Connecticut's at-large congressional district

Connecticut's at-large congressional district
Obsolete district
Created1789 (first)
Eliminated1960 (last)
Years active1789–1837; 1903–1913; 1933–1965

During the first twenty-four Congresses (from 1789 to 1837), Connecticut elected all its representatives in Congress from a single multi-member Connecticut at-large congressional district.

Connecticut elected a varying number of representatives during this period. From its inception in 1789 through the first reapportionment in 1793, there were five seats. From 1793 through 1823, there were seven seats. In 1823 the seats were reduced to six and in 1837 the system of at-large members was replaced with districts.

From 1903 to 1913 and from 1933 to 1965, Connecticut had a member of the United States House of Representatives who represented the state at-large, in addition to the members who represented distinct districts.

List of representatives

[edit]

1789–1837: five, then seven, then six seats

[edit]

All members were elected statewide at-large on a general ticket.

Congress and years
Seat A Seat B Seat C Seat D Seat E Seat F Seat G
Rep. Party Electoral history Rep. Party Electoral history Rep. Party Electoral history Rep. Party Electoral history Rep. Party Electoral history Rep. Party Electoral history Rep. Party Electoral history
1st March 4, 1789 –
March 3, 1791

Benjamin Huntington
(Norwich)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1788.
Lost re-election.

Roger Sherman
(New Milford)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1788.
Re-elected in 1790,[1] but instead resigned to become U.S. Senator.
Jonathan Sturges
(Fairfield)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1788.
Re-elected in 1790.
Re-elected in 1792 but declined to serve.

Jonathan Trumbull Jr.
(Lebanon)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1788.
Re-elected in 1790.
Re-elected in 1792.
Re-elected in 1794 but declined to serve when instead elected U.S. Senator.
Jeremiah Wadsworth
(Hartford)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1788.
Initially lost re-election but was re-elected in 1790 to finish the term of Pierpont Edwards (Pro-Administration), who had declined to serve.
Re-elected again in 1790.
Re-elected in 1792.
Retired.
Seat created in 1793. Seat created in 1793.
2nd March 4, 1791 –
March 3, 1793

James Hillhouse
(New Haven)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1790.
Re-elected in 1792.
Re-elected in 1794.
Resigned when elected U.S. Senator.
Amasa Learned
(New London)
Pro-Admin Elected to finish Sherman's term.
Re-elected in 1792.
Retired.
3rd March 4, 1793 –
March 3, 1795
Joshua Coit
(New London)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1792.
Re-elected in 1794.
Re-elected in 1796.
Died.
Zephaniah Swift
(Windham)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1792.
Re-elected in 1794.
Re-elected in 1796 but declined to serve.

Uriah Tracy
(Litchfield)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1792.
Re-elected in 1794.
Resigned when elected U.S. Senator.
4th March 4, 1795 –
April 13, 1795
Federalist
Chauncey Goodrich
(Hartford)
Federalist Elected in 1794.
Re-elected in 1796.
Re-elected in 1798.
Lost re-election.
Federalist Vacant Nathaniel Smith
(Woodbury)
Federalist Elected in 1794.
Elected in 1796.
Lost re-election.
Federalist Federalist
April 13, 1795 –
October 13, 1796
Roger Griswold
(Lyme)
Federalist Elected to finish Trumbull's term.
Re-elected in 1796.
Re-elected in 1798.
Re-elected in 1800.
Re-elected in 1802.
Re-elected in 1804 but resigned.
October 13, 1796 –
December 5, 1796
Vacant
December 5, 1796 –
January 3, 1797
James Davenport
(Stamford)
Federalist Elected to finish Hillhouse's term, having already been elected to the next term, see below.
Elected in 1796.
Died.
January 3, 1797 –
March 3, 1797

Samuel W. Dana
(Middletown)
Federalist Elected to finish Tracy's term.
Re-elected in 1796.
Re-elected in 1798.
Re-elected in 1800.
Re-elected in 1802.
Re-elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Resigned to become U.S. Senator.
5th March 4, 1797 –
August 3, 1797
John Allen
(Litchfield)
Federalist Elected to finish Swift's term.
Retired.
August 3, 1797 –
November 13, 1797
Vacant
November 13, 1797 –
September 5, 1798
William Edmond
(Newtown)
Federalist Elected to finish Davenport's term.
Re-elected in 1798.
Retired.
September 5, 1798 –
December 3, 1798
Vacant
December 3, 1798 –
March 3, 1799
Jonathan Brace
(Hartford)
Federalist Elected in 1798.
Later elected to finish Coit's term.
Resigned.
6th March 4, 1799 –
?
Elizur Goodrich

(New Haven)

Federalist Elected in 1798.
Re-elected in 1800 but declined to serve.

John Davenport
(Stamford)
Elected in 1798.
Re-elected in 1800.
Re-elected in 1802.
Re-elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Retired.
? 1800 –
November 17, 1800
Vacant
November 17, 1800 –
March 3, 1801

John Cotton Smith
(Sharon)
Federalist Elected to finish Brace's term.
Elected in 1800 to the next term.
Re-elected in 1802.
Re-elected in 1804.
Resigned.
7th March 4, 1801 –
May 14, 1801
Vacant Elias Perkins
(New London)
Federalist Elected in 1800.
Re-elected in 1802 but declined to serve.
Vacant
May 14, 1801 –
September 21, 1801
Calvin Goddard
(Plainfield)
Federalist Elected to finish Goodrich's term.
Re-elected in 1802.
Re-elected in 1804 but resigned.
September 21, 1801 –
March 3, 1803

Benjamin Tallmadge
(Litchfield)
Federalist Elected to finish Edmond's term.
Re-elected in 1802.
Re-elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Retired.
8th March 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1805

Simeon Baldwin
(New Haven)
Federalist Elected to finish Perkins's term.
Retired.
9th March 4, 1805 –
?before September 16, 1805
Jonathan O. Moseley
(East Haddam)
Federalist Elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Re-elected in 1816.
Re-elected in 1818 as a Democratic-Republican.
Retired.
?before September 16, 1805 –
September 16, 1805
Vacant Vacant
September 16, 1805 –
August 1806

Timothy Pitkin
(Farmington)
Federalist Elected to finish Griswold's term.
Re-elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Re-elected in 1816.
Retired.
Lewis B. Sturges
(Fairfield)
Federalist Elected to finish Goddard's term.
Re-elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Lost re-election.
August 1806 –
December 1, 1806
Vacant
December 1, 1806 –
March 3, 1807

Theodore Dwight
(Hartford)
Federalist Elected to finish Smith's term.
Retired.
10th March 4, 1807 –
March 3, 1809

Epaphroditus Champion
(East Haddam)
Federalist Elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Lost re-election.
11th March 4, 1809 –
May 10, 1810
May 10, 1810 –
October 11, 1810
Vacant
October 11, 1810 –
March 3, 1811

Ebenezer Huntington
(Norwich)
Federalist Elected September 17, 1810, to finish Dana's term (seated October 11, 1810).
Not also elected to the next term.
12th March 4, 1811 –
March 3, 1813
Lyman Law
(New London)
Federalist Elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Lost re-election.
13th March 4, 1813 –
March 3, 1815
14th March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1817
15th March 4, 1817 –
? 1818

Thomas Scott Williams
(Hartford)
Federalist Elected in 1816.
Retired.
Uriel Holmes
(Litchfield)
Federalist Elected in 1816.
Resigned.
Samuel B. Sherwood
(Saugatuck)
Federalist Elected in 1816.
Retired.

Nathaniel Terry
(Hartford)
Federalist Elected to finish the term of member-elect Charles Dennison, who had declined the seat.
Retired.

Ebenezer Huntington
(Norwich)
Federalist Elected to finish the term of member-elect Sylvanus Backus, who had died.
Retired.
? 1818 –
November 16, 1818
Vacant
November 16, 1818 –
March 3, 1819
Sylvester Gilbert
(Hebron)
Democratic-Republican Elected to finish Holmes's term.
Was not elected to the next term.
16th March 4, 1819 –
March 3, 1821

Gideon Tomlinson
(Fairfield)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1818.
Re-elected in 1821.
Re-elected in 1823.
Re-elected in 1825.
Retired.
Democratic-Republican
Samuel A. Foot
(Cheshire)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1818.
Lost re-election.
John Russ
(Hartford)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1818.
Re-elected in 1821.
Lost re-election.
James Stevens
(Stamford)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1818.
Retired.

Elisha Phelps
(Simsbury)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1818.
Lost re-election.

Henry W. Edwards
(New Haven)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1818.
Re-elected in 1821.
Lost re-election.
17th March 4, 1821 –
March 3, 1823
Ansel Sterling
(Sharon)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1821.
Re-elected in 1823.
Retired.
Daniel Burrows
(Hebron)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1821.
Lost re-election.
Noyes Barber
(Groton)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1821.
Re-elected in 1823.
Re-elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Lost re-election.
Ebenezer Stoddard
(Woodstock)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1821.
Re-elected in 1823.
Retired.
18th March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825

Samuel A. Foot
(Cheshire)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1823.
Lost re-election.
Lemuel Whitman
(Farmington)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1823.
Retired.
Seat eliminated in 1823.
19th March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1827
Anti-Jacksonian John Baldwin
(Windham)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Retired.
Ralph I. Ingersoll
(New Haven)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Retired.
Orange Merwin
(New Milford)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Lost re-election.
Anti-Jacksonian
Elisha Phelps
(Simsbury)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Lost re-election.
20th March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1829
David Plant
(Stratford)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1827.
Retired.
21st March 4, 1829 –
March 3, 1831

William W. Ellsworth
(Hartford)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Resigned.

Jabez W. Huntington
(Litchfield)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Resigned to become judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors.
Ebenezer Young
(Killingly Center)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Lost re-election.
William L. Storrs
(Middletown)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
[data missing]
22nd March 4, 1831 –
March 3, 1833
23rd March 4, 1833 –
May 9, 1834

Samuel A. Foot
(Cheshire)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1833.
Resigned to become Governor of Connecticut.
Samuel Tweedy
(Danbury)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1833.
Lost re-election.
May 9, 1834 –
July 8, 1834
Vacant
July 8, 1834 –
August 16, 1834
Vacant
August 16, 1834 –
December 1, 1834
Vacant
December 1, 1834 –
March 3, 1835

Joseph Trumbull
(Hartford)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected to finish Ellsworth's term.
Lost re-election.
Phineas Miner
(Litchfield)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected to finish Huntington's term.
Retired.
Ebenezer Jackson Jr.
(Middletown)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected to finish Huntington's term.
Lost re-election.
24th March 4, 1835 –
December 10, 1835

Isaac Toucey
(Hartford)
Jacksonian Elected in 1835.
Redistricted to the 1st district.
Samuel Ingham
(Saybrook)
Jacksonian Elected in 1835.
Redistricted to the 2nd district.

Elisha Haley
(Mystic)
Jacksonian Elected in 1835.
Redistricted to the 3rd district.
Zalmon Wildman
(Danbury)
Jacksonian Elected in 1835.
Died.
Lancelot Phelps
(Hitchcockville)
Jacksonian Elected in 1835.
Redistricted to the 5th district.
Andrew T. Judson
(Canterbury)
Jacksonian Elected in 1835.
Resigned to become U.S. District Judge.
December 10, 1835 –
April 29, 1836
Vacant
April 29, 1836 –
July 4, 1836
Thomas T. Whittlesey
(Danbury)
Jacksonian Elected to finish Wildman's term.
Redistricted to the 4th district.
July 4, 1836 –
December 5, 1836
Vacant
December 5, 1836 –
March 3, 1837
Orrin Holt
(Willington)
Jacksonian Elected to finish Judson's term.
Redistricted to the 6th district.

In 1837, Connecticut abandoned general tickets and adopted districts instead.

1903–1913: one seat

[edit]

In 1903, one at-large seat was created, four district seats continued.

Member Party Years Cong
ress(es)
Electoral history
At-large seat created March 4, 1903

George L. Lilley
(Waterbury)
Republican March 4, 1903 –
January 5, 1909
58th
59th
60th
Elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Resigned when elected Governor of Connecticut.
Vacant January 5, 1909 –
March 3, 1909
60th

John Q. Tilson
(New Haven)
Republican March 4, 1909 –
March 3, 1913
61st
62nd
Elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Redistricted to the 3rd district and lost re-election.
At-large seat eliminated March 3, 1913

1933–1965: one seat

[edit]

In 1933, one at-large seat was created, five district seats continued.

Representative Party Years Cong
ress(es)
Electoral history
Charles Montague Bakewell
(New Haven)
Republican March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1935
73rd Elected in 1932.
Lost re-election.

William M. Citron
(Middletown)
Democratic January 3, 1935 –
January 3, 1939
74th
75th
Elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Lost re-election.

B. J. Monkiewicz
(New Britain)
Republican January 3, 1939 –
January 3, 1941
76th Elected in 1938.
Lost re-election.
Lucien J. Maciora
(New Britain)
Democratic January 3, 1941 –
January 3, 1943
77th Elected in 1940.
Lost re-election.

B. J. Monkiewicz
(New Britain)
Republican January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1945
78th Elected in 1942.
Lost re-election.

Joseph F. Ryter
(Hartford)
Democratic January 3, 1945 –
January 3, 1947
79th Elected in 1944.
Lost re-election.

Antoni Sadlak
(Rockville)
Republican January 3, 1947 –
January 3, 1959
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
Elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Lost re-election.

Frank Kowalski
(Meriden)
Democratic January 3, 1959 –
January 3, 1963
86th
87th
Elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

Bernard F. Grabowski
(Bristol)
Democratic January 3, 1963 –
January 3, 1965
88th Elected in 1962.
Redistricted to the 6th district.
At-large district eliminated

References

[edit]
  • "Our Campaigns - United States - Connecticut - CT At-Large". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
  • Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
  1. ^ "Connecticut 1790 U.S. House of Representatives". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 4, 2018., citing The Connecticut Gazette (New London, CT). October 22, 1790.