John Phillips Saylor (July 23, 1908 – October 28, 1973) was a
Republican member of the
U.S. House of Representatives from
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
serving from 1949 until his death from a heart attack in
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, Texas in 1973.
Background
Saylor was born in
Conemaugh Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from
Franklin and Marshall College in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster ( ) is a city in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 58,039 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, eighth-most populous ci ...
, in 1929, and
Dickinson School of Law in
Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1933. He was elected city solicitor of
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is the largest city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, it is the principal city of the Metropolitan statistical area ...
, in 1938 and served until 1940. He enlisted in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
on August 6, 1943 and served until January 1946.
Political career
Saylor was elected as a Republican to the
81st Congress, by special election, September 13, 1949, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
Robert L. Coffey. He was reelected to the twelve succeeding Congresses and served until his death in
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, Texas. During his time in Congress he became dedicated to a number of environmental causes, 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. He was dubbed "St. John" by environmental advocates for his dogged work on environmental issues.
In 1970 the Izaak Walton League of America bestowed its highest honor, the Founders' Award, to Saylor "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."
Saylor voted in favor of the
Civil Rights Acts of 1957,
1960,
1964, and
1968, as well as the
24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the
Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Personal life and death
Saylor and his wife, Grace, had two children.
On October 24, 1973, Saylor had surgery for an
aortic aneurysm at
St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
. While the operation was reported to be a success, he had a heart attack in his hospital room shortly after midnight on October 28 and died at the age of 65.
[ He is buried in Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The John P. Saylor Trail in Gallitzin State Forest is named after him.
]
See also
*
Sources
*
* ''Voice of Wild and Scenic Rivers: John P. Saylor of Pennsylvania'' (full text here
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saylor, John P.
1908 births
1973 deaths
American conservationists
Franklin & Marshall College alumni
Military personnel from Pennsylvania
People from Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Politicians from Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
Sierra Club awardees
United States Navy officers
United States Navy personnel of World War II
20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives