John Collier

Who was John Collier?

Judge John Collier was a Superior Court judge from Atlanta, Georgia, commonly considered one of the city's 'founding fathers.' Collier filed the charter which renamed the city of 'Marthasville' to 'Atlanta' in 1848.

Judge Collier was among the Atlanta area's earliest white settlers. His father, Meredith Collier, settled on a plot of land near the neighborhood that is now known as 'Ansley Park'. Judge Collier's uncle, Washington Collier, is widely touted as being one of Atlanta's first settlers. Presumably 'Wash' Collier ended up becoming the more notable of the clan because he opened and ran one of the first general stores near Atlanta's original railroad head and operated Atlanta's first mail service.

Judge Collier was the father of Charles A. Collier, a notable Georgia politician and attorney who served as Mayor of Atlanta in the latter years of the 19th Century.