Claude and Eula Collier
Claude Cherry Collier, Sr. was the son of Commodore Milton Collier and Martha Keene Adams. Claude Cherry was born June 30, 1901 in Waco, Texas. He died October 16, 1972 in Goldthwaite, Texas. He is buried at Goldthwaite Memorial Cemetery.
Claude married Eula Jane Futterer August 28, 1921 in Hamilton, Texas. Eula was the second daughter of John Henry Futterer and Nancy A. Phears. Eula was born March 26, 1903 in Hamilton County, Texas and died December 11, 1981 in Goldthwaite, Texas. She is buried in Goldthwaite Memorial Cemetery.
Claude and Eula had six children: Rex, Elaine, Claude Jr., Nancy, Doug and Mary. When Claude and Eula were first married they lived in Hamilton, Texas. In 1923 they moved to Brownwood. In 1935, Claude and Eula purchased the Ed Harper Place located a few miles outside of Goldthwaite, Texas. Their children attended school in Goldthwaite. The original house was torn down and the present white frame house was built in 1942. One of their children remembers the "party of the year" being held in the big red barn. The Colliers sold the farm to Charles Holden in 1953.
Located behind the house was the Collier's Dairy that began operation in 1937-38. Claude Collier, his sons, and son-in-law operated the dairy. The largest dairy in the area for 15 years, Collier's Dairy had one of the first automatic milk machines in Mills County and furnished milk in the local and surrounding areas. In 1952, the dairy was sold, ending an era of small family owned dairies.
Claude, Sr. then started a restaurant supply business in Brownwood and was very successful. He was the top salesman in that part of Texas. He also started an ice-sales business where he supplied area grocery stores and convenience stores with bags of ice.
Sources: Randy Haynes, Nancy Haynes, Elaine Laughlin, Paul Collier and Hamilton County marriage record for Claude and Eula.
Compiled by Angie Collier, 2002