Veteran Bio

COLLARD, JAMES HILLNESS – Following is a copy of a letter written by Dr. J. B. Collard, San Antonio, April 28, 1936 to L. W. Kemp, Houston. Dr. Collard is a grandson of Rev. James H. Collard: “It has been solong since I received your letter that I am forced to give an explanation. My knowledge of Grandfather Collard’s family was so hazy that I thought it better to get the information first hand, from the only living child of Rev. J. H. Collard – a Mrs. Julia Collard Baker, an aunt of min living in Provo, Utah – age 88. I had to, at first, get in touch with other relatives in order to find her address, and hope you will pardon my tardiness in replying. She it was that filled in the answers to your questionnaire. There are some mistakes as to dates & ect that I will answer – not from hear-say, but from Grandfather Collard himself. He came to the State a good many years before his brother Johnathan; in fact he was a jockey and ran away from home at the age of 13, coming to Texas. That was in 1819. He, with others, crossed the Brazos at Waco, at that time, only a small Indian village. Not a white person did they see until they got to Washington. He was not at the Battle of San Jacinto as he was sick at the tim, but was in the contingent that came to the relief of this city in 36. I don’t know whether you would call him the founder of the City of Houston or not, but he built the first house there. His mother, Molly Stark, was a daughter of General Stark of the U. S. Revolution. The above was told to me many times by my grandfather. I do not enby you in getting up all this data, but I do in being able to write a history of the early Texans. You have some job.” COLLARD, JAMES HILLNESS – Born near Troy, Lincoln County, Missouri, October 20, 1806, a son of Elijan Simmons and Molly Stark Collard. In Headright Certificate No. 45 issued to him February 2, 838, for three-fourths of a league and a labor of land by the Montgomery County Board it is stated that he came to Texas in November, 1832. His name does not appear on the San Jacinto rolls printed in 1836 or on the San Jacinto rolls in the General Land Office, yet on December 5, 181, he was issued Donation Certificated No. 395 for 640 acres of land for having participated in the Battle of San Jacinto. He was a member of Captain William Ware’s Company. On January 19, 1857, he received Bounty Certificate No. 4147 for 640 acres of land for having served in the army from March 12, to September 30, 1836. Rev. Collard was a Methodist minister. At the first conference of the church held at Rutersville from December 25 to 28, 1840 he was assigned to the pulpit at Montgomery. He was elected a deacon at the third annual conference held at Bastrop from December 22 to 27, 1841, and at that time was assigned to the Crockett, circuit. He was a member of the Texas Veterans Association and was lviing at Bremond in 1874. He died in Abilene March 30, 1894 and is buried in a marked grave in the cemetery in Abilene. Rev. Collard was married to Julia Louis Robinson, daughter of William H. Robinson. Mrs. Collard was born October 20, 1812 and died in February, 1890. Children of Rev. and Mrs. Collard were: Edward Rusk, William E., Lorerra, Sarah Eliza, Ann Elizabeth, Margaret Harris, Julia Isobel, James Harrison, Kate, Jonathan Stark and George Washington Collard. Dr. J. B. Collard, Woolworth Building, San Antonio, is a grandson of Rev. James H. Collard. His parents were James Harrison and Laura Brown Collard. COLLARD, JAMES H. – Born in Kentucky in 1807; came to Texas in November, 1832; served in the army in 1835-36; the first conference of the Methodist Church, held at Rutersville, December 25-28, 1840 assigned him to the Montgomery pulpit; lived in Montgomery in 1893; drew a pension; member, Texas Veterans Association; elected a deacon at the third annual conference at Bastrop, December 22-27, 1842 at that time he was also assigned as pastor of the Crockett Circuit. Post master at his home in Montgomery County in 1845. Died at Willis, Texas, January 4, 1896. (Note* NTexas Nov. 1832 3/4 L % L Montgomery County H R No. 45. 1/4 L in __________ colony situated in Polk County.