List of the oldest living members of the United States House of Representatives

From Oldests and Lasts
Revision as of 21:37, 16 November 2021 by Chilean way (talk | contribs) (→‎Current: Larry Hopkins)
Jump to navigation Jump to search


This is a list of people who, at the time of their death, were the oldest sitting or former members of the United States House of Representatives, followed by a list of the currently oldest living sitting or former representatives.

Historical

This is a list of the people who, at the time of their death, were the oldest surviving members of the United States House of Representatives.

Begin date End date Representative Date of birth House term State served Party Age (years, days)
March 4, 1789 July 23, 1793 Roger Sherman April 19, 1721 1789–1791 Connecticut Pro-Administration 72 years, 95 days
July 23, 1793 September 15, 1794 Abraham Clark February 15, 1726 1791–1794 New Jersey Pro-Administration 68 years, 212 days
September 15, 1794 December 10, 1796 Israel Jacobs June 9, 1726 1791–1793 Pennsylvania Pro-Administration 70 years, 184 days
December 10, 1796 October 28, 1800 Artemas Ward November 26, 1727 1791–1795 Massachusetts Pro-Administration 72 years, 335 days
October 28, 1800 March 27, 1814 William Smith April 12, 1728 1789–1791 Maryland Anti-Administration 85 years, 349 days
March 27, 1814 July 26, 1819 George Leonard July 4, 1729 1789–1793

1795–1797

Massachusetts Pro-Administration

Federalist

90 years, 22 days
July 26, 1819 June 1, 1832 Thomas Sumter August 14, 1734 1789–1793

1797–1801

South Carolina Anti-Administration

Democratic-Republican

97 years, 292 days
June 1, 1832 March 7, 1838 Paine Wingate May 14, 1739 1793–1795 New Hampshire Pro-Administration 98 years, 297 days
March 7, 1838 May 22, 1842 Henry Southard October 7, 1747 1801–1811

1815–1821

New Jersey Democratic-Republican 94 years, 227 days
May 22, 1842 October 18, 1843 Ebenezer Elmer August 23, 1752 1801–1807 New Jersey Democratic-Republican 91 years, 56 days
October 18, 1843 March 6, 1844 Gabriel Duvall December 6, 1752 1794–1796 Maryland Anti-Administration

Democratic-Republican

91 years, 91 days
March 6, 1844 March 23, 1846 Laban Wheaton March 13, 1754 1809–1817 Massachusetts Federalist 92 years, 10 days
March 23, 1846 January 20, 1849 Nathan Read July 2, 1759 1800–1803 Massachusetts Federalist 89 years, 202 days
January 20, 1849 May 26, 1851 Simeon Baldwin December 14, 1761 1803–1805 Connecticut Federalist 89 years, 163 days
May 26, 1851 March 29, 1855 John Locke February 14, 1764 1823–1829 Massachusetts Adams Republican 91 years, 43 days
March 29, 1855 April 8, 1857 Alexander Boyd September 14, 1764 1813–1815 New York Federalist 92 years, 206 days
April 8, 1857 January 23, 1858 Daniel Burrows October 26, 1766 1821–1823 Connecticut Democratic-Republican 91 years, 89 days
January 23, 1858 August 3, 1863 Zadock Cook February 18, 1769 1816–1819 Georgia Democratic-Republican 94 years, 166 days
August 3, 1863 July 1, 1864 Josiah Quincy III February 4, 1772 1805–1813 Massachusetts Federalist 92 years, 148 days
July 1, 1864 January 2, 1866 Thomas Chandler August 10, 1772 1829–1833 New Hampshire Jacksonian 93 years, 145 days
January 2, 1866 April 1, 1868 James Parker March 1, 1776 1833–1837 New Jersey Jacksonian 92 years, 31 days
April 1, 1868 July 1, 1868 Samuel Tweedy March 8, 1776 1833–1835 Connecticut Anti-Jacksonian 92 years, 115 days
July 1, 1868 July 18, 1872 Samuel Thatcher July 1, 1776 1802–1805 Massachusetts Federalist 96 years, 17 days
July 18, 1872 August 12, 1875 Horace Binney January 4, 1780 1833–1835 Pennsylvania Anti-Jacksonian 95 years, 220 days
August 12, 1875 February 16, 1880 Daniel Sheffer May 24, 1783 1837–1839 Pennsylvania Democratic 96 years, 268 days
February 16, 1880 September 22, 1881 John Alfred Cuthbert June 3, 1788 1819–1821 Georgia Democratic-Republican 93 years, 111 days
September 22, 1881 February 7, 1885 Joseph Grinnell November 17, 1788 1843–1851 Massachusetts Whig 96 years, 82 days
February 7, 1885 August 8, 1885 James Garland June 6, 1791 1835–1841 Virginia Jacksonian

Democratic Conservative

94 years, 63 days
August 8, 1885 May 7, 1886 David Fisher December 3, 1794 1847–1849 Ohio Whig 91 years, 155 days
May 7, 1886 January 9, 1887 Elijah Babbitt July 29, 1795 1859–1863 Pennsylvania Republican 91 years, 164 days
January 9, 1887 June 9, 1887 John Hoge Ewing October 8, 1796 1845–1847 Pennsylvania Whig 90 years, 244 days
June 9, 1887 July 26, 1891 Paul Dillingham August 10, 1799 1843–1847 Vermont Democratic 91 years, 350 days
July 26, 1891 May 9, 1892 Sidney Lawrence December 31, 1801 1847–1849 New York Democratic 90 years, 130 days
May 9, 1892 June 11, 1894 John T. Andrews May 29, 1803 1837–1839 New York Democratic 91 years, 13 days
June 11, 1894 February 12, 1896 Emery D. Potter October 7, 1804 1843–1845

1849–1851

Ohio Democratic 91 years, 128 days
February 12, 1896 January 12, 1897 John W. Crisfield November 8, 1806 1847–1849

1861–1863

Maryland Whig

Unionist

90 years, 65 days
January 12, 1897 April 16, 1900 John W. Hunter October 15, 1807 1866–1867 New York Democratic 92 years, 183 days
April 16, 1900 March 18, 1902 Daniel Wells, Jr. July 16, 1808 1853–1857 Wisconsin Democratic 93 years, 245 days
March 18, 1902 April 24, 1902 Edwin Hickman Ewing December 2, 1809 1845–1847 Tennessee Whig 92 years, 143 days
April 24, 1902 March 8, 1903 Martin I. Townsend February 6, 1810 1875–1879 New York Republican 93 years, 30 days
March 8, 1903 March 27, 1908 Ephraim R. Eckley December 9, 1811 1863–1869 Ohio Republican 96 years, 109 days
March 27, 1908 September 18, 1910 James McGrew September 14, 1813 1869–1873 West Virginia Republican 97 years, 4 days
September 18, 1910 March 14, 1911 John H. Rice February 5, 1816 1861–1867 Maine Republican 95 years, 37 days
March 14, 1911 October 3, 1911 John Morgan Bright January 20, 1817 1871–1881 Tennessee Democratic 94 years, 256 days
October 3, 1911 March 12, 1916 George William Palmer January 13, 1818 1857–1861 New York Republican 98 years, 59 days
March 12, 1916 November 3, 1924 Cornelius Cole September 17, 1822 1863–1865 California Republican 102 years, 47 days
November 3, 1924 February 28, 1926 William W. Crapo May 16, 1830 1875–1883 Massachusetts Republican 95 years, 288 days
February 28, 1926 January 6, 1929 John H. Lewis July 21, 1830 1881–1883 Illinois Republican 98 years, 169 days
January 6, 1929 April 22, 1932 J. Warren Keifer January 30, 1836 1877–1885

1905–1911

Ohio Republican 96 years, 83 days
April 22, 1932 May 25, 1938 Henry R. Gibson December 24, 1837 1895–1905 Tennessee Republican 100 years, 152 days
May 25, 1938 September 8, 1938 George Frederic Kribbs November 8, 1846 1891–1895 Pennsylvania Democratic 91 years, 304 days
September 8, 1938 December 18, 1946 Lemuel W. Royse January 19, 1847 1895–1899 Indiana Republican 99 years, 333 days
December 18, 1946 June 10, 1947 Addison James February 27, 1850 1907–1909 Kentucky Republican 97 years, 103 days
June 10, 1947 February 25, 1948 Amos R. Webber January 21, 1852 1904–1907 Ohio Republican 96 years, 35 days
February 25, 1948 September 10, 1949 John E. Weeks June 14, 1853 1931–1933 Vermont Republican 96 years, 88 days
September 10, 1949 April 1, 1953 Schuyler Merritt December 16, 1853 1917–1931

1933–1937

Connecticut Republican 99 years, 106 days
April 1, 1953 July 27, 1954 Joseph E. Ransdell October 7, 1858 1899–1913 Louisiana Democratic 95 years, 293 days
July 27, 1954 May 12, 1956 Franklin Menges October 26, 1858 1925–1931 Pennsylvania Republican 97 years, 199 days
May 12, 1956 July 5, 1956 Addison T. Smith September 5, 1862 1913–1933 Idaho Republican 93 years, 304 days
July 5, 1956 January 17, 1958 Michael Donohoe February 22, 1864 1911–1915 Pennsylvania Democratic 93 years, 329 days
January 17, 1958 April 29, 1958 Warren A. Haggott May 18, 1864 1907–1909 Colorado Republican 93 years, 346 days
April 29, 1958 February 22, 1960 Townsend Scudder July 26, 1865 1899–1901

1903–1905

New York Democratic 94 years, 211 days
February 22, 1960 October 11, 1960 Daniel K. Hoch January 31, 1866 1943–1947 Pennsylvania Democratic 94 years, 254 days
October 11, 1960 September 12, 1963 Charles Nelson Pray April 6, 1868 1907–1913 Montana Republican 95 years, 159 days
September 12, 1963 November 7, 1967 John Nance Garner November 22, 1868 1903–1933 Texas Democratic 98 years, 350 days
November 7, 1967 July 12, 1971 Earl Hanley Beshlin April 28, 1870 1917–1919 Pennsylvania Democratic 101 years, 75 days
July 12, 1971 January 6, 1973 Maurice Thatcher August 15, 1870 1923–1933 Kentucky Republican 102 years, 144 days
January 6, 1973 January 10, 1974 Charles G. Bond May 29, 1877 1921–1923 New York Republican 96 years, 226 days
January 10, 1974 January 9, 1975 Virginia E. Jenckes November 6, 1877 1933–1939 Indiana Democratic 97 years, 64 days
January 9, 1975 March 4, 1977 Miles C. Allgood February 22, 1878 1923–1935 Alabama Democratic 99 years, 10 days
March 4, 1977 December 27, 1980 Charles S. Dewey November 10, 1880 1941–1945 Illinois Republican 100 years, 47 days
December 27, 1980 June 1, 1981 Carl Vinson November 18, 1883 1914–1965 Georgia Democratic 97 years, 195 days
June 1, 1981 November 2, 1989 Elizabeth Hawley Gasque February 26, 1886 1938–1939 South Carolina Democratic 103 years, 249 days
November 2, 1989 January 18, 1991 Hamilton Fish III December 7, 1888 1920–1945 New York Republican 102 years, 42 days
January 18, 1991 April 3, 1993 Peter J. De Muth January 1, 1892 1937–1939 Pennsylvania Democratic 101 years, 92 days
April 3, 1993 May 29, 1995 Margaret Chase Smith December 14, 1897 1940–1949 Maine Republican 97 years, 166 days
May 29, 1995 May 15, 1996 Newt V. Mills September 27, 1899 1937–1943 Louisiana Democratic 96 years, 231 days
May 15, 1996 January 4, 1997 Harry P. Jeffrey December 26, 1901 1943–1945 Ohio Republican 95 years, 9 days
January 4, 1997 May 8, 1998 Jennings Randolph March 8, 1902 1933–1947 West Virginia Democratic 96 years, 61 days
May 8, 1998 April 1, 1999 Ellis Yarnal Berry October 6, 1902 1951–1971 South Dakota Republican 96 years, 177 days
April 1, 1999 October 5, 2001 Mike Mansfield March 16, 1903 1943–1953 Montana Democratic 98 years, 203 days
October 5, 2001 March 11, 2003 John G. Dow May 6, 1905 1965–1969

1971–1973

New York Democratic 97 years, 309 days
March 11, 2003 November 10, 2007 Augustus F. Hawkins August 31, 1907 1963–1991 California Democratic 100 years, 71 days
November 10, 2007 September 25, 2008 Glenn Andrews January 15, 1909 1965–1967 Alabama Republican 99 years, 254 days
September 25, 2008 November 4, 2009 William H. Avery August 11, 1911 1955–1965 Kansas Republican 98 years, 85 days
November 4, 2009 January 8, 2011 William F. Walsh July 11, 1912 1973–1979 New York Republican–Conservative 98 years, 181 days
January 8, 2011 October 25, 2011 Perkins Bass October 6, 1912 1955–1963 New Hampshire Republican 99 years, 19 days
October 25, 2011 December 10, 2016 Ken Hechler September 20, 1914 1959–1977 West Virginia Democratic 102 years, 81 days
December 10, 2016 February 19, 2017 John S. Wold August 31, 1916 1969–1971 Wyoming Republican 100 years, 172 days
February 19, 2017 October 30, 2017 James D. Martin September 1, 1918 1965–1967 Alabama Republican 99 years, 59 days
October 30, 2017 May 11, 2021 Lester L. Wolff January 4, 1919 1965–1981 New York Democratic 102 years, 127 days
May 11, 2021 November 2, 2021 Neal Edward Smith March 23, 1920 1959–1995 Iowa Democratic 101 years, 220 days
November 2, 2021 Present Bob Dole July 22, 1923 1961-1969 Kansas Republican 100 years, 250 days

Current

This is a list of the oldest currently living former and current members of the United States House of Representatives. The list includes some politicians who were also Senators.

Key
Currently serving
Rank Representative Date of birth House term State served Party Age (years & days)
1 Bob Dole July 22, 1923 1961–1969 Kansas Republican 100 years, 250 days
2 Al Quie September 18, 1923 1958–1979 Minnesota Republican/Independent-Republican 98 years, 45 days
3 Frank Joseph Guarini August 20, 1924 1979–1993 New Jersey Democratic 97 years, 37 days
4 Merwin Coad September 28, 1924 1957–1963 Iowa Democratic 96 years, 363 days
5 Fletcher Thompson February 5, 1925 1967–1973 Georgia Republican 96 years, 233 days
6 G. William Whitehurst March 12, 1925 1969–1987 Virginia Republican 96 years, 198 days
7 Lucien Nedzi May 28, 1925 1961–1981 Michigan Democratic 96 years, 121 days
8 J. Roy Rowland February 3, 1926 1983–1995 Georgia Democratic 95 years, 235 days
9 Elwood Hillis March 6, 1926 1971–1987 Indiana Republican 95 years, 204 days
10 Carrie P. Meek April 29, 1926 1993–2003 Florida Democratic 95 years, 150 days
11 Roscoe Bartlett June 3, 1926 1993–2013 Maryland Republican 95 years, 115 days
12 Philip Ruppe September 29, 1926 1967–1979 Michigan Republican 94 years, 362 days
13 Benjamin B. Blackburn February 14, 1927 1967–1975 Georgia Republican 94 years, 224 days
14 Arthur Ravenel Jr. March 29, 1927 1987–1995 South Carolina Republican 94 years, 181 days
15 Austin Murphy June 17, 1927 1977–1995 Pennsylvania Democratic 94 years, 101 days
16 Bud Brown June 18, 1927 1965–1983 Ohio Republican 94 years, 100 days
17 Jim Broyhill August 19, 1927 1963–1986 North Carolina Republican 94 years, 38 days
18 James W. Symington September 28, 1927 1969–1977 Missouri Democratic 93 years, 363 days
19 Pete McCloskey September 29, 1927 1967–1983 California Republican 93 years, 362 days
20 Bill Archer March 22, 1928 1971–2001 Texas Republican 93 years, 188 days
21 Nick Galifianakis July 22, 1928 1967–1973 North Carolina Democratic 93 years, 66 days
22 William S. Conover August 27, 1928 1972–1973 Pennsylvania Republican 93 years, 30 days
23 Bill Gradison December 28, 1928 1975–1993 Ohio Republican 92 years, 272 days
24 Richard Ottinger January 27, 1929 1965–1971

1975–1985

New York Democratic 92 years, 242 days
25 James L. Nelligan February 14, 1929 1981–1983 Pennsylvania Republican 92 years, 224 days
26 Richard T. Schulze August 7, 1929 1975–1993 Pennsylvania Republican 92 years, 50 days
27 Louis A. Bafalis September 28, 1929 1973–1983 Florida Republican 91 years, 363 days
28 Esteban Edward Torres January 27, 1930 1983–1999 California Democratic 91 years, 242 days
29 George Gekas April 14, 1930 1983–2003 Pennsylvania Republican 91 years, 165 days
30 Pat Saiki May 28, 1930 1987–1991 Hawaii Republican 91 years, 121 days
31 James Paul Johnson June 2, 1930 1973–1981 Colorado Republican 91 years, 116 days
32 Charles Rangel June 11, 1930 1971–2017 New York Democratic 91 years, 107 days
33 Herb Klein June 24, 1930 1993–1995 New Jersey Democratic 91 years, 94 days
34 Michael Bilirakis July 16, 1930 1983–2007 Florida Republican 91 years, 72 days
35 Martha Keys August 10, 1930 1975–1979 Kansas Democratic 91 years, 47 days
36 Andy Ireland August 23, 1930 1977–1993 Florida Democratic/Republican 91 years, 34 days
37 Alec G. Olson September 11, 1930 1963–1967 Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor 91 years, 15 days
38 Elliott H. Levitas December 26, 1930 1975–1985 Georgia Democratic 90 years, 274 days
39 Edward G. Biester Jr. January 5, 1931 1967–1977 Pennsylvania Republican 90 years, 264 days
40 Ron Packard January 19, 1931 1983–2001 California Republican 90 years, 250 days
41 Connie Morella February 12, 1931 1987–2003 Maryland Republican 90 years, 226 days
42 James Abourezk February 24, 1931 1971–1973 South Dakota Democratic 90 years, 214 days
43 Arlen Erdahl February 27, 1931 1979–1983 Minnesota Independent-Republican 90 years, 211 days
44 John E. Cunningham March 27, 1931 1977–1979 Washington Republican 90 years, 183 days
45 Lee H. Hamilton April 20, 1931 1965–1999 Indiana Democratic 90 years, 159 days
46 Bill Clay April 30, 1931 1969–2001 Missouri Democratic 90 years, 149 days
47 Lowell Weicker May 16, 1931 1969–1971 Connecticut Republican 90 years, 133 days
48 Ed Weber July 26, 1931 1981–1983 Ohio Republican 90 years, 62 days
49 Sander Levin September 6, 1931 1983–2019 Michigan Democratic 90 years, 20 days
50 Thomas B. Evans Jr. November 5, 1931 1977–1983 Delaware Republican 89 years, 325 days
51 Norman Mineta November 12, 1931 1975–1995 California Democratic 89 years, 318 days
52 Jolene Unsoeld December 3, 1931 1989–1995 Washington Democratic 89 years, 297 days
53 Bud Shuster January 23, 1932 1973–2001 Pennsylvania Republican 89 years, 246 days
54 Thomas J. Bliley Jr. January 28, 1932 1981–2001 Virginia Republican 89 years, 241 days
55 James V. Stanton February 27, 1932 1971–1977 Ohio Democratic 89 years, 211 days
56 Andrew Young March 12, 1932 1973–1977 Georgia Democratic 89 years, 197 days
57 Alex McMillan May 9, 1932 1985–1995 North Carolina Republican 89 years, 140 days
58 Harold Vernon Froehlich May 12, 1932 1973–1975 Wisconsin Republican 89 years, 137 days
59 Jack H. McDonald June 28, 1932 1967–1973 Michigan Republican 89 years, 90 days
60 Beverly Byron July 27, 1932 1979–1993 Maryland Democratic 89 years, 61 days
61 Yvonne Brathwaite Burke October 5, 1932 1973–1979 California Democratic 88 years, 356 days
62 David R. Bowen October 21, 1932 1973–1983 Mississippi Democratic 88 years, 340 days
63 Romano Mazzoli November 2, 1932 1971–1995 Kentucky Democratic 88 years, 328 days
64 John L. Burton December 15, 1932 1974–1983 California Democratic 88 years, 285 days
65 Buddy MacKay March 22, 1933 1983–1989 Florida Democratic 88 years, 188 days
66 Bob Dornan April 3, 1933 1977–1983

1985–1997

California Republican 88 years, 176 days
67 Jim Gardner April 8, 1933 1967–1969 North Carolina Republican 88 years, 171 days
68 Ben Nighthorse Campbell April 13, 1933 1987–1993 Colorado Democratic 88 years, 166 days
69 Sid Morrison May 13, 1933 1981–1993 Washington Republican 88 years, 136 days
70 Don Young June 9, 1933 1973–present Alaska Republican 88 years, 109 days
71 Gary A. Lee August 18, 1933 1979–1983 New York Republican 88 years, 39 days
72 Don Fuqua August 20, 1933 1963–1987 Florida Democratic 88 years, 37 days
73 Ken Lucas August 22, 1933 1999–2005 Kentucky Democratic 88 years, 35 days
74 Chuck Grassley September 17, 1933 1975–1981 Iowa Republican 88 years, 9 days
75 Diane Watson November 12, 1933 2001–2011 California Democratic 87 years, 318 days
76 William P. Curlin Jr. November 30, 1933 1971–1973 Kentucky Democratic 87 years, 300 days
77 Ed Foreman December 22, 1933 1963–1965

1969–1971

Texas

New Mexico

Republican 87 years, 278 days
78 Pat Danner January 13, 1934 1993–2001 Missouri Democratic 87 years, 256 days
79 William Vollie Alexander Jr. January 16, 1934 1969–1993 Arkansas Democratic 87 years, 253 days
80 Ronald M. Mottl February 6, 1934 1975–1983 Ohio Democratic 87 years, 232 days
81 Buddy Leach March 30, 1934 1979–1981 Louisiana Democratic 87 years, 180 days
82 Richard Shelby May 6, 1934 1979–1987 Alabama Democratic 87 years, 143 days
83 Bill Gunter July 16, 1934 1973–1975 Florida Democratic 87 years, 72 days
84 Edolphus Towns July 21, 1934 1983–2013 New York Democratic 87 years, 67 days
85 Norman D. Shumway July 28, 1934 1979–1991 California Republican 87 years, 60 days
86 David Pryor August 29, 1934 1966–1973 Arkansas Democratic 87 years, 28 days
87 Eva Clayton September 16, 1934 1992–2003 North Carolina Democratic 87 years, 10 days
88 Jean Spencer Ashbrook September 21, 1934 1982–1983 Ohio Republican 87 years, 5 days
89 Jerry M. Patterson October 25, 1934 1975–1985 California Democratic 86 years, 336 days
90 Joseph E. Brennan November 2, 1934 1987–1991 Maine Democratic 86 years, 328 days
91 Nick Smith November 5, 1934 1993–2005 Michigan Republican 86 years, 325 days
92 Stephen L. Neal November 7, 1934 1975–1995 North Carolina Democratic 86 years, 323 days
93 Jim Inhofe November 17, 1934 1987–1994 Oklahoma Republican 86 years, 313 days
94 Ronald A. Sarasin December 31, 1934 1973–1979 Connecticut Republican 86 years, 269 days
95 Nancy Johnson January 5, 1935 1983–2007 Connecticut Republican 86 years, 264 days
96 John G. Hutchinson February 4, 1935 1980–1981 West Virginia Democratic 86 years, 234 days