Full Text of HR0149 095th General Assembly
HR0149 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The contribution of the people from Wales to the | 3 |
| State of Illinois is an important part of our State's history; | 4 |
| and
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| WHEREAS, The Welsh-American contribution to the State of | 6 |
| Illinois is as old as the State itself; from Illinois' early | 7 |
| beginnings to the modern day, Welshmen have made significant | 8 |
| contributions and have turned up in the most unlikely | 9 |
| scenarios, such as becoming the first President of the town of | 10 |
| Chicago (Thomas Jefferson Vance Owen), designing churches and | 11 |
| homes (such as our own Frank Lloyd Wright), and founding | 12 |
| charities and homeless shelters (Pastor Elam Davies) to help | 13 |
| Illinois' poorest neighborhoods; and
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| WHEREAS, In the early days of Illinois the Welsh and | 15 |
| descendants of Welsh people, though their numbers were not | 16 |
| great, had an influential role in shaping the State; some of | 17 |
| the State's most prominent early politicians were of Welsh | 18 |
| heritage, and include Ninian Edwards, Jesse B. Thomas, Thomas | 19 |
| Jefferson Vance Owen, David Davis, Albert J. Hopkins, J. | 20 |
| Hamilton Lewis, Thomas Langrell Harris, Thomas L. Owens, Edward | 21 |
| J. Hughes, John Thomas, Louis 0. Williams, John Broderick, | 22 |
| Buckner S. Morris, Alexander Lloyd, and John P. Hopkins; and
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| WHEREAS, Many Illinois towns, cities, and counties are | 2 |
| named either by or for Welsh people, including Berwyn, Cambria, | 3 |
| Edwardsville, Evanston, Evansville, Harrisburg, Harristown, | 4 |
| Henry, Hopkins Park, Jonesboro, Milford, Monmouth, Morris, | 5 |
| Mount Morris, Norris City, Rogers Park, St. David, Swansea, | 6 |
| Taylor Springs, Taylorville, Thomasboro, Williamsville, | 7 |
| Edwards County, Jo Daviess County, and Morgan County; and
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| WHEREAS, At the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893, | 9 |
| Chicago was the site of the first Eisteddfod (a Welsh choral | 10 |
| competition with a history spanning many centuries) held | 11 |
| outside of Wales; the Rhondda Glee Society Choir won first | 12 |
| prize in the choral singing competition at the Eisteddfod, in a | 13 |
| contest against choirs from all over the world, including the | 14 |
| world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir; and
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| WHEREAS, Chicago's most famous architect, Frank Lloyd | 16 |
| Wright, was born to Welsh immigrant parents from Cardiganshire, | 17 |
| mid-Wales; he was born in 1867 and grew up in a Welsh speaking | 18 |
| community in Wisconsin near Spring Green; one quarter of all | 19 |
| buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright are in Illinois, | 20 |
| including The Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio in Oak Park, | 21 |
| parts of the Rookery building, the Dana Thomas House in | 22 |
| Springfield, the E-Z Polish Factory, and the Abraham Lincoln | 23 |
| Center, which was designed for the Welsh reverend Jenkin Lloyd | 24 |
| Jones; and |
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| WHEREAS, Wales is famous for its actors and musicians such | 2 |
| as Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones, Tom Jones, Christian | 3 |
| Bale, and Ioan Gruffudd to name but a few; Illinoisans of Welsh | 4 |
| descent have also made their presence known in entertainment | 5 |
| and public life, including comedian and actor Robin Williams, | 6 |
| Chicago news reporter and host of 190 North, Janet Davies, | 7 |
| director and producer John Hughes, Six Feet Under star Richard | 8 |
| Jenkins, and actress Denise Richards, are all of Welsh | 9 |
| heritage; and | 10 |
| WHEREAS, St. David's Day has traditionally been celebrated | 11 |
| in the Welsh communities by reading poetry, singing, and eating | 12 |
| Welsh food; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 14 |
| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 15 |
| thank all of the persons of Welsh descent for their significant | 16 |
| contributions to the State of Illinois; that we express | 17 |
| appreciation for those persons who have kept alive Welsh | 18 |
| culture and traditions; and we join with all the citizens of | 19 |
| the State of Illinois who revere their Welsh heritage by | 20 |
| proclaiming St. David's Day on March 1, 2007, and each year | 21 |
| thereafter in the State of Illinois; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
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| presented to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
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