Samuel Collier-2, Timeline

Below are links to documents for Samuel Collier-2 that I have found thus far and which were all posted earlier.

The natural question that arises is why I am so sure that these 21 documents are all related to the same individual. From 1920 on we can be absolutely certain that we are talking about my dear Grandpa Samuel Collier. The 1920 Census has only a single Samuel Collier in Flint working a drill press in an automobile factory and he is single, born in England, immigrated to the US in 1913 and of the right age.

Working backward we have the key document of 24 Aug 1919 when Samuel is returning to Flint from Canada. There he reported to be going to his friend. W. Hovey, 633 Baker St., Flint, Michigan which is where he was a lodger in the 1920 Census. Further he reported that his nearest relative in Canada was B. Marsden, a cousin in Winsor, Ontario. His last departure from the US was January 1918 which is the month that he joined the Canadian Expenditionary Force. Finally he stated there that he lived in Flint 1913-18.

This links us to the other key document 21 Apr 1913 entry to the US at Detroit for Samuel Collier. He reported Brampton, Ontario as his last permanent residence and nearest relative being his wife "Lillian (sic) Winifred Collier" with an address Victoria St, Toronto, Ontario. This document also gives his Canadian immigration date 7 May 1910 at Quebec, having arrived on the steamship Virginian.

Everything else falls into place, given that my father and his siblings knew the maiden name of Samuel's mother to be Taylor.

In his Canadian Army Attestation, he gives his uncle's name William Taylor-3, living in Patricroft which is close to Flixton. His mother Ellen Taylor-3 did have a brother William.

The last piece of detective work was to find the 1891 UK Census entry for Samuel and his mother who were with her mother on the day of the census and incorrectly recorded as "Taylors". This conclusion is supported by the fact that Samuel's brother John was recorded correctly on census day 1891 to be with Samuel's other (i.e. Collier) grandmother.

6 Dec 1888 Birth Record
3 Feb 1889 Baptism
5 Apr 1891 UK Census 1891, Brook Road, Flixton
31 Mar 1901 UK 1901 Census, Ellen Collier & Sons
27 Jun 1908 Samuel Collier & Lilian Winifred Marsden Marriage
3 Aug 1908 Una Collier Birth Record
30 Sep 1908 Una Collier Baptism Record
7 May 1910 Arrival in Canada
21 Jun 1911 Canadian Census
21 Apr 1913 Samuel Collier enters US at Detroit
5 Jun 1917 US Draft Registration
18 Jan 1918 Attestation Paper Joining Canadian Army
16 Jun 1919 Canadian Army Discharge
24 Aug 1919 Samuel Collier again enters US at Detroit
9 Jan 1920 US Census 1920
14 Feb 1920 Marriage License Samuel Collier & Anna Korda
14 Feb 1920 Samuel Collier & Anna Korda Marriage
17 Jun 1925 Samuel Collier, Naturalization Paper
4 Apr 1930 US Census 1930, Samuel Collier Family, Flint, MI
31 Jul 1966 Genesee County Death Certificate
31 Jul 1966 Social Security Death Record