78th Delaware General Assembly explained

Body:Delaware General Assembly
Before:77th
After:79th

The 78th 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 in Dover on the first Tuesday in January. This date was January 1, 1875, which was two weeks before the beginning of the first administrative year of Governor John P. Cochran.

Currently the distribution of the Senate Assembly seats was made to three senators for each of the three counties. Likewise the current distribution of the House Assembly seats was made to seven representatives for each of the three counties. The actual population changes of the county did not directly affect the number of senators or representatives at this time.

In the 78th Delaware General Assembly session both chambers had a Democratic majority.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

Senate

Senators were normally elected by the public for a four-year term; although many were selected to fill the remainder of a vacant position.

New Castle County

  • Henry Davis
  • James H. Ray
  • Leander F. Riddle

Kent County

  • Henry B. Fiddeman
  • William Sapp
  • William M. Shakespeare

Sussex County

  • John W. Causey
  • John T. Moore
  • Charles C. Stockley

House of Representatives

Representatives were elected by the public for a two-year term.

New Castle County

  • Thomas L.J. Baldwin, Jr.
  • William P. Biggs
  • Thomas Bird
  • Samuel Hanby
  • Thomas Holcomb, Sr.
  • Henry A. Nowland
  • Isaac C. Pyle

Kent County

  • William Broadaway
  • William B. Collins
  • Thomas C. Green
  • Webster D. Learned
  • James H. Todd
  • John M. Voshell
  • J. Frank Wilds

Sussex County

  • Asa F. Conwell
  • Paynter Frame
  • Shephard P. Houston
  • Robert Lambdin
  • Joseph G. McNeal
  • George H. Phillips
  • John W. Phillips

References

Places with more information

website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161
Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965