76th Delaware General Assembly

Governor James Ponder
76th General Assembly
In office January 3, 1871 – January 6, 1873
Preceded by	75th Assembly
Succeeded by	77th Assembly

The 76th 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 1st and terms began in Dover on the first Tuesday in January. This date was January 3, 1871, which was two weeks before the beginning of the first administrative year Governor James Ponder.

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 76th Delaware General Assembly session both chambers had a Democratic majority.

Leadership

Senate

• Charles Gooding, New Castle County, Democratic

House of Representatives

• Sewell C. Biggs, New Castle County, Democratic

Members

Senate

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

New Castle County Charles Gooding Allen V. Lesley Leonard G. Vandegrift

Kent County Thomas H. Denney John Mustard Curtis S. Watson

Sussex County Martin M. Ellis Thomas E. Records George Russell

House of Representative

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

New Castle County Sewell C. Biggs Benjamin Caulk J. Paulson Chandler Lot Cloud Aquilla Derrickerson Albert O. Newton Francis T. Perry

Kent County John C. Carsons Samuel B. Cooper Nimrod Harrington Henry H. Howe Samuel Hutchinson, Jr. David Needles James L. Smith

Sussex County Curtis A. Conaway Levin Hitch Shephard P. Martin William W. Morris Jesse W. Robinson John W. Short Ebe W. Tunnell

References

• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
• Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, Delaware: Roger A. Martin.

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]