Samuel Collier-3, Timeline

My great-grandfather Samuel Collier-3 leaves several loose ends. No birth record has been found to date. His whereabouts in 1881 remain to be accounted for in the UK census and no death record or even date of death is known.

My hunch is that Samuel Collier-3 died in Windsor, Nova Scotia sometime before the great fire there destroyed that city (and presumably all its written records) in October 1897. The province of Nova Scotia did not collect vital records during the period he would have been in Nova Scotia. Windsor sits on major deposits of gypsum so working in a quarry is consistent with Samuel Collier-2's marriage record. The fact that my grandfather went with my aunt and uncle to Windsor, Ontario to look for Samuel Collier-3's grave gives me pause, but if my grandfather only knew that his father died in Windsor, Canada, perhaps he never really knew of the Windsor, Nova Scotia possibility. Also worth noting in this context is that three of Samuel Collier-3's sisters emigrated to Nova Scotia later. Lastly, the Ontario records in ancestry.com seem very extensive so that I expect I might have stumbled upon a record of him in Ontario, had he ever gotten there.

• ca. 1858. Samuel Collier-3 born in the hamlet of Croft.
• 17 April 1861. Samuel Collier-3 living on Moss Lane in the hamlet of Croft at the time of the UK census with his parents Samuel Collier-4 and Sarah Rogerson-4 and five siblings.
• 2 April 1871. Samuel Collier-3 working as one of five servants on the James Gatrix farm in the village of Irlam according to the UK census. Age reported here would suggest a birth year ca. 1857.
• 3 April 1881. Have not yet found satisfactory match for Samuel Collier-3 in the UK census. Speculate that he may be in the military somewhere farther away from home. Need to check military records. Could be simply an illegible copy with a bad transcription too.
• 23 October 1886. Samuel Collier-3 marries Ellen Taylor-3 at St. Michael's church Flixton.
• 9 May 1887. Son, John Collier-2, born to Samuel Collier-3 and Ellen Taylor-3 in Brook Lane, Flixton.
• 19 June 1887. John Collier-2 baptized at St. Michael's church in Flixton, parents are Samuel Collier-3 and Ellen Taylor-3.
• 6 December 1888. Son, Samuel Collier-2, born to Samuel Collier-3 and Ellen Taylor-3 living at East Ordsall Lane in Salford.
• 3 February 1889. Samuel Collier-2 baptized at St. Michael's church in Flixton, parents are Samuel Collier-3 and Ellen Taylor-3.
• 6 July 1889. Likely arrival of 31 year old Samuel Collier-3 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Date of death in Canada as a quarryman. Undetermined.

1861 Census enumeration district

Samuel Collier-4 family lived in Enumertion District 13H, of Barton upon Irwell.

"Comprising all the houses and cottages in the Hamlets of Dumplington, Bromyhurst, Croft, Lostock, Davyhulme, and Whittleswick, being all that part of the Township of Barton upon Irwell which lieth on the South side of the River Irwell."

Eccles Parish Map

Here is an excellent map, identifying locations of Flixton, Urmston, Dumplington, Swinton, Barton upon Irwell.

Another map.

7 April 1861 UK Census Samuel Collier-4 family

7 April 1861

UK Census

Township of Barton upon Irwell

Hamlet Croft

Ecclesiastical District Eccles

Moss Lane

• Samuel Collier-4, Head, Married, age 31, Railway Carter, born in Flixton, Lancashire
• Sarah Collier [Sarah Rogerson-4], Wife, Married, age 30, born in Dumplington, Lancashire
• John Collier-3, Son, age 11, scholar, born in Dumplington, Lancashire
• James Collier-3, Son, age 9, scholar, born in Dumplington, Lancashire
• Mary Collier-3, Daughter, age 7, scholar, born in Manchester, Lancashire
• Jane Collier-3, Daughter, age 5, born in Manchester, Lancashire
• Samuel Collier-3, Son, age 3, born in Lancashire, Croft, in Croft
• Sarah Collier-3, Daughter, age 1, born in Croft

2 April 1871 UK Census Samuel Collier-3

2 April 1871

UK Census
Registration District: Barton upon Irwell
Subregistration District: Barton
Civil Parish: Irlam
Village: Irlam

Of five servants on farm of James Gratrix family:

Samuel Collier-3
Age 14, farm labourer, born in Flixton, Lancashire

Joseph Taylor-3
Age17, farm labourer, born in Cross Bank, Lancashire

Note: this appears to be the brother of Samuel Collier-3's future wife Ellen Taylor-3!

3 April 1881 NOT Samuel Collier-3 Census Record

WARNING. THIS IS PROBABLY NOT SAMUEL COLLIER-3

There is another Samuel Collier, unmarried, correct age working as a Carter in Worsley, with Swinton given as birth place. Worsley is the township and Swinton is the village. But note that in 1861 there is a 2 year old Samuel Collier born to a Richard Collier in Eccles, living in Swinton also St. Peters Parish.

So the census record below is probably NOT the father of Samuel Collier-2.

Note: In his birth record Samuel Collier-2's father is given as Samuel Collier with occupation Carter. This is why I first thought the 1881 census report for Samuel Collier in Swinton was our man.

3 April 1881

UK Census

Township: Worsley

Village: Swinton

Sanitary District: Swinton/Pendlebury

Parish: St. Peters

Samuel Collier

• Age: 22
• Unmarried
• Residence: 30 Dorning St.
• Occupation: Carter
• Born in Lancashire, Swinton

1886 Samuel Collier-3 and Ellen Taylor-3 Marriage

Marriage at St. Michael's Church in Flixton, Lancaster

23 October 1886

Registration District: Barton upon Irwell

[Groom] Samuel Collier [Samuel Collier-3]

Age: 28 years, bachelor, laborer, residing in Flixton

Father's Name: Samuel Collier [Samuel Collier-4], Labourer

[Bride] Ellen Taylor [Ellen Taylor-3]

Age: 25 years, Spinster, residing in Flixton

Father's Name: James Taylor [James Taylor-4] , Labourer

Witnesses: Richard Hamer and Alice Peers.

Father of John Collier-2

Registration District: Barton upon Irwell

1887 Birth in the Subdistrict of Stretford in the County of Lancaster

• Entry Number: 485
• When and where born: Ninth May 1887, Brook Road, Flixton
• Name: John [John Collier-2]
• Sex: Boy
• Name and surname of father: Samuel Collier [Samuel Collier-3]
• Name, surname and maiden surname of mother: Ellen Collier, formerly Taylor [Ellen Taylor-3]
• Occupation of father: Carter
• Signature, description and residence of informant: Ellen Collier, Mother, Brook Road, Flixton
• When registered: Sixteenth June 1887

Baptismal Record 1887, John Collier-2

Baptism in the Parish Church of Flixton

19 June 1887 of John Collier [John Collier-2].

Parents Samuel [Samuel Collier-3], laborer, and Ellen Collier [Ellen Taylor-3], residing Brook Road in Flixton.

Source: Microfilm:Flixton, St. Michael, MFPR 2094, p. 265 of Baptisms

Father of Samuel Collier-2

Documents where Samuel Collier-3 appears as Samuel Collier-2's father:

6 December 1888: Birth record of Samuel Collier-2

3 February 1889: Baptismal record of Samuel Collier-2