[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO NEIL TILLOTSON

 Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, Neil Tillotson is one of those rare 
individuals who has accomplished a great deal in his professional and 
personal life, but has remained rooted to his origins in the Great 
North Woods of New Hampshire. On the occasion of his 100th Birthday 
which will be on December 16, 1998, I rise to salute his remarkable 
achievements.
  Neil Tillotson's life is emblematic of New Hampshire's values of hard 
work, independence, and community spirit. A lifelong resident of the 
North Country, he has been a trailblazer in the latex industry, 
inventing many new products, and for the last 67 years, he has been the 
most prolific manufacturer of latex products in the world. Through his 
business activities, he has provided jobs for many people in the North 
Country, and products that improve the standard of living for millions 
of Americans and people around the world.
  But his business acumen is only part of what makes Neil Tillotson 
special. He also holds the unique honor of being the first person to 
vote in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation Presidential primary, and 
thus, in the nation. Dixville Notch, where the Presidential primary 
voting begins at midnight on election day, has been home to the 
Tillotson family for many years, and as patriarch of Dixville Notch, 
Neil Tillotson has been the first person to cast his vote since 1960.
  New Hampshire takes its politics seriously at all levels, from the 
school board to the Presidential primary, and Neil Tillotson has been a 
serious player for many years. Since we don't yet have a professional 
sports team, I guess you could say politics is our state sport, and 
without Neil Tillotson's support, I might be sitting on the bench 
watching, instead of playing on the field.
  Politics runs deep in many New Hampshire towns and I think that is so 
because we have a strong sense of community that is expressed through 
our participation in the representative process. It has a way of 
bringing us together, and Neil Tillotson has been an example to many 
people, prompting them to get involved in the political process.
  Over his 100 years, Neil Tillotson has been a participant in some of 
the great events of the 20th Century, including service in World War I 
as a member of General Pershing's cavalry and in the triumph of 
capitalism over communism.
  I turned 50 myself just a few years ago, and I can only hope to live 
as long and contribute as much to our state as Neil Tillotson. It is a 
rare person who lives to be 100 years old, but for someone like Neil 
Tillotson, like so many other things, he makes it look easy. Neil 
Tillotson is a remarkable person, and Kathy and I wish him the very 
best on this momentous occasion.




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