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The Continental Congress was initially a convention of delegates from several British American colonies at the height of the American Revolution era, who spoke and acted collectively for the people of the Thirteen colonies that ultimately became the United States of America. The term mostly refers to the First Continental Congress of 1774 and the Second Continental Congress of 1775–1781. More broadly, it also refers to the Congress of the Confederation of 1781–1789, thus covering the entire period the Continental Congress served as the chief legislative and executive body of the U.S. government.

The unicameral Congress of the Confederation, officially styled "The United States in Congress Assembled," was composed of delegates elected by the legislature of the various states. The Confederation Congress was the immediate successor to the First Continental Congress; and delegates to it were similarly chosen. Many of the delegates to the initial 1775 session of the Second Continental Congress had also attended the previous First Continental Congress. Altogether, The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress lists 343 men who served as delegates to the Continental Congress in three incarnations from 1774 to 1789; also listed are another 90 persons who were elected as delegates but never served.

Background

Convened in response to the Intolerable Acts passed by the British Parliament earlier that year, the 56 delegates to the First Continental Congress sought to help repair the frayed relationship between the British government and its American colonies. They passed the Continental Association, an economic boycott of Great Britain, and petitioned the king for a redress of grievances. They also resolved to reconvene in May 1775 if necessary.

Delegates from the various colonies did indeed reconvene for a Second Continental Congress as scheduled, but by the time they gathered, the Revolutionary War had begun. Moderates in the Congress still hoped that the colonies could be reconciled with Great Britain, but a movement towards independence steadily gained ground. At this juncture Congress simultaneously sent an Olive Branch Petition to King George III, hoping for a rapprochement, and issued a Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, which contained the words "Our cause is just. Our union is perfect... being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live slaves...".

Signing of Declaration of Independence by Armand-Dumaresq, c1873 - restored

Signing of Declaration of Independence by Charles Édouard Armand-Dumaresq, c.1873

Congress functioned as a de facto national government from the outset by establishing the Continental Army, directing strategy, and appointing diplomats. It eventually adopted the Lee Resolution which established the new country on July 2, 1776, and it agreed to the Declaration of Independence two days later.

Afterward, the Congress functioned as the provisional government of the United States through March 1, 1781. During this period, in addition to successfully managing the war effort, its primary achievements included: drafting the Articles of Confederation, the first U.S. Constitution; securing diplomatic recognition and support from foreign nations; and resolving state land claims west of the Appalachian Mountains. When the Articles of Confederation came into force on March 1, 1781, after being ratified by all 13 states, the Continental Congress became the Congress of the Confederation, which helped guide the new nation through the final stages of the Revolutionary War. Under the Articles, the Confederation Congress had limited power. It could declare war, sign treaties, and settle disputes between the states. It could also borrow or print money, but did not have the power to tax; nor could it compel the individual states to comply with its decisions. It convened in eight sessions (a ninth failed to achieve a quorum) prior to being supplanted in 1789, when the United States Congress became the nation's legislative branch of government under a new Constitution.

Article V of the Articles of Confederation

Article V of the Articles of Confederation for the annual election of delegates to Congress by legislatures of the various states to terms that commenced on the first Monday in November, in every year. Each state could send 2–7 delegates, and no person was permitted to serve as a delegate for more than three years within a span of six years. State legislatures also had the authority to recall or to replace its delegates at any time. Prior to 1781, delegates to the Continental Congress served at the pleasure of the state legislature that commissioned them; neither term limits nor specific start– / end–date of service existed.

For the most convenient management of the general interests of the United States, delegates shall be annually appointed in such manner as the legislatures of each State shall direct, to meet in Congress on the first Monday in November, in every year, with a power reserved to each State to recall its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead for the remainder of the year.

No State shall be represented in Congress by less than two, nor more than seven members; and no person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of six years; nor shall any person, being a delegate, be capable of holding any office under the United States, for which he, or another for his benefit, receives any salary, fees or emolument of any kind.

Each State shall maintain its own delegates in a meeting of the States, and while they act as members of the committee of the States.

In determining questions in the United States in Congress assembled, each State shall have one vote.

Freedom of speech and debate in Congress shall not be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Congress, and the members of Congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests or imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from, and attendance on Congress, except for treason, felony, or breach of the peace.[1]

Elected delegates who participated

The following tables list the 343 people who served in Congress: 1st Continental, 2nd Continental, or Confederation, between 1774 and 1789, as well as the year(s) of their active participation.

Connecticut

Delegates from Connecticut
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Adams, AndrewAndrew Adams 1778
Cooke, Joseph PlattJoseph Platt Cooke 1784–1785; 1787–1788
Deane, SilasSilas Deane 1774 1775–1776
Dyer, EliphaletEliphalet Dyer 1774 1775–1779 1782–1783
Edwards, PierpontPierpont Edwards 1788
Ellsworth, OliverOliver Ellsworth[2] 1778–1781 1781–1783
Hosmer, TitusTitus Hosmer 1778
Huntington, BenjaminBenjamin Huntington 1780 1782–1783; 1788
Huntington, SamuelSamuel Huntington 1776; 1778–1781 1781; 1783
Johnson, William SamuelWilliam Samuel Johnson 1785–1787
Law, RichardRichard Law 1777 1781–1782
Mitchell, Stephen MixStephen Mix Mitchell 1785–1788
Root, JesseJesse Root 1778–1781 1781–1782
Sherman, RogerRoger Sherman[3] 1774 1775–1781 1781; 1783–1784
Spencer, JosephJoseph Spencer 1779
Sturges, JonathanJonathan Sturges 1786
Wadsworth, JamesJames Wadsworth 1784
Wadsworth, JeremiahJeremiah Wadsworth 1788
Williams, WilliamWilliam Williams 1776–1777
Wolcott, OliverOliver Wolcott 1776–1778; 1781 1781–1783
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

Delaware

Delegates from Delaware
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Bedford Jr., GunningGunning Bedford Jr. 1783–1785
Dickinson, JohnJohn Dickinson[lower-alpha 1] 1779
Dickinson, PhilemonPhilemon Dickinson 1782–1783
Kearney, DyreDyre Kearney 1787–1788
McComb, EleazerEleazer McComb 1783–1784
McKean, ThomasThomas McKean 1774 1775–1776; 1778–1781 1781–1782
Mitchell, NathanielNathaniel Mitchell 1787–1788
Patten, JohnJohn Patten 1786
Peery, WilliamWilliam Peery 1786
Read, GeorgeGeorge Read 1774 1775–1777
Rodney, CaesarCaesar Rodney 1774 1775–1776
Rodney, ThomasThomas Rodney 1781–1782; 1786
Sykes, JamesJames Sykes 1777
Tilton, JamesJames Tilton 1783–1784
Van Dyke, NicholasNicholas Van Dyke 1777–1781 1781
Vining, JohnJohn Vining 1784–1785
Wharton, SamuelSamuel Wharton 1782–1783
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

Georgia

Delegates from Georgia
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Baldwin, AbrahamAbraham Baldwin 1785; 1787–1788
Brownson, NathanNathan Brownson 1777
Bulloch, ArchibaldArchibald Bulloch 1775
Few, WilliamWilliam Few 1780–1781 1781–1782; 1786–1788
Gibbons, WilliamWilliam Gibbons 1784
Gwinnett, ButtonButton Gwinnett 1776
Habersham, JohnJohn Habersham 1785
Hall, LymanLyman Hall 1775–1777
Houstoun, JohnJohn Houstoun 1775
Houstoun, WilliamWilliam Houstoun 1784–1786
Howly, RichardRichard Howly 1780–1781 1781
Jones, Noble WimberlyNoble Wimberly Jones 1781–1782
Langworthy, EdwardEdward Langworthy 1777–1779
Pierce, WilliamWilliam Pierce 1778; 1780–1781 1781–1782
Telfair, EdwardEdward Telfair 1778; 1780–1781 1781–1782
Walton, GeorgeGeorge Walton 1776–1777; 1780–1781 1781
Walton, JohnJohn Walton 1778
Wood, JosephJoseph Wood 1777–1778
Zubly, John JoachimJohn Joachim Zubly 1775
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

Maryland

Delegates from Maryland
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Alexander, RobertRobert Alexander 1776
Carmichael, WilliamWilliam Carmichael 1778–1779
Carroll ("Barrister"), CharlesCharles Carroll ("Barrister")[5] 1776–1777
Carroll ("of Carrollton"), CharlesCharles Carroll ("of Carrollton")[6] 1776; 1777–1778; 1780
Carroll, DanielDaniel Carroll[7] 1781–1783
Chase, JeremiahJeremiah Chase 1783–1784
Chase, SamuelSamuel Chase[8] 1774 1775–1778 1784; 1785
Contee, BenjaminBenjamin Contee 1788
Forbes, JamesJames Forbes 1778–1780
Forrest, UriahUriah Forrest 1787
Goldsborough, RobertRobert Goldsborough 1774 1775–1776
Hall, JohnJohn Hall 1775
Hanson, JohnJohn Hanson[9] 1780–1781 1781–1782
Harrison, WilliamWilliam Harrison Jr. 1786
Hemsley, WilliamWilliam Hemsley 1782–1783
Henry, JohnJohn Henry 1778–1780 1785–1786
Hindman, WilliamWilliam Hindman 1785–1786
Howard, John EagerJohn Eager Howard 1788
Jenifer, Daniel of St. ThomasDaniel of St. Thomas Jenifer[10] 1779; 1780–1781 1781
Johnson, ThomasThomas Johnson[11] 1774 1775–1777
Lee, Thomas SimThomas Sim Lee 1783
Lloyd, EdwardEdward Lloyd 1783–1784
McHenry, JamesJames McHenry 1783–1785
Paca, WilliamWilliam Paca 1774 1775–1779
Plater, GeorgeGeorge Plater 1778–1780
Potts, RichardRichard Potts 1781
Ramsey, NathanielNathaniel Ramsey 1786–1787
Rogers, JohnJohn Rogers 1775–1776
Ross, DavidDavid Ross 1787–1789
Rumsey, BenjaminBenjamin Rumsey 1776–1777
Seney, JoshuaJoshua Seney 1788
Smith, WilliamWilliam Smith 1777
Stone, ThomasThomas Stone 1775–1776; 1778 1784
Tilghman, MatthewMatthew Tilghman[12] 1774 1775–1776
Wright, TurbuttTurbutt Wright 1782
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

Massachusetts

Delegates from Massachusetts
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Adams, JohnJohn Adams 1774 1775–1777
Adams, SamuelSamuel Adams 1774 1775–1781 1781
Cushing, ThomasThomas Cushing 1774 1775–1776
Dana, FrancisFrancis Dana 1777–1778 1784
Dane, NathanNathan Dane 1785–1788
Gerry, ElbridgeElbridge Gerry 1776–1780 1783–1785
Gorham, NathanielNathaniel Gorham[13] 1782–1783; 1785–1787
Hancock, JohnJohn Hancock 1775–1778
Higginson, StephenStephen Higginson 1783
Holten, SamuelSamuel Holten 1778–1780 1783–1785; 1787
Jackson, JonathanJonathan Jackson 1782
King, RufusRufus King 1784–1787
Lovell, JamesJames Lovell 1777–1781 1781–1782
Lowell, JohnJohn Lowell 1782
Osgood, SamuelSamuel Osgood 1781–1784
Otis, Samuel AllyneSamuel Allyne Otis 1787–1788
Paine, Robert TreatRobert Treat Paine 1774 1775–1776
Partridge, GeorgeGeorge Partridge 1779–1781 1781–1785
Sedgwick, TheodoreTheodore Sedgwick 1785–1786; 1788
Thatcher, GeorgeGeorge Thatcher 1787–1789
Ward, ArtemasArtemas Ward 1780–1781 1781
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

New Hampshire

Delegates from New Hampshire
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Bartlett, JosiahJosiah Bartlett 1775–1776; 1778
Blanchard, JonathanJonathan Blanchard 1784
Folsom, NathanielNathaniel Folsom 1774 1777–1780
Foster, AbielAbiel Foster 1783–1785
Frost, GeorgeGeorge Frost 1777–1779
Gilman, John TaylorJohn Taylor Gilman 1782–1783
Gilman, NicholasNicholas Gilman 1787–1789
Langdon, JohnJohn Langdon 1775–1776 1787
Langdon, WoodburyWoodbury Langdon 1779
Livermore, SamuelSamuel Livermore 1780–1781 1781–1782; 1785–1786
Long, PiersePierse Long 1785–1786
Peabody, NathanielNathaniel Peabody 1779–1780
Sullivan, JohnJohn Sullivan 1774 1775–1775; 1780–1781 1781
Thornton, MatthewMatthew Thornton 1776–1777
Wentworth Jr., JohnJohn Wentworth Jr. 1778
Whipple, WilliamWilliam Whipple 1776–1779
White, PhillipsPhillips White 1782–1783
Wingate, PainePaine Wingate 1788
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

New Jersey

Delegates from New Jersey
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Beatty, JohnJohn Beatty 1784–1785
Boudinot, EliasElias Boudinot 1778 1781–1783
Burnet, WilliamWilliam Burnet 1780–1781 1781
Cadwalader, LambertLambert Cadwalader 1785–1787
Clark, AbrahamAbraham Clark 1776–1778; 1780–1781 1781–1783; 1786–1788
Condict, SilasSilas Condict 1781–1783
Crane, StephenStephen Crane 1774 1775–1776
Dayton, JonathanJonathan Dayton 1787–1788
DehartJohn De Hart 1774 1775–1776
Dick, SamuelSamuel Dick 1784–1785
Elmer, JonathanJonathan Elmer 1777–1778 1781–1783; 1787–1788
Fell, JohnJohn Fell 1778–1780
Frelinghuysen, FrederickFrederick Frelinghuysen[14] 1778–1779 1782–1783
Hart, JohnJohn Hart 1776
Hopkinson, FrancisFrancis Hopkinson 1776
Hornblower, JosiahJosiah Hornblower 1785–1786
Houston, WilliamWilliam Houston 1779–1781 1784–1785
Kinsey, JamesJames Kinsey 1774 1775
Livingston, WilliamWilliam Livingston 1774 1775–1776
Schureman, JamesJames Schureman 1786–1787
Scudder, NathanielNathaniel Scudder 1778–1779
Sergeant, JonathanJonathan Sergeant 1776–1777
Smith, RichardRichard Smith 1774 1775–1776
Stevens, JohnJohn Stevens 1784
Stewart, CharlesCharles Stewart 1784–1785
Stockton, RichardRichard Stockton 1776
Symmes, John ClevesJohn Cleves Symmes 1785–1786
Witherspoon, JohnJohn Witherspoon 1776–1781 1781–1782
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

New York

Delegates from New York
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Alsop, JohnJohn Alsop 1774 1775–1776
Benson, EgbertEgbert Benson 1784; 1787–1788
Boerum, SimonSimon Boerum 1774 1775
Clinton, GeorgeGeorge Clinton 1775–1776
DeWitt, CharlesCharles DeWitt 1784
Duane, JamesJames Duane 1774 1775–1781 1781–1783
Duer, WilliamWilliam Duer 1777–1778
Floyd, WilliamWilliam Floyd 1774 1775–1776; 1779–1781 1781–1783
Gansevoort, LeonardLeonard Gansevoort 1788
Gelston, DavidDavid Gelston 1789
Hamilton, AlexanderAlexander Hamilton 1782–1783; 1788
Haring, JohnJohn Haring 1774 1785–1787
Jay, JohnJohn Jay[15] 1774 1775–1778
Lansing Jr., JohnJohn Lansing Jr. 1785
Laurance, JohnJohn Laurance 1785–1787
Lewis, FrancisFrancis Lewis 1775–1779
LhommedieuEzra L'Hommedieu 1779–1781 1781–1783; 1788
Livingston, PhilipPhilip Livingston 1774[16] 1775–1778
Livingston, Robert R.Robert R. Livingston 1775–1776; 1779–1780 1784
Livingston, WalterWalter Livingston 1784–1785
Low, IsaacIsaac Low 1774
McDougall, AlexanderAlexander McDougall 1781
Morris, GouverneurGouverneur Morris 1778–1779
Morris, LewisLewis Morris 1775–1777
Paine, EphraimEphraim Paine 1784
Pell, PhilipPhilip Pell 1789
Platt, ZephaniahZephaniah Platt 1785–1786
Schuyler, PhilipPhilip Schuyler 1775; 1777; 1779–1780
Scott, John MorinJohn Morin Scott 1780; 1782 1781–1783
Smith, MelanctonMelancton Smith 1785–1787
Wisner, HenryHenry Wisner 1774[16] 1775–1776
Yates, AbrahamAbraham Yates 1787–1788
Yates, Peter W.Peter W. Yates 1786
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

North Carolina

Delegates from North Carolina
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Ashe, John B.John B. Ashe 1787
Bloodworth, TimothyTimothy Bloodworth 1786
Blount, WilliamWilliam Blount 1782–1783; 1786–1787
Burke, ThomasThomas Burke 1777–1781 1781
Burton, RobertRobert Burton 1787
Caswell, RichardRichard Caswell 1774 1775
Cumming, WilliamWilliam Cumming 1785
Harnett, CorneliusCornelius Harnett 1777–1779
Hawkins, BenjaminBenjamin Hawkins 1781–1783; 1787
Hewes, JosephJoseph Hewes 1774 1775–1776; 1779
Hill, WhitmellWhitmell Hill 1778–1780
Hooper, WilliamWilliam Hooper 1774 1775–1777
Johnston, SamuelSamuel Johnston 1780–1781 1781
Jones, AllenAllen Jones 1779–1780
Jones, WillieWillie Jones 1780
Nash, AbnerAbner Nash 1782–1783
Penn, JohnJohn Penn 1775–1780
Sharpe, WilliamWilliam Sharpe 1779–1781 1781
Sitgreaves, JohnJohn Sitgreaves 1785
Spaight, Richard DobbsRichard Dobbs Spaight 1783–1785
Swann, JohnJohn Swann 1788
White, JamesJames White 1786–1788
Williams, JohnJohn Williams 1778–1779
Williamson, HughHugh Williamson[17] 1782–1785; 1787–1788
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

Pennsylvania

Delegates from Pennsylvania
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Allen, AndrewAndrew Allen[18] 1775–1776
Armstrong Sr., JohnJohn Armstrong Sr. 1779–1780
Armstrong Jr., JohnJohn Armstrong Jr. 1787–1788
Atlee, Samuel JohnSamuel John Atlee 1778–1781 1781–1782
Bayard, John BubenheimJohn Bubenheim Bayard 1785–1786
Biddle, EdwardEdward Biddle[19] 1774 1775
Bingham, WilliamWilliam Bingham 1786–1788
Clingan, WilliamWilliam Clingan 1777–1779
Clymer, GeorgeGeorge Clymer 1776–1777; 1780–1781 1781–1782
Coxe, TenchTench Coxe 1788–1789
Dickinson, JohnJohn Dickinson[lower-alpha 1] 1774 1775–1776
Fitzsimons, ThomasThomas Fitzsimons 1782–1783
Franklin, BenjaminBenjamin Franklin 1775–1776
Galloway, JosephJoseph Galloway 1774
Gardner, JosephJoseph Gardner 1784–1785
Hand, EdwardEdward Hand 1783–1784
Henry, WilliamWilliam Henry 1784–1785
Humphreys, CharlesCharles Humphreys 1774 1775–1776
Ingersoll, JaredJared Ingersoll 1780
Irvine, WilliamWilliam Irvine 1787–1788
Jackson, DavidDavid Jackson[20] 1785–1786
Matlack, TimothyTimothy Matlack 1780
McLene, JamesJames McLene 1779–1780
Meredith, SamuelSamuel Meredith 1786–1788
Mifflin, ThomasThomas Mifflin 1774 1775 1782–1784
Montgomery, JohnJohn Montgomery 1782–1784
Montgomery, JosephJoseph Montgomery 1780–1781 1781–1782
Morris, CadwaladerCadwalader Morris 1783–1784
Morris, RobertRobert Morris 1775–1778
Morton, JohnJohn Morton 1774 1775–1776
Muhlenberg, FrederickFrederick Muhlenberg[21] 1779–1780
Peters Jr., RichardRichard Peters Jr. 1782–1783
Pettit, CharlesCharles Pettit[22] 1785–1787
Reed, JosephJoseph Reed 1778
Reid, James RandolphJames Randolph Reid 1787–1789
Rhoads, SamuelSamuel Rhoads 1774
Roberdeau, DanielDaniel Roberdeau 1777–1779
Ross, GeorgeGeorge Ross 1774 1775–1777
Rush, BenjaminBenjamin Rush[23] 1776–1777
Searle, JamesJames Searle[24] 1778–1780
Shippen, WilliamWilliam Shippen[25] 1778–1780
Smith, JamesJames Smith 1776–1778
Smith, Jonathan BayardJonathan Bayard Smith[26] 1778
Smith, ThomasThomas Smith 1781–1782
St. Clair, ArthurArthur St. Clair 1786–1787
Taylor, GeorgeGeorge Taylor 1776
Willing, ThomasThomas Willing 1775–1776
Wilson, JamesJames Wilson[27] 1775–1777 1782–1783; 1785–1787
Wynkoop, HenryHenry Wynkoop 1779–1781 1781–1782
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

Rhode Island

Delegates from Rhode Island
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Arnold, JonathanJonathan Arnold 1782–1783
Arnold, PelegPeleg Arnold 1787–1788
Collins, JohnJohn Collins 1778–1780 1782–1783
Cornell, EzekielEzekiel Cornell 1780–1781 1781–1782
Ellery, WilliamWilliam Ellery 1776–1781 1781–1785
Gardner, JohnJohn Gardner 1789
Hazard, JonathanJonathan Hazard 1788
Hopkins, StephenStephen Hopkins 1774 1775–1776
Howell, DavidDavid Howell 1782–1785
Manning, JamesJames Manning 1786
Marchant, HenryHenry Marchant 1777–1779
Miller, NathanNathan Miller 1786
Mowry Jr., DanielDaniel Mowry Jr. 1780–1781 1781–1782
Varnum, James MitchellJames Mitchell Varnum 1780–1781 1781; 1787
Ward, SamuelSamuel Ward 1774 1775–1776
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

South Carolina

Delegates from South Carolina
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Barnwell, RobertRobert Barnwell 1789
Bee, ThomasThomas Bee 1780–1781 1781–1782
Beresford, RichardRichard Beresford 1783–1784
Bull, JohnJohn Bull 1784–1787
Butler, PiercePierce Butler 1787
Drayton, William HenryWilliam Henry Drayton 1778–1779
Eveleigh, NicholasNicholas Eveleigh 1781–1782
Gadsden, ChristopherChristopher Gadsden 1774 1775–1776
Gervais, John LewisJohn Lewis Gervais 1782–1783
Heyward Jr., ThomasThomas Heyward Jr. 1776–1778
Huger, DanielDaniel Huger 1786–1788
Hutson, RichardRichard Hutson 1778–1779
Izard, RalphRalph Izard 1782–1783
Kean, JohnJohn Kean 1785–1787
Kinloch, FrancisFrancis Kinloch 1780
Laurens, HenryHenry Laurens 1777–1780
LynchaThomas Lynch 1774 1775–1776
LynchbThomas Lynch Jr. 1775–1776
Mathews, JohnJohn Mathews 1778–1781 1781
Middleton, ArthurArthur Middleton 1776–1777 1781–1782
Middleton, HenryHenry Middleton 1774 1775
Motte, IsaacIsaac Motte 1780–1781 1781–1782
Parker, JohnJohn Parker 1786–1788
Pinckney, CharlesCharles Pinckney 1785–1787
Ramsay, DavidDavid Ramsay 1782–1783, 1785–1786
Read, JacobJacob Read 1783–1785
Rutledge, EdwardEdward Rutledge 1774 1775–1776
Rutledge, JohnJohn Rutledge[28] 1774 1775–1776 1782–1783
Tucker, Thomas TudorThomas Tudor Tucker 1787–1788
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

Virginia

Delegates from Virginia
Name 1st Continental
Congress
2nd Continental
Congress
Confederation
Congress
Adams, ThomasThomas Adams 1778–1779
Banister, JohnJohn Banister 1778
Bland, RichardRichard Bland 1774 1775
Bland, TheodorickTheodorick Bland 1780–1781 1781–1783
Braxton, CarterCarter Braxton 1776
Brown, JohnJohn Brown 1787–1788
Carrington, EdwardEdward Carrington 1786–1788
Dawson, JohnJohn Dawson[29] 1788–1789
Fitzhugh, WilliamWilliam Fitzhugh 1779
Fleming, WilliamWilliam Fleming 1779
Grayson, WilliamWilliam Grayson[29] 1784–1787
Griffin, CyrusCyrus Griffin 1778–1780 1787–1788
Hardy, SamuelSamuel Hardy 1783–1785
Harrison, BenjaminBenjamin Harrison[29] 1774 1775–1778
Harvie, JohnJohn Harvie 1777–1778
Henry, JamesJames Henry 1780
Henry, PatrickPatrick Henry 1774 1775
Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson 1775–1776 1783–1784
Jones, JosephJoseph Jones 1777; 1780–1781 1781–1783
Lee, ArthurArthur Lee 1782–1784
Lee, Francis LightfootFrancis Lightfoot Lee 1775–1779
Lee, HenryHenry Lee 1786–1788
Lee, Richard HenryRichard Henry Lee 1774 1775–1779 1784–1785; 1787
Madison, JamesJames Madison 1780–1781 1781–1783; 1787–1788
Mercer, JamesJames Mercer 1779
Mercer, John FrancisJohn Francis Mercer 1783–1784
Monroe, JamesJames Monroe 1783–1786
Nelson Jr., ThomasThomas Nelson Jr. 1775–1777; 1779
Page, MannMann Page 1777
Pendleton, EdmundEdmund Pendleton 1774 1775
Randolph, EdmundEdmund Randolph 1779 1781–1782
Randolph, PeytonPeyton Randolph 1774 1775
Smith, MeriwetherMeriwether Smith 1778; 1780–1781 1781
Walker, JohnJohn Walker 1780
Washington, GeorgeGeorge Washington 1774 1775
Wythe, GeorgeGeorge Wythe 1775–1776
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

Elected delegates who did not participate

The following table lists the 90 people who were elected to Congress: 1st Continental, 2nd Continental, or Confederation, between 1774 and 1789, but who did not participate, as well as the year(s) of their election.

Name State Year(s) elected
Andrew, BenjaminBenjamin Andrew Georgia 1780
Ashley, SamuelSamuel Ashley New Hampshire 1779
Atkinson, GeorgeGeorge Atkinson New Hampshire 1780, 1785
Barnwell, JohnJohn Barnwell South Carolina 1784
Bedford Sr., GunningGunning Bedford Sr. Delaware 1786
Bellows, BenjaminBenjamin Bellows New Hampshire 1781
Blair, Jr., JohnJohn Blair, Jr. Virginia 1781
Bowdoin, JamesJames Bowdoin Massachusetts 1774
Bradford, WilliamWilliam Bradford Rhode Island 1776
Brevard, EphraimEphraim Brevard North Carolina 1781
Brown, JohnJohn Brown Rhode Island 1784, 1785
Canfield, JohnJohn Canfield Connecticut 1786
Champlin, GeorgeGeorge Champlin Rhode Island 1785, 1786
Chandler, Charles C.Charles C. Chandler Connecticut 1784
Chester, JohnJohn Chester Connecticut 1787, 1788
Clarkson, MatthewMatthew Clarkson Pennsylvania 1785
Clay, JosephJoseph Clay Georgia 1778
Cooper, JohnJohn Cooper New Jersey 1776
Dalton, TristramTristram Dalton Massachusetts 1783, 1784
Danielson, TimothyTimothy Danielson Massachusetts 1780, 1782, 1783
Dayton, EliasElias Dayton New Jersey 1778
Dow, MosesMoses Dow New Hampshire 1784
Duffield, SamuelSamuel Duffield Pennsylvania 1777
Edwards, TimothyTimothy Edwards Massachusetts 1778
Elbert, SamuelSamuel Elbert Georgia 1784
Evans, JohnJohn Evans Delaware 1776
Gardner, SylvesterSylvester Gardner Rhode Island 1787
Giles, EdwardEdward Giles Maryland 1782
Gillon, AlexanderAlexander Gillon South Carolina 1784
Grantham, IsaacIsaac Grantham Delaware 1787
Gunn, JamesJames Gunn Georgia 1787
Habersham, JosephJoseph Habersham Georgia 1784
Hathorn, JohnJohn Hathorn New York 1788
Henderson, ThomasThomas Henderson New Jersey 1779
Hillhouse, JamesJames Hillhouse Connecticut 1786, 1788
Hillhouse, WilliamWilliam Hillhouse Connecticut 1783, 1785
Holden, ThomasThomas Holden Rhode Island 1788, 1789
Johnson, CharlesCharles Johnson North Carolina 1781, 1784, 1785
Jones, GabrielGabriel Jones Virginia 1779
Jones, SamuelSamuel Jones New York 1788
Latimer, HenryHenry Latimer Delaware 1784
Lincoln, LeviLevi Lincoln Massachusetts 1781
Lowndes, RawlinsRawlins Lowndes South Carolina 1779
Macon, NathanielNathaniel Macon North Carolina 1785
Manton, DanielDaniel Manton Rhode Island 1787
Martin, AlexanderAlexander Martin North Carolina 1786
Martin, LutherLuther Martin Virginia 1784
Mason, GeorgeGeorge Mason Virginia 1777
McDowell, JosephJoseph McDowell North Carolina 1787
McIntosh, LachlanLachlan McIntosh Georgia 1784
McKinly, JohnJohn McKinly Delaware 1784
Montgomery, WilliamWilliam Montgomery Pennsylvania 1784
Moore, WilliamWilliam Moore Pennsylvania 1777
Moultrie, WilliamWilliam Moultrie South Carolina 1784
Mumford, PaulPaul Mumford Rhode Island 1785
Neilson, JohnJohn Neilson New Jersey 1778
Nicholson, JosephJoseph Nicholson Maryland 1777
O'Bryen, WilliamWilliam O'Bryen Georgia 1789
Osborne, AdlaiAdlai Osborne North Carolina 1784
Osborne, HenryHenry Osborne Georgia 1786
Paterson, WilliamWilliam Paterson New Jersey 1780, 1787
Patterson, SamuelSamuel Patterson Delaware 1784
Payne, ElishaElisha Payne New Hampshire 1784
Pendleton, NathanielNathaniel Pendleton Georgia 1789
Person, ThomasThomas Person North Carolina 1784
Phillips, PeterPeter Phillips Rhode Island 1785
Pickering, JohnJohn Pickering New Hampshire 1787
Pitkin, WilliamWilliam Pitkin Connecticut 1784
Polk, ThomasThomas Polk North Carolina 1786
Ridgely, RichardRichard Ridgely Maryland 1784, 1785
Scott, GustavusGustavus Scott Maryland 1784
Smallwood, WilliamWilliam Smallwood Maryland 1784
Smith, BenjaminBenjamin Smith North Carolina 1784
Sparhawk, JohnJohn Sparhawk New Hampshire 1786
Stirk, SamuelSamuel Stirk Georgia 1781
Stokes, JohnJohn Stokes North Carolina 1787
Strong, CalebCaleb Strong Massachusetts 1780
Strong, JedediahJedediah Strong Connecticut 1782, 1784, 1784
Sullivan, JamesJames Sullivan Massachusetts 1782, 1783
Sumter, ThomasThomas Sumter South Carolina 1783
Thompson, EbenezerEbenezer Thompson New Hampshire 1778, 1783
Treadwell, JohnJohn Treadwell Connecticut 1784, 1785, 1787
Trapier, PaulPaul Trapier South Carolina 1777
Trumbull, JosephJoseph Trumbull Connecticut 1774
Walker Jr., TimothyTimothy Walker Jr. New Hampshire 1777, 1778, 1782, 1785
Warren, JamesJames Warren Massachusetts 1782
Wentworth, JoshuaJoshua Wentworth New York 1779
West, BenjaminBenjamin West New Hampshire 1787
West, StephenStephen West Virginia 1780
Wolcott, ErastusErastus Wolcott North Carolina 1774, 1787, 1788
 Source (unless otherwise noted):[4]

See also

  • Founding Fathers of the United States, includes a listing of which Founding Fathers signed one or more of the era's four formative state documents
  • Journals of the Continental Congress
  • Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress
  • History of the United States (1776–1789)
  • Perpetual Union

Notes

  1. ^ a b John Dickinson served as a delegate from Pennsylvania to the 1st Continental Congress (1774). He also served twice in the 2nd Continental Congress, first as a delegate from Pennsylvania (1775–76), and then as a delegate from Delaware (1779).

References

  1. ^ "Articles of Confederation : March 1, 1781". Avalon Project. New Haven, Connecticut: Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/artconf.asp#art5. 
  2. ^ "Ellsworth, Oliver". Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Washington, D.C.: Federal Judicial Center. https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/ellsworth-oliver. 
  3. ^ Wright, Robert K. Jr.; MacGregor, Morris J. Jr. (1987). "Roger Sherman". Soldier–Statesmen of the Constitution. United States Army Center of Military History. pp. 169–171. CMH Pub 71-25. https://history.army.mil/books/RevWar/ss/sherman.htm. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Dodge, Andrew R.; Koed, Betty K., eds (2005). "Delegates in the Continental Congress". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–2005. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 34–38. ISBN 0-16-073176-3. https://web.archive.org/web/20080917191652/http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/hd108-222/delegates.pdf. 
  5. ^ "Charles Carroll, the barrister (1723-1783)". MSA Biographical Series. Annapolis, Maryland: Maryland State Archives. December 1, 2015. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000200/000208/html/208bio.html. 
  6. ^ "Charles Carroll of Carrollton (1737-1832)". MSA Biographical Series. Annapolis, Maryland: Maryland State Archives. December 28, 2000. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000200/000209/html/209bio.html. 
  7. ^ "Daniel Carroll (1730-1796)". MSA Biographical Series. Annapolis, Maryland: Maryland State Archives. November 25, 2012. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000200/000210/html/00210bio.html. 
  8. ^ "Chase, Samuel". Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Washington, D.C.: Federal Judicial Center. https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379031. 
  9. ^ "John Hanson (1721-1783)". MSA Biographical Series. Annapolis, Maryland: Maryland State Archives. January 24, 2003. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000500/000587/html/msa00587.html. 
  10. ^ "Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer (1723-1790)". MSA Biographical Series. Annapolis, Maryland: Maryland State Archives. December 17, 2015. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000700/000728/html/728bio.html. 
  11. ^ "Johnson, Thomas". Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Washington, D.C.: Federal Judicial Center. https://www.fjc.gov/node/1382861. 
  12. ^ "Matthew Tilghman (1717/18-1790)". MSA Biographical Series. Annapolis, Maryland: Maryland State Archives. October 11, 2002. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/001200/001267/html/1267bio.html. 
  13. ^ Wright, Robert K. Jr.; MacGregor, Morris J. Jr. (1987). "Nathaniel Gorham". Soldier–Statesmen of the Constitution. United States Army Center of Military History. pp. 155–156. CMH Pub 71-25. https://history.army.mil/books/RevWar/ss/gorham.htm. 
  14. ^ "Major General Frederick Frelinghuysen". New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati. https://njcincinnati.org/frederick-frelinghuysen/. 
  15. ^ "Jay, John". Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Washington, D.C.: Federal Judicial Center. https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/jay-john. 
  16. ^ a b "First Continental Congress: Proceedings of the First Continental Congress". Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Independence Hall Association. http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/related/congress.html. 
  17. ^ "Hugh Williamson 1735–1819". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/hugh-williamson. 
  18. ^ "Andrew Allen 1740–1825". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/andrew-allen. 
  19. ^ "Edward Biddle 1738–1779". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/edward-biddle. 
  20. ^ "David Jackson 1747–1801". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/david-jackson. 
  21. ^ "Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg 1750–1801". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/frederick-augustus-conrad-muhlenberg. 
  22. ^ "Charles Pettit 1736–1806". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/charles-pettit. 
  23. ^ "Rush, Benjamin, (1746–1813)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Washington, D.C.: House Office of History and Preservation, Senate Office of the Historian. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=R000514. 
  24. ^ "James Searle 1733–1797". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/james-searle. 
  25. ^ "William Shippen 1712–1801". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/william-shippen. 
  26. ^ "Jonathan B. Smith 1742–1812". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/jonathan-b-smith. 
  27. ^ "James Wilson 1742–1798". Penn People. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/james-wilson. 
  28. ^ "Rutledge, John". Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Washington, D.C.: Federal Judicial Center. https://www.fjc.gov/node/1387271. 
  29. ^ a b c "Members of the Continental Congress from Virginia". The Hornbook of Virginia History. April 16, 2012. http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Members_of_the_Continental_Congress_from_Virginia. 

Further reading


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at List of delegates to the Continental Congress. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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