Robert Joseph Collier

[
New York Times; November 11, 1918] Robert Joseph Collier (June 17, 1876 – November 9, 1918) was the publisher of Collier's Weekly magazine and president of the Aero Club of America.

He was the son of Peter Fenelon Collier (1849-1909) who started the magazine, and Robert was born in New York City. He attended Georgetown University and graduated in 1894. He also authored the lyrics to Georgetown's Alma Mater. He then spent two years at Harvard University and Oxford University. He married Sara Steward Van Alen (1881-1963), the granddaughter of William Astor, on 26 July, 1902 in Newport, Rhode Island. They had no children.

Upon his death, his wife donated their home in Wickatunk, New Jersey to the Sister's of the Good Shephard under the stipulation that it be used for children, hence the Sister's made Colier's former residence a school for wayward girls.

He later commissioned the Collier Trophy. Robert Collier died on November 9, 1918. In his will he left the magazine to three of his friends, Samuel Dunn, Harry Payne Whitney and Francis P. Garvan.

Other Colliers

Robert Collier (author) (1885-1950) was a cousin, who founded Robert Collier Publications. [ [http://www.robertcollierpublications.com/bio.cgh Robert Collier biography] ]

References

*New York Times; July 24, 1902, Thursday; Newport, Rhode Island; July 23, 1902. Interest in the Martin-Oelrichs wedding has been superseded in Newport society by the announcement of the early marriage of Miss Sara Van Alen and Robert J. Collier. The story that came from New York on Tuesday that the Collier-Van Alen wedding was to take place this week set everybody to wondering if it could be true.
*New York Times; August 27, 1914, Thursday; Publisher, Unconscious Since Sunday, Being Rushed Here on a Special Train. Efforts to Rouse Him Fail. Wife and Physicians Hurriedly Summoned to Summer Home at Raquette Lake. Raquette Lake, New York, August 26, 1914. Robert J. Collier, editor and publisher of Collier's Weekly, is critically ill with uremic poisoning. Late tonight he was removed from his Summer home here to his private car Vagabondia, and will arrive in New York early tomorrow morning.
*New York Times; November 9, 1918, Saturday;
*New York Times; November 11, 1918, Monday;
*New York Times; Jan 16, 1920, Friday; Robert J. Collier, owner of P. F. Collier Son, publishers of Collier's Weekly and other publications, who died suddenly at his home, 1,067 Fifth Avenue, on November 8, 1918, the day he returned from France, left a residuary estate of only $2,194 instead of $5,000,000, as estimated soon after his death.
*New York Times; Jan 16, 1920, Friday; Robert J. Collier, owner of P. F. Collier Son, publishers of Collier's Weekly and other publications, who died suddenly at his home, 1,067 Fifth Avenue, on November 8, 1918, the day he returned from France, left a residuary estate of only $2,194 instead of $5,000,000, as estimated soon after his death. [http://www.collierservices.com/Collierservices.htm Collier Services ] at www.collierservices.com