Dates

• Majority of material found within 1908 - 1973

Extent

51 boxes Linear Feet (John Phillips Saylor (July 23, 1908-October 28, 1973), served as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania from September 13, 1949 to October 28, 1973. He was born on a farm in Conemaugh Township, Cambria County, about five miles outside of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Minerva Phillips Saylor, a teacher, and Tillman K. Saylor, teacher and attorney. Tillman Saylor attended the State Normal School in Indiana, Pennsylvania. John Saylor earned his undergraduate degree in 1929 from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster. After graduating from Dickinson Law School in 1933, John Saylor returned to Johnstown to work in his father’s law firm. After Tillman Saylor’s death in 1938, John Saylor was elected to the position of City Solicitor (1938-1940) to replace his father. On September 13, 1949, Saylor was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election. Congressman Saylor was re-elected to each of the 12 consecutive terms until his death in 1973. Congressman Saylor used his position in Congress to become one of the leading conservationists of his day. He was involved in most of the major environmental issues including the Wilderness Act of 1964, the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Act, National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and in opposition to the Kinzua Dam Project. In 1970, the Izaak Walton League of America bestowed on Saylor its highest honor, the Founders’ Award, “for two decades of unprecedented leadership in the Congress of the United States for sound resource management, the preservation of natural scenic and cultural values, the maintenance of a quality environment, and the unalienable right of citizens to be involved in resources and environmental decisions.” During his time in office, Congressman Saylor became best known for his support of legislation that would preserve scenic natural areas of the country. According to John P. Saylor’s son, J. Phillips Saylor, the Congressman clearly stated that he wanted his papers to be given to the University so that the students could study the beginning of the conservation movement. Starting in 1957, Saylor begain voicing his strong opposition to the construction of the Kinzua Dam on the Allegheny River near Warren. Styled a "nature-loving obstructionist" by one of his congressional colleagues, he opposed the dam because its high cost ($120 million) and size, its debatable effectiveness on flood control and the Army Corps of Engineers' stubborn refusal to study alternative plans. Saylor also voiced opposition to the dam as it would destroy of one of the most scenic stretches of river in Pennsylvania, and it would break the 1794 treaty with the Senecas, the oldest federal treaty that was still in effect at that time. Despite the opposition of Saylor and others, however, the Treaty of 1794 was broken, and construction of the Kinzua Dam began in 1960. The Kinzua Dam caused the complete inundation of almost 10,000 acres of Seneca lands, and rendered another 20,000 acres of their land virtually useless because of periodic flooding caused by fluctuating water levels in the reservoir. Almost 700 members of the Seneca Nation were forced to relocate. The federal government eventually compensated the Senecas $15 million for the land and the relocation costs. Additionally, after several versions of a Scenic Rivers Bill failed to gain enough votes in Congress, Saylor introduced his own comprehensive Scenic Rivers Bill into the House in 1966. Drafted with the assistance of the Interior Department's Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, the Audubon Society, and other conservation groups, the bill called for widespread protection of the nation's free-flowing rivers. Saylor's bill met much opposition in the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, of which he was a member. He vowed to "hit, kick, and scratch" in order to get his bill passed. When a fellow representative introduced a competing, less-inclusive bill, Saylor saw this as an opportunity to forge a compromise bill. This compromise passed in the Senate 84-0, but still met resistance by development-minded members of the House. Upon further pressure by Saylor, conservationists, and the public, the House finally approved the bill 265-7. Saylor was the recipient of many awards for his involvement in conservation efforts. From the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Act in 1964, the first federally protected rivers, to the Wilderness Act and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Saylor's accomplishments have been praised as essential to the preservation of our country's natural scenic resources. During a visit to Houston, Texas, Congressman Saylor passed away on October 28, 1973, and he is interred at the Grandview Cemetery in Johnstown, Pennsylania. )

Language of Materials

English