Collier Family History, by Elmer Roy Collier

In 1975, some 50 years after J. C. Collier made contact with the Texas descendants of Efford Cobb Collier, Elmer Roy Collier compiled his Collier Family History.  The document was privately published and provided to relatives. Elmer Roy, a great-grandson of Efford Cobb, conducted extensive research and visited sites important to our Collier heritage.

John Howard Collier, son of Elmer Roy Collier, has made available for posting the manuscript produced by his father.

From John Howard Collier:

This electronic PDF document is the result of my dad’s, Elmer Roy Collier, extensive work on his Collier family history in the 1980’s after he retired. His original focus was on the Efford Cobb Collier descendants (son of Robert Collier, son of Isaac Collyer) who left Georgia to emigrate to Texas where extensive descendants still resided.

He always had an interest in photography and had gathered many of the old family photos. He had camera setup for making copies of other’s family photos. He enjoyed gathering family stories.  He and my mom did a lot of genealogy research while traveling to visit my family from Salt Lake City to cemeteries and distant relatives through the south.

Finding distant relatives with the same interests as listed on page 4, he “swapped” genealogy and added many sections to other Collier members and to the Collier ancestors. In addition he would find other family names through marriages such as Vines, Peirsey and Draper which he would include. He then typed all the material from genealogy to family stories to other historical references, and copied photos into this document which he then bound for each of his three children. He would make copies for other interested relatives. This was released in 1975 with a major update in 1987.

He and my mother also did the same research on the other three family lines of their parents and published similar volumes. When going through all his material, I found the original unbound copies and scanned into this PDF document to share his work.

CHF is grateful for this addition to our website.  The arrows at the bottom of the page can be used to scroll through the document.

Collier-family-volume-by-Elmer-Collier

The entire document is available for download at the following link:

Download

Many thanks to John Collier for sharing this important work.

One Thought on “Collier Family History, by Elmer Roy Collier

  1. James L Collier Jr on November 22, 2017 at 7:43 pm said:

    I am related all the way down to Vines Collier. From there my side of the family went to Alabama will Elmer’s went to Texas. I am so very glad to have found this document. Having it, and some other information beyond Vines has allowed me to piece together my entire Paternal line back to the beginning….. or at least France.

    Thank you so kindly.

    James L Collier Jr

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Searching for the Family of Efford Cobb Collier

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Efford Cobb Collier

Efford Cobb Collier was the son of Robert Collier and the grandson of Vines Collier.  Robert Marshall Collier and Isaac Cuthbert Collier were his brothers.  Jena Cuthbert (J. C.) Collier was nephew of Efford Cobb.

Efford Cobb left Upson County, Georgia in 1857 and relocated his family in Texas.  In 1912, J. C. Collier began trying to locate the family of his Uncle Efford.

The following is from the typed notes of J. C. Collier

Facts-re-Efford-Cobb-Collier

J. C. reportedly sent letters to anyone in Texas he found with the Collier name.  Here are some samples of letters he sent in 1912.

1912_10_03_Ltr-JCC-to-several-Colliers

Having no luck locating Efford’s family directly, J. C. sought information from the Powells and McCoys, who were reported to have left Georgia for Texas along with the Collier family.

1923_Powell-Correspondence

This produced results and, in November 1923, J. C. made contact with J. J. Collier of Corpus Christi, Texas and grandson of Efford Cobb Collier.

1923_J-J-Collier-correspondence

There followed connecting with other members of Efford Cobb Collier’s widespread family,

Mrs. S. E. Collier:

1924_01_12_Ltr-JCC-to-Mrs-S-E-Collier

Mrs. Fannie Jackson:

1924_01_12_Ltr_JCC-to-Mrs-Fannie-Jackson

Edward Fluellen Collier:

1924_02_16_Ltr-JCC-to-Edward-Fluellen-Collier

R. O. Jackson:

R-O-Jackson-correspondence

Hardy R. Collier:

Hardy-R-Collier-correspondence-redo

A. M. Harryman:

Harryman-correspondence

John Howard Collier:

John-Howard-Collier-correspondence

Fannie Collier Preslar:

Fannie-Efford-Preslar

Mrs. Robert Redding Collier:

1926_07_19_Ltr-JCC-to-Mrs-Robert-Reding-Collier

Mrs. Efford Collier Presler:

Mrs-Efford-C-Presslar

 

 

 

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Yorktown, Virginia 1704

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The plantations of Charles Collier and Thomas Vines depicted on a Google-Earth image near Yorktown, Virginia.

Elaine Collier Neal has provided CHF documents showing the locations of the Charles Collier and Thomas Vines plantations near Yorktown, Virginia.

The first of our line of Colliers in America was Isaak Collyer who came to Virginia sometime in the mid-1600s. The line of descent from Isaak Collyer to Vines Collier is as follows:

Isaak Collyer > Charles Collier > Isaac Collier > Vines Collier

Isaac Collier married Ann Vines, the daughter of Thomas Vines. Vines Collier was given his mother’s maiden name, which was a typical convention of the time.

The following is a property map of the Yorktown, Virginia area in 1704, showing the plantation of Charles Collier (paternal grandfather of Vines Collier) and the plantation of Thomas Vines (maternal grandfather of Vines Collier).

 

PhotoStudio-1704-York-map

The 1704 map was geo-referenced by GIS analysts and imported to Google-Earth. The resulting image depicts the approximate property boundaries of the plantations against a modern aerial photograph.

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If you click on the following link, it should take you directly to Google-Earth where you can explore the image on your own computer. Google-Earth should be free if your machine does not have it.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.22709,-76.53685,4727m/data=!3m1!1e3

One Thought on “Yorktown, Virginia 1704

  1. JANET W TURNER on September 16, 2024 at 8:25 pm said:

    Can you tell me where to find the map that showed property locations.
    I am trying to research Portobello history. All history is after 1750.
    I know it is located on Camp Perry, Family book says some Collier members
    lived there and some born there. The Charles Collier plantation on map is in
    different location. Thank You

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1828 Robert Marshall Collier Family Bible

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Notes indicate this is the family Bible of Robert Marshall Collier (son of Robert Collier, grandson of Vines Collier).  This is the publishing page, which dates the Bible at 1828.

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This is the exterior of the Bible.

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And the binding.

The inside of the cover (below) appears to twice note the birth (folding) of a horse (Hambleton).
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And the family records.  Any transcriptions would be welcomed!

Comments and notes in green ink are in the handwriting and with an ink commonly used by Jena Cuthbert (J. C.) Collier, grandson of Robert Marshall Collier

 

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The Sons of Charles Vines Collier, Sr. and Rebecca Owen Collier

 

 

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Confederate Iron Cross at the grave of Sgt. Isaac Peterson Collier

The thread of the Confederacy is prominent in the tapestry that is the history of the Southern Collier family.   A preliminary count reveals over 25 grandsons and great-grandsons of Vines Collier who served in the Army of the Confederate States of America.  (As a side note, some came from slave holding families, some did not.)  Perhaps no where is the thread more evident than in the sons of Charles Vines Collier, Sr. and Rebecca Owen Collier.  Most of the information for this post comes from a compilation by the late Ramon Collier, a descendant of Charles Vines and Rebecca Collier.

Charles Vines Collier, Sr. was the son of Isaac Collier and the grandson of Vines Collier (see post “Isaac Collier, Son of Vines & Elizabeth Collier”).   He was born in 1793 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia and married Rebecca M. Owen on June 4, 1829.  Charles and Rebecca had twelve children.  Seven of the 12 were sons.  All wore Confederate gray.  From youngest to oldest they were:

  1. James Glenn Collier – born Oct. 2, 1848 in Upson County, Georgia; enlisted in the Confederate Army at the age of 15;  saw action around Atlanta in the last months of the war.
  2. Charles Vines Collier, Jr. – born in Upson County, Georgia Oct. 10, 1846; enlisted in Co. B, 2nd Battalion, Georgia Sharpshooters on April 16, 1864 at Dalton, Georgia at the age of 17; was captured at Nashville, Tennessee on Dec. 16, 1864; spent the remainder of the war in prison (including Camp Douglas, Illinois); was discharged on May 17, 1865; reportedly walked home, travelling mostly at night; was never paid for his service to the Confederacy.
  3. Pascal Smith Collier – born in Upson County, Georgia Oct. 29, 1844; was wounded at the Seven-Day Battle of Richmond and died of those wounds July 4, 1862 at the age of 17; buried in an unmarked grave (approximate location known) at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.  Named for his uncle, Paschal Smith, who reportedly served with his father (Charles Vines Collier, Sr.) in the War of 1812. UPDATE See Addition at the End of this Post
  4. John Brackett Collier – born in Upson County, Georgia Feb. 22, 1840; rode horseback from Thomaston, Georgia to West Point, Mississippi and enlisted in the 14th Mississippi Regiment; was wounded at Franklin, Tennessee; spent 6 months in a Union prison in Chicago.
  5. Hardeman Owen Collier – born 1838 in Upson County, Georgia; was 3rd Lieutenant and 2nd Captain of Co. A, 46th Georgia Regiment of Gist’s Brigade and General Walker’s Division;  died June 20th, 1864 of wounds received at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in the defense of Atlanta; he is buried in an unmarked grave (approximate location known) at the foot of the mountain;  The story of his death is found in the Diary of Sgt. Jim White:  “(Captain) Collier was killed near our breastworks.  I heard and saw where the minnie ball struck him before he fell, dropping on the knee.  I asked if he was hurt much, in response, running up to our breastworks we secured a litter and bore him over the works while minnie balls flew thick and fast.  He died in about an hour without speaking.”
  6. William Thomas Collier – born March 27, 1835 in Upson County, Georgia; was a member of Co. B, 2nd Battalion, Georgia Sharpshooters
  7. Isaac Peterson Collier – born July 7, 1831 in Upson County, Georgia; joined Co. K, 5th Georgia Volunteer Infantry along with two of his cousins  (Charles V. and Cuthbert Hicks Collier, sons of Cuthbert S. Collier); was recognized for heroism and offered a battlefield commission for his actions at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in the defense of Atlanta.  He eloquently declined the promotion.  Brigadier General John King Jackson reported the act in a general order recognizing the deed as an “act of distinguished valor”:

IPC official desc

Here is an eye witness account by John H. Harp, one of the men saved by Isaac Peterson Collier.  It was written years later, and this explains the inconsistency in the date.

IPC eye witness account

Sgt. Collier was offered a battlefield commission in Company E, but declined with the following statement on June 24, 1864.

Captain:  I have the honor to most respectfully decline the above promotion.  In throwing the shell from the ditch, I am conscious of having done nothing but my duty in attempting to save my life and the lives of the men around me.  I prefer to remain in my company with my comrades, whom I left home with on the 7th day of May, 1861.

Isaac Peterson Collier’s brave deed took place on June 21, 1864.  Sgt. Collier’s brother, Hardeman Owen Collier, had been killed only the day before in the same battle.  It is not known whether he was aware of his brother’s death.

For his bravery, Isaac Peterson Collier was nominated for the Confederate Medal of Honor in 1996.  The vote to approve failed with a 3 – 3 tie.  Subsequent efforts to approve the recognition were even less successful.  In the Kennesaw Mountain Battleground Museum, the bravery of Isaac Peterson Collier is acknowledged by a plaque on the informational rail.

 

IPC rail

 

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Grave of Sgt. Isaac Peterson Collier, Isaac Collier Cemetery, Upson County, Georgia.

 

After publishing this post, I received the following email from Kathleen Collier Burgess, daughter of the late Ramon Collier and his wife Carol.  Kathleen, I believe, is the great-granddaughter of  Charles Vines Collier, Jr.  I hope she corrects me if I am wrong.

Mom forwarded your email about the post regarding the sons of Charles Vines and Rebecca Owen Collier. She asked me to give you the following information:

In 2003 Dad, Mom and I went to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond and found the grave of Pascal Smith Collier. There was a number for him (471, section M) recorded in the office which was also on a very small marker. The identification number was available because Pascal was injured and hospitalized there before dying from his wounds. Dad and Mom sent ~$100 to a government organization and had a marker erected at the grave site, so it is no longer unmarked.

Here is a link with a photograph for your records:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9747032

Thank you for keeping up the historical record.

– Kathleen Collier Burgess

Thank you, Kathleen, for this additional information.  Here is the marker.

9747032_121529345418

 

4 Thoughts on “The Sons of Charles Vines Collier, Sr. and Rebecca Owen Collier

  1. Wayne Collier on September 15, 2015 at 8:44 am said:

    Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

  2. Just discovering my Colliers on the tree outside of Indiana. I used to live in Kennesaw when my spouse was stationed at Ft McPherson, never knew…

  3. Greg C. White on August 13, 2018 at 10:08 pm said:

    Hello,

    Can you provide me with details about the nomination of Isaac P. Collier for the Confederate Medal of Honor, and was there a reason it failed?

    I’m not a Collier family member, but a published Civil War author, and I’m also a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

  4. collierheritage on August 14, 2018 at 8:03 am said:

    First of all, we welcome all who have an interest in Collier family history. Starting in Virginia in the mid-1600s, Collier history is the history of this nation.

    CHF has a file on the subject of Isaac Peterson Collier. The information will be put up as a new post in the near future, so please “subscribe” so that you will be notified.
    Thank you,

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