68th Delaware General Assembly explained

Body:	Delaware General Assembly
Before:	67th
After:	69th

The 68th Delaware General Assembly was a meeting of the legislative branch of the state government, consisting of the Delaware Senate and the Delaware House of Representatives. Elections were held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms began on the first Tuesday in January. It met in Dover, Delaware, convening January 2, 1855, two weeks before the beginning of the first and second year of the administration of Governor Peter F. Causey.

The apportionment of seats was permanently assigned to three senators and seven representatives for each of the three counties. Population of the county did not effect the number of delegates. Both chambers had a Know Nothing majority.

Leadership

Senate

• Daniel Curry, Kent County

House of Representatives

• Samuel Biddle, New Castle County

Members

Senate

Senators were elected by the public for a four-year term, some elected each two year.

New Castle County Archibald Armstrong Sewell C. Biggs Charles I. du Pont

Kent County William Collins Daniel Currey Moses Harrington

Sussex County John A. Hazzard John Ponder Elihu J. Pusey

House of Representatives

Representatives were elected by the public for a term, every two years.

New Castle County Samuel Biddle Jonathan Groves John J. Henry David McKee James V. Moore Edward Sheppard David C. Wilson

Kent County John W. Cullen Thomas Draper James B.R. Powell John W. Smith James W. Spruance William Tomlinson John Woodall, Jr.

Sussex County Woolsey Burton Robert G. Ellegood Asbury C. Pepper Burton C. Prettyman Charles Rickards Joseph P.H. Shipley John S. Waples

References

• Book: Martin, Roger A. . Memoirs of the Senate . Roger A. Martin . Newark, Delaware . 1995 .

Places with more information

• Delaware Historical Society

website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; [phone]

• University of Delaware

Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; [phone]