Sketch of George Collier, St. Charles County, Missouri >From "A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri, with numerous sketches, anecdotes, adventures, etc., relating to Early Days in Missouri" by William S. Bryan and Robert Rose, Published by Bryan, Brand & Co., St. Louis Missouri, 1876. ********************************************************************** The father of John and George Collier lived in the State of New Jersey, not far from the city of Philadelphia. He died when they were quite young, and their mother being an energetic, industrious woman, deter- mined to do the best she could for herself and family. She purchased two milk cows with the little money that her husband had left her, and opened a small dairy. It was not long until she owned and milked one hundred cows, and in a few years had accumulated a handsome fortune. Desiring to come West, she sold her dairy and other property, and in 1815, came to St. Charles with her two sons and $40,000 in cash. The two boys, being no less energetic than their mother, supplied them- selves with a small stock of goods, and for several years followed the tiresome and dangerous calling of country peddlers, carrying their goods on their backs. They made money, and in a few years opened a store in St. Charles. Here they rapidly augmented their means and desiring to extend their business, they established a branch store at Troy, in Lincoln Cunty, and shortly after another in St. Louis. Mrs. Collier bought a residence in St. Charles, and kept several negro women busy making coarse shirts and various other kinds of garments, which her sons sold in their stores. She was a devoted Methodist, and as earnest and zealous in her religion as in everything else. She always entertained the Methodist ministers when they came to St. Char- les, and kept a room in her house exclusively for their benefit, no one else being allowed to use it. In 1830 she had erected upon her own grounds the first Methodist house of worship in St. Charles, which was occupied by her congregation for religious services, free of rent. She also authorized the occupancy of the house as a common school room, reserving, by way of rent, the privilege of sending four pupils of her own selection, at the then customary tuition price of $1 per month, each. The school progressed so satisfactorily that Mrs. Collier deter- mined to appropriate $5,000 to the building of a school house for Pro- testant children in the village; and after giving the subject mature deliberation, she broached it to her son George. He not only heartily commended her plan, but desired to build the house himself, a larger and better one than $5,000 would procure, and that his mother's dona- tion should constitute an endowment fund for the institution. This was agreed upon, and in 1834 the building, which has since been known as St. Charles College, was erected, at a cost, including the grounds, of $10,000. Beriah Cleland, well known to the older citizens of St. Charles, was the builder. The College was opened in 1835, under the presidency of Rev. John F. Fielding; and for many years the President's salary was paid out of Mr. Collier's private purse. The College pros- pered beyond expectation under the liberal patronage of its generous benefactor, who gave in all fully $50,000 to the institution. George Collier did more for the cause of education in his adopted State than any other man, and has received but little credit for it. The alumni of the College spread through Mississippi, Louisiana and the western part of this State, and opening schools and other institutions of learning diffused the benefits of science and knowledge throughout an immense extent of country. many of the leading men and educators of this State studied the sciences under the roof of this parent institu- tion. Mrs. Collier died in 1835, but made provision in her will for the carrying out of her part of the philanthropic enterprise. By some mistake the sum donated by her was lost, but it was promptly replaced by her son, and at his death, in 1852, he left an endowment of $10,000 for the College, on condition that the County Court of St. Charles County donate a similar amount for the same purpose. The Court com- plied with the requirements of the will, and the College was promptly endowed with $20,000. George Collier married Frize Morrison, daughter of James Morrison, of St. Charles. She was a Catholic, and according to the rules of her Church, could not be married by a Protestant mini- ster; but Mr. Collier refusing to be married by a prieest, the ceremony was performed by Judge Benjamin Emmons. Mrs. Morrison wanted her daughter to be re-married by a priest of her Church, but Mr. Collier objected, saying that he was married well enough to suit him, and then added, good-humoredly, that if she wanted her daughter back again, she could take her. But the old lady concluded to let the matter drop, and said nothing more about the second ceremony. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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