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The Congress Man

@manthecongress.bsky.social
186 followers 506 following 714 posts

History nerd, maker of YouTube videos about the history of the U.S. Congress I have a Patreon too! There’s lots of free stuff there: www.patreon.com/TheCongressMan?utm_…

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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
BIG NEWS EVERYONE! I just finally actually finished a script. This hasn’t been an easy summer creatively, and I’ve started and failed multiple attempts in the last few months. So this is a major accomplishment. Is it a good script? I don’t know, but what matters is that it’s complete.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
August 9, 1797 Archibald Yell (Rep, AR) was born somewhere in either North Carolina, Kentucky, or the new state of Tennessee. His gravestone says North Carolina, so that's what we'll go with. Rep #: 1,795 Congress #: 2,006 For the first half of his life, Yell was a military guy.
portrait of Archibald Yell, wearing his Freemason gear; date unknown, but probably 1840s, when he was either Governor of Arkansas or U.S. Congressman; painted by Washington Bogart Cooper
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
August 9, 1797 Archibald Yell (Rep, AR) was born somewhere in either North Carolina, Kentucky, or the new state of Tennessee. His gravestone says North Carolina, so that's what we'll go with. Rep #: 1,795 Congress #: 2,006 For the first half of his life, Yell was a military guy.
portrait of Archibald Yell, wearing his Freemason gear; date unknown, but probably 1840s, when he was either Governor of Arkansas or U.S. Congressman; painted by Washington Bogart Cooper
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
August 5, 1819 Preston Smith Brooks (Rep-SC) was born in Edgefield County, South Carolina. Representative #2873 Congress #3178 He was the guy who beat Charles Sumner nearly to death with a cane in 1856, which you probably knew already. But there's more to the story than that. 🧵
1856 photograph of Congressman Preston Brooks; photographer unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
August 5, 1819 Preston Smith Brooks (Rep-SC) was born in Edgefield County, South Carolina. Representative #2873 Congress #3178 He was the guy who beat Charles Sumner nearly to death with a cane in 1856, which you probably knew already. But there's more to the story than that. 🧵
1856 photograph of Congressman Preston Brooks; photographer unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
August 2, 1852: Former Congressman Edward Gilbert (D-CA) was killed in a duel in Sacramento, California. He was one of California's first two Representatives, serving from September 11, 1850, to March 3, 1851. Rep #: 2663 Congress #: 2950
black and white engraving portrait of Edward Gilbert, by an artist named Oehlschlager, published in 1855.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
August 2, 1852: Former Congressman Edward Gilbert (D-CA) was killed in a duel in Sacramento, California. He was one of California's first two Representatives, serving from September 11, 1850, to March 3, 1851. Rep #: 2663 Congress #: 2950
black and white engraving portrait of Edward Gilbert, by an artist named Oehlschlager, published in 1855.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
@theonion.com “Birth of a Nation” documentary was fantastic. If you have a half hour (which you do), I highly recommend it.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 July 2, 1802: Jonathan Cilley was born in Nottingham, New Hampshire. After graduating from Bowdoin College (where he was a classmate of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Franklin Pierce), Cilley became a lawyer and moved to Thomaston, Maine.
black and white portrait of Jonathan Cilley, by J.B. Sears, circa 1838
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 July 2, 1802: Jonathan Cilley was born in Nottingham, New Hampshire. After graduating from Bowdoin College (where he was a classmate of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Franklin Pierce), Cilley became a lawyer and moved to Thomaston, Maine.
black and white portrait of Jonathan Cilley, by J.B. Sears, circa 1838
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Congressional Death Date 🧵 June 29, 1837: former Representative and Senator Nathaniel Macon died in Warrenton, North Carolina, at the age of 79. He was first elected to the 2nd Congress and served in the House from March 4, 1791, to December 13, 1815, when he moved up to the Senate...
full portrait of Nathaniel Macon, painted by Robert D. Gauley
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Congressional Death Date 🧵 June 29, 1837: former Representative and Senator Nathaniel Macon died in Warrenton, North Carolina, at the age of 79. He was first elected to the 2nd Congress and served in the House from March 4, 1791, to December 13, 1815, when he moved up to the Senate...
full portrait of Nathaniel Macon, painted by Robert D. Gauley
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 June 23, 1794: John Dickey was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Dickey served in the House from 1843 to 1845 and again from 1847 to 1849. He died in Beaver, Pennsylvania, on March 14, 1853. But the interesting part isn't Dickey, it's the birthdate itself - June 23...
black and white miniature portrait of John Dickey, date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 June 23, 1794: John Dickey was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Dickey served in the House from 1843 to 1845 and again from 1847 to 1849. He died in Beaver, Pennsylvania, on March 14, 1853. But the interesting part isn't Dickey, it's the birthdate itself - June 23...
black and white miniature portrait of John Dickey, date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Name a TV show you’re positive no one remembers but you.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Congressional Death Date 🧵 June 17, 1832: Virginia Representative Charles Clement Johnston died by drowning in the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia. Representative #1,534 Congressman #1,726 There are no portraits of Johnston, so here's an 1836 engraving of the Alexandria waterfront instead.
1836 engraving showing a slave ship on the Potomac River waterfront of Alexandria, Virginia; originally published by the American Anti-Slavery Society as part of a broadside campaign; from the Library of Congress
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Congressional Death Date 🧵 June 17, 1832: Virginia Representative Charles Clement Johnston died by drowning in the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia. Representative #1,534 Congressman #1,726 There are no portraits of Johnston, so here's an 1836 engraving of the Alexandria waterfront instead.
1836 engraving showing a slave ship on the Potomac River waterfront of Alexandria, Virginia; originally published by the American Anti-Slavery Society as part of a broadside campaign; from the Library of Congress
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 June 16, 1778: Charles Fenton Mercer (Rep, VA) was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Representative #895 Congressman #1,029 Mercer became a lawyer and founded the town of Aldie, Virginia.
miniature portrait of Charles F. Mercer, date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 June 16, 1778: Charles Fenton Mercer (Rep, VA) was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Representative #895 Congressman #1,029 Mercer became a lawyer and founded the town of Aldie, Virginia.
miniature portrait of Charles F. Mercer, date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 June 8, 1788: Charles Anderson Wickliffe (Rep, KY-09 and KY-05) was born in Nelson County, Virginia, in an area that is now Springfield, Kentucky. Representative #1,186 Congressman #1,347 Wickliffe became a lawyer and set up practice in 1809 in Bardstown, Kentucky.
Color painting of Charles A. Wickliffe, painted in 1908 by William Besser. This is presumably based on an earlier portrait/photgraph, since Wickliffe died in 1869.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 June 8, 1788: Charles Anderson Wickliffe (Rep, KY-09 and KY-05) was born in Nelson County, Virginia, in an area that is now Springfield, Kentucky. Representative #1,186 Congressman #1,347 Wickliffe became a lawyer and set up practice in 1809 in Bardstown, Kentucky.
Color painting of Charles A. Wickliffe, painted in 1908 by William Besser. This is presumably based on an earlier portrait/photgraph, since Wickliffe died in 1869.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 June 6, 1813: Israel Washburn, Jr. was born in Livermore, Massachusetts (now Maine). Representative #2,675 Congressman #2,969
photograph of Israel Washburn Jr. during his time in Congress (1851-1861) by Matthew Brady
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LuUuUuke Knox 👻 @lukeknox.me · 31/05/2026
seeing a lot of “people of Bluesky age,” plus 70-year-old Ben Franklin
The birth years of the Continental Congress members depicted in John Trumbull's 1819 painting if the Declaration of Independence was signed this year.
1991
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1984
1999
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 30, 1778: Richard Skinner was born in Lichtfield, Connecticut He grew up in Connecticut and after graduating from law school, moved to Manchester, Vermont, to set up his practice.
black and white portrait of Richard Skinner, date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 19, 1794: George Anson Starkweather (Rep, D-NY-21) was born in Preston, Connecticut Representative #2,456 Congressman #2,726 New York Representative #497 Starkweather became a lawyer and moved to Cooperstown, New York, in 1823 to set up his practice...
photograph portrait of George A. Starkweather; date and photographer unknown, but he was 53 when he started his Congressional term in 1847, and he looks like he's in his 50s in this picture, so this is likely his official congressional portrait.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 19, 1794: George Anson Starkweather (Rep, D-NY-21) was born in Preston, Connecticut Representative #2,456 Congressman #2,726 New York Representative #497 Starkweather became a lawyer and moved to Cooperstown, New York, in 1823 to set up his practice...
photograph portrait of George A. Starkweather; date and photographer unknown, but he was 53 when he started his Congressional term in 1847, and he looks like he's in his 50s in this picture, so this is likely his official congressional portrait.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 18, 1801: Mason Cook Darling (Rep, D-WI-AL) was born in Amherst, Massachusetts Representative #2,536 Congressman #2,811 Wisconsin Representative #2 He became a doctor in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and then moved to the newly-formed Wisconsin Territory in 1837...
1856 portrait of Mason Cook Darling, by Samuel M. Brookes and Thomas H. Stevenson
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 18, 1801: Mason Cook Darling (Rep, D-WI-AL) was born in Amherst, Massachusetts Representative #2,536 Congressman #2,811 Wisconsin Representative #2 He became a doctor in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and then moved to the newly-formed Wisconsin Territory in 1837...
1856 portrait of Mason Cook Darling, by Samuel M. Brookes and Thomas H. Stevenson
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 (we've got another one for @actualnames.bsky.social ) May 15, 1797: George Coke Dromgoole (Rep, D-VA-04/02) was born in Lawrenceville, Virginia. Representative #1,745 Congressman #1,949 Dromgoole became a lawyer and entered politics at the age of 26...
photograph/daguerreotype of George Coke Dromgoole, 1840; photographer unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 13, 1742: Manasseh Cutler (Rep, F-MA-03/F-MA-05) was born in Killingly, Connecticut Representative 304 Congressman 380 He is the only Congressman in U.S. History named "Manasseh" (I assume it's a biblical name)
portrait of Manasseh Cutler; date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 13, 1742: Manasseh Cutler (Rep, F-MA-03/F-MA-05) was born in Killingly, Connecticut Representative 304 Congressman 380 He is the only Congressman in U.S. History named "Manasseh" (I assume it's a biblical name)
portrait of Manasseh Cutler; date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 12, 1801: William Tandy Senter (Rep, W-TN-02) was born in Bean Station, Tennessee. Yes, that's his real name and yes, that's a real place. Representative 2,235 Congressman 2,481 There are no portraits of Senter, so here's a picture of his gravesite instead...
photograph of William Tandy Senter's gravestone in Panther Hills, Tennessee.  The photo is from findagrave.com and was uploaded by a Dr. Bob Schneider, who is like a Find-A-Grave superstar.  He's uploaded 526 photos!
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 11, 1751: Josiah Parker (Rep, VA) was born in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Representative #26 Congressman #36
miniature portrait of Josiah Parker; circa 1789 by John Ramage; Parker is wearing his Continental Army uniform
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 May 11, 1751: Josiah Parker (Rep, VA) was born in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Representative #26 Congressman #36
miniature portrait of Josiah Parker; circa 1789 by John Ramage; Parker is wearing his Continental Army uniform
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 (here's one for @actualnames.bsky.social ) May 10, 1792: Willie Person Mangum was born in Orange County, North Carolina. He started off as a lawyer after graduating from the University of North Carolina, but quickly entered politics...
portrait of Willie P. Mangum as Senator in 1844; painted by James Lambdin
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 (here's one for @actualnames.bsky.social ) May 10, 1792: Willie Person Mangum was born in Orange County, North Carolina. He started off as a lawyer after graduating from the University of North Carolina, but quickly entered politics...
portrait of Willie P. Mangum as Senator in 1844; painted by James Lambdin
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Congressional Birth Dates 🧵 On May 8, 1786, James Hamilton Jr. was born in Charleston, South Carolina On May 8, 1787, Stephen Decatur Miller was born in the Waxhaw Region of South Carolina And on May 8, 1793, Warren Ransom Davis (no existing portraits) was born in Columbia, South Carolina
portrait of James Hamilton, Jr; date and artist unknownminiature portrait of Stephen D. Miller; date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Congressional Birth Dates 🧵 On May 8, 1786, James Hamilton Jr. was born in Charleston, South Carolina On May 8, 1787, Stephen Decatur Miller was born in the Waxhaw Region of South Carolina And on May 8, 1793, Warren Ransom Davis (no existing portraits) was born in Columbia, South Carolina
portrait of James Hamilton, Jr; date and artist unknownminiature portrait of Stephen D. Miller; date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 John Sloss Hobart was born on May 6, 1738, in Fairfield, Connecticut. After graduating from Yale in 1757, he moved to New York City to study law and set up a practice. During the Revolutionary War, he served in a few state-level political positions...
black and white portrait of John Sloss Hobart, probably a photograph of a painting; date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 John Sloss Hobart was born on May 6, 1738, in Fairfield, Connecticut. After graduating from Yale in 1757, he moved to New York City to study law and set up a practice. During the Revolutionary War, he served in a few state-level political positions...
black and white portrait of John Sloss Hobart, probably a photograph of a painting; date and artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 John Archer was born on May 5, 1741, in Churchville, Maryland. He graduated from the College of New Jersey (now known as Princeton) in 1760, and then hung around a few more years to get a Master's Degree in 1763. He first studied theology but then pivoted to medicine...
1768 black and white portrait of John Archer; artist unknown
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Congressional Death Date 🧵 On May 2, 1814, Senator Nicholas Gilman of New Hampshire died in office at the age of 58 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was born August 3, 1755, in Exeter, New Hampshire. After fighting in the Revolutionary War, Gilman turned to politics...
miniature portrait of Nicholas Gilman, by John Ramage; sometime between 1787 and 1792, when Gilman was either a delegate to the Constitutional Convention or a member of the House of Representatives
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Congressional Death Date 🧵 On May 2, 1814, Senator Nicholas Gilman of New Hampshire died in office at the age of 58 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was born August 3, 1755, in Exeter, New Hampshire. After fighting in the Revolutionary War, Gilman turned to politics...
miniature portrait of Nicholas Gilman, by John Ramage; sometime between 1787 and 1792, when Gilman was either a delegate to the Constitutional Convention or a member of the House of Representatives
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Congressional Birth AND Death Date 🧵 May 1, 1789: Richard Irvine Manning was born in Claremont County, Camden District (now Sumter County), South Carolina May 1, 1836: SC Representative Richard Irvine Manning died in office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on his 47th birthday.
black and white portrait of Richard I. Manning, probably a photograph of a painting; artist unknown, date 1824-1826
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Congressional Birth AND Death Date 🧵 May 1, 1789: Richard Irvine Manning was born in Claremont County, Camden District (now Sumter County), South Carolina May 1, 1836: SC Representative Richard Irvine Manning died in office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on his 47th birthday.
black and white portrait of Richard I. Manning, probably a photograph of a painting; artist unknown, date 1824-1826
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Congressional Death Date 🧵 On April 30, 1844, Ohio Representative Henry Roelif Brinkerhoff died in office at the age of 56. He was originally from Adams County, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Cayuga County, New York. He fought in the War of 1812 and then took up farming...
black and white photograph of Henry R. Brinkerhoff; date and photographer unknown, but probably around 1843, when he joined Congress; Brinkerhoff is seated and reading a newspaper.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Congressional Death Date 🧵 On April 30, 1844, Ohio Representative Henry Roelif Brinkerhoff died in office at the age of 56. He was originally from Adams County, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Cayuga County, New York. He fought in the War of 1812 and then took up farming...
black and white photograph of Henry R. Brinkerhoff; date and photographer unknown, but probably around 1843, when he joined Congress; Brinkerhoff is seated and reading a newspaper.
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
OLD CRAZY EYES
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 Theodore Foster was born April 29, 1752, in Brookfield, Massachusetts. He moved to Providence, Rhode Island, in 1770 and became a lawyer. He was Town Clerk of Providence (1775-87), and a member of the RI House of Representatives (1776-82)...
black and white portrait of Theodore Foster, date and artist unknown; Notably, his eyes are drawn weird - one is higher than the other - which lead to me calling him "Old Crazy Eyes" in the first episode of "Every Member of Congress EVER" and it's become a running joke on my channel
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The Congress Man @manthecongress.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Congressional Birth Date 🧵 Theodore Foster was born April 29, 1752, in Brookfield, Massachusetts. He moved to Providence, Rhode Island, in 1770 and became a lawyer. He was Town Clerk of Providence (1775-87), and a member of the RI House of Representatives (1776-82)...
black and white portrait of Theodore Foster, date and artist unknown; Notably, his eyes are drawn weird - one is higher than the other - which lead to me calling him "Old Crazy Eyes" in the first episode of "Every Member of Congress EVER" and it's become a running joke on my channel
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