beginning of the next, regardless of the incumbent's actual attendance. Counsellors were accorded the title of Esquire. Term limits With the Council set to be dissolved in December 1790, a provision of the new state constitution allowed counsellors and council officers whose terms would have expired that autumn to remain in office until December 21, rather than hold elections for new counsellors who would sit for only one or two months. Also, a review of the dates on which a particular county's counsellors began their terms will reveal several instances in which more than three years elapsed between the start of successive terms. It is uncertain whether the seat technically became vacant after exactly three years or if the incumbent's term extended to the start of his successor's, even if this meant exceeding the three-year term limit imposed by the 1776 Constitution. List of counsellors The home counties of two early counsellors, John Evans and John Lowdan, has not yet been determined. Both were sitting when the Council first convened on March 4, 1777. It appears that one likely represented Chester County and the other York. City of Philadelphia George Bryan (March 4, 1777) William Moore (October 18, 1779) James Irvine (October 14, 1782) Benjamin Franklin (October 17, 1785) Samuel Miles (October 20, 1788 – December 21, 1790) Philadelphia County Joseph Wharton (March 4, 1777; died in office May 23, 1778) Joseph Reed (November 24, 1778) John Bayard (October 16, 1781) John Dickinson (November 4, 1782) Henry Hill (October 17, 1785) Thomas Mifflin (October 20, 1788 – December 21, 1790) Chester County John Mackey (McKay, MacKay, Macky) (November 21, 1777) Dr. Joseph Gardner (October 23, 1779) John McDowell (November 2, 1782) Evan Evans (October 28, 1785) Richard Willing (October 16, 1788 – December 21, 1790) Bucks County Joseph Hart (July 23, 1777) Gen. John Lacey Jr. (October 28, 1779) George Wall Jr. (October 29, 1782) Samuel Dean (November 1, 1785) Amos Gregg (October 21, 1788 – December 21, 1790) Lancaster County John Hubley (March 10, 1777) John Bailey (June 2, 1777) Col. Matthew Smith (May 28, 1778) James Cunningham (January 5, 1781) Samuel John Atlee (October 21, 1783) John Whitehill (December 22, 1784) George Ross (October 16, 1787 – December 21, 1790) York County Jason Edgar (November 4, 1777) James Ewing (February 9, 1779; withdrew a few days later due to questions regarding his election) Mr. Thompson (March 8, 1779)