Colliers of MA Oct. 2005 Research Update Research update notes Oct. 1, 2005 -- It is now over a year since we published “The Colliers of Massachusetts, Volume One,” which covered the first five generations of the descendants of Thomas and Susannah Collier of Hingham, Mass. The book has been generally well received, although I cannot claim that it has reached best-seller status. A very few errors or misstatements of fact have been brought to my attention. I believe the best way to address these issues will be to prepare another addendum sheet, to be included in Volume Two. I will also post it on my homepage ----------------------- I have continued my own research on the Collier descendants, primarily focusing on my own lines (which I take to be those which passed through Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass.), and on those individuals most likely to be found in Massachusetts and Maine records. These include various town histories, collections of genealogies, Vital Records, censuses, and so forth. Some of this material is available online, some only on microfilm or in print. Much of this type of research is slow, tedious work, but progress can be made. “Collier” cousins, old and new, continue to send contributions to me. I want to note the following most recent additions: Abigail Copeland -George Weller (Gina Weller Webb – contact) Paul Baxter - Ann Walker (Elaine Baxter and others – contact) Sally Foster/Harrison Gray Otis lines (Gray Lyman – contact) Added information Collier – King in Onondaga Cty., NY (Shirley Wheet – contact) Joy Kielbasa continues her original work on Lorings of Maine, New York, etc. David Torrey continues his good work on cemetery and other records of Chesterfield, Mass. Dave has also added material specifically on the Collier/Torrey lines originating in Chesterfield. (I have also been doing some research on my g-g-grandmother, Mary (Samson) Collier, born in Hampshire County, Mass. Several Sam(p)son cousins have contributed material on this topic. It appears that many of the Samsons of Norwich (now Huntington), Chesterfield and Worthington, Mass. are descendants of Myles Standish and John and Priscilla Alden. As so often happens, solid proof has eluded us.) Although most of the names that have been added to the list of Collier descendants fit into the 7th or later generations, a few come in the 6th. Abigail Copeland and George Weller certainly had children (Abigail was a daughter of #42, Jacob Copeland, page 73 of vol. one), as did Deborah House and Samuel Densmore, and Mary House and her husband Joseph Ring. (The House sisters were daughters of Jane (Collier) House, # 54, page 90 of vol. one.) As the genealogy numbers for children of the 5th generation have already been established in Volume One of the genealogy, I will have to decide on the best procedure for integrating “new” individuals into the genealogy. There will certainly be more instances of these additions as research continues. ------------------- Among the Collier descendants in the second volume, covering individuals born between roughly 1730 and 1830, will be found many farmers and mariners. There were a number of clergymen in the family as well. Among those who varied widely from these more common occupations were: # 186 -Elisha Hayden Collier (6th Gen.), co-inventor of an early revolver. He spent part of his career in England, providing some of his weapons to the British Army in India. # 360 - Sally Foster (7th Gen.), wife of Harrison Gray Otis, Congressman, U. S. Senator, real estate developer, etc., of Boston. # 447 - Anna Greenough (7th Gen.), who married a North Carolina plantation owner. One of her sons was a Colonel in the Confederate Army, killed in battle at Gettysburg.. ----------- Total number of known Thomas and Susannah Collier descendants/spouses is now over 10,400. Those with the “Collier” surname number about 420, while “Collyer” numbers over 120. Although there are several variant spellings in the records, “Collier” was the typical usage in early Massachusetts and, later, Maine, while “Collyer” was the spelling adopted after 1700 by a line which went to northern and eastern New Jersey. I anticipate continuing research and revision centered on generations 6 –8 until January or February, 2006. Editing and re-writing of biographies and notes will take several months, and I hope to publish Volume Two in the late summer or fall of 2006. The raw genealogies for those three generations, without biographical or source notes, occupy 220 pages at this time. The completed volume two will likely come to 350 – 400 pages. ------------------- As always, feel free to contact me with corrections to our joint work, new contributions, or anything else concerning the Collier family of Hingham, Boston and vicinity, Maine, New Jersey, or any of the related families. Wade Collier “Colliers of Massachusetts” Project 218 Leominster Road Lunenburg, Mass. 01462