Samuel Collier-4 to Samuel Collier-2

Samuel Collier-3 and wife Ellen Taylor-3 in the line of Samuel Colliers.

1859 Baptism, Ellen Taylor-3

Baptism in the Parish Church of Flixton

in the County of Lancaster in 1859

20 March 1859

Ellen Taylor-3, child of James (Laborer) [James Taylor-4] and Betsy Taylor [Elizabeth Johnson-4] of Flixton.

Note: on same day, a cousin of Samuel Collier-3 (namely John Collier-3, son of Josiah Collier-4, i.e. a brother of Samuel Collier-4, and Ellen Kidd-3,) was baptized.

Microfilm:Flixton, St. Michael, MFPR 2094, p. 109 of Baptisms

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.

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

Likely Arrival Samuel Collier-3 in Halifax

Allan Line

Schedule B

Form of Passenger List

Name: Saml Collier [Samuel Collier-3]

Gender: Male

Age: 31

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1858

Date of Arrival: 6 Jul 1889

Vessel: Peruvian

Port of Arrival: Halifax

Port of Departure: Liverpool, England

NOTE: this date is consistent with Samuel Collier-3 not being in the England 1890 census and is a half-year after the birth of Samuel Collier-2. Departure from Liverpool is most likely and the age corresponds to that of Samuel Collier-3.

The mysterious fate of Samuel Collier-3

What ever happened to Samuel Collier-3?

The "oral tradition" in the family is captured in the following excerpt from a letter written by my Aunt May to a cousin dated April 25, 1984:

"...Grandpa's father [Samuel Collier-3] came over to Windsor, Canada first, he was going to send for the rest of the family when he had saved the money. Before he could send for them he died.

After Uncle Harold and I were married we took Grandma [Anna Korda-2] & Grandpa [Samuel Collier-2] over to Windsor to look for the cemetary. Things had changed so much Grandpa couldn't find it..."

To date I have found no trace of Samuel Collier-3 in the Canadian Censuses, nor have I had any luck in finding a death record in Ontario for him. He does not appear in the English census for 1890 or 1900 with his wife Ellen Taylor-3 or his two sons either. This does not completely exclude the possibility that he was in England working away from the family after the birth of his second son, Samuel.

In the marriage record for Samuel Collier-2 and Lilian Winifred Marsden-2 of 27 June 1908, the father of the groom is given as a deceased stone quarryman Samuel Collier.

Bottom line

Time of Samuel Collier-3's death: sometime between Samuel Collier-2's birth (6 Dec 1888) and the latter's first marriage (27 June 1908).

Place of Samuel Collier-3's death: Canada seems pretty certain, the city of Windsor is what Samuel Collier-2 claimed, but it is worth noting that there is indeed a Windsor in Nova Scotia that would have been close to where other members of the Collier family were to have migrated.

High priority to find Samuel Collier-3's death record in Canada!

Parents of my Grandparents: Generation-3

In the first 100 postings I was able to assemble most of the materials I have regarding my four grandparents.

The upcoming postings will be devoted to the eight parents of my grandparents:

Parents of Samuel Collier-2:

• Samuel Collier-3
• Ellen Taylor-3

Parents of Anna Korda-2:

• Anton Korda-3
• Susan Czech-3

Parents of Felix Bober-2:

• Franz Bober-3
• Edna Zimiski-3

Parents of Pearl Grendziak-2:

• Lorenz Grendziak-3
• Mary Ann Steiwski-3

1984 Letter from Aunt May to a nephew-0

April 25, 1984

Dear [Nephew-0],

It was so nice to hear from you. What a grand idea you have, wanting to find out more about Grandpa [Samuel Collier-2].

I'm sorry [Nephew-0], but I can't be of much help.

Grandpa's father [Samuel Collier-3] came over to Windsor, Canada first, he was going to send for the rest of the family when he had saved the money. Before he could send for them he died.

After Uncle Harold and I were married we took Grandma [Anna Korda-2] & Grandpa over to Windsor to look for the cemetary. Things had changed so much Grandpa couldn't find it.

When Grandpa's Mother [Ellen Taylor-3] died, in England, he came to Windsor and worked in a nursary until he could enter the U.S. At the end of W.W. I Grandpa tried to find his brother [John Collier-2]. Some how he knew he wasn't killed in the war. He had an address, but a Bobby advised him not to go in that part of town it was very rough, so he came on home.

The lady Grandpa wrote to was a cousin. He would write and send money (small amounts) after W.W. II started the letters stopped coming. There was a picture of the cousin. I think there was at least three people in the picture. if it is anywhere it would be in the box of pictures your Dad has.

The only thing I have is a Bible that belongs to Grandpa's mother, her maiden name was Taylor. She taught Sunday School.

[Nephew-0] I wish you all the luck and hope you are able to come up with something. Take care of yourself.

Love

Aunt May [Virginia Mae Collier-1] & Uncle Harold

Families of Samuel Collier-2, Overview

Samuel Collier-2, Birth Record 1888

Copy of an entry of birth

Registration District: Barton upon Irwell

Sub-district: Stretford

County: Lancaster

Year: 1888

• When and where born: 6 Dec 1888, Brook Road, Flixton
• Name: Samuel [Samuel Collier-2]
• Sex: Boy
• Father: Samuel Collier [Samuel Collier-3]
• Mother (with maiden name): Ellen Collier, formerly Taylor [Ellen Taylor-3]
• Occupation of father: carter
• Signature, description, residence of informant: Ellen Collier, mother, 68 East Ordsall Lane, Salford
• When registered: 17 Jan 1889

Samuel Collier-2, Baptism, 1889

Baptism in the Parish Church of Flixton

in the County of Lancaster in 1889

3 Feb 1889

• Child's Christian Name: Samuel [Samuel Collier-2]
• Parents' names: Samuel (Labourer) and Ellen [Samuel Collier-3, Ellen Taylor-3]
• Abode: Brook Lane.
  

Source:
Microfilm: Flixton, St. Michael, MFPR 2094, p. 274 of Baptisms

Samuel Collier & Lilian Winifred Marsden Marriage

Marriage in the Register Office

in the district of Barton upon Irwell

in the County of Lancaster

27 June 1908

Samuel Collier-2

• 19 years
• Bachelor
• Rope runner
• Residing at 62 Brook Road Flixton
• Father: Samuel Collier-3 (stone quarryman), deceased

Lilian Winifred Marsden-2

• 19 years
• Spinster
• Shop assistant
• Residing at 161 Moorside Road, Flixton
• Father: George Marsden-3 (umbrella salesman)

Witnesses: George and Jessie Marsden [George Marsden-3, Jessie Emma Thomas-3]

Marriage License Samuel Collier-2 & Anna Korda-2

Samuel Collier-2

• 31 years, white, residing in Flint, Michigan.
• Birthplace: Manchester, England.
• Occupation: machinist.
• Father's Name: Samuel Collier [Samuel Collier-3].
• Mother's name: Ellen Taylor [Ellen Taylor-3].
• Previously married (blank) time…

Anna Korda-2

• Anna Corda. 29 years, white, residing in Flint, Michigan.
• Birthplace: Wisconsin.
• Occupation: Forelady.
• Father's name: Anton Corda [Anton Korda-3].
• Mother's name: Susie Chick [Susan Czech-3].
• Previously married 0 [zero] times.

Date: February 14, 1920

Climbing the Tree to Generation -3