[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 58 (Friday, May 12, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E822-E823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 STATEMENT HONORING THE TOWN OF CANTON, CONNECTICUT ON THE OCCASION OF 
                         ITS 200TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NANCY L. JOHNSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 11, 2006

  Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute 
to the Town of Canton, Connecticut, on the occasion of its 200th 
Anniversary on May 20, 2006.
  While the Town of Canton officially celebrates its bicentennial on 
this date, the community that became Canton actually traces its roots 
as far back as 1737, when it was known

[[Page E823]]

as the First Ecclesiastical District of West Simsbury. The community 
officially separated from the Town of Simsbury on May 20, 1806, taking 
the name Canton, which means ``division of territory.''
  Many generations of hard-working people have lived and worked in 
Canton throughout its 200 years. When David and Samuel Collins and 
their cousin William Wells sought natural waterways for factory power, 
they settled in Canton in 1826. Through their industriousness, they 
developed the world's first factory devoted to making axes, which 
eventually became the world's largest manufacturer of edged tools. The 
Collins Company also gained recognition as one of the world's most 
innovative manufacturers, after Samuel Collins developed the 
utilization of anthracite coal for factory operation--a significant 
step in igniting our country's Industrial Revolution.
  Of course, the Collins Company would not have realized this 
impressive and historical success were it not for the hard-working 
citizens who helped establish a very solid industrial base in the 
region. Many generations of Canton residents have stood out and have 
had important roles in shaping the town's history for the past 200 
years. One of Canton's most famous citizens, William Edgar Symonds, 
earned the Medal of Honor for bravery while fighting with the Union 
Army in the Civil War. After the war, Mr. Symonds became a well-known 
patent attorney and political figure, rising to the position of Speaker 
of the House in the State Legislature. Later, as a U.S. Congressman, he 
helped pass legislation to protect patents on an international level, 
and was awarded the French Legion of Merit.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Canton, Connecticut, upon 
achieving its 200th Anniversary. I applaud the generations of Canton 
citizens who have helped this town grow since its founding in 1806, and 
I commend today's Canton residents for everything they do to make sure 
that this great town will enjoy a prosperous and productive future.

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