Hayes by a majority of less than 3000 votes; but the Democrats gained a majority in both branches of the state legislature, and Thurman was elected to the United States Senate, where he served from 1869 until 1881 - during the 46th Congress (1879-1881) as president pro tempore.
Its site was originally included in the so-called "Bingham Patent," a tract on both sides of the Susquehanna river owned by William Bingham (1751-1804), a Philadelphia merchant, who was a member of the Continental Congress in 1787-1788 and of the United States Senate in 1795 - 1801, being president pro tempore of the Senate from the 16th of February to the 3rd of March 1797.
From 1807 to 1813 he was a member of the United States Senate, of which he was president pro tempore from March 1812 to March 1813..
He was a member of the state Assembly in 1849-1850, a member and president pro tempore of the state Senate in 1858-1859, and a member of the national House of Representatives in 1861-1863, and again from 1869 until 1877.
In 1824 Macon received the electoral vote of Virginia for the vice-presidency, and in1826-1828was president pro tempore of the Senate.
