WikipediaDavid Charles Collier, commonly known as D. C. Collier or as "Charlie" and sometimes given the honorary title of "Colonel", was a real estate developer, civic leader, and philanthropist in San Diego, California during the early years of the 20th century. He is best known as the organizer and director of San Diego's Panama California Exposition (1915 16). He was also a prime developer of several areas of San Diego as well as La Mesa and Ramona. In his day he was described as "San Diego's foremost citizen."
Collier was born in Central City, Colorado. His parents were David Charles Collier, an attorney, judge, and journalist, and Martha Maria (Johnson) Collier. The younger David Charles Collier was generally called "Charlie". He moved to San Diego with his family when he was 12 years old; he and his family often picnicked or camped on the beach in the then-undeveloped neighborhood of Ocean Beach. He attended Russ High School (now San Diego High School), then worked as a janitor and a bookkeeper. By age 20 he was working as a lawyer in his father's office. At age 16 he bought property in Ocean Beach, at "Alligator Rock" (now Ocean Front St. at Bacon and Coronado streets), and built a hut there. He gradually expanded the hut into a large house with a bathing pool and a Japanese garden, where he lived for decades.
He married Ella May Copley, the sister of Congressman Ira C. Copley, on January 1, 1896; they divorced in 1914. They had two sons, David Copley Collier and Ira Clifton Collier. David became a military aviator and was killed in a crash during World War I. Ira moved to New York City and became a newspaperman. D. C. Collier married his second wife, Ruth E. Everson, on November 14, 1915. Following her death in 1916, he married Clytie B. Lyon on December 13, 1919.
After his father's death in 1899 he went into law practice with Judge W. P. Andrews and later with Sam F. Smith. Many of his clients paid him in real estate instead of cash, often unloading undeveloped parcels that they considered worthless.[2] So he spent more and more of his time in real estate development under various names: Ralston Realty Company in 1904, Easton Collier Company in 1905, Western Investment Company in 1908, and D. C. Collier and Company in 1909.[3] He subdivided the land, put in utilities, planted trees, and sold lots in many neighborhoods including Ocean Beach, Point Loma,[4] Pacific Beach, University Heights, Normal Heights, North Park, East San Diego, and Encanto. He built a railroad line to Ocean Beach in 1909, greatly hastening development there, and is considered by some to be the "true father of Ocean Beach".
His philanthropy was generous and widespread, particularly involving the donation of land for public purposes. He built Ocean Beach Elementary School, a two-room schoolhouse, and donated 60 acres of land in Ocean Beach "for the children". Eventual uses of that land included three parks, all originally named Collier Park: William Cleator Park, Dusty Rhodes Park, and a neighborhood park still named for Collier. Other portions of the parcel became a junior high school (originally Collier Junior High, now Correia Middle School), a YMCA facility, a church, and Nimitz Boulevard. He also contributed to the development of a park in La Mesa that still bears his name. He donated 10 acres of land in Ramona which became the first county park in San Diego County.
El Dorado, KS, Times
May 28, 1992Bernice Marie Brooks, 97, of El Dorado, died Tuesday, May 26, 1992, at the North East Health Care Center, Wichita. Services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Carlson Funeral Home with burial following in Greenwood Cemetery, Eureka.
She was born Feb. 21, 1895, in Mt. Hope, to George and Margaret Laughland Collier. On Feb. 28, 1917, she and Jay Brooks were married in Wichita. He preceded her in death in 1982. She lived and farmed in the Eureka area from 1941 to 1967, then moved to Wichita in 1967 and El Dorado in 1970. She was a member of the First Baptist Church, El Dorado.
Survivors include: sons, Jay Paul of Wichita, James C. of Coweta, Okla.; daughters, Patricia Inkelaar of Park City, Lora Kendrick of Coweta, Mabelle Monroe of Wichita, Joann Middleton of Udall; brothers, Will Collier of Mount Hope, Harold Collier of Leisure World, Ariz.; sister, Margaret Barnes of Greeley, Colo.; 22 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three sons, Marvin, Willard and Allan Ross, a daughter, Marie, two brothers, one sister and a great-grandson.
The Wichita Eagle (KS)
November 24, 1991Herbert M. Pike, 97, retired farmer, died Friday, Nov. 22, 1991. Services 10 a.m. Monday, Campbell-Kelley Funeral Home; 2:30 p.m. Mount Hope (Kan.) Cemetery.
Survivors: wife, Wilma; son, Orville of Halstead, Kenneth of Eureka; daugters, Eleanor Achilles of Worland, Wyo., Joyce Dosien of Sedgwick; stepsons, Bob Church of Grand Junction, Colo., Joe Church of Eureka, Bill Church of El Dorado; stepdaughter, Marie Christianson of Dodge City; 16 grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; several great- and great-great- grandchildren.
Greeley Tribune (CO)
January 23, 2004Margaret Jane Barnes, 96, of Greeley, formerly of Nunn, died Thursday, Jan. 22, at Garden Square Assisted Living, Greeley.
She was born Jan. 7, 1908, in Colwich, Kan., to George Nathaniel and Margaret McConchie (Lauchland) Collier.
On Aug. 20, 1931, she married Wesley Alexander Thompson in Kansas. He died May 1, 1965. On Dec. 23, 1965, she married Oscar A. Barnes in Overland Park, Kan. He died June 2, 1987.
Mrs. Barnes was reared and educated in Mount Hope, Kan. She graduated from Mount Hope High School. She then attended Kansas State College, now Kansas State University. She taught school for two years in a one-room school house near Mount Hope. After her marriage to Mr. Thompson, they lived in Kansas, where her husband worked for Kansas City Power and Light Co. After her marriage to Mr. Barnes, they lived in Nunn, where her husband served as mayor. She was a homemaker. She enjoyed genealogy and wrote several books on the subject. She also enjoyed collecting antiques and had a box collection that she had given several lectures about.
Mrs. Barnes was a member of the Nunn Presbyterian Church. She also was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames, Republican Women and the Order of the Eastern Star.
Survivors are two daughters, Sandra Williams of Greeley and Mary Margaret Riney of Centennial; two stepsons, Richard Barnes of Fort Collins and Robert Barnes of Cheyenne; four grandchildren, Pamela Riney-Kehrberg of Ames, Iowa, Chris Williams of Fruita, Scott Riney of Highlands Ranch and Thomas Williams of Tumwater, Wash.; and five great-grandchildren.
Two sisters and four brothers are deceased.
Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery.
The Beaumont Enterprise (TX)
August 9, 2001Fern Glidden Wingler, 92, of Groves died Aug. 8, 2001, at Cresthaven Nursing Home in Groves.
A native of Louisiana, she lived in the Groves area more than 25 years.
Survivors include her daughter, Dianna Beakes of Perry Ga.; grandsons, Clifton Beakes of Perry and Ralph Beakes of Lake Wales, Fla.; and three great-grandchildren