Robert J. Collier

Robert Joseph Collier (June 17, 1876 – November 9, 1918) was an American publisher and early modern aviator. He was the heir to the publishing company P. F. Collier & Son, which was founded by his father, Peter Fenelon Collier. For a time, he was editor-in-chief of Collier's weekly magazine.

He was president of the Aero Club of America.

Early life Robert Joseph Collier was born on June 17, 1876 in New York City to Katherine Louise ( Dunue) and Peter Fenelon Collier.

Upon his father's death in 1909, he became president of the publishing house, which was reincorporated as P. F. Collier & Son.

He also commissioned a plane to flow over the Monmouth County fox hunt in 1911. Collier was known to fly to Freehold, dismount his biplane, and mount a polo pony to lead the fox hunt. In 1913, he commissioned a seaplane in an early attempt to cross the Atlantic.

In 1910, as president of the Aero Club of America, Collier commissioned Ernest Wise Keyser to make the Aero Club of America Trophy. It was first awarded in 1911 to Glenn Curtiss for his work on a hydro-aeroplane. He stopped playing in 1914, following a severe illness. Sara was a daughter of James J. Van Alen and her maternal grandparents were William Backhouse Astor Jr. and Caroline Schermerhorn Astor.

The couple maintained a Manhattan residence at 1067 Fifth Avenue. The estate included a private landing strip, grass tennis courts, a croquet court, stables, and fox hunting hounds. Collier hosted a number of parties and celebrations on the estate, including the town's Decoration Day celebrations and the finish of the annual fox hunt. Today, the estate is Collier High School.

The couple had one son, Robert Jr., who was born prematurely and lived for only two days from April 22–24, 1903. The Collier Trophy is awarded annually for American achievement in aeronautics or astronautics.

Death, burial, and last will In August 1914, while at his summer home in Raquette Lake, New York, Collier became critically ill with uremic poisoning from kidney failure. He was rushed to New York City on a private train car while still unconscious.

He died of a heart attack at his dinner table on November 8, 1918, a few hours after arriving home from France, where he was reporting on World War I. However, shortly before his return to New York, General John J. Pershing had personally cancelled his press credentials and ordered him home.

His funeral was held in the Church of St. Jean Baptiste. His pallbearers included Orville Wright, Condé Nast, Francis Patrick Garvan, Finley Peter Dunne and Joseph P. Kennedy. In his will, he designated Dunne, Garvan, and Harry Payne Whitney as residuary legatees of his estate. Although the estate was initially valued at $5,000,000, the three men renounced the bequest in favor of his widow. However, it was effectively worthless. She sold the troubled publishing company and donated the Rest Hill estate to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, who made it a home for troubled young women.

Legacy In 1922, the Aero Club dissolved and the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) took ownership of the annual trophy Collier had instituted. It was unofficially renamed the Robert J. Collier Trophy, which became its official name in 1944. In 1984, he was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey.

During World War II, a Liberty ship was named for Collier. Following the war, it was lost when it ran aground in the Scheldt.

He was portrayed by Phillip Reed in The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing, a 1955 film about the life of Evelyn Nesbit.