John Randolph was a major early factor in the House of Representatives.  He served 11 full terms in the House (in four different districts thanks to the growth of Virginia and re-districting every decade).  He also served two partial terms.

His first partial term he resigned, because he had been elected to the U.S. Senate to fill out the last year and a half of a term.  At the conclusion of that term he was replaced by John Tyler - the man who would later become the 10th President of the United States.

After serving another term in the house, he did not seek re-election and ended up being appointed the Minister to Russia.  He served six months in that position.  At that point he was then replaced by James Buchanaan - the man who would later become the 15th President of the United States.

At this point, it looks like a good idea to step in for Randolph.  Or so you would think.

When Randolph had declined to run for re-election to Congress in 1829, he was replaced in the House by Thomas T. Bouldin.  Bouldin served two terms and then was beaten for re-election, by none other than John Randolph, who decided he wanted his old seat back.

Randolph then went to his 13th term in the House, but only lasted two months before dying on May 24, 1833 (before Congress even went into session).  A special election was then held to replace him and he was followed by none other than Thomas T. Bouldin.

On February 11, 1834, Bouldin was giving a eulogy for his predecessor on the House floor.  He died in mid-sentence.

In 1818, Joseph Kerr was elected as one of three members of Ross County to the Ohio House of Representatives. He did not, however, arrive for the start of the session on 7 December, because he was under a capias ad satisfaciendum, which in normal English, means he owed someone money and was in debtor’s prison.

But, on December 15, the House decided they had had enough of waiting around for Kerr to show up, noting “this house are of opinion, that it is the constitutional right of the people to have a fall (sic) expression in this house, and that it is not only the constitutional right of this house, but an imperious duty, to compel the attendance of all its members, therefore. Resolved. That the speaker of this house, be authorized, empowered and directed, to issue his warrant, under his hand, directing the sergeant at arms to cause to be brought to this house the said Joseph Kerr, in order to his attendance on his duties as member of this general assembly.”

Fortunately for legal scholars (and unfortunately for those who love humor), the legislature voted against the measure by a total of 55 to 30.

The folks at the University of Richmond have come up with this awesome interactive mapping service for elections from 1840 - present.  They don’t have the early stuff, yet.  But we are working on that

Voting America