[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 114 (Wednesday, July 27, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S4958]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                HENRY D. MOORE PARISH HOUSE AND LIBRARY

 Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President. On August 22, 1911, more than 
1,000 people, including Governor Frederick Plaisted, gathered in the 
small downeast Maine town of Steuben to dedicate the Henry D. Moore 
Parish House and Library. Given that the crowd was far larger than the 
entire population of the town and the difficulty of travel from the 
State capital to Maine's easternmost county in those days, this clearly 
was an important event.
  Its importance was twofold. First, the people of Steuben worked hard 
to wrest a living from the sea; it was a life that offered the rewards 
of independence in surroundings of great natural beauty, but few of the 
amenities found in more prosperous, less remote towns. Now, thanks to 
this marvelous gift, they had a center for intellectual and spiritual 
growth, a place to come together as a community.
  Just as important as the gift was the giver. Henry Dyer Moore was 
born in Steuben in 1842, the son of a carpenter and shipwright. From 
that modest start, he went on to achieve remarkable success in 
business, with interests that ranged from snuff to railroads and 
banking. His career took him to the centers of commerce, but his heart 
never left Steuben.
  In the century since, the people of Steuben have turned that gift 
into a treasure. Today, the Henry D. Moore Parish House and Library 
hosts concerts, plays, adult education classes, and many other events. 
The library resources are considerable and modern, and are a great 
asset to the entire region, including the students at the Ella Lewis 
Grammar School. The building is more used than ever, and more beautiful 
than the day it was dedicated.
  There is another fascinating aspect to this story. Henry D. Moore had 
a cousin, 6 years younger. He, too, came from a seafaring family of 
Steuben, and he, too, went on to achieve astonishing success. John 
Godfrey Moore was a pioneer in the telegraph industry and one of the 
most prominent international financiers of his day. Like his older 
cousin, he never forgot the place of his birth. The land he bought, 
preserved, and kept open to the public on the Schoodic Peninsula near 
Steuben is now one of the most spectacular sections of Acadia National 
Park.
  One might simply observe that philanthropy ran in the Moore family. 
The greater truth is that such generosity runs throughout Maine and 
across America. Achieving success and then giving back to the place and 
the people that instilled the values that led to success is among the 
highest qualities of our national character.
  Cherishing the gift and building upon it for the generations to come 
is another. That quality is demonstrated today by the people of 
Steuben, ME, and I offer my congratulations as they gather again to 
celebrate the centennial of the Henry D. Moore Parish House and 
Library.

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