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June 7, 2015: Collier Family of York County Virginia
My name is Linda Cardwell. I have researched the Collier Family of York County Virginia for over thirty (30) years. I am a direct descendant of “a Negro girl, Rachel” as mentioned in John Collier’s 1824 Last Will and Testament, Jasper County Georgia. Rachel was presumably daughter of Harry and Caroline as they were grouped together in the will. I have traced my family through a series of Collier Family Last Wills and Testaments beginning with Isaac Collier (1771).
I would like request any information in regards to slaves and/or negro manifests, bill of sales, inventories and estate sales. I’m desperately trying to locate my love ones whom were separated from us doing this period. I’m interested in the following documents:
1692 (Mary Collier Bennett, Wife of Isaac Collyer)
* I would like to know what happened to Slave Mary and her child
*Did Charles Collier (1722) have a slave named Coleman?
*What happened to Isaac Negroes upon his death in 1771?
* Was Harry in the 1771 will purchased from William Bryd II?
1771 Last Will and Testament of Isaac Collier
*I would like to know if the Harry mentioned in the 1771 will same as in John’s 1824 will.
According to history, this branch of Caucasian Collier were humane and just. As evident in Isaac Collier’s Last Will and Testament in which he forbade his Negroes to come in the possession of his own son-in- law, Henry Howard.
Now, I’m asking that you continue that family tradition in helping me find out what happened to my love ones.
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Linda, I have researched the descendants of Isaac Collier (1606-1682) who owned land in Elizabeth City County and have a copy of his will. Isaac seems to have come permanently to York County by 1655. His grandson, Charles Collier (1680-1753) both 350 acres there from Richard Lee. I am descended from this Charles Collier. I also have a list of the names of people enslaved by this branch of the Collier family. If you are interested in any of this, let me know.
Oh wow! Yes, I am very much interested. Any information regarding negros documented by this.branch. will be greatly appreciated. Please forward to colliersconnect@gmail.com. Thank you.
Dear Linda,
I am a descendant of John Collier of Jasper County, GA. His father was VInes Collier of York and then Brunswick County, VA. John chose not to inherit from his father Vines.
I don’t know how John got his slaves. I have John’s list of slaves and who hired them and who in the Will of 1824 was to get them. John Collier had married a second wife Leah and she was to get most of them while she remained a widow which she did. She did move however to Newton Co. GA and died there. I have her obituary. She had her own children with her from her earlier marriage in Virginia. Do you have her will, her inventory, and etc. of these?
As listed in the inventory of John Collier on 2 April 1825 with the person who hired them if that was mentioned:
Robert Benton hired Negro man Gilbert; one Negro man Harry; one Negro woman Carole; one Negro man Parris; John Simmons hired Negro girl Rachel; Robert Collier hired Negro boy Abram; one Negro boy Colen; Robert Benton hired Negro girl Zemilee; Robert Collier hired Negro girl Cherry; Wm V Evans hired Negro boy Isaac; one Negro girl Malind; one Negro boy Henry; It just says Wm L Collier hired old Negros (he was John’s son and one of the executors); Thomas W Collier, another son, was the other executor of John Collier’s will.
According to John’s will, his wife Leah was to get Negro boy Calomane, a Negro man Gilbert, Negro woman Caroline, a Negro girl Rachel, a Negro boy Isaac. As you see the will and the inventory are conflicting on what happened to the individuals.
I don’t think this Calomane would be the same person as in the Virginia reference because of the passage of time but could have been a child named after him.
According to an 1870 federal. Population census, Clifton beat Wilcox Alabama, Rachel (head of household), Henry and Zembla was residing together along with. Henry’s children Norton. Lucy. Felix. Harry. Zemly. Zembla (sp) had two children. Jasper and Macklin (sp). They were still residing on the property of a J.B. Collier. Henry’s had more children after 1870: Parrish Collier (my grandfather). John Collier. James Collier. Elizabeth Colliet and Caroline Colliet. Rachel was enumerated.in1880 now residing with son Henry in Wilcox. County.
John may inherited.his negros from his grandmother when he married in 1794. Isaac bequeathed a Negro named Harry in 1771 will not his wife. Could the be the same Harry as in John”s 1824 will or son?
My GGGgrandfather was Benjamin son of Vines Collier.
Welcome and thanks for connecting! Feel free to share any related information you might have on the CHF website.
Hey Ronnie,
Ironically, I’m in the library attempting to established a tracker of All the Negros owned by Isaak Collyer (aka Isaac Collier Sr.) and his heirs. Specially, the descendant of Charles>Isaac>Vines lineage. So far, I have been successful in tracking Negros owned by John Collier, Elizabeth (Josiah Smith) Collier as well as Judith (James Hicks) Collier. Although Robert Collier listed as having forty-one Negros but I could only locate the names of four and an unknown child.
Ronnie if you have a list of Benjamin Collier’s Negros, I would greatly appreciate you sharing this information with me. My goal is to see how many of these Negro lineage still exits and how many are related (most likely through DNA testing).
I will forever be appreciative of Elaine whom has given my family such a precious gift. She provided me the names of John Collier’s Negros. I’m the direct descendant of “Negro girl Rachel” as listed in John Collier’s 1824 Last Will and Testament. And most likely, I’m a descendant of a women “Rachel” listed in Isaac Collier’s 1771 Inventory (New Brunswick).
Thank you so….much. Linda
I am Vines Issac Collier’s 6th great granddaughter….I would like some of all his papers too…can I get copies….My aunt had his coat of arms….had being the key word…but I’d be happy to purchase…copies of his papers
Maryhelen,
Thank you for joining us! Any of the papers or photos here may be downloaded to your computer. If you have difficulty with that or want better resolution, let me know and I’ll email the items to you. If you prefer paper copies, I can arrange that, if your request is not too extensive.
What exactly is your line from Vines Collier?
Glen
My 7x great-grandmother was a Mary COLLIER 1690–1765
BIRTH CA 1690 • Calvert, Maryland, Colonial America
DEATH JUNE 1765 • Possibly: Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
She married George Bussey III in South Carolina in about 1710. I have no clue as to her parents!
Carolyn.
Welcome and thanks for the introduction. We’re glad you found this website. Maybe someone here can fill in some blanks for you.
Glen
I recently discovered my ancestors were purchased by John Collier, son of Vines Collier between 1794 and 1800. My oldest known ancestors were Bette and her child Cate; Cate and her children/gchildren: Rachel, Lucy, Lydia (Broadnax), Bob and Jamey; Fanny and her children Paris and Isaac. My ancestors were found in James Parrish 1754 LWAT; John Hatley Norton 1794 LWAT: codicil; George Wythe 1787 Agreement; John Collier 1824 LWAT; estate inventory, bill of sale). Ironically, my ggGrandr Henry named his children: Norton, Lucy, Felix, Harry, Parrish (my grandfather), Zemly, John, James, Elizabeth and Catherine. If you have any additional information on my ancestors, please share.
I’m descended from Randolph H. Collier b. c 1779 pbl VA, d. 17 Nov 1852 Monroe or Pike County, GA. He married Nancy Ann Cole abt 1818 in maybe Kershaw County, SC. Their children were: Benjamin Thomas Collier b. 1819 SC; Elizabeth C. Collier b. 1822 SC; James W. Collier b. 1824; Winifred Rebecca Collier b. 1827; Mary Ellen Collier b. 1830. His father is sometimes listed as Thomas Collier.
Is this Collier family related to Vines Collier? Where did Randolph H. Collier get his name?
Hoping someone has information on these Colliers!
I came across your site while researching my husband’s maternal Collier line.His Collier relatives are descended from Isaac-Isaac-Micajah-Caleb-John Vorhees-John Marion. Irvin Collier(son of John Vorhees Collier) was my husband’s maternal grandfather.Irvin’s daughter Shirley was my husband’s mother.Thanks to all who are making this research accessible! I am able to add many generations to his family line.
We’re glad you’ve found us. Let us know if you have something of your husband’s line to contribute.
Disclaimer:I am an amateur genealogist,but based on the documented and well-researched information compiled by your members I would like to add a few possibilities of the Collier ancestry for consideration. Johannes de Liestes was sent by the mother Abbey to Selincourt.St. Pierre de Selincourt Abbey was founded in 1131 by Walter Tyrrell III(Gauthier du Thirel).He also founded Sainte Larme du Christ(Holy Tear of Christ). This information can be found on line in a book “Further Genealogical Notes on the Tyrrell -Terrell Family of Virginia” by Edwin Holland Terrell published in San Antonio,Texas in 1909.
The Tyrrell family was well connected to nobility and royalty. Several family members went on the Crusades.
Johannes (Colie Re) served as a bailiff or magistrate. Colie re is a Latin law term meaning to unite or reconcile.When writing a letter today we use the term RE meaning ‘ in the matter of’.
These are just my personal observations,but they fit the historical narrative.
Thank you for your consideration.