Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Jefferson's "Reserved" Seats at U.S. Capitol Church Services

An interesting little insight from the Library of Congress' Religion and the Federal Government section:

Reserved Seats at Capitol Services
Here is a description, by an early Washington "insider," Margaret Bayard Smith (1778-1844), a writer and social critic and wife of Samuel Harrison Smith, publisher of the National Intelligencer, of Jefferson's attendance at church services in the House of Representatives: "Jefferson during his whole administration was a most regular attendant. The seat he chose the first day sabbath, and the adjoining one, which his private secretary occupied, were ever afterwards by the courtesy of the congregation, left for him."


Read more at the website of the Library of Congress.

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