There are members of the United States House of Representatives who spent only a single two-year term (or less) in office usually either due to death, resignation, or defeat. In some rare cases freshmen members have decided to run for another office or not run for reelection. Many members who serve in the House for only one term are viewed by historians and political experts as accidental members due to having been elected by either riding in on the coattails of a popular presidential or statewide candidate or by winning against a scandalized incumbent.
Not included in this list are non-voting delegates. Members who served as a Congressperson in the United States Congress, but also served in the Congress of the Confederate States or as a delegate, are included. For members-elect who never took office, see List of members-elect of the United States House of Representatives who never took their seats.
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Robert Barnwell | Pro-Administration | South Carolina 2 | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | Retired |
Israel Jacobs | Pro-Administration | Pennsylvania 3 | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | Lost re-election. |
Philip Key | Pro-Administration | Maryland 1 | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | Lost re-election. |
Cornelius C. Schoonmaker | Anti-Administration | New York 4 | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | Lost re-election. |
Upton Sheredine | Anti-Administration | Maryland 6 | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | Retired. |
Samuel Sterett | Anti-Administration | Maryland 4 | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | Retired. |
Anthony Wayne | Anti-Administration | Georgia 1 | March 4, 1791 – March 21, 1792 | Seat declared vacant due to dispute over his residency. |
Francis Willis | Anti-Administration | Georgia 3 | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | Retired. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
James Armstrong | Pro-Administration | Pennsylvania at-large | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Retired. |
John Beatty | Pro-Administration | New Jersey at-large | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Retired. |
Thomas P. Carnes | Anti-Administration | Georgia at-large | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Retired. |
David Cobb | Pro-Administration | Massachusetts at-large | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Redistricted to the 7th district . Lost re-election in new district. |
Peleg Coffin, Jr. | Pro-Administration | Massachusetts 3 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Retired. |
Benjamin Edwards | Pro-Administration | Maryland 3 | January 2, 1795 – March 3, 1795 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
William Johnston Dawson | Anti-Administration | North Carolina 8 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Lost re-election. |
Samuel Dexter | Pro-Administration | Massachusetts 1 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Redistricted to the 9th district . Lost re-election in new district. |
Uriah Forrest | Pro-Administration | Maryland 3 | March 4, 1793 – November 8, 1794 | Resigned. |
Alexander Gillon | Anti-Administration | South Carolina 5 | March 4, 1793 – October 6, 1794 | Died. |
Samuel Holten | Anti-Administration | Massachusetts 1 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Redistricted to the 10th district. Lost re-election in new district. |
John Hunter | Anti-Administration | South Carolina 2 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Redistricted to the 5th district Lost re-election in new district. |
William Irvine | Anti-Administration | Pennsylvania at-large | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Lost re-election. |
Henry Latimer | Pro-Administration | Delaware at-large | February 14, 1794 – February 7, 1795 | Won special election. Lost election to full term. Resigned early. |
Joseph "Pleasant Gardens" McDowell | Anti-Administration | North Carolina 1 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Lost re-election. |
Joseph Neville | Anti-Administration | North Carolina 8 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Lost re-election. |
Andrew Pickens | Anti-Administration | South Carolina 6 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Retired. |
Silas Talbot | Pro-Administration | New York 10 | March 4, 1793 – c. June 5, 1794 | Resigned to assume role as Captain in the United States Navy. |
Peter Van Gaasbeck | Pro-Administration | New York 4 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Retired. |
Francis Walker | Anti-Administration | Virginia 14 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Lost re-election. |
John Watts | Pro-Administration | New York 4 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Retired. |
Benjamin Williams | Anti-Administration | Virginia 3 | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Retired. |
Paine Wingate | Pro-Administration | New Hampshire at-large | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Retired. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Daniel Buck | Federalist | Vermont 2 | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | Re-elected, but declined seat. |
Jeremiah Crabb | Federalist | Maryland 3 | March 4, 1795 – June 1, 1796 | Resigned. |
Samuel Earle | Democratic-Republican | South Carolina 6 | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | Retired. |
Jesse Franklin | Democratic-Republican | North Carolina 3 | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | Lost re-election. |
Thomas Henderson | Federalist | New Jersey at-large | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | Lost re-election. |
Samuel Maclay | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania 6 | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | Retired. |
John Richards | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania 4 | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | Lost re-election. |
Absalom Tatom | Democratic-Republican | North Carolina 4 | March 4, 1795 – June 1, 1796 | Resigned. |
Isaac Smith | Federalist | New Jersey at-large | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | Retired. |
William Francis Strudwick | Federalist | North Carolina 4 | November 28, 1796 – March 3, 1797 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
John Allen | Federalist | Connecticut at-large | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Retired. |
David Brooks | Federalist | New York 5 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Lost re-election. |
Stephen Bullock | Federalist | Massachusetts 7 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Lost re-election. |
James Cochran | Federalist | New York 10 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Retired. |
Hezekiah L. Hosmer | Federalist | New York 6 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Retired. |
James Machir | Federalist | Virginia 3 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Retired. |
William Matthews | Federalist | Maryland 6 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Retired. |
Blair McClenachan | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania 5 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Retired. |
Joseph McDowell, Jr. | Democratic-Republican | North Carolina 1 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Lost re-election. |
Daniel Morgan | Federalist | Virginia 1 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Retired. |
Isaac Parker | Federalist | Massachusetts 12 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Retired. |
William Smith | Democratic-Republican | South Carolina 6 | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Lost re-election. |
Peleg Sprague | Federalist | New Hampshire at-large | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 | Retired. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
John Brown | Federalist | Rhode Island at-large | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Lost re-election. |
Franklin Davenport | Federalist | New Jersey 5 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Lost re-election. |
Joseph Dickson | Federalist | North Carolina 1 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Lost re-election. |
Samuel Goode | Democratic-Republican | Virginia 8 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Lost re-election. |
Elizur Goodrich | Federalist | Connecticut at-large | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Re-elected, but declined seat. |
James Jones | Federalist | Georgia at-large | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Lost re-election. |
Henry Lee III | Federalist | Virginia 19 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Retired. |
Levi Lincoln, Sr. | Democratic-Republican | Massachusetts 4 | December 15, 1800 – March 5, 1801 | Won special election. Elected to full term, but resigned one day into term to become United States Attorney General. |
James Linn | Democratic-Republican | New Jersey at-large | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Retired. |
John Marshall | Federalist | Virginia 13 | March 4, 1799 – June 7, 1800 | Resigned to become United States Secretary of State. |
Abraham Nott | Federalist | South Carolina 6 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Retired. |
Robert Page | Federalist | Virginia 1 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Retired. |
Jonas Platt | Federalist | New York 9 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Retired. |
Leven Powell | Federalist | Virginia 17 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Retired. |
James Sheafe | Federalist | New Hampshire at-large | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Retired. |
David Stone | Democratic-Republican | North Carolina 8 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Re-elected, but declined seat to take seat in United States Senate. |
Littleton Waller Tazewell | Democratic-Republican | Virginia 13 | November 26, 1800 – March 3, 1801 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
John Chew Thomas | Federalist | Maryland 2 | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Retired. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
John Bacon | Democratic-Republican | Massachusetts 1 | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Retired. |
Thomas Boude | Federalist | Pennsylvania 28 | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Lost re-election. |
Charles Johnson | Democratic-Republican | North Carolina 8 | March 4, 1801 – July 23, 1802 | Died. |
William Jones | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania 1 | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Retired. |
George Upham | Federalist | New Hampshire at-large | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Retired. |
Thomas Morris | Federalist | New York 10 | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Retired. |
Joseph Peirce | Federalist | New Hampshire at-large | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1802 | Resigned. |
Josiah Smith | Democratic-Republican | Massachusetts 6 | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Retired. |
John Stratton | Federalist | Virginia 12 | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Retired. |
Thomas Tillotson | Federalist | New York 5 | March 4, 1801 – August 10, 1801 | Resigned to become Secretary of State of New York. |
George Upham | Federalist | New Hampshire at-large | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Retired. |
John Peter Van Ness | Democratic-Republican | New York 7 | October 6, 1801 – January 13, 1803 | Won special election. Seat declared vacant after losing re-election. |
Benjamin Walker | Federalist | New York 9 | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Retired. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Simeon Baldwin | Democratic-Republican | Connecticut at-large | March 4, 1803 – March 5, 1804 | Retired. |
Isaac Bloom | Federalist | New York 6 | March 4, 1803 – April 26, 1803 | Died. |
Thomas Dwight | Federalist | Massachusetts 5 | March 4, 1803 – March 4, 1805 | Retired. |
Thomas Lewis Jr. | Federalist | Virginia 5 | March 4, 1803 – March 5, 1804 | Seat declared vacant. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leonard Covington | Democratic-Republican | Maryland 2 | March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1807 | Lost re-election. |
Theodore Dwight | Federalist | Connecticut at-large | December 1, 1806 – March 3, 1807 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
Christian Lower | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania 3 | March 4, 1805 – December 19, 1806 | Retired. Died before term expired. |
Patrick Magruder | Democratic-Republican | Maryland 3 | March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1807 | Lost re-election. |
Cowles Mead | Democratic-Republican | Georgia at-large | March 4, 1805 – December 24, 1805 | Lost election contest. |
Martin G. Schuneman | Democratic-Republican | New York 7 | March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1807 | Retired. |
Thomas Spalding | Democratic-Republican | Georgia at-large | December 24, 1805 – November 24, 1806 | Won election contest. Lost re-election. Resigned early. |
Nathan Williams | Democratic-Republican | New York 15 | March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1807 | Retired. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Daniel Ilsley | Democratic-Republican | Massachusetts 15 | March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1809 | Lost re-election. |
Joseph Story | Democratic-Republican | Massachusetts 2 | May 23, 1808 – March 3, 1809 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
Peter Swart | Democratic-Republican | New York 13 | March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1809 | Retired. |
Nathan Wilson | Democratic-Republican | New York 12 | November 7, 1808 – March 3, 1809 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Joseph Allen | Federalist | Massachusetts 10 | October 8, 1810 – March 3, 1811 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
Nathaniel Appleton Haven | Federalist | New Hampshire at-large | March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811 | Retired. |
Herman Knickerbocker | Federalist | New York 6 | March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811 | Retired. |
Vincent Mathews | Federalist | New York 14 | March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811 | Retired. |
Jacob Swoope | Federalist | Virginia 4 | March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811 | Retired. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Harmanus Bleecker | Federalist | New York 7 | March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813 | Retired. |
Thomas B. Cooke | Democratic-Republican | New York 5 | March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813 | Retired. |
Abner Lacock | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania 11 | March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813 | Re-elected, but declined seat to accept appointment to U.S. Senate. |
James Morgan | Democratic-Republican | New Jersey at-large | March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813 | Redistricted to the 2nd district . Lost re-election in new district. |
George Sullivan | Federalist | New Hampshire at-large | March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813 | Retired. |
William Widgery | Democratic-Republican | Massachusetts 15 | March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813 | Lost re-election. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Thomas Monteagle Bayly | Federalist | Virginia 13 | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 | Retired. |
John Henry Bowen | Democratic-Republican | Tennessee 4 | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 | Retired. |
John M. Bowers | Democratic-Republican | New York 15 | June 21, 1813 – December 20, 1813 | Lost election contest. |
Alexander Boyd | Federalist | New York 13 | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 | Retired. |
Samuel Dana | Democratic-Republican | Massachusetts 4 | September 22, 1814 – March 3, 1815 | Won special election. Lost election to full term. |
Daniel Dewey | Federalist | Massachusetts 12 | March 4, 1813 – February 24, 1814 | Resigned. |
Joseph H. Hawkins | Democratic-Republican | Kentucky 2 | March 29, 1814 – March 3, 1815 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
Morris S. Miller | Federalist | New York 16 | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 | Retired. |
Joel Thompson | Democratic-Republican | New York 15 | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 | Retired. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Micah Brooks | Democratic-Republican | New York 21 | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Retired. |
Benjamin Brown | Federalist | Massachusetts 16 | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Redistricted to the 18th district . Lost election to full term in new district. |
Thomas Burnside | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania 9 | October 10, 1815 – April 15, 1816 | Won special election. Resigned. |
James Carr | Federalist | Massachusetts 17 | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Retired. |
Thomas Clayton | Federalist | Delaware at-large | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Lost re-election. |
Samuel S. Conner | Democratic-Republican | Massachusetts 19 | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Redistricted to the 18th district . Lost re-election in new district. |
Bennett H. Henderson | Democratic-Republican | Tennessee 4 | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Retired. |
Samuel Powell | Democratic-Republican | Tennessee 1 | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Retired. |
Magnus Tate | Federalist | Virginia 2 | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Retired. |
Enos T. Throop | Democratic-Republican | New York 20 | March 4, 1815 – June 4, 1816 | Lost re-election. Resigned early. |
Jonathan Williams | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania 1 | March 4, 1815 – May 16, 1815 | Died. |
John B. Yates | Democratic-Republican | New York 13 | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Retired. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Joseph E. Baird | Republican | Ohio 13 | March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931 | Lost re-election. |
Robert E. Lee Blackburn | Republican | Kentucky 7 | March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931 | Lost re-election. |
Linwood Clark | Republican | Maryland 2 | March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931 | Lost re-election. |
John D. Craddock | Republican | Kentucky 4 | March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931 | Lost re-election. |
John Lloyd Dorsey, Jr. | Democratic | Kentucky 2 | March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931 | Retired. |
Jacob A. Garber | Republican | Virginia 7 | March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931 | Lost re-election. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Howard M. Baldrige | Republican | Nebraska 2 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost re-election. |
William Edward Barton | Democratic | Missouri 16 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost renomination. |
Joseph Franklin Biddle | Republican | Pennsylvania 18 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Retired. |
Charles F. Curry, Jr. | Republican | California 3 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost re-election. |
Robert Lee Davis | Republican | Pennsylvania 6 | November 8, 1932 – March 3, 1933 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
William H. Dieterich | Democratic | Illinois at-large | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Retired to successfully run for U.S. Senate. |
Willa McCord Blake Eslick | Democratic | Tennessee 7 | August 13, 1932 – March 3, 1933 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
John W. Fishburne | Democratic | Virginia 7 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Retired. |
Joel West Flood | Democratic | Virginia 10 | November 8, 1932 – March 3, 1933 | District eliminated in redistricting. |
Courtland C. Gillen | Democratic | Indiana 5 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost renomination. |
Peter C. Granata | Republican | Illinois 8 | March 4, 1931 – April 5, 1932 | Lost election contest. |
Ralph Horr | Republican | Washington 1 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost renomination. |
Robert Davis Johnson | Democratic | Missouri 7 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost renomination. |
Charles A. Karch | Democratic | Illinois 22 | March 4, 1931 – November 6, 1932 | Died. |
Norton Lewis Lichtenwalner | Democratic | Pennsylvania 14 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost re-election. |
Oscar Lovette | Republican | Tennessee 1 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost renomination. |
Carlton Mobley | Democratic | Georgia 6 | March 2, 1932 – March 3, 1933 | Won special election. Not a candidate for full term. |
John H. Overton | Democratic | Louisiana 8 | May 12, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Won special election. Retired to successfully run for U.S. Senate. |
Donald Partridge | Republican | Maine 2 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Retired. |
Seymour H. Person | Republican | Michigan 6 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost re-election. |
Percy Hamilton Stewart | Democratic | New Jersey 5 | December 1, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Won special election. Lost election to full term. |
Howard William Stull | Republican | Pennsylvania 20 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Retired. |
William L. Tierney | Democratic | Connecticut 4 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost re-election. |
John E. Weeks | Republican | Vermont 1 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | District eliminated in redistricting. |
Wilbur White | Republican | Ohio 9 | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Lost re-election. |
Representative | Party | District | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wilbur L. Adams | Democratic | Delaware at-large | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 | Retired to unsuccessfully run for U.S. Senate. |
Henry M. Arens | Farmer–Labor | Minnesota at-large | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 | Lost re-election. |
Joseph Weldon Bailey Jr. | Democratic | Texas at-large | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 | Retired to unsuccessfully run for U.S. Senate. |
Charles Montague Bakewell | Republican | Connecticut at-large | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 | Lost re-election. |
John Y. Brown Sr. |