[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 28, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H6263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


HONORING CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY OF CLEARFIELD, JOHNSONBURG BOROUGH, AND 
                TIOGA IN FIFTH DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to 
mark a number of very important anniversaries and celebrations within 
my congressional district.
  First, today I rise to honor the compassionate work that goes on in 
the nearly 100-year-old Children's Aid Society house in Clearfield, 
Pennsylvania. On this coming August 6, the society will be celebrating 
its 120th anniversary, marking over a century of dedication and 
service.
  Originally founded as a child welfare agency, which served to place 
orphan children into suitable homes, the Society eventually grew into a 
successful children's home. Several auxiliaries were established, from 
DuBois to Winburne, and they proved instrumental in fundraising, 
investigating homes, maintaining contact with the children placed in 
homes.
  As the years passed, the Society also expanded within Clearfield and 
became involved in many programs, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and 
the Health and Human Services Council.
  This organization has received consistent praise and monetary support 
from the public and has battled through many financial and procedural 
issues. Their endurance through time and their far-reaching services 
attest to the authenticity of their work.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Children's Aid Society on their 
success and wish them the best in the future. Here's to another 120 
years of successful service.
  Mr. Speaker, this also, this August, marks the 200th anniversary of 
the Johnsonburg borough in Elk County, and we will be celebrating this 
milestone in August.
  Founded in 1810, its major industry was paper, with a mill still 
operating in the area. Originally owned by Curtis Publishing Company, 
which published the Saturday Evening Post, it was thought to be the 
largest coated paper mill in the world.
  Once called Quay, Johnsonburg is the oldest settlement in Elk County. 
Considered a booming town along the Clarion River, former President 
Ulysses S. Grant used to come there to fish and visit the other retired 
Civil War generals.
  As befits a 200th anniversary, the community will hold a grand 
celebration, including a parade and ceremonies at the Johnsonburg Fire 
Department, which is celebrating its own 100th anniversary.
  There will be a social, fireworks display, a pancake breakfast, and a 
Fire Department Anniversary Dance. From carnival games to an Elvis 
impersonation, the 3 days of activities August 27 through 29 promises 
to hold something for everyone.
  I am proud of this community in my district and wish it continued 
success and prosperity for the next 200 years.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, the tiny community of Tioga celebrates its 
150th anniversary this year. It's located in Tioga County, 
Pennsylvania, near the border of New York State.
  When it was founded, the community was a dense and overpowering 
wilderness of towering pines and hemlocks with deep undergrowth and 
teeming wildlife. The early inhabitants were tribes of Seneca Indians, 
who viewed it as prime hunting and fishing grounds.

                              {time}  2120

  It took a brave family, Jesse Losey and his wife, to travel from New 
Jersey and become the first settlers in the area. Later, Benajah Ives 
acquired the Losey land and built a house and inn at the southern part 
of Tioga Borough, now located beneath the Tioga Dam. There is even a 
story that Thomas Berry won Ives' Inn in a poker game, and it was at 
Berry's Inn that the first local elections were held in Tioga County in 
1804.
  It was 1860 when Tioga Borough was separated from Tioga Township and 
recognized as a separate political division. It is that date that is 
celebrated this year. The residents are proud of their town and their 
history, and I wish them sincere congratulations on this historic 
occasion.

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