charley collier
1892-1920
Life Story
Early Life in Newton County
Charley Collier, often recorded in historical records as Charlie Collier, was born on March 23, 1892, in Mississippi. He was the son of Rufus Collier and Juda (Judie) Collier and spent his childhood in the rural farming communities of Beat 4 in Newton County.
By 1900, eight-year-old Charley was living in a large household headed by his mother, Juda. The home included his siblings Jennie, Georgia, Mattie, Rebecca, Mary, Mammie, Eva, and John, along with other relatives who formed part of the extended family network that characterized many African American communities in rural Mississippi at the turn of the twentieth century.
Charley grew up during a period when Black families in Newton County relied heavily upon agriculture, kinship ties, church life, and community cooperation. Like many children of his generation, his early years were shaped by farm work, seasonal schooling, and the responsibilities that came with helping support a large household.
Education and Farm Work
By 1910, the Collier household had become considerably smaller. Eighteen-year-old Charley remained at home with his mother, Judie, and his older sister, Rebecca.
The census recorded him as a farm laborer working on the family farm. Significantly, he was able to read and write and had attended school. During an era when educational opportunities for African Americans in rural Mississippi were often limited, literacy represented both personal achievement and a family commitment to education.
Like many young men in Newton County, Charley balanced agricultural labor with the hope of building a future of his own. The skills and work ethic he developed during these years would later help him establish his own household and farm.
Marriage and Family Life
As he entered adulthood, Charley began creating a life of his own within the Lawrence community.
He married Tennie Curry, who appears in various records as Ginie and sometimes as Lonnie. Together they established their home in Beat 4 and built a family rooted in hard work, faith, and landownership.
Unlike many African American farmers who struggled under the burden of debt and crop liens, Charley and Tennie owned their farm free of a mortgage. Landownership was a significant accomplishment for Black families in the early twentieth-century South and represented both economic independence and long-term security.
The couple became the parents of four children:
- Judie May Collier (1914–1916)
- J.T. Collier
- Annie Collier
- Edna Collier
Their first daughter, Judie May, was born in 1914. Tragically, she died in 1916 from colitis while still a small child. Her death was the family’s first major loss and undoubtedly left a lasting impact on Charley and Tennie.
Despite this heartbreak, the family continued moving forward. By January 1920, Charley and Tennie were raising J.T., Annie, and infant Edna on their farm in Beat 4. Their household reflected the aspirations of a young family working to build stability and opportunity for the next generation.
World War I Draft Registration
During the years surrounding America’s involvement in World War I, Charley registered for the military draft.
His registration described him as a man of medium height and build with black hair and black eyes. Although there is no evidence that he entered military service, the registration provides a valuable glimpse into his physical appearance and confirms his presence in Newton County during this important period in American history.
At the time, he was focused on supporting his growing family and maintaining his farm.
Influenza and an Untimely Death
The promising future Charley had worked to build was cut tragically short during the winter of 1920.
In the years immediately following the devastating Influenza Pandemic of 1918–1919, outbreaks of influenza continued to affect communities across Mississippi. Even healthy young adults remained vulnerable to the disease, particularly in rural areas where medical resources were limited.
Charley contracted influenza and became seriously ill. He was attended by Dr. Dudley of Lawrence, who provided medical care during his final illness.
Despite these efforts, Charley passed away on March 2, 1920, at 2:00 p.m., only twenty-one days before his twenty-eighth birthday.
His death certificate (File No. 190, Certificate No. 5440) was filed the following day by local registrar D. C. Price. The information for the certificate was provided by his brother-in-law, Percy Jefferson, preserving an official record of his life and death.
Burial and Final Resting Place
Following his death, Charley was laid to rest on March 4, 1920, in Lawrence, Mississippi.
The funeral arrangements were handled by local undertaker Robert Evans, who served many families throughout Newton County during the early twentieth century. His burial took place within the community where he had lived, worked, and raised his family.
His death left Tennie a widow with three young children to raise. Having already endured the loss of their daughter Judie May, the family now faced the challenge of rebuilding their lives without the husband and father who had worked to provide for them.
Legacy
Although Charley Collier’s life lasted less than twenty-eight years, his story reflects the experiences of many African American men in rural Mississippi during the early twentieth century.
He was a literate farmer, husband, father, and landowner who worked to provide stability and opportunity for his family. Through determination and hard work, he achieved the dream of owning land and establishing a home during a period when such accomplishments were often difficult for Black families to attain.
His story also illustrates the fragility of life in rural Mississippi during the era. Within a span of only a few years, his family endured the loss of young Judie May in 1916 and Charley’s own death from influenza in 1920.
Today, the surviving census records, draft registration, and death certificate preserve the memory of a young farmer whose life was cut short but whose descendants carried forward the Collier family legacy. His life remains an important chapter in the history of the Lawrence community and the broader story of Newton County’s African American families.
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1900 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Juda Collier; National Archives microfilm publication T623.
- 1910 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Judie Collier; National Archives microfilm publication T624.
- U.S. World War I Draft Registration Card for Charley Collier, Newton County, Mississippi, 1917–1918.
- 1920 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Charley Collier; National Archives microfilm publication T625.
- Mississippi death certificate for Judie May Collier, 1916, Newton County, Mississippi; Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, Mississippi.
- Mississippi death certificate for Charley Collier, Certificate No. 5440, filed March 3, 1920, Newton County, Mississippi; informant Percy Jefferson; Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, Mississippi.
- Newton County burial records, Lawrence community, March 1920.
Leave a Reply