by John D. Benedict

1922
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago
P. 436

MILLARD COLLIER

One of the representative agriculturists of Nowata county is Millard Collier,who since 1904 has been residing on his present place, two miles north ofNowata. A native of Texas, he was born on the Miller brothers ranch, twelvemiles southeast of Waco, on the 22d of June, 1877, a son of Charles and Redid(Hottenger) Collier. His parents were married in Texas and his mother died whenhe was six years old. In later life the father went to Indian Territory andrented land fifteen miles northeast of Nowata, engaging in farming to the timeof his death on the 8th of May, 1914. He had been a constant sufferer fromasthma for some years prior to his demise.

In the acquirement of an education Millard Collier attended the common schoolsof Kansas, where his parents had removed when he was an infant. At the age ofeighteen years he commenced life on his own account, farming in connection withhis father until the latter’s death. Since 1904 Mr. Collier has resided on hispresent place, two miles north of Nowata. Seventy acres of it is his wife’sallotment and he has from time to time added land, until the farm now consistsof two hundred and fifty acres. He has one hundred and five under cultivation,fifteen acres of which are in alfalfa and twenty in sweet clover, and he intendsto put more land into cultivation in the near future. In addition to generalfarming Mr. Collins raises shorthorn cattle, Duroc hogs and barred rockchickens. He now has thirty head of shorthorn cattle. This farm is one of theshow places of the county with its modern country home and barns, its fields ofoats, wheat, corn, alfalfa and sweet clover and, as though the earth had notgiven enough, oil is plentiful on the land, bringing to Mr. Collier largeroyalties. He devotes his entire time to the cultivation of his land and isprogressive in all of his methods. The success he has attained is the result ofhis own intelligently directed efforts and he is readily conceded to be one ofthe most progressive and representative farmers, stockmen, and oil men in thissection of the state.

On June 22, 1903, Mr. Collier was united in marriage to Miss Mina Johnson, bornon Hickory creek in Nowata county. Her parents were A.F. and Laura (Riley)Johnson, the father being a native of Iowa who came to Indian Territory at anearly day with his parents, J.C. and Eliza (Maxon) Johnson. They located nearAlluwe on Salt creek and for thirty years J.C. Johnson was government physicianfor the Delaware Indians, boarding with Chief Journeycake. A.F. Johnson was apharmacist and accountant but after coming to Indian Territory he engaged infarming, along which line he was active until his demise on the day afterChristmas, 1906. Mrs. Johnson died in 1890. Mrs. Collier is a woman of muchculture and refinement and received her education in the Female Seminary atTahlequah. In her youth the town of Nowata was not so much as even a shadowyreality. Her aunt, Mrs. W.E. Roberts, is one of the pioneer residents of thiscounty.

The religious faith of the family is that of the Methodist church, andfraternally Mr. Collier is identified with the Woodmen of the World and is amember of Woodman Circle. His political allegiance is given to the democraticparty and although he has never sought nor desired public preferment, he takesan active part in every movement for public improvement and development. 

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