Records indicate that John Collier was born in Lee County, Virginia around 1841. He appears in the Lee County, Virginia Census along with his parents Ori G. and Sarah Witt Collier in 1850.
Based on the birth date of daughter, Temperance, it appears that John Collier married Louisa Shoemaker around 1860. They are said to have had ten children:
Temperance Collier Spencer (1861-1917)
William Marion Collier (1862-1931)
Farenda E. Collier Reynolds (1865-1937)
Catherine Collier (1868-?)
James Collier (1877-1926)
Maggie Collier Roberts (1871-1953)
Ora Jackson Collier (1873-1947)
Mary Collier Whisman (1876-1962)
Martha Collier Alexander (1884-1939)
Unknown Collier
Census records and other sources of information indicate that John was a Baptist minister and also a farmer.
John's granddaughter, Hazel Collier Booth, wrote this about him. “He blazed trails over the wilderness that is now Wolfe County, in an effort to teach people the Christian faith. He is still remembered for the extreme stand he took against whiskey, and he came to be known as ‘the whiskey fighting Baptist.’
Some of the oldest people in Wolfe County may still remember the ‘June Tide’, a deluge the like of which has not been seen before or since. It came to be referred to as the ‘flood that John Collier prayed down’ because it had swept away so many moonshine stills as it rampaged across fields and bottoms.”
John appears to have been a popular preacher. This comment appeared in the September 30, 1885, “Hazel Green Herald”, “Rev. John Collier of Tar Ridge, an old Baptist veteran, while out here on business, preached to a large and appreciative audience.”
This FindAGrave memorial as created by Contributor Kendall Culbertson documents Reverend Collier’s life span as 1841-1891. That would make him around 50 years old at the time of his death. The information from his granddaughter, Hazel Collier Booth, states that he died at the age of 56. John Collier died around 1891 or 1897. The date on the headstone in the photo is illegible. At this time, I have not found documentation to confirm his age or date of death. He does not appear in the 1900 US Census. Presumably, he died in Wolfe County, Kentucky.
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Notes:
There is a short biography about John Collier in the the book: “Early and Modern History of Wolfe County” compiled by the Wolfe County Woman’s Club, Campton, Kentucky in 1958. The section titled “Collier” was written by Mrs. Taylor [Hazel] Booth who was the granddaughter of John Collier through his son, Ora Collier. This book is used as a source of information in this memorial along with other research and sources of documentation.
It appears the epic 'June Tide' may have taken place in June and July 1882. Newspapers in eastern Kentucky were scarce at that time, but there was significant widespread flooding recorded by the "Louisville Courier" in Louisville, Kentucky. June Tides are caused by a seasonal weather pattern that brings rain into Kentucky and causes the water in the rivers to rise. June Tides were useful in the local economy. Locals would cut timber in the forests and fashion the timber into log rafts. The higher water provided the means to float the log rafts down the river so the timber could be further processed and made into lumber. The 1882 flooding appears to have been more of a 100 year flood.
Based on the birth date of daughter, Temperance, it appears that John Collier married Louisa Shoemaker around 1860. They are said to have had ten children:
Temperance Collier Spencer (1861-1917)
William Marion Collier (1862-1931)
Farenda E. Collier Reynolds (1865-1937)
Catherine Collier (1868-?)
James Collier (1877-1926)
Maggie Collier Roberts (1871-1953)
Ora Jackson Collier (1873-1947)
Mary Collier Whisman (1876-1962)
Martha Collier Alexander (1884-1939)
Unknown Collier
Census records and other sources of information indicate that John was a Baptist minister and also a farmer.
John's granddaughter, Hazel Collier Booth, wrote this about him. “He blazed trails over the wilderness that is now Wolfe County, in an effort to teach people the Christian faith. He is still remembered for the extreme stand he took against whiskey, and he came to be known as ‘the whiskey fighting Baptist.’
Some of the oldest people in Wolfe County may still remember the ‘June Tide’, a deluge the like of which has not been seen before or since. It came to be referred to as the ‘flood that John Collier prayed down’ because it had swept away so many moonshine stills as it rampaged across fields and bottoms.”
John appears to have been a popular preacher. This comment appeared in the September 30, 1885, “Hazel Green Herald”, “Rev. John Collier of Tar Ridge, an old Baptist veteran, while out here on business, preached to a large and appreciative audience.”
This FindAGrave memorial as created by Contributor Kendall Culbertson documents Reverend Collier’s life span as 1841-1891. That would make him around 50 years old at the time of his death. The information from his granddaughter, Hazel Collier Booth, states that he died at the age of 56. John Collier died around 1891 or 1897. The date on the headstone in the photo is illegible. At this time, I have not found documentation to confirm his age or date of death. He does not appear in the 1900 US Census. Presumably, he died in Wolfe County, Kentucky.
----------
Notes:
There is a short biography about John Collier in the the book: “Early and Modern History of Wolfe County” compiled by the Wolfe County Woman’s Club, Campton, Kentucky in 1958. The section titled “Collier” was written by Mrs. Taylor [Hazel] Booth who was the granddaughter of John Collier through his son, Ora Collier. This book is used as a source of information in this memorial along with other research and sources of documentation.
It appears the epic 'June Tide' may have taken place in June and July 1882. Newspapers in eastern Kentucky were scarce at that time, but there was significant widespread flooding recorded by the "Louisville Courier" in Louisville, Kentucky. June Tides are caused by a seasonal weather pattern that brings rain into Kentucky and causes the water in the rivers to rise. June Tides were useful in the local economy. Locals would cut timber in the forests and fashion the timber into log rafts. The higher water provided the means to float the log rafts down the river so the timber could be further processed and made into lumber. The 1882 flooding appears to have been more of a 100 year flood.
Records indicate that John Collier was born in Lee County, Virginia around 1841. He appears in the Lee County, Virginia Census along with his parents Ori G. and Sarah Witt Collier in 1850.
Based on the birth date of daughter, Temperance, it appears that John Collier married Louisa Shoemaker around 1860. They are said to have had ten children:
Temperance Collier Spencer (1861-1917)
William Marion Collier (1862-1931)
Farenda E. Collier Reynolds (1865-1937)
Catherine Collier (1868-?)
James Collier (1877-1926)
Maggie Collier Roberts (1871-1953)
Ora Jackson Collier (1873-1947)
Mary Collier Whisman (1876-1962)
Martha Collier Alexander (1884-1939)
Unknown Collier
Census records and other sources of information indicate that John was a Baptist minister and also a farmer.
John's granddaughter, Hazel Collier Booth, wrote this about him. “He blazed trails over the wilderness that is now Wolfe County, in an effort to teach people the Christian faith. He is still remembered for the extreme stand he took against whiskey, and he came to be known as ‘the whiskey fighting Baptist.’
Some of the oldest people in Wolfe County may still remember the ‘June Tide’, a deluge the like of which has not been seen before or since. It came to be referred to as the ‘flood that John Collier prayed down’ because it had swept away so many moonshine stills as it rampaged across fields and bottoms.”
John appears to have been a popular preacher. This comment appeared in the September 30, 1885, “Hazel Green Herald”, “Rev. John Collier of Tar Ridge, an old Baptist veteran, while out here on business, preached to a large and appreciative audience.”
This FindAGrave memorial as created by Contributor Kendall Culbertson documents Reverend Collier’s life span as 1841-1891. That would make him around 50 years old at the time of his death. The information from his granddaughter, Hazel Collier Booth, states that he died at the age of 56. John Collier died around 1891 or 1897. The date on the headstone in the photo is illegible. At this time, I have not found documentation to confirm his age or date of death. He does not appear in the 1900 US Census. Presumably, he died in Wolfe County, Kentucky.
----------
Notes:
There is a short biography about John Collier in the the book: “Early and Modern History of Wolfe County” compiled by the Wolfe County Woman’s Club, Campton, Kentucky in 1958. The section titled “Collier” was written by Mrs. Taylor [Hazel] Booth who was the granddaughter of John Collier through his son, Ora Collier. This book is used as a source of information in this memorial along with other research and sources of documentation.
It appears the epic 'June Tide' may have taken place in June and July 1882. Newspapers in eastern Kentucky were scarce at that time, but there was significant widespread flooding recorded by the "Louisville Courier" in Louisville, Kentucky. June Tides are caused by a seasonal weather pattern that brings rain into Kentucky and causes the water in the rivers to rise. June Tides were useful in the local economy. Locals would cut timber in the forests and fashion the timber into log rafts. The higher water provided the means to float the log rafts down the river so the timber could be further processed and made into lumber. The 1882 flooding appears to have been more of a 100 year flood.
Based on the birth date of daughter, Temperance, it appears that John Collier married Louisa Shoemaker around 1860. They are said to have had ten children:
Temperance Collier Spencer (1861-1917)
William Marion Collier (1862-1931)
Farenda E. Collier Reynolds (1865-1937)
Catherine Collier (1868-?)
James Collier (1877-1926)
Maggie Collier Roberts (1871-1953)
Ora Jackson Collier (1873-1947)
Mary Collier Whisman (1876-1962)
Martha Collier Alexander (1884-1939)
Unknown Collier
Census records and other sources of information indicate that John was a Baptist minister and also a farmer.
John's granddaughter, Hazel Collier Booth, wrote this about him. “He blazed trails over the wilderness that is now Wolfe County, in an effort to teach people the Christian faith. He is still remembered for the extreme stand he took against whiskey, and he came to be known as ‘the whiskey fighting Baptist.’
Some of the oldest people in Wolfe County may still remember the ‘June Tide’, a deluge the like of which has not been seen before or since. It came to be referred to as the ‘flood that John Collier prayed down’ because it had swept away so many moonshine stills as it rampaged across fields and bottoms.”
John appears to have been a popular preacher. This comment appeared in the September 30, 1885, “Hazel Green Herald”, “Rev. John Collier of Tar Ridge, an old Baptist veteran, while out here on business, preached to a large and appreciative audience.”
This FindAGrave memorial as created by Contributor Kendall Culbertson documents Reverend Collier’s life span as 1841-1891. That would make him around 50 years old at the time of his death. The information from his granddaughter, Hazel Collier Booth, states that he died at the age of 56. John Collier died around 1891 or 1897. The date on the headstone in the photo is illegible. At this time, I have not found documentation to confirm his age or date of death. He does not appear in the 1900 US Census. Presumably, he died in Wolfe County, Kentucky.
----------
Notes:
There is a short biography about John Collier in the the book: “Early and Modern History of Wolfe County” compiled by the Wolfe County Woman’s Club, Campton, Kentucky in 1958. The section titled “Collier” was written by Mrs. Taylor [Hazel] Booth who was the granddaughter of John Collier through his son, Ora Collier. This book is used as a source of information in this memorial along with other research and sources of documentation.
It appears the epic 'June Tide' may have taken place in June and July 1882. Newspapers in eastern Kentucky were scarce at that time, but there was significant widespread flooding recorded by the "Louisville Courier" in Louisville, Kentucky. June Tides are caused by a seasonal weather pattern that brings rain into Kentucky and causes the water in the rivers to rise. June Tides were useful in the local economy. Locals would cut timber in the forests and fashion the timber into log rafts. The higher water provided the means to float the log rafts down the river so the timber could be further processed and made into lumber. The 1882 flooding appears to have been more of a 100 year flood.
Gravesite Details
Husband of Lousia Shoemaker Collier. Son of Ori G. and Sarah Collier.
Family Members
Siblings
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