Longest living United States Senator
This page contains a list of the eldest United States Senators among those currently living (sitting or former) and a list of the individuals who, at the time of their deaths, were the longest-lived United States Senators among those current or former senators then living. Of those living, the longest-lived senator is Harry F. Byrd, Jr., and Robert Byrd is the longest-lived sitting senator.
Oldest senators (historic)
This is a list of the senators who were, while in office or after, the oldest living before they died.
Begin Date |
End Date |
Senator |
State |
Birth Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
March 4, 1789 |
June 13, 1791 |
William Johnson |
Connecticut |
October 7, 1727 |
June 13, 1791 |
July 23, 1793 |
Roger Sherman |
Connecticut |
April 19, 1721 |
July 23, 1793 |
November 14, 1819 |
William Johnson |
Connecticut |
October 7, 1727 |
November 14, 1819 |
June 1, 1832 |
Thomas Sumter |
South Carolina |
August 14, 1734 |
June 1, 1832 |
November 14, 1832 |
Charles Carroll |
Maryland |
September 19, 1737 |
November 14, 1832 |
March 7, 1838 |
Paine Wingate |
New Hampshire |
May 14, 1739 |
March 7, 1838 |
April 22, 1839 |
Samuel Smith |
Maryland |
July 27, 1752 |
April 22, 1839 |
February 13, 1843 |
Nathaniel Chipman |
Vermont |
November 15, 1752 |
February 13, 1843 |
February 25, 1845 |
Asher Robbins |
Rhode Island |
October 26, 1757 |
February 25, 1845 |
December 22, 1850 |
William Plumer |
New Hampshire |
June 25, 1759 |
December 22, 1850 |
April 12, 1851 |
David Daggett |
Connecticut |
December 31, 1764 |
April 12, 1851 |
October 14, 1853 |
Elisha Mathewson |
Rhode Island |
April 18, 1767 |
October 14, 1853 |
November 19, 1853 |
Samuel Crafts |
Vermont |
October 6, 1768 |
November 19, 1853 |
July 24, 1854 |
Jonathan Roberts |
Pennsylvania |
August 16, 1771 |
July 24, 1854 |
April 20, 1857 |
Benjamin Tappan |
Ohio |
May 25, 1773 |
April 20, 1857 |
May 6, 1860 |
Littleton Tazewell |
Virginia |
December 17, 1774 |
May 6, 1860 |
June 23, 1865 |
William Wilkins |
Pennsylvania |
December 20, 1779 |
June 23, 1865 |
June 19, 1867 |
Henry Dodge |
Wisconsin |
October 12, 1782 |
June 19, 1867 |
December 28, 1870 |
Wilson Lumpkin |
Georgia |
January 14, 1783 |
December 28, 1870 |
June 20, 1874 |
John Ruggles |
Maine |
October 8, 1789 |
June 20, 1874 |
July 3, 1878 |
Daniel Sturgeon |
Pennsylvania |
October 27, 1789 |
July 3, 1878 |
September 16, 1887 |
Joseph Cilley |
New Hampshire |
January 4, 1791 |
September 16, 1887 |
June 26, 1889 |
Simon Cameron |
Pennsylvania |
March 8, 1799 |
June 26, 1889 |
April 4, 1893 |
David Meriwether |
Kentucky |
October 30, 1800 |
April 4, 1893 |
January 6, 1901 |
James Bradbury |
Maine |
June 10, 1802 |
January 6, 1901 |
October 7, 1906 |
Daniel Jewett |
Missouri |
September 14, 1807 |
October 7, 1906 |
July 27, 1907 |
Edmund Pettus |
Alabama |
July 6, 1821 |
July 27, 1907 |
January 10, 1909 |
John Conness |
California |
September 22, 1821 |
January 10, 1909 |
November 3, 1924 |
Cornelius Cole |
California |
September 17, 1822 |
November 3, 1924 |
April 5, 1928 |
Chauncey Depew |
New York |
April 23, 1834 |
April 5, 1928 |
January 24, 1930 |
Rebecca Felton |
Georgia |
June 10, 1835 |
January 24, 1930 |
April 12, 1933 |
Adelbert Ames |
Mississippi |
October 31, 1835 |
April 12, 1933 |
February 7, 1937 |
Elihu Root |
New York |
February 15, 1845 |
February 7, 1937 |
January 26, 1938 |
Newell Sanders |
Tennessee |
July 12, 1850 |
January 26, 1938 |
July 24, 1938 |
Obadiah Gardner |
Maine |
September 13, 1852 |
July 24, 1938 |
April 30, 1940 |
Furnifold Simmons |
North Carolina |
January 20, 1854 |
April 30, 1940 |
April 21, 1941 |
Fountain Thompson |
North DAKOTA |
November 18, 1854 |
April 21, 1941 |
June 26, 1941 |
Andrew Houston |
Texas |
June 21, 1854 |
June 26, 1941 |
February 4, 1942 |
Fountain Thompson |
North Dakota |
November 18, 1854 |
February 4, 1942 |
July 19, 1947 |
Robert Owen |
Oklahoma |
February 2, 1856 |
July 19, 1947 |
July 27, 1954 |
Joseph Ransdell |
Louisiana |
October 7, 1858 |
July 27, 1954 |
March 1, 1958 |
Lawrence Phipps |
Colorado |
August 30, 1862 |
March 1, 1958 |
March 3, 1961 |
Joseph Grundy |
Pennsylvania |
January 13, 1863 |
March 3, 1961 |
May 24, 1961 |
George Pepper |
Pennsylvania |
March 16, 1867 |
May 24, 1961 |
May 19, 1966 |
Theodore Green |
Rhode Island |
October 2, 1867 |
May 19, 1966 |
December 28, 1972 |
John Heiskell |
Arkansas |
November 2, 1872 |
December 28, 1972 |
July 29, 1974 |
George Radcliffe |
Maryland |
August 22, 1877 |
July 29, 1974 |
April 14, 1977 |
John Milton |
New Jersey |
January 21, 1881 |
April 14, 1977 |
May 15, 1983 |
Hall Lusk |
Oregon |
September 21, 1883 |
May 15, 1983 |
December 1, 1984 |
Stephen Young |
Ohio |
May 4, 1889 |
December 1, 1984 |
March 20, 1988 |
Samuel Reynolds |
Nebraska |
August 11, 1890 |
March 20, 1988 |
March 14, 1989 |
Gladys Pyle |
South Dakota |
October 4, 1890 |
March 14, 1989 |
September 23, 1992 |
Frank Briggs |
Missouri |
February 25, 1894 |
September 23, 1992 |
June 10, 1993 |
Milward Simpson |
Wyoming |
November 12, 1897 |
June 10, 1993 |
May 29, 1995 |
Margaret Smith |
Maine |
December 14, 1897 |
May 29, 1995 |
May 8, 1998 |
Jennings Randolph |
West Virginia |
March 8, 1902 |
May 8, 1998 |
June 26, 2003 |
Strom Thurmond |
South Carolina |
December 5, 1902 |
June 26, 2003 |
August 18, 2004 |
Hiram Fong |
Hawaii |
October 15, 1906 |
August 18, 2004 |
October 20, 2009 |
Clifford Hansen |
Wyoming |
October 16, 1912 |
October 20, 2009 |
present |
Harry Byrd |
Virginia |
December 20, 1914 |
Oldest senators currently living
This is a list of the 40 eldest senators, current or former, currently living.
Rank |
Senator |
Date of birth |
Senate term |
State served |
Party |
Age (years, days) |
1 |
Harry F. Byrd, Jr. |
December 20, 1914 |
1965 – 1983 |
Virginia |
Democrat |
|
2 |
William B. Saxbe |
June 24, 1916 |
1969 – 1974 |
Ohio |
Republican |
|
3 |
Robert Byrd |
November 20, 1917 |
1959 – |
West Virginia |
Democrat |
|
4 |
Charles H. Percy |
September 27, 1919 |
1967 – 1985 |
Illinois |
Republican |
|
5 |
Edward Brooke |
October 26, 1919 |
1967 – 1979 |
Massachusetts |
Republican |
|
6 |
John Glenn |
July 18, 1921 |
1974 – 1999 |
Ohio |
Democrat |
|
7 |
Ernest Hollings |
January 1, 1922 |
1966 – 2005 |
South Carolina |
Democrat |
|
8 |
Jocelyn Burdick |
February 6, 1922 |
1992 |
North Dakota |
Democrat |
|
9 |
Mark Hatfield |
July 12, 1922 |
1967 – 1997 |
Oregon |
Republican |
|
10 |
George McGovern |
July 19, 1922 |
1963 – 1981 |
South Dakota |
Democrat |
|
11 |
Paul Laxalt |
August 2, 1922 |
1974 – 1987 |
Nevada |
Republican |
|
12 |
James Abdnor |
February 13, 1923 |
1981 – 1987 |
South Dakota |
Republican |
|
13 |
James L. Buckley |
March 9, 1923 |
1971 – 1977 |
New York |
Conservative |
|
14 |
Bob Dole |
July 22, 1923 |
1969 – 1996 |
Kansas |
Republican |
|
15 |
Robert P. Griffin |
November 6, 1923 |
1966 – 1979 |
Michigan |
Republican |
|
16 |
Ted Stevens |
November 18, 1923 |
1968 – 2009 |
Alaska |
Republican |
|
17 |
Frank Lautenberg |
January 23, 1924 |
1982 – 2001 |
New Jersey |
Democrat |
|
18 |
William Hathaway |
February 21, 1924 |
1973 – 1979 |
Maine |
Democrat |
|
19 |
Jeremiah Denton |
July 15, 1924 |
1981 – 1987 |
Alabama |
Republican |
|
20 |
John Melcher |
September 6, 1924 |
1977 – 1989 |
Montana |
Democrat |
|
21 |
Daniel Inouye |
September 7, 1924 |
1963 – |
Hawaii |
Democrat |
|
22 |
Wendell H. Ford |
September 8, 1924 |
1974 – 1999 |
Kentucky |
Democrat |
|
23 |
Daniel Akaka |
September 11, 1924 |
1990 – |
Hawaii |
Democrat |
|
24 |
James A. McClure |
December 27, 1924 |
1973 – 1991 |
Idaho |
Republican |
|
25 |
Dale Bumpers |
August 12, 1925 |
1975 – 1999 |
Arkansas |
Democrat |
|
26 |
Robert Burren Morgan |
October 5, 1925 |
1975 – 1981 |
North Carolina |
Democrat |
|
27 |
Daniel J. Evans |
October 16, 1925 |
1983 – 1989 |
Washington |
Republican |
|
28 |
Howard Baker |
November 15, 1925 |
1967 – 1985 |
Tennessee |
Republican |
|
29 |
Maryon Pittman Allen |
November 30, 1925 |
1978 |
Alabama |
Democrat |
|
30 |
Harris Wofford |
April 9, 1926 |
1991 – 1995 |
Pennsylvania |
Democrat |
|
31 |
Walter Huddleston |
April 15, 1926 |
1973 – 1985 |
Kentucky |
Democrat |
|
32 |
Mark Andrews |
May 19, 1926 |
1981 – 1987 |
North Dakota |
Republican |
|
33 |
Richard Schweiker |
June 1, 1926 |
1969 – 1981 |
Pennsylvania |
Republican |
|
34 |
Marlow Cook |
July 27, 1926 |
1968 – 1974 |
Kentucky |
Republican |
|
35 |
Harlan Mathews |
January 17, 1927 |
1993 – 1994 |
Tennessee |
Democrat |
|
36 |
John Warner |
February 18, 1927 |
1979 – 2009 |
Virginia |
Republican |
|
37 |
Alan J. Dixon |
July 7, 1927 |
1981 – 1993 |
Illinois |
Democratic |
|
38 |
Jim Broyhill |
August 19, 1927 |
1986 |
North Carolina |
Republican |
|
39 |
Walter Mondale |
January 5, 1928 |
1964 – 1977 |
Minnesota |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
|
40 |
Slade Gorton |
January 8, 1928 |
1981 – 1987, |
Washington |
Republican |
|
See also
- Oldest living United States president
- List of oldest surviving members of the House of Representatives
- Dean of the United States House of Representatives
- Dean of the United States Senate
- Earliest serving United States Senator
- Oldest living United States governor
- Earliest serving United States governor
- List of members of the United States Congress by longevity of service