John Allen Collier

John Allen Collier (November 13, 1787 – March 24, 1873) was an American lawyer and politician from New York whose public career spanned the early republic through the mid-nineteenth century. He was born on November 13, 1787, in Litchfield, Connecticut, into a New England community that was then an important regional center for legal education and professional training. Details of his early family life are sparse, but his subsequent education and career reflected the opportunities available to ambitious young men in the post-Revolutionary era.

Collier attended Yale College in 1803, joining one of the nation’s leading institutions of higher learning at a time when it was educating many future lawyers, clergymen, and public officials. After his studies at Yale, he pursued legal training at the renowned Litchfield Law School in his native town, one of the first formal law schools in the United States and a significant training ground for the early American bar. He was admitted to the bar at Troy, New York, in 1809, marking the formal beginning of his legal career and his relocation from Connecticut to New York State.

Following his admission to the bar, Collier established his law practice in Binghamton, New York, which would remain his principal home and professional base for the rest of his life. He quickly became a prominent figure in Broome County legal and civic affairs. From June 11, 1818, to February 25, 1822, he served as District Attorney of Broome County, prosecuting cases on behalf of the state and gaining experience that would later support his political ambitions. In addition to his legal work, he entered into a partnership with Daniel Leroy to promote local development in Binghamton, including the construction of bridges and roads and the subdivision and improvement of real estate parcels. When Leroy later moved west, Collier continued these development efforts on his own, contributing to the growth of the community.

Collier’s political career reached the national stage when he was elected as a member of the Anti-Masonic Party representing New York. He was chosen to serve in the 22nd United States Congress as an Anti-Mason, holding office from March 4, 1831, to March 3, 1833. His single term in the U.S. House of Representatives occurred during a significant period in American history, when emerging political movements and parties were reshaping the national landscape. As a member of the Anti Masonic Party representing New York, John Allen Collier contributed to the legislative process during one term in office, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents. He was defeated for re-election in 1832, ending his brief tenure in Congress but not his broader involvement in state and national politics.

After leaving Congress, Collier remained active in New York public life. On January 27, 1841, he was elected by the New York State Legislature to serve as New York State Comptroller, filling the unexpired term of Bates Cooke. He held that statewide financial office until February 7, 1842, overseeing aspects of the state’s fiscal administration during a period of economic and political adjustment. Following his service as comptroller, he resumed the practice of law. Collier continued to seek federal office and was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the U.S. Congress in 1844. In 1847, he was appointed a commissioner to revise the state statutes, participating in the important work of updating and systematizing New York’s laws. His standing within the Whig Party was further reflected in his role as a presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1848. At the 1848 Whig National Convention, he delivered a speech advocating Millard Fillmore as the vice-presidential candidate on Zachary Taylor’s ticket, a suggestion that was ultimately adopted when Fillmore was nominated and elected vice president. After Fillmore succeeded to the presidency, Collier was reportedly selected by Fillmore for appointment as collector of taxes in San Francisco, a significant federal patronage post in the rapidly growing Pacific region. However, political opposition from Fillmore’s allies, citing concerns about Collier’s personal affairs, prevented the appointment from being finalized. Instead, Collier’s son James was appointed to the position, but James Collier served only about six months before being removed from office on charges of “fiscal malfeasance.”

Collier’s personal life was marked by multiple marriages and a complex domestic history. In 1810, he married Barbara Doty, with whom he had four children; she died in 1826. In 1829, he married Lydia Shephard, and the couple had one child, but she died in childbirth that same year. He subsequently married Elizabeth Morris, and they had one child together. Contemporary accounts and later recollections attributed to Collier a reputation as a womanizer, and he was at one point arrested for exposure at a hotel in Albany, an incident that contributed to the controversies surrounding his personal conduct. Through his descendants, he remained connected to later generations of public officials; he was the great-grandfather of Edwin Arthur Hall, who would serve as a United States Representative from New York in the twentieth century.

In addition to his legal and political pursuits, Collier invested in prominent real estate in Binghamton. In 1837 he built “Ingleside,” a substantial Greek Revival residence on Chenango Street that reflected both his social standing and the architectural tastes of the era. The house stood as a local landmark for many years before being demolished in 1967. His contributions to the development of Binghamton were remembered in the city’s physical landscape, and a street in Binghamton was named in his honor, commemorating his long association with the community.

John Allen Collier spent his later years in Binghamton, continuing to practice law and to participate in local affairs as his health and circumstances permitted. He died at his home in Binghamton on March 24, 1873. He was buried in Spring Forest Cemetery in Binghamton, where his grave marks the resting place of a figure who had participated in local development, state administration, and national politics during a formative period in New York and United States history.