Market1860–61 United States House of Representatives elections
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1860–61 United States House of Representatives elections

The 1860–61 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between August 6, 1860, and October 24, 1861, before or after the first session of the 37th United States Congress convened on July 4, 1861. The number of House seats initially increased to 239 when California was apportioned an extra one, but these elections were affected by the outbreak of the American Civil War and resulted in over 56 vacancies.

Election summaries
California was apportioned one additional seat for the 37th Congress, increasing the total seats to 239. Representatives from seceding states overwhelmingly were Democrats. Withdrawal of these Representatives boosted Republican House control. Some seceding states held Federal elections, but seceded before the elected Representatives served. Other seceding states held no Federal elections. Maps File:37th Congress Results by vote share.svg|District results by vote share == Special elections ==
Special elections
There were special elections in 1860–61 during the 36th United States Congress and 37th United States Congress. 36th Congress John R. Barret (Democratic) 50.27% • Francis P. Blair Jr. (Republican) 49.70% • Albert Todd (American) 0.02% }} • Jacob K. McKenty (Democratic) 56.19% • James McKnight (Republican) 43.81% }} • Stephen Coburn (Republican) 65.86% • Joseph D. Brown (Democratic) 14.47% • Joseph Chase (Breckinridge Democratic) 14.92%}} • Edwin R. Reynolds (Republican) 59.02% • Linus J. Peck (Democratic) 39.09% • James L. Bowen (Breckinridge Democratic) 1.89% }} 37th Congress Richard A. Harrison (Union) 52.65% • Aaron Harlan (Democratic) 47.35% }} • Samuel T. Worcester (Republican) 55.85% • William McLaughlin (Democratic) 44.15% }} • Benjamin Thomas (Union) 90.80% • Eleazar Beal (Unknown) 9.2% }} • Hendrick B. Wright (Democratic, Union) 67.82% • David R. Randall (Independent) 32.18 }} • Charles J. Biddle (Union Democratic) 51.59% • Charles O'Neill (People's) 48.41% }} • James F. Wilson (Republican) 56.66% • Jairus Edward Neal (Democratic) 40.94% • Scattering 2.40% }} • Jacob B. Blair (Union) • Frost (Unknown) • Haywood (Unknown) • Incomplete data }} • Samuel Hooper (Republican) 56.14% • George B. Upton (Democratic) 43.86% }} • Anthony L. Knapp (Democratic) 97.92% • Scattering 2.08% }} • William A. Hall (Democratic) 96.79% • M. C. Hawkins (Unknown) 2.29% • Scattering 0.91% }} ==Background==
Background
Secession Fifty-six seats were vacant when the 37th Congress met on July 4, 1861, as a result of the secession of the Confederacy. Three states which later joined the Confederacy—Arkansas, Florida, and South Carolina—chose members before the presidential election, electing seven Democrats and two independents, who subsequently declined to take their seats. In addition, several districts in Tennessee and Virginia elected Unionist members who were seated along with the incoming class of House members. These were the only congressional elections held south of the border states prior to the start of the 37th Congress. Since the states not holding elections had many strong Democratic districts – in the previous 36th Congress their Representatives included a total of 46 Democrats, 14 Oppositionists, five independents, and one member of the American Party – when Congress was called into session on July 4, 1861 (five months earlier than usual at the time) the size of the Democratic House caucus had been drastically reduced, resulting in a huge Republican majority. Of the 183 seats, 102 were held by Republicans, 45 by Democrats, 23 by Unionists, and five others by one party each. There were several vacancies, and California had not held its election when Congress assembled. End of a Congressional era In 1860, Lincoln's campaign brought the Republicans the Presidency. Likewise, the congressional elections also marked the transition from one major era of political parties to another. In just six years, over the course of the 35th, 36th–37th Congresses, a complete reversal of party fortunes swamped the Democrats. switches Stephen A. Douglas as Uncle Sam looks on approvingly. Early returns in Maine, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana showed good prospects for Republicans in the upcoming federal elections Elections for Congress were held from August 1860 to June 1861. They were held before, during and after the pre-determined Presidential campaign. And they were held before, during and after the secessionist campaigns in various states as they were reported throughout the country. Political conditions varied hugely from time to time during the course of congressional selection, but they had been shifting to a considerable extent in the years running up to the crisis. In the 1856 elections, the Democrats had taken the Presidency for the sixth time in the last 40 years, with James Buchanan's victory over John C. Fremont and Millard Fillmore. They held almost a two-thirds majority in both the US House and Senate. Democrats held onto the Senate during the midterm elections, but the four opposition parties then amounted to two-thirds of the House. The congressional elections in 1860 transformed Democratic fortunes: Republican and Unionist candidates won a two-thirds majority in both House and Senate. After the secessionist withdrawal, resignation and expulsion, the Democrats would have less than 25% of the House for the 37th Congress, and that minority divided further between pro-war (Stephen Douglas), and anti-war (Clement Vallandigham) factions. == Results by region ==
Results by region
The politics of these elections were distinctive in every region of the country. The more conventional listing of Members in their state delegations, alphabetically by state, can be found in the 37th Congress article. Each Region below lists the states composing it using Freehling's descriptions from 1860. The Representative's biographies are linked at their names. Each congressional district has a link, named by its state abbreviation and its assigned number or noted At-large election. In a time before the Census Department published aggregate population data by congressional district, the reader may have ready access to census data identifying the makeup of those each district by referring to their respective articles. The articles use different formats. The constituent counties of congressional districts are sometimes listed in a content heading "List of representatives" within tables. These tables have a column naming the District's counties for each election, such as (a) "District Area" for Massachusetts, or (b) "Area" for Illinois and Maryland. Virginia uses "Historical composition of the district" to describe composition at each reapportionment. Pennsylvania notes the home county of the elected representative, sometimes holding the largest population for respective districts. Minnesota makes a geographical allusion for its 1st District applicable to the 37th Congress. Michigan uses "History" since 1852 for its 4th district. In some states, previous district composition is not described. New England ::ConnecticutMaineMassachusettsNew HampshireRhode IslandVermont The twenty-nine seats in the House among these six states are divided 24 Republican, two Union one Constitutional Union, and two Democratic. The region is important nationally in manufacturing and intellectually as the center of literature, Transcendentalism and the abolition movement. North Central ::New JerseyNew York The 38 Representatives from this region would seat 25 Republicans and thirteen Democrats. This region had the closest commercial and social ties to the South due to its sea-going commerce and trans-shipping cotton to local textile plants and for export. Border North ::IllinoisIndianaMichiganOhioPennsylvaniaWisconsin The 73 seats in this region were split 50 Republican, 23 Democratic. Illinois is the only state here with more Democrats than Republicans. These are free-soil states, north of the Mason–Dixon line. These states had either abolished slavery, or Congress had forbidden it in their Territory, and they had forbidden it at the beginning of their statehood. Border South and Middle South ::DelawareKentuckyMarylandMissouriTennesseeVirginia Of the 47 Representatives in these six states, 24 are Union Party, 1 Constitutional Union, 6 Democratic,– would be vacant in Virginia and Tennessee. These were "slaveholding" states, all south of the Mason–Dixon line. The border south states had less than 2% to more than 19% of their 1860 population held as slaves, with an average of 13%; middle south states ranged from 25 to 33% slaves, with an average of 29%. (Deep South 43–57%, except Texas, with 30%.) Eight seats in Virginia and seven seats in Tennessee represented large numbers of citizens resisting the Lincoln administration of the United States government during the Civil War. They were declared vacant in 37th Congress documents. Trans-Mississippi West ::CaliforniaIowaKansasMinnesotaOregonNon-voting members West of the Mississippi, there were 16 Representatives from states, and 9 Delegates from territories. The states elected nine Republicans and one Democrat. The Territories elected four Republicans, one Democrat and two Independents. When California entered the Union, it broke the free soil - slave state tie in the Senate. Minnesota, and Oregon followed as free-soil states. Once Congress was depleted of the secessionist Democrats, the lame-duck 36th Congress admitted Kansas as a free state in January 1861, in time for it to send a Representative to the 37th Congress in March. The Republican Congress elected in 1860 began funding the transcontinental railroad, in July 1862. Nevada was admitted before the end of the Civil War in the next, 38th, Congress. Vacant state delegations AlabamaArkansasFloridaGeorgiaLouisianaMississippiNorth CarolinaSouth CarolinaTexas Forty-three seats represented large numbers of citizens in nine states resisting the Lincoln administration of the United States government during the Civil War. The following state delegations were entirely vacated. Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia are accounted for in the "Border South and Middle South" section. == Alabama ==
Alabama
Alabama did not elect members to the House. == Arkansas ==
Arkansas
Arkansas elected its members on August 6, 1860. Elected representatives were unable to take seats as Congress convened after the state had already seceded. • Thomas C. Hindman (Democratic) 67.40% • Jesse N. Cypert (Independent) 32.60% }} • Edward W. Gantt (Independent) 54.38% • Charles B. Mitchel (Democratic) 42.69% • James A. Jones (Independent) 2.92% }} == California ==
California
From statehood to 1864, California's representatives were elected at large, with the top two vote-getters winning the election from 1849 to 1858. In the 1860 census, California gained a seat in the House. California elected its members on September 4, 1861, after the first session of the new Congress began. The top three vote-getters were elected, but only the top two were seated at the beginning of the session. When Congress later authorized California the third seat, Frederick Low was seated June 3, 1862. • Timothy Guy Phelps (Republican) 16% • Aaron A. Sargent (Republican) 15.7% • Frederick Low (Republican) 12.1% • Henry Edgerton (Union Democratic) 11% • Joseph C. McKibben (Union Democratic) 11% • Frank Ganahl (Breckinridge Democratic) 9.8% • Henry P. Barber (Breckinridge Democratic) 9.8% • D. O. Shattuck (Breckinridge Democratic) 7.5% • John R. Gitchell (Union Democratic) 7% }} == Colorado Territory ==
Colorado Territory
See non-voting delegates, below. == Connecticut ==
Connecticut
Connecticut elected its members on April 1, 1861, after the new term began but before Congress convened. Data comes from the State of Connecticut Elections Database. Candidates with less than 5 have been grouped into others. Dubin does not mention any other votes beyond the top two candidates but provides the same numbers. Dubin also lists the Republicans as Unionists. Following the party affiliation listed on the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. • Dwight Loomis (Republican) 50.3% • Alvan P. Hyde (Democratic) 49.6% • Others <0.01 }} • James E. English (Democratic) 52.3% • John Woodruff (Republican) 47.7% • Others <0.01 }} • Alfred A. Burnham (Republican) 57.2% • Rufus L. Baker (Democratic) 42.8% • Others <0.01 }} • George C. Woodruff (Democratic) 50.2% • Orris S. Ferry (Republican) 49.8% • Others <0.01 }} == Dakota Territory ==
Dakota Territory
See non-voting delegates, below. == Delaware ==
Delaware
Delaware elected its member on November 6, 1860 Election Day. • George P. Fisher (People's) 48.39% • Benjamin T. Biggs (Breckinridge Democratic) 46.85% • Elias Reed (Douglas Democratic) 4.76% }} == Florida ==
Florida
Florida elected its member on October 1, 1860. Hilton never took his seat as Congress convened after the state had already seceded. • Robert Benjamin Hilton (Democratic) 59.89% • B. F. Allen (Opposition) 40.11% }} == Georgia ==
Georgia
Georgia did not elect members to the House. == Illinois ==
Illinois
Illinois elected its members on November 6, 1860 Election Day. • Elihu B. Washburne (Republican) 70.59% • Theodore A. C. Beard (Democratic) 29.41% }} • Isaac N. Arnold (Republican) 64.53% • Augustus N. Herrington (Democratic) 35.47% }} • Owen Lovejoy (Republican) 61.1% • Robert N. Murray (Democratic) 38.9% }} • William Kellogg (Republican) 54.65% • Robert G. Ingersoll (Democratic) 45.35% }} • William A. Richardson (Democratic) 53.58% • Benjamin M. Prentiss (Republican) 46.42% }} • John A. McClernand (Democratic) 56.62% • Henry Case (Republican) 43.38% }} • James C. Robinson (Democratic) 54.07% • James T. Cunningham (Republican) 45.93% }} • Philip B. Fouke (Democratic) 55.48% • Joseph Gillespie (Republican) 44.52% }} • John A. Logan (Democratic) 79.54% • David T. Linegar (Independent) 19.85% }} == Indiana ==
Indiana
Indiana elected its members on October 9, 1860. • John Law (Democratic) 55.67% • Lemuel Q. Debruler (Republican) 44.33% }} • James A. Cravens (Democratic) 51.28% • John S. Davis (Republican) 48.72% }} • William M. Dunn (Republican) 54.54% • William Mitchel Daily (Democratic) 45.46% }} • William S. Holman (Democratic) 51.22% • James L. Yater (Republican) 48.78% }} • George W. Julian (Republican) 62.00% • William A. Bickle (Democratic) 38.00% }} • Albert G. Porter (Republican) 52.29% • Robert L. Walpole (Democratic) 47.71% }} • Daniel W. Voorhees (Democratic) 51.46% • Thomas H. Nelson (Republican) 47.28% • James A. Scott (Independent) 1.26% }} • Albert S. White (Republican) 53.67% • Samuel C. Wilson (Democratic) 46.33% }} • Schuyler Colfax (Republican) 55.71% • Charles W. Cathcart (Democratic) 44.29% }} • William Mitchell (Republican) 55.62% • Philip M. Henkle (Democratic) 44.38% }} • John P. C. Shanks (Republican) 54.08% • Asbury Steele (Democratic) 45.92% }} == Iowa ==
Iowa
Iowa elected its members on October 9, 1860. • Samuel R. Curtis (Republican) 52.88% • C. C. Cole (Democratic) 47.12% }} • William Vandever (Republican) 57.50% • Ben M. Samuels (Democratic) 42.50% }} == Kansas ==
Kansas
There are no records of an election being held for the 37th Congress. It's mostly likely that the incumbent member Martin F. Conway served into the 37th Congress without an additional election. == Kentucky ==
Kentucky
Kansas elected its members on June 20, 1861, after the new term began but before Congress convened. • Henry C. Burnett (Southern Rights) 59.08% • Lawrence S. Trimble (Union) 40.92% }} • James S. Jackson (Union) 73.4% • John T. Bunch (Southern Rights) 26.6% }} • Henry Grider (Union) 76.95% • Joseph Horace Lewis (Southern Rights) 23.05% }} • Aaron Harding (Union) 80.72% • Albert G. Talbott (Southern Rights) 19.28% }} • Charles A. Wickliffe (Union) 75.14% • H. E. Read (Southern Rights) 24.86% }} • George W. Dunlap (Union) 97.32% • Alfred Smith (Southern Rights) 1.83% • Scattering 0.85 }} • Robert Mallory (Union) 79.41% • Horatio Washington Bruce (Southern Rights) 20.59% }} • John J. Crittenden (Union) 59.18% • William E. Simms (Southern Rights) 40.82% }} • William H. Wadsworth (Union) 75.91% • John L. Williams (Southern Rights) 24.09% }} • John W. Menzies (Union) 65.18% • Overton P. Hogan (Southern Rights) 29.38% • Thomas L. Jones (Independent) (withdrew) 5.43% }} == Louisiana ==
Louisiana
Louisiana did not hold elections in 1860 or 1861 as a result of secession. Late elections were held on December 3, 1862, in two congressional districts under Union military control. The elected members were seated on February 17, 1863, 15 days before the end of their term. • Benjamin Flanders (Union) 93.08% • John Edward Bouligny (Union) 6.27% • Scattering 0.64% }} • Michael Hahn (Union) 54.7% • Edward Henry Durell (Union) 28.49% • Jacob Barker (Secessionist) 8.85% • W. R. Greathouse (Unknown) 6.98% • Scattering 0.98% }} == Maine ==
Maine
Maine elected its members on September 10, 1860. • John N. Goodwin (Republican) 53.00% • Thomas M. Hayes (Democratic) 46.55% • Nathan Webb (Constitutional Union) 0.45% }} • Charles W. Walton (Republican) 55.68% • Calvin Record (Democratic) 44.32% }} • Samuel C. Fessenden (Republican) 52.54% • Alfred W. Johnson (Democratic) 47.46% }} • Anson Morrill (Republican) 61.59% • Benjamin A. Fuller (Democratic) 35.24% • George C. Getchell (Unknown) 1.49% • Bion Bradbury (Unknown) 0.77% • Freeman H. Morse (Unknown) 0.55% • Scattering 0.36 }} • John H. Rice (Republican) 59.76% • Samuel H. Blake (Democratic) 38.74% • Ebenezer Hutchinson (Constitutional Union) 1.04% • Scattering 0.47% }} • Frederick A. Pike (Republican) 54.27% • Bion Bradbury (Democratic) 44.72% • Scattering 1.01% }} == Maryland ==
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