The speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Since its first session under the Frame of Government in 1682, presided over by William Penn, over 130 house members have been elevated to the speaker's chair. The house cannot hold an official session in the absence of the speaker or their designated speaker pro tempore.
The current speaker is Joanna McClinton, who is the first female and first female African-American speaker.
Speakers of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly
Speakers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Speakers of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
| Speaker
|
Term
|
Party
|
County
|
Notes
|
Citations
|
| William Bingham
|
1791–1792
|
Federalist
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| Gerardus Wynkoop II
|
1793
|
Federalist
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| George Latimer
|
1794–1798
|
Federalist
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| Cadwalader Evans
|
1799
|
Federalist
|
Montgomery
|
|
[4]
|
| Isaac Weaver Jr.
|
1800–1803
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Greene
|
|
[4]
|
| Simon Snyder
|
1804–1805
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Northumberland
|
|
[4]
|
| Charles Porter
|
1806
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Fayette
|
|
[4]
|
| Simon Snyder
|
1807
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Northumberland
|
|
[4]
|
| Nathaniel Boileau
|
1808
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Montgomery
|
|
[4]
|
| James Engle
|
1809
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| John Weber
|
1810
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Montgomery
|
|
[4]
|
| John Tod
|
1812
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Bedford
|
|
[4]
|
| Robert Smith
|
1813
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Franklin
|
resigned February 14, 1813
|
[4]
|
| John St. Clair
|
1814
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Fayette
|
|
[4]
|
| Jacob Holgate
|
1815
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| Rees Hill
|
1816
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Greene
|
|
[4]
|
| William Davidson
|
1818
|
Democratic
|
Montgomery
|
|
[4]
|
| Rees Hill
|
1819
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Greene
|
|
[4]
|
| Joseph Lawrence
|
1820
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Washington
|
|
[4]
|
| John Gilmore
|
1821
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Allegheny/Butler
|
|
[4]
|
| Joseph Lawrence
|
1822
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Washington
|
|
[4]
|
| Joel B. Sutherland
|
1825
|
Democratic
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| Joseph Ritner
|
1826
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Washington
|
|
[4]
|
| Ner Middleswarth
|
1828
|
Whig
|
Union
|
|
[4]
|
| Frederick Smith
|
1830
|
Democratic-Republican
|
Franklin
|
|
[4]
|
| John Laporte
|
1832
|
Democratic
|
Bradford/Tioga
|
|
[4]
|
| James Findley
|
1833
|
Democratic
|
Westmoreland
|
|
[4]
|
| Samuel Anderson
|
1833
|
Democratic
|
Delaware
|
|
[4]
|
| William Patterson
|
1834
|
Democratic
|
Washington
|
|
[4]
|
| James Thompson
|
1834
|
Democratic
|
Venango/Warren
|
|
[4]
|
| Ner Middleswarth
|
1836
|
Whig
|
Union
|
|
[4]
|
| Lewis Dewart
|
1837
|
Democratic
|
Northumberland
|
|
[4]
|
| William Hopkins
|
1839
|
Democratic
|
Washington
|
|
[4]
|
| William A. Crabb
|
1841
|
Whig
|
Northumberland
|
|
[4]
|
| James Ross Snowden
|
1842
|
Democratic
|
Venango/Clarion
|
|
[4]
|
| Hendrick Bradley Wright
|
1843
|
Democratic
|
Luzerne/Wyoming
|
|
[4]
|
| James Ross Snowden
|
1844
|
Democratic
|
Venango/Clarion
|
|
[4]
|
| Findley Patterson
|
1845–1846
|
Democratic
|
Washington
|
|
[4]
|
| James Cooper
|
1847
|
Whig
|
Adams
|
|
[4]
|
| William F. Packer
|
1848–1849
|
Democratic
|
Lycoming/Clinton
|
|
[4]
|
| John S. McCalmont
|
1850
|
Democratic
|
Venango
|
|
[4]
|
| John Cessna
|
1851
|
Democratic
|
Bedford
|
|
[4]
|
| John S. Rhey
|
1852
|
Democratic
|
Armstrong/Cambria
|
|
[4]
|
| William P. Schell
|
1853
|
Democratic
|
Bedford
|
|
[4]
|
| E.B. Chase
|
1854
|
Democratic
|
Susquehanna/Wyoming
|
|
[4]
|
| Henry K. Strong
|
1855
|
Whig
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| Richard L. Wright
|
1856
|
Democratic
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| J. Lawrence Getz
|
1857
|
Democratic
|
Berks
|
|
[4]
|
| A.B. Longaker
|
1858
|
Democratic
|
Montgomery
|
|
[4]
|
| William Lawrence
|
1859–1860
|
Republican
|
Dauphin
|
|
[4]
|
| Elisha W. Davis
|
1861
|
Republican
|
Mercer/Venango
|
|
[4]
|
| William Kinsey
|
1862
|
Democratic
|
Franklin
|
|
[4]
|
| John Cessna
|
1863
|
Republican
|
Bedford
|
|
[4]
|
| Henry C. Johnson
|
1864
|
Republican
|
Crawford
|
|
[4]
|
| Arthur G. Olmsted
|
1865
|
Republican
|
Potter
|
|
[4]
|
| James R. Kelley
|
1866
|
Republican
|
Fulton
|
|
[4]
|
| John P. Glass
|
1867
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
|
[4]
|
| Elisha W. Davis
|
1868
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| John Clark
|
1869
|
Republican
|
Washington
|
|
[4]
|
| Butler B. Strang
|
1870
|
Republican
|
Tioga
|
|
[4]
|
| James H. Webb
|
1871
|
Republican
|
Bradford
|
|
[4]
|
| William Elliott
|
1872
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| H. H. McCormick
|
1874
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
|
[4]
|
| Samuel D. Patterson
|
1875
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
|
[4][5]
|
| E. Reed Myer
|
1877
|
Republican
|
Bradford
|
|
[4]
|
| Henry M. Long
|
1879
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
|
[4]
|
| Benjamin L. Hewit
|
1881
|
Republican
|
Blair
|
|
[4]
|
| John E. Faunce
|
1883
|
Democratic
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| James L. Graham
|
1885
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
|
[4]
|
| Henry K. Boyer
|
1887–1889
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| Caleb C. Thompson
|
1891
|
Republican
|
Warren
|
|
[4]
|
| Henry F. Walton
|
1895
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| Henry K. Boyer
|
1897
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
resigned January 17, 1898
|
[4]
|
| John R. Farr
|
1899
|
Republican
|
Lackawanna
|
|
[4]
|
| William T. Marshall
|
1901
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
|
[4]
|
| Henry F. Walton
|
1903
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
|
[4]
|
| Frank B. McClain
|
1907
|
Republican
|
Lancaster
|
|
[4]
|
| John F. Cox
|
1909–1911
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
died in office November 6, 1911
|
[4]
|
| Milton W. Shreve
|
1911
|
Republican
|
Erie
|
|
[4]
|
| George E. Alter
|
1913
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
|
[4]
|
| Charles A. Ambler
|
1915
|
Republican
|
Montgomery
|
|
[4]
|
| Richard J. Baldwin
|
1917
|
Republican
|
Delaware
|
|
[4]
|
| Robert S. Spangler
|
1919–1921
|
Republican
|
York
|
|
[4]
|
| Samuel A. Whitaker
|
1921
|
Republican
|
Chester
|
elected to fill unexpired term April 26, 1921
|
[4]
|
| C.J. Goodnough
|
1923
|
Republican
|
Cameron
|
|
[4]
|
| Thomas Bluett
|
1925–1927
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
resigned to become a judge
|
[4]
|
| James H. McClure
|
1927
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
elected to fill an unexpired term
|
[4]
|
| Aaron B. Hess
|
1929
|
Republican
|
Lancaster
|
|
[4]
|
| C.J. Goodnough
|
1931
|
Republican
|
Cameron
|
|
[4]
|
| Grover C. Talbot
|
1933–1935
|
Republican
|
Delaware
|
|
|
| Wilson G. Sarig
|
1935–1936
|
Democratic
|
Berks
|
died in office March 14, 1936
|
|
| Roy E. Furman
|
1936–1938
|
Democratic
|
Greene
|
|
|
| Ellwood J. Turner
|
1939–1941
|
Republican
|
Delaware
|
|
|
| Elmer Kilroy
|
1941–1942
|
Democratic
|
Philadelphia
|
|
|
| Ira T. Fiss
|
1943–1946
|
Republican
|
Snyder
|
|
|
| Franklin H. Lichtenwalter
|
1947–1948
|
Republican
|
Lehigh
|
|
|
| Herbert P. Sorg
|
1949–1952
|
Republican
|
Elk
|
|
|
| Charles C. Smith
|
1953–1955
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
|
|
| Hiram G. Andrews
|
1955–1956
|
Democratic
|
Cambria
|
|
|
| W. Stuart Helm
|
1957–1958
|
Republican
|
Armstrong
|
|
|
| Hiram G. Andrews
|
1959–1962
|
Democratic
|
Cambria
|
|
|
| W. Stuart Helm
|
1963–1964
|
Republican
|
Armstrong
|
|
|
| Robert K. Hamilton
|
1965–1966
|
Democratic
|
Beaver
|
|
|
| Kenneth B. Lee
|
1967–1968
|
Republican
|
Sullivan
|
|
|
| Herbert Fineman
|
1969–1970
|
Democratic
|
Philadelphia
|
|
|
| Kenneth B. Lee
|
1971–1974
|
Republican
|
Sullivan
|
|
|
| Herbert Fineman
|
1975–1976
|
Democratic
|
Philadelphia
|
|
|
| K. Leroy Irvis
|
1977–1979
|
Democratic
|
Allegheny
|
elected May 23, 1977
|
|
| H. Jack Seltzer
|
1979–1981
|
Republican
|
Lebanon
|
|
|
| Matthew J. Ryan
|
1981–1983
|
Republican
|
Delaware
|
|
|
| K. Leroy Irvis
|
1983–1988
|
Democratic
|
Allegheny
|
|
|
| James J. Manderino
|
1989
|
Democratic
|
Westmoreland
|
died in office December 26, 1989
|
|
| Robert W. O'Donnell
|
1990–1993
|
Democratic
|
Philadelphia
|
|
|
| H. William DeWeese
|
1993–1994
|
Democratic
|
Greene
|
|
|
| Matthew J. Ryan
|
1995–2003
|
Republican
|
Delaware
|
died in office March 29, 2003
|
|
| John Perzel
|
2003–2007
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
elected to fill unexpired term April 15, 2003
|
|
| Dennis M. O'Brien
|
2007–2008
|
Republican
|
Philadelphia
|
minority-party speaker
|
|
| Keith R. McCall
|
2009–2010
|
Democratic
|
Carbon
|
|
|
| Samuel H. Smith
|
2011–2014
|
Republican
|
Jefferson
|
|
|
| Michael C. Turzai
|
2015–2020
|
Republican
|
Allegheny
|
resigned June 15, 2020
|
|
| Bryan Cutler
|
2020–2023
|
Republican
|
Lancaster
|
|
|
| Mark Rozzi
|
2023
|
Democratic
|
Berks
|
resigned February 28, 2023
|
[6]
|
| Joanna McClinton
|
2023–present
|
Democratic
|
Philadelphia
|
|
|
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj "Speakers of the Provincial Assembly (1682-1790) (page 14/28)" (PDF). The Pennsylvania Manual, Volume 117 (2005-2006 General Assembly). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bureau of Publications. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
- ^ "Philadelphia, December 27". Freeman's Journal. December 27, 1786. p. 2.
- ^ Hiltzheimer, Jacob; Parsons, Jacob Cox (1893). Extracts from the diary of Jacob Hiltzheimer: of Philadelphia. 1765-1798. Press of W. F. Fell & co.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck "Speakers of the House of Representatives since 1791" (PDF). The Pennsylvania Manual, Volume 117 (2005-2006 General Assembly). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bureau of Publications. Retrieved March 1, 2007.
- ^ "Samuel D. Patterson". legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- ^ Caruso, Stephen (February 28, 2023). "PA House Speaker Mark Rozzi steps down". Spotlight PA. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
External links