Posting on "Collier Family Genealogy Forum, " January 16, 2001, by Wade Collier (Slightly revised, February 26, 2001) Bottom of Form 1 The "Gershoms" - Colliers of MASS. Line The first or Christian name "Gershom" is a Biblical one, meaning "Stranger," and was not un-common during the period when Biblical names were frequently used, in pre-Revolutionary and post-Revolutionary America. Among the Colliers of Massachusetts, descendants of Thomas and Susannah Collier, who arrived in Hingham, Mass. in 1635, it is found from about 1674 to 1871. It was subject to the usual vagaries of 17th and 18th Century spelling, the most common alternate spellings being "Gersham" and "Gasham." I have found the name in no other Collier family, and that uniqueness has been very useful in my research. I hope that the following information will be interesting to known family members, and useful to those who may discover that they are. Feel free to contact me with comments, corrections, or additions. Alphabetic List -- Name Date of Birth Date of Death 1) Gershom Baxter May 05, 1871 January 16, 1900 2) Gershom Collier, Lt. Abt. 1674 February 19, 1753 3) Gershom Collier April 05, 1708 Bef. November, 1713 4) Gershom Collier November 01, 1713 Bef. December 1749 5) Gershom Collier April 30, 1738 November 02, 1822 6) Gershom Collier January 13, 1765 June 19, 1830 7) Gershom Collier Abt. 1771 April 16, 1819 8) Gershom Collier March 20, 1846 Bef. May 1874 9) Gershom Collier Copeland November 11, 1737 September 21, 1827 10) Gershom Copeland, Jr. Abt. 1765 September 05, 1807 11) Gershom Copeland May 11, 1789 December 1813 12) Gershom Damon 1822 November 05, 1893 13) Gershom House May 21, 1777 November 29, 1838 14) Gershom Pratt February 17, 1764 October 30, 1835 15) Gershom Spear, Captain April 07, 1723 Aft. 1760 16) Gershom Spear December 15, 1755 Aft. 1800 Comments, with individuals listed in chronological order of birth-- 2) Lt. Gershom Collier (3), Thomas (2,1) was probably born in Hull, now Plymouth County, Massachusetts, about 1674 (birth records for the period are lacking). He married Elizabeth Poole, January 25, 1696/97, in Hull, and died in Hull on February 19, 1753. Other than the above vital records, and birth records of his children, all born in Hull, I have not found any reliable personal information on this first "Gershom Collier." The title "Lt." would indicate that he was active in the local militia -- his father, Thomas (2), held the same title -- but I have not located proof of this, nor any record of service in the Colonial Wars by either man. Several descendants served in the Revolution. Living in Hull, and having property on some of the Harbor Islands leads to speculation that he may have been a ship owner, a fisherman, a small merchant, or some combination thereof. We don't know. Lt. Gershom must have been a fairly prominent individual in Hull. At least one son attended Harvard College, and several of the daughters married prominent men. 3) Gershom Collier (4 - April 05, 1708 - Bef. November 1, 1713), Lt. Gershom Collier (3), Thomas (2,1). Second son of Lt. Gershom and Elizabeth Poole, born in Hull, who presumably died before Nov. 1, 1713, when a another son of that name was born. 4) Gershom Collier (4 - November 1, 1713 - before December, 1749), Lt. Gershom Collier (3), Thomas (2,1). Third son of Lt. Gershom and Elizabeth Poole, born in Hull, was a member of the Harvard College Class of 1734 (NEHG Register, Vol. 104, page 241) but had probably died by December, 1749, as he was not then listed as an heir of Lt. Gershom. (See Email of January 30, 2001, subject: "Gershom Collier, Harvard College, 1734 - NOT !!!") 15) Gershom Spear, Captain (5 - April 07, 1723 - Aft. 1760), Capt. Joseph Spear/ Mary Collier (4), Lt. Gershom Collier (3), Thomas (2,1). Married Lusana/Lucy Wetherell, June 18, 1744, in Boston. At one time captain of a slave ship on the Africa - Boston route, who about 1760, as captain of the British brig "Anson" distinguished himself in a battle with a French ship off Gibraltar. Born in Hull, Mass., died at sea. 9) Gershom Collier Copeland (5 - November 11, 1737 - September 21, 1827), Thomas Copeland, Jr./Susannah Collier Jones (4), Lt. Gershom Collier (3), Thomas (2,1). Married a cousin, Elizabeth Collier, daughter of Deacon Jonathan Collier (4) and Judith Gould. Born in Braintree, died in Weymouth, Mass. 5) Gershom Collier (5 - April 30, 1738 - November 02, 1822), Thomas (4), Lt. Gershom (3), Thomas (2,1). Born in Scituate, Mass., possibly living in Hull in 1771, but little known of his life until his marriage to Abigail Nash, Nov. 2, 1783, in Scituate, although he was almost certainly the individual of that name at the Boston Tea Party in 1773 -- there is no other known person of anywhere near the correct age. Was in Scituate in 1790, moved to Isleboro, Maine sometime after 1794, then was in Northport, Waldo County, Maine by about 1797. Died in Northport, 1822. 16) Gershom Spear (6 - December 15, 1755 - Aft. 1800), Joseph Spear, Jr. (5), Capt. Joseph Spear/Mary Collier (4), Lt. Gershom Collier (3), Thomas (2,1). Married Elizabeth Bradlee in Boston, June 4, 1780. Was probably a cooper in Boston, listed there at least as late as the 1800 city directory. 14) Gershom Pratt (6 - February 17, 1764 - October 30, 1835), Aaron Pratt/Bridget Collier (5), Thomas (4), Lt. Gershom (3), Thomas (2,1). Born in Hingham, Mass ( ? 2d parish, now Cohasset), location of death not noted. Married Ruth Lothrop, May 1789. 6) Gershom Collier ( 5 - January 13, 1765 - June 19, 1830), Deacon Jonathan (4), Lt. Gershom (3), Thomas (2,1). Born in Weymouth, Mass., probably served in the Revolution at a young age, was in Farmington, Franklin County, Maine by 1787, and later lived in Avon, Franklin County. Married 3 times, but the mother of all of his 8 known children was Sally (possibly Sarah ?) Hovey, a cousin on his mother's side. They married in Hallowell, Maine, July 29, 1790. 10) Gershom Copeland, Jr. (6 - Abt. 1765 - September 05, 1807), Gershom Collier Copeland (5) Thomas Copeland, Jr./Susannah Collier Jones (4), Lt. Gershom Collier (3), Thomas (2,1). Son of #9, above. Called Captain Copeland in the Weymouth Genealogies. "He was a mariner." Born and died in Weymouth, Mass.. Married to Hannah Lovell in Weymouth, March 19, 1789. 7) Gershom Collier (6 - Abt. 1771 - April 16, 1819), Bosworth (5 ?), Thomas (4), Lt. Gershom (3), Thomas (2,1). Probably born in Boston, where he was a housewright from at least 1796 to 1803. (Ephraim "Bosworth" Collier was also a Boston housewright, dying there before January, 1788.) By about 1805 Gershom (6) was in Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass., where other family members were living. Married Mary Kittle (also spelled Kettell, Kittell, etc.) in Boston, June 16, 1793. My ancestor. 13) Gershom House (6 - May 21, 1777 - November 29, 1838), Lt. John House/Jane Collier (5), Thomas (4), Lt. Gershom (3), Thomas (2,1). Born in Hanover, Plymouth County, Mass., and probably died in Chesterfield. Married Polly Utley, Oct 23, 1801, in Chesterfield, Mass. 11) Gershom Copeland (7 - May 11, 1789 - December 1813), Gershom Copeland, Jr. (6), Gershom Collier Copeland (5), (Thomas Copeland, Jr./Susannah Collier Jones (4), Lt. Gershom Collier (3), Thomas (2,1). Son of # 10, above. Born in Weymouth, married Sarah Dunbar, and died at sea at the age of 24. 12) Gershom Damon (8 - 1822 - November 05, 1893), Jason Damon/Jane Collier (7), Gershom (6), Bosworth (5 ?), Thomas (4), Lt. Gershom (3), Thomas (2,1). Born and died in Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass. Married Sarah Bird, in Chesterfield, May 8, 1842. 8) Gershom Collier (8 - March 20, 1846 - Bef. May 1874), William (7), Gershom (6), Bosworth (5 ?), Thomas (4), Lt. Gershom (3), Thomas (2,1). Born in Chesterfield, married to Sarah Cowing, who died at neighboring Williamsburg, "a widow," in the Mill River Flood, 16 May, 1874. Nothing else known of this individual. 1) Gershom Baxter (9 - May 05, 1871 - January 16, 1900), Otis Greene Baxter/Hannah Maria Collier (8), William (7), Gershom (6), Bosworth (5 ?), Thomas (4), Lt. Gershom (3), Thomas (2,1). Probably born and died in the area of Canton, New York, where his parents moved from western Mass. Married to Maude Dishaw. January 15, 2001 (Slightly revised February 26, 2001)