803-1888), Democratic
 * 22: Smith M. Purdy (1796-1870), Democratic
 * 23: Orville Robinson (1801-1882), Democratic
 * 24: Horace Wheaton (1803-1882), Democratic
 * 25: George O. Rathbun (1803-1870), Democratic
 * 26: Amasa Dana (1792-1867), Democratic
 * 27: Byram Green (1786-1865), Democratic
 * 28: Thomas J. Patterson (1808c- ), Whig
 * 29: Charles H. Carroll (1794-1865), Whig
 * 30: William S. Hubbell (1801-1873), Democratic
 * 31: Asher Tyler (1798-1875), Whig
 * 32: William A. Moseley (1798-1873), Whig
 * 33: Albert Smith (1805-1870), Whig
 * 34: Washington Hunt (1811-1867), Whig

North Carolina

 * Senate


 * 2: Willie P. Mangum (1792-1861), Whig
 * 3: William H. Haywood, Jr. (1801-1852), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (9 seats)


 * 1: Thomas L. Clingman (1812-1897), Whig
 * 2: Daniel M. Barringer (1806-1873), Whig
 * 3: David S. Reid (1813-1891), Democratic
 * 4: Edmund Deberry (1787-1859), Whig
 * 5: Romulus M. Saunders (1791-1867), Democratic
 * 6: James I. McKay (1793-1853), Democratic
 * 7: John R. J. Daniel (1802-1868), Democratic
 * 8: Archibald H. Arrington (1809-1872), Democratic
 * 9: Kenneth Rayner (1808-1884), Whig

Ohio

 * Senate


 * 3: William Allen (1803-1879), Democratic
 * 1: Benjamin Tappan (1773-1857), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (21 seats)


 * 1: Alexander Duncan (1788-1853), Democratic
 * 2: John B. Weller (1812-1875), Democratic
 * 3: Robert C. Schenck (1809-1890), Whig
 * 4: Joseph Vance (1786-1852), Whig
 * 5: Emery D. Potter (1804-1896), Democratic
 * 6: Henry St. John (1783-1869), Democratic
 * 7: Joseph J. McDowell (1800-1877), Democratic
 * 8: John I. Vanmeter (1798-1875), Whig
 * 9: Elias Florence (1797-1880), Whig
 * 10: Heman Allen Moore (1809-1844), Democratic …died April 3, 1844.
 * Alfred P. Stone (1813-1865), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 2, 1844.
 * 11: Jacob Brinkerhoff (1810-1880), Democratic
 * 12: Samuel F. Vinton (1792-1862), Whig
 * 13: Perley B. Johnson (1798-1870), Whig
 * 14: Alexander Harper (1786-1860), Whig
 * 15: Joseph Morris (1795-1854), Democratic
 * 16: James Mathews (1805-1887), Democratic
 * 17: William C. McCauslen (1796-1863), Democratic
 * 18: Ezra Dean (1795-1872), Democratic
 * 19: Daniel R. Tilden (1804-1890), Whig
 * 20: Joshua R. Giddings (1795-1864), Whig
 * 21: Henry R. Brinkerhoff (1787-1844), Democratic …died April 30, 1844.
 * Edward S. Hamlin (1808-1894), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 2, 1844.

Pennsylvania

 * Senate


 * 3: James Buchanan (1791-1868), Democratic
 * 1: Daniel Sturgeon (1789-1878), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (24 seats)


 * 1: Edward Joy Morris (1815-1881), Whig
 * 2: Joseph R. Ingersoll (1786-1868), Whig
 * 3: John T. Smith ( - ), Democratic
 * 4: Charles J. Ingersoll (1782-1862), Democratic
 * 5: Jacob S. Yost (1801-1872), Democratic
 * 6: Michael H. Jenks (1795-1867), Whig
 * 7: Abraham R. McIlvaine (1804-1863), Whig
 * 8: Jeremiah Brown (1785-1858), Whig
 * 9: John Ritter (1779-1851), Democratic
 * 10: Richard Brodhead (1811-1863), Democratic
 * 11: Benjamin A. Bidlack (1804-1849), Democratic
 * 12: Almon H. Read (1790-1844), Democratic …died June 3, 1844.
 * George Fuller (1802-1888), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 2, 1844.
 * 13: Henry Frick (1795-1844), Whig …died March 1, 1844.
 * James Pollock (1810-1890), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated April 23, 1844.
 * 14: Alexander Ramsey (1815-1903), Whig
 * 15: Henry Nes (1799-1850), Independent Democratic
 * 16: James Black (1793-1872), Democratic
 * 17: James Irvin (1800-1862), Whig
 * 18: Andrew Stewart (1791-1872), Whig
 * 19: Henry D. Foster (1808-1880), Democratic
 * 20: John Dickey (1794-1853), Whig
 * 21: William Wilkins (1779-1865), Democratic …resigned February 14, 1844.
 * Cornelius Darragh (1809-1854), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated March 26, 1844.
 * 22: Samuel Hays (1783-1868), Democratic
 * 23: Charles M. Reed (1803-1871), Whig
 * 24: Joseph Buffington (1803-1872), Whig

Rhode Island

 * Senate


 * 2: James F. Simmons (1795-1864), Whig
 * 1: William Sprague (1799-1856), Whig …resigned January 17, 1844.
 * John B. Francis (1791-1864), Law and Order …elected to fill vacancy, January 25, 1844.
 * House of Representatives (2 seats)


 * 1: Henry Y. Cranston (1789-1864), Law and Order
 * 2: Elisha R. Potter (1811-1882), Law and Order

South Carolina

 * Senate


 * 3: George McDuffie (1790-1851), Democratic
 * 2: Daniel E. Huger (1779-1854), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy from preceding Congress, March 4, 1843, resigned March 3, 1844.
 * House of Representatives (7 seats)


 * 1: James A. Black (1793-1848), Democratic
 * 2: Richard F. Simpson (1798-1882), Democratic
 * 3: Joseph A. Woodward (1806-1885), Democratic
 * 4: John Campbell (1795-1845), Democratic
 * 5: Armistead Burt (1802-1883), Democratic
 * 6: Isaac E. Holmes (1796-1867), Democratic
 * 7: R. Barnwell Rhett (1800-1876), Democratic

Tennessee

 * Senate


 * 1: Ephraim H. Foster (1794-1854), Whig …elected to fill vacancy in class, October 17, 1843.
 * 2: Spencer Jarnagin (1792-1853), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, October 17, 1843.
 * House of Representatives (11 seats)


 * 1: Andrew Johnson (1808-1875), Democratic
 * 2: William T. Senter (1801-1848), Whig
 * 3: Julius W. Blackwell (1797c- ), Democratic
 * 4: Alvan Cullom (1797-1877), Democratic
 * 5: George W. Jones (1806-1884), Democratic
 * 6: Aaron V. Brown (1795-1859), Democratic
 * 7: David W. Dickinson (1808-1845), Whig
 * 8: Joseph H. Peyton (1808-1845), Whig
 * 9: Cave Johnson (1793-1866), Democratic
 * 10: John B. Ashe (1810-1857), Whig
 * 11: Milton Brown (1804-1883), Whig

Vermont

 * Senate


 * 1: Samuel S. Phelps (1793-1855), Whig
 * 3: William Upham (1792-1853), Whig
 * House of Representatives (4 seats)


 * 1: Solomon Foot (1802-1866), Whig
 * 2: Jacob Collamer (1791-1865), Whig
 * 3: George P. Marsh (1801-1882), Whig
 * 4: Paul Dillingham, Jr. (1799-1891), Democratic

Virginia

 * Senate


 * 1: William C. Rives (1793-1868), Whig
 * 2: William S. Archer (1789-1855), Whig
 * House of Representatives (15 seats)


 * 1: Archibald Atkinson (1792-1872), Democratic
 * 2: George C. Dromgoole (1797-1847), Democratic
 * 3: Walter Coles (1790-1857), Democratic
 * 4: Edmund W. Hubard (1806-1878), Democratic
 * 5: Thomas W. Gilmer (1802-1844), Democratic …resigned February 16, 1844.
 * William L. Goggin (1807-1870), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated May 10, 1844.
 * 6: John W. Jones (1791-1848), Democratic
 * 7: Henry A. Wise (1806-1876), Democratic …resigned February 12, 1844.
 * Thomas H. Bayly (1810-1856), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated May 6, 1844.
 * 8: Willoughby Newton (1802-1874), Whig
 * 9: Samuel Chilton (1804-1867), Whig
 * 10: William Lucas (1800-1877), Democratic
 * 11: William Taylor (1788-1846), Democratic
 * 12: Augustus A. Chapman (1803-1876), Democratic
 * 13: George W. Hopkins (1804-1861), Democratic
 * 14: George W. Summers (1804-1868), Whig
 * 15: Lewis Steenrod (1810-1862), Democratic
 * }

Membership detail by Chamber/Party
The list below is arranged by chamber, then by political party. Members are shown in alphabetical order.

Senate
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress.

House of Representatives
Members of the House of Representatives were elected by popular vote, variously to single member districts or at-large.

Membership Changes
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.