1792–1793 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts

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Following the 1790 Census, Massachusetts's representation increased from eight to fourteen Representatives and was redistricted into four plural districts, plus a single at-large district. The 4th district covered the District of Maine (the modern-day State of Maine). The plural districts were concurrent tickets rather than a single general ticket, though the 1st and Massachusetts 2s appear to have also had a general ticket alongside the more specific tickets.

As before, a majority was required for election, in those districts where a majority was not achieved, additional ballots were required.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Massachusetts 1 (4 seats)
Seat A: At-large
None (District created) New seat.
New member elected.
Anti-Administration gain.
First ballot (November 2, 1792):
Jonathan Jones 39.8%
William Heath 31.0%
James Bowdoin 23.2%
Theophilus Parsons 6.0%

Second ballot (January 14, 1793):
Jonathan Jones 29.3%
Samuel Holten (Anti-Admin) 25.6%
James Bowdoin 17.1%
Samuel Sewall (Pro-Admin) 13.1%
William Heath 8.3%
Joseph Bradley Varnum (Anti-Admin) 3.8%
Elbridge Gerry (Anti-Admin) 2.8%

Third ballot (April 1, 1793):
Samuel Holten (Anti-Admin) 69.9%
Benjamin Austin 30.1%
Massachusetts 1 (4 seats)
Seat B: Essex County
Benjamin Goodhue
Redistricted from the 2nd district
Pro-Administration 1789 Incumbent re-elected. Benjamin Goodhue (Pro-Admin) 100%
Massachusetts 1 (4 seats)
Seat C: Middlesex County
Elbridge Gerry
Redistricted from the 3rd district
Anti-Administration 1789 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Pro-Administration gain.
Samuel Dexter (Pro-Admin) 61.4%
Joseph Bradley Varnum (Anti-Admin) 26.2%
Elbridge Gerry (Anti-Admin) 12.4%
Massachusetts 1 (4 seats)
Seat D: Suffolk County
Fisher Ames Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent re-elected. Fisher Ames (Pro-Admin) 62.4%
Benjamin Austin 37.6%
Massachusetts 2 (4 seats)
Seat A: At-large
None (District created) New seat.
New member elected.
Pro-Administration gain.
First ballot (November 2, 1792):
Samuel Lyman (Pro-Admin) 41.3%
Theodore Sedgwick (Pro-Admin) 37.9%
William Lyman (Anti-Admin) 6.7%
Samuel Moorhaus 6.2%
Simson Strong 4.%
Dwight Foster (Pro-Admin) 3.5%

Second ballot (January 14, 1793):
Samuel Lyman (Pro-Admin) 35.4%
Dwight Foster (Pro-Admin) 25.1%
Thomson J. Skinner (Anti-Admin) 19.6%
William Lyman (Anti-Admin) 12.1%
Jonathan Grout (Anti-Admin) 4.0%
William Shepard (Pro-Admin) 3.8%

Third ballot (April 1, 1793):
Dwight Foster (Pro-Admin) 55.3%
Samuel Lyman (Pro-Admin) 44.7%
Massachusetts 2 (4 seats)
Seat B: Berkshire County
Theodore Sedgwick
Redistricted from the 4th district
Pro-Administration 1789 Incumbent re-elected. Theodore Sedgwick (Pro-Admin) 63.8%
Thomson J. Skinner (Anti-Admin) 29.1%
John Bacon (Anti-Admin) 7.1%
Massachusetts 2 (4 seats)
Seat C: Hampshire County
None (District created) New seat.
New member elected.
Anti-Administration gain.
First ballot (November 2, 1792):
Samuel Lyman (Pro-Admin) 37.4%
William Lyman (Anti-Admin) 32.3%
Thomas Dwight (Pro-Admin) 16.8%
Samuel Hinshaur 6.7%
John Williams 3.6%
Dwight Foster (Pro-Admin) 3.1%

Second ballot (January 14, 1793):
William Lyman (Anti-Admin) 38.0%
Samuel Lyman (Pro-Admin) 31.3%
William Shepard (Pro-Admin) 18.0%
Thomas Dwight (Pro-Admin) 12.7%

Third ballot (April 1, 1793):
William Lyman (Anti-Admin) 53.1%
Samuel Lyman (Pro-Admin) 46.9%
Massachusetts 2 (4 seats)
Seat D: Worcester County
Artemas Ward
Redistricted from the 7th district
Pro-Administration 1790 Incumbent re-elected. Artemas Ward (Pro-Admin) 59.5%
Jonathan Grout (Anti-Admin) 36.8%
Dwight Foster (Pro-Admin) 3.8%
Massachusetts 3 (2 seats)
Seat A: Barnstable, Dukes, & Nantucket Counties
George Leonard
Redistricted from the 6th district
Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Pro-Administration hold.
Peleg Coffin, Jr. (Pro-Admin) 52.6%
George Leonard (Pro-Admin) 34.3%
Phanuel Bishop (Anti-Admin) 13.1%
Massachusetts 3 (2 seats)
Seat B: Bristol & Plymouth Counties
Shearjashub Bourne
Redistricted from the 5th district
Pro-Administration 1790 Incumbent re-elected. First ballot (November 2, 1792):
John Davis 49.2%
Shearjashub Bourne (Pro-Admin) 26.1%
James Warren 24.8%

Second ballot (January 14, 1793):
Shearjashub Bourne (Pro-Admin) 53.0%
John Davis 40.6%
James Warren 6.4%
Massachusetts 4 (3 seats)
District of Maine Seat A: Cumberland County
None (District created) New seat.
New member elected.
Pro-Administration gain.
First ballot (November 2, 1792):
Daniel Davis 40.0%
Peleg Wadsworth (Pro-Admin) 38.6%
Robert Southgate 11.7%
Josiah Thacker 9.8%

Second ballot (January 14, 1793):
Peleg Wadsworth (Pro-Admin) 48.4%
Daniel Davis 42.2%
Robert Southgate 9.4%

Third ballot (April 1, 1793):
Peleg Wadsworth (Pro-Admin) 58.0%
Daniel Davis 42.0%
Massachusetts 4 (3 seats)
District of Maine Seat B: Lincoln, Hancock, & Washington Counties
None (District created) New seat.
New member elected.
Anti-Administration gain.
First ballot (November 2, 1792):
William Lithgow 49.98%
Henry Dearborn (Anti-Admin) 32.2%
Daniel Coney 11.8%
Alan Campbell 6.0%

Second ballot (January 14, 1793):
Henry Dearborn (Anti-Admin) 60.9%
William Lithgow 39.1%
Massachusetts 4 (3 seats)
District of Maine Seat C: York County
George Thatcher
Redistricted from the 8th district
Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent re-elected. George Thatcher (Pro-Admin) 57.7%
Nathaniel Wells 35.4%
Tristan Jordan 6.9%
Massachusetts at-large None (District created) New seat.
New member elected.
Pro-Administration gain.
David Cobb (Pro-Admin) 52.6%
Charles Jarvis 9.6%
William Heath 6.9%
Theodore Sedgwick (Pro-Admin) 4.9%
Elbridge Gerry (Anti-Admin) 2.1%
Jonathan Jones 1.9%
Fisher Ames (Pro-Admin) 1.7%
James Sullivan (Anti-Admin) 1.5%
Samuel Horton 1.3%
Scattering 17.4%

See also[]

  • United States House of Representatives elections, 1792 and 1793
  • List of United States representatives from Massachusetts
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