Henry Lane Collier, M. D. In the following chronicle there is recorded the union of one of the oldest of Virginia families, that of Collier, with the German line of Schmelz, the arrival of members of the former family in Virginia antedating that of the latter by about two hundred years. The record of the first of the family of Collier in Virginia is of special interest, the earliest American ancestor of the family being Samuel Collier, who came from England in 1607 with the first company of colonists. He was but a youth at the time and acted as “page” to Captain John Smith, accompanying that leader on his exploring excursions into the unknown parts of Virginia. In 1609 he was left among the Indians at Warraskoyack to learn their language, and in 1622 there is this record : “Quartering about Kecoughtan, after the watch was set, Samuel Collier, one of the most ancientest planters and very well acquainted with their language and habitation (that of the salvages), humors, and conditions, and governor of a town, when the watch was set, going the round, unfortunately by a centinell that discharged his piece, was slaine.” It is of this ancient family that Dr. Henry Lane Collier, of Norfolk, Virginia, son of Howard F. Collier, Sr., is a member, and through his marriage and that of his father the closest of ties between his line and the family of Schmelz have been formed.
The Schmelz family was founded in the United States early in the nineteenth century by Franknton Schmelz, of Frankfort, Germany, who, shipwrecked on the voyage to this country, made safe arrival and settled in Hampton, Virginia. He established a bakery and grocery, built up a prosperous business, married, and in Hampton passed his remaining years. Children of Frank Antcin Schmelz: i. Fannie, married (first) AX’illiam N. Causey, and had a son, Francis, (second) Robert Scott Hudgins, of Rich- mond, Virginia, and had a son, Robert Scott, Jr.. who married Grace Cosby and has children : Robert Scott, third, Holden, and Garland. 2. Henry Lane, born March 14. 1854, died October 13, 1914; he was president of the Schmelz Brothers” Bank and the Bank of Hampton, one of the leadmg financiers of the locality, interested in numerous finan- cial institutions ; he was prominent in the Virginia Baptist Association, and an active worker in religious and educational enter- prises, a citizen of responsibility and value ; he married (first) in 1876, Mattie Hick- man, born in 1853, died in 1896, (second) October 6, 1904, Anne Moomar ; children, all of his first marriage : Ethel, born in May, 1882, married Dr. Robert Baltzell ; Margaret, died in 191 1, married Robert Tate; Susie, born in 1889, died in 1903; Catherine ; Dorothy, twin of Catherine, born August 12, 1896. 3. George Anton, of whom further. 4. Frank, died aged nineteen years. 5. Nannie Belle, born in i860, married, in April. 1878, Howard F. Collier, Sr., this marriage first linking the lines of Collier and Schmelz. Howard F. Collier was a descendant of Charles Collier, who married Frances, daughter of Colonel Howard, of England. Their son, Charles Collier, mar- ried Martha Wright Jones, and they had eight children : Caroline F., Nancv M., M^ary M.. Howard S., Fayette S., ‘ Ellie, Quiniby, and a child who died in infancy. Howard S. Collier, eldest son, married Nancy Ann Schmelz, aforementioned. Chil- dren : i. Howard F., born August 23, 1879, married, June 28, 1910, Rowena B. Sinclair, horn May 25, 1886, and has a daughter. Nan- lue Sinclair, born September 16, 191 1. ii. Francis Anton, born October 20, 1881, mar- ried, August 6, 1902, Mary Louise Lake, ?nd has a son, Francis Anton, Jr., born Feb- ruary 4. 1903. iii. Charles Marshall, born January 8, 1885, married, April 9, 191 1, Mary Eva Cain, and has children: Eva Cain, born May 4, 191 2, and Charles Mar- shall. Jr.. born May 19, 1914. iv. Henry Lane, of whom further, v. Nannie Belle,