Ancestors of Elizabeth "Betsy" Collier Little

Death Notes: Obituary: Rochester Times-Union, Rochester, NY, Friday, October 29, 1976 Paul Stanley Collier, 86, Dies; ex-Lumber Association Executive Paul Stanley Collier, former executive vice president of the Northeastern Lumberman's Association, died yesterday at Penfield Nursing Home after a brief illness. Mr. Collier, 86, lived at 22 Kilbourn Road, Pittsford.
Mr. Collier became head of the New York State Retail Lumber Dealers Association in 1916 and in 1923 expanded the organization to include Connecticut and Massachusetts. According to Horace Pearce, Mr. Collier's successor, Mr. Collier brought in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island in the 1930's to make the Northeastern Lumberman's Association the largest regional trade association in the lumber industry. Mr. Collier wrote the building materials codes for the lumber industry during the Franklin Roosevelt Administration. In 1915, he wrote minimum wage legislation for Australia. He also was the editor and publisher of the Lumber Cooperator Journal from 1917 to 1961, the year he retired. Before becoming an advocate for the lumber industry, Mr. Collier was a member of the research department of the New York City Bureau of Municipal Research. He also had worked for the Chamber of Commerce in Oneonta.
He was born in Durant, Iowa, and received two degrees from the University of Iowa and a PhD from Columbia University. He also was chairman of the lumber association's committee on ethics and standards. Mr. Collier also served as chairman of the Advisory Board of the American Trade Association Executives. He was a member of Monroe Golf Club, Christ Episcopal Church in Pittsford, Pittsford Rotary Club and East Rochester Rotary Club.
Mr. Collier is survived by his wife, Fannie K. Collier; one daughter, Mrs. Elmer F. Gmelin; one son, Paul Stanley Jr., and six grandchildren.

General Notes: Paul Stanley Collier graduated 1907 in a class of thirteen students from Wilton High School and attended on scholarship the State University of Iowa, Ames, Iowa. His extracurricular activity in college was public speaking where, as a freshman, won the final contest of the Northern Oratorical League at the University of Minnesota, Iowa's first victory in 20 years. He graduated 1911 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in June 1912. He sold insurance for the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance. In September 1912 he entered the Graduate College of Columbia University with a fellowship in the New York School of Philanthropy. He received a PhD June 2, 1915, and started his first permanent job September 1st as Secretary of the Oneonta Chamber of Commerce, Oneonta, New York, where he stayed for thirteen months. He then moved to Rochester to accept a job as executive at the Retail Lumber Dealers Association of the New York. He expanded the organization and in the 1930's became known as the Northeastern Lumberman's Association, the largest regional trade association in the lumber industry. He worked for the association for a total of forty-six years, retiring in 1961 as Executive Vice President. His parents brought him up in the Methodist Episcopal Church and in Rochester the family attended Christ Episcopal Church.

He had an interest in family genealogy. His research from the 1930's was preserved by his daughter-in-law and passed on to this writer adding significantly to the Collier family history. He was elected to membership in The Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, Washington DC by the Empire State Society, 28 Aug 1929; registered under National number 49022, state number 5103.

A newspaper article published January 13, 1912 in The Muscatine Journal, Muscatine, Iowa, his hometown newspaper, foretells his future accomplishments: PAUL COLLIER WILL MAKE SURVEY OF CITY Former Wilton Resident in Sociological Work
Iowa City, Iowa, Jan 13: - Prof. John L Gillin of the economics department of the state university is advocating a statewide investigation of the small town social conditions in Iowa City, giving it to the charge of Paul Collier of Wilton, Iowa.
Paul Collier is a Muscatine county product who has been gaining prominence rapidly during the past few years. Last evening he delivered an address at the concluding session of the Muscatine county farmers' institute and the discourse gave evidence of his exceptional ability. He is the son of Durbin Collier, residing southeast of Wilton and spent his boyhood and youth in that locality. He attended the Wilton high school and later entered the state university of Iowa. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree and is now taking post graduate work at the state institution.

He had a residence in 1910 at Wilton, Muscatine, Iowa. ²² He resided at 260 Elmdorf Avenue in 1917 at Rochester, Monroe, New York. ²³ He worked as a Secretary, Retail Lumber Dealers Association on 29 May 1917 in Rochester, Monroe, New York. ²³ He resided at 121 Beckwith Terrace in 1935-1940 at Rochester, Monroe, New York. ³

Paul married Fannie Abelina Paulina KOCH [5] ⁴ ^,5 on 6 Mar 1917 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa.²⁴.^,25.^,26 Fannie was born on 9 Sep 1890 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa,^{⁵^,27} died on 12 May 1987 in Rochester, Monroe, New York^{¹^,28} at age 96, and was buried in Oakdale Cemetery, Wilton, Iowa.^¹⁹

Marriage Notes: They were married at her parents' home; 1027 Main Street, Davenport.

i. Gretchen K. COLLIER [320] was born on 9 Apr 1918 in Rochester, Monroe, New York,^{¹^,8} died on 9 Sep 2012 in Rochester, Monroe, New York^{¹^,29} at age 94, and was buried in Pittsford, Monroe, New York.^³⁰

2 ii. Paul Stanley COLLIER Jr. [2] (born on 19 Oct 1919 in Rochester, Monroe, New York - died on 3 Sep 2004 in Orlando, Orange, Florida)

Death Notes: Obituary - Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York, 17 May 1987: Collier, Fannie K. // 96 yrs., My 12, 1987 of Rochester Friendly Home. Formerly of Kilbourne Rd., Pittsford. Predeceased by her husband, Paul S. Collier. Survived by her son and daughter-in-law, P. Stanley and Betty Collier, Orlando, FL; her daughter, Gretchen C. Gmelin, Pittsford; 6 grandchildren. 5 great-grandchildren; her sister, Harriet Wood, several nieces and nephews. She was a past president of Rochester AAUW and a 51 yr member of P.E.O.
Interment, Wilton, Iowa. Arrangements, Frederick W. Frear Funeral Services.

She graduated from Iowa State University in 1911 in Ames, Story, Iowa. She had a residence in 1987 at 22 Kilbourn Rd., Pittsford, Monroe, New York

Fannie married Paul Stanley COLLIER [4] ³ ^,4 on 6 Mar 1917 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa.²⁴.^,25.^,26 Paul was born on 28 Mar 1890 in Wilton, Muscatine, Iowa,^¹⁷ died on 28 Oct 1976 in Penfield, Monroe, New York^{¹^,18} at age 86, and was buried in Oakdale Cemetery, Wilton, Iowa.^¹⁹

Death Notes: Obituary - Hartford Courant, Mar 9, 1931: J.M. Gorton Ends Life in Glastonbury // Widely Known Young Businessman, Colgate Graduate, Recently Despondent, Shot Himself // Joseph M. Gorton, 36, Hartford broker and grade of Colgate University, committed suicide in the cellar of his home on Main Street, South Glastonbury, at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon by shooting. He killed himself with a shotgun. Mr. Gorton is understood to have been despondent for about a year because of a personal matter and this is believed to be the cause of his ace of self-destruction. He left no note or other indication of his motive and gave no intimation of his intention to his family or friends.
Mr. Gorton leaves his wife, Mrs. Laura (Hale) Gorton; two small daughters Nancy and Betty; his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth F Gorton of Hartford; one brother, William F. Gorton of Los Angeles, Calif., and one sister, Mrs. George Johnson of New York City.
Mr. Gorton was born in Tariffville on August 9, 1894, son of Franklin and Elizabeth P. Gorton. He achieved distinction on the football field, playing tackle on the Hartford Public High School team and he was captain of the 1916 team. He later attended Colgate University where he played tackle on the freshman eleven until an injury put him out of the game. The injury barred him from the Army when he sought to enlist after America's entrance in the World War. He was later accepted and sent to Washington, D. C.
He returned to Colgate at the end of the war and was graduated in 1919. He then went to Glastonbury where he entered the employ of Stancliff Hale. Later he went into the lumber business with Aaron W. Kinne of Glastonbury. He became a salesman for Robert C. Buell & Company, Hartford brokers in 1927 and in June 1929, he was admitted to partnership.
He was a member of the East Glastonbury Fish and Game Club, the Service Club of Glastonbury, the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce, Columbia Lodge, A. F. & A. M. and the Leon Goodale Post, American Legion.

Obituary, The Hartford Courant, Mar. 11, 1931: J. M. Gorton Rites In So. Glastonbury Attended By Many. Legion Drapes Casket With Flag - Robert C. Buell & Co. Closes: Many persons attended the funeral of Joseph M. Gorton, member of the firm of Robert C. Buell & Company, Hartford brokers, held at his home in South Glastonbury Tuesday afternoon. The attendance included his many personal friends both in Hartford and Glastonbury. The office of Robert C. Buell & Company was closed in the afternoon and the officers and office staff attended. Representing the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce were Louis W. Howe, Herbert T. Clark, Samuel O McLean and Lewis W. Stevenson. Members were present from Columbia Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of South Glastonbury, and other organizations of which he was a member.
A delegation from Leon Goodale Post, American Legion, of which he was a member attended in charge of Commander Louis J. Chevelier and placed an American flag over the casket. Others in the delegation were Past Commanders Elmer N. Dickinson, Past Commander Edward T. Collins, Louis Rocco and Bernard Thomas.
Included in the many floral tributes were offerings from Robert C. Buell & Company, Columbia Lodge A. F. & A. M., Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce, South Glastonbury Fire Department, South Glastonbury Community Club, Women's Club of Glastonbury, Glastonbury Teachers Association, Service Club of Glastonbury, Leon Goodale Post, American Legion and the East Glastonbury Fish and Game Club, and friends.
Rev. Francis H Barnett of Yardley, Pa., a brother-in-law of Mr. Gorton conducted the funeral services. The bearers were John W. Purtill, Harry Megson, John H. Roser, Ralph G. Tryon, Aaron W. Kinne, and Clifford H. Bell. Burial was in North Bloomfield Cemetery.

General Notes: He was Captain of his high school football team in 1914. At the 1930 census he gave the value of his residence at $12,000.

He graduated from Hartford Public High School in 1915 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut. ⁴⁴ He worked as a Student - Farmer for George Mitchelson in 1917 in Bloomfield, Hartford, Connecticut. ²³ He graduated from Colgate University in 1919 in Hamilton, Madison, New York. ⁸ ^,45 He worked as a Partner / Broker, Robert C. Buell & Company in Jun 1929 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut. ⁴⁶

Joseph married Laura Stancliff HALE [7] ⁶ on 3 Sep 1921 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut.⁶.^,47.^,48 Laura was born on 4 May 1897 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut,^{⁶^,49} died on 27 Feb 1953 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut^{⁵⁰^,51} at age 55, and was buried in Old Church Cemetery, South Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut.^{⁵⁰^,52}

Marriage Notes: They were married at St. Luke's Episcopal Church by Rev. Francis R. Barnett, brother-in-law of the bride assisted by M. J. Simpson rector of the church.

i. Nancy Newell GORTON [9] was born on 7 Mar 1922 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut and died on 14 Mar 2019 in Madison, New Haven, Connecticut at age 97.

3 ii. Elizabeth Hale GORTON [3] (born on 3 Oct 1923 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut - died on 29 Nov 2011 in Exeter, Rockingham, New Hampshire)

Death Notes: Obituary, The Hartford Times, Feb 27 1953 (page one above the fold):
Laura Hale Gorton Dies Soon After Head Injury. Glastonbury - Mrs. Laura Hale Gorton Tiger, one of Connecticut's best known business and club women, died early today at Hartford Hospital after having been operated on for severe head injuries sustained Thursday afternoon. She was 55.
Mrs. Tiger was injured when hit on the head by a falling hatchway door as she was entering a Sisson Ave., Hartford, shop. She was having some furniture refinished for her new home at 57 Moseley Terr.
Feeling that her injuries were not severe, she drove back to Glastonbury alone, making several stops in Hartford on the way. It was after she arrived home that she felt ill and called her family doctor. He arrived at the house to find her unconscious, and she was hurried to Hartford Hospital, where she died at 2:40 a.m. today.
In the depression, the young widow of Joseph M Gorton and with two young children, she started in business. She held a great deal of land from her father, "Peach King" J.H. Hale, and with a vision in mind, set out to develop Glastonbury.
Local real estate men told her she wouldn't last six months. They told her that if her plan had merit a man would have accomplished it. "As a woman, you don't stand a chance" They said.
She proved them wrong, rising from local esteem to national recognition as president of the Women's Council of the National Association of Real Estate Boards.
She was Glastonbury's first major developer, as she once put it: "I saw Glastonbury's potentialities a long time ago and visualized its growth possibilities. I have tried to sell my community as a fine friendly town. I do not desire to sell just brick and motor, but more than that I want to promote the security, peace of mind and happiness which make up the American home."
She was the developer and co-owner of the 18-unit, One Stop Shopping Center on the New London Turnpike and among her residential developments were the Overlook Rd. and Knob Hill areas.
During World War II she headed four bond drives, all of which went over the top.
She was a past president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs, founder and first president of the Glastonbury Women's Club, and at one time was a member of the Board of Education and the Town Plan Commission. She was president of the Community Club of South Glastonbury and for many years active in state Republican politics.

Her marriage to Elmer S Tiger, manager of the Rochester office of the Aetna Casualty and Surety Company, took place a year and a half ago, and she had just returned to Glastonbury this week to take up permanent residence again. She planned to open the Gorton-Tiger real estate and insurance agency in collaboration with her husband.
Besides her husband, she leaves two daughter, Mrs. Paul S. Collier of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Mrs. Austin Ross of Monroe, Conn., two sisters, Mrs. Francis E. Barnett of Glastonbury and Mrs. Edward Bottomley of Burlington, Vt; a brother, Moseley Hale of Miami Beach, Fla.; two step-daughters, Mrs. Rodney W. Smith Jr. and Mrs. H.F. Barge. Both of Rochester, and two grandchildren.
The funeral will be held Monday at 3 p.m. at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Glastonbury, with burial in the Old Church Cemetery, South Glastonbury.
The family request that flowers be omitted and that contributions be sent to Dr. Lee J. Whittles for the carillon bell fund at St. Luke's Church

General Notes: Men of New England, American Historical Co. page-576-577, ~1940: LAURA HALE GORTON Business and Civic Leader: Continuing the tradition of prominence long associated with her family in Connecticut, Mrs. Laura Hale Gorton, daughter of one of the country's great horticulturists, has not only developed the Hale farming interests but has built up a successful real estate and insurance business at Glastonbury and has made her influence felt as a civic leader throughout the State.

Mrs. Gorton is a descendant of Samuel Hale, who came to this country from Wales in 1634 and later settled in the Connecticut Colony, purchasing the present family farm at Glastonbury in 1638. He was a soldier in the Pequot War. Her grandfather, John A. Hale, was general agent of the Aetna Insurance Company of Hartford. Her father, John Howard Hale, popularly known as the "Peach King of America," was born at Glastonbury on November 25, 1853. His career as a horticulturist, begun in his boyhood, was pursued with great energy and unfailing vision. With the steady development of his interests, he became the owner of thousands of acres of fine orchards, located in Connecticut and Georgia. These he operated through J. H. Hale's Nursery & Fruit Farms at Glastonbury; the Hale Georgia Orchard Company at Fort Valley, Georgia; and the Hale & Coleman Orchard Company at Seymour, Connecticut, serving as president of all these companies. Although peaches were his principal crop, as his familiar appellation indicates, he was interested in other fruits, both as an orchardist and as a nurseryman. He was a pioneer in utilizing all the resources of mechanical transport for shipping, eventually creating a huge electric express system of fruit shipments with scores of refrigerator cars. He was one of the very few Americans of his day to ship peaches to Europe. Mr. Hale also originated many technical developments in horticulture and received frequent honors in recognition of his contributions to scientific horticulture. He headed a number of the principal horticultural and agricultural societies in America, among them the American Pomological Society, and was the author of numerous articles and essays appearing in general and technical publications. As a citizen of Connecticut, he was active in public affairs and served as a Republican in the General Assembly in 1893-94.

Mrs. Gorton, who inherited many of her father's interests, has continued their development, but has not confined her activities exclusively to this field. In 1932, she established her present insurance business in Glastonbury, an enterprise which has been very successful under her leadership, and whose scope is now broadened by the inclusion of a rapidly expanding real estate business. The State has known her for many years as a prominent figure in women's organizations and as a civic leader of force and vision. Mrs. Gorton has been president of the Connecticut State Federation of Women's Clubs since May, 1938. She has served for three terms as director for Connecticut of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, is a member of the board of the New England Conference of Women's Clubs and has served for fifteen years on the Connecticut State Board. During her active career she has also been influential in Republican politics and is now a member of the Republican Town Committee. She has assumed various responsibilities in public life as chairman of the Town Planning Committee at Glastonbury, member of the board of education, and justice of the peace. By appointment of Governor Baldwin she is a member of the Connecticut Council for National Defense, serving as head of consumers' and women's activities, and is the only woman among the ten members of the council. Another of her major interests is the Lasell Junior College, which she serves as a member of the corporation. Music and the restoration of old Colonial houses are her principal hobbies.

Mrs. Gorton has two daughters, Nancy Newell and Elizabeth Hale Gorton, both students of Lasell Junior College.

Laura married Joseph Mitchelson GORTON [6] on 3 Sep 1921 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut.⁶.^,47.^,48 Joseph was born on 9 Aug 1894 in Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut,^{²³^,37^,38^,39} died on 8 Mar 1931 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut^{³⁹^,40^,41} at age 36, and was buried in Saint Andrews Cemetery, North Bloomfield, Hartford, Connecticut.^³⁹

Laura next married Elmer Swackhamer TIGER [454], son of William H. TIGER [1482] ⁵⁴ ^,55 and Mary C. SWACKHAMER [1483],⁵⁴ ^,56 on 4 Jul 1951 in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw, Michigan. Elmer was born on 19 Aug 1893 in Ironia, Morris, New Jersey^{¹^,23^,54} and died on 16 Jul 1974 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut^{¹^,51^,57} at age 80.

Death Notes: Obituary - Hartford Courant, 17 Jul 1974: Elmer Tiger Dies at 80; Founded Local Agency // Elmer S. Tiger of 213 Overlook Road, Glastonbury, formerly of Rochester, N.Y., a founder of a local real estate and insurance agency, died Tuesday at Hartford Hospital. He was 80.
After being graduated from Trinity College in 1916, he was a branch manager for Aetna Life and Casualty Co. in Newark, N. J., Philadelphia, Pa., Worcester, Mass., and Rochester, N.Y.
In the early 1950s he helped found Gorton Tiger Real Estate and Insurance Agency in Glastonbury. He retired several years ago.
He was an Army veteran of World War I.
He was a member of the First Church of Christ Congregational, Glastonbury.
He leaves his wife, Mrs. Cecelia Rebholz Tiger; a daughter, Mrs. Rodney W. Smith of Rochester, N.Y.; two stepdaughters, Mrs. Austin Ross of Monroe and Mrs. Paul S. Collier of Rochester, N.Y.; a sister, Mrs. Juliet Murphy of Simsbury; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He worked as a Clerk, Aetna Life Insurance Company in 1917 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut. ²³ He had a residence in 1930 at Lower Merion, Montgomery, Pennsylvania. ⁵⁸ He had a residence in 1935 at Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts. He had a residence in 1940 at Brighton, Monroe, New York. He was employed as a Co-Owner, The Gorton-Tiger Agency (real estate and insurance) in 1954 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut. ⁵⁹

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Ancestors of Elizabeth "Betsy" Collier Little

Third Generation