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     James Rainey Collignon Sr. was born on 15 August 1912 at New Orleans, LA.¹ He married Viola Dell Ward on 24 October 1931 at Hondo, TX.¹ He died on 22 April 1974 at Harvey, LA, at age 61.¹

     James W Collignon was born on 15 July 1861. He died on 21 August 1880 at age 19.²
     General source(s) for this information, see footnotes.¹

     John Collignon was born in 1754 at Reught, Lorraine, France.¹ He was born on 5 November 1770 at France. He died at Reught, Lorraine, France.¹ He died on 29 November 1836 at France.²
     General source(s) for this information, see footnotes.³ Name variation: Jean Collignon.

     Mary C Collignon was born on 14 April 1869.
     General source(s) for this information, see footnotes.¹ Name variation: Mary C English.

     Nicholas Collignon was born on 10 September 1829 at New York, NY. He married Catherine Demarest in 1855.² He died on 25 June 1879 at age 49.
     He was in 1860 a turner of chair stuff (stafs?) At Harrington, Bergen County, NJ.³      Nicholas served as a 2nd Lt. in the 22nd Regt. NJ Volunteers during the Civil War.¹      Nicholas and his brother Augustus M. Collignon enlisted in the Union Army at the same time September 2, 1862 as a PVT. Mustered out June 25, 1863 same Co. D, 22 Reg't New Jersey Inf. Chronology of service: Sept/2/1862 mustered in at Trenton NJ. Sept/29/1862 left NJ for defense of Washington DC. Dec/1862 attached to Abercrombie's Provisional Brigade, Casey's Division. Jan/10/1863 moved to Belle Plains. Jan/20-24/1863 "MUD MARCH." April/29-5/2 1863 operations at Pollock's Mill Creek. May/2-5/1863 "Battle of Chancellorsville." June/25/1863 mustered out at Trenton NJ. Both Nicholas and Augustus Collignon.⁴      Nicholas and Claudius were co-inventers of the first folding rocking chair.¹
     Claudius and Nicholas Collignon Bio Sketch

Claudius 0. Collignon.- John Collignon, the grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch, was a native of Reught, France, and born in the year 1764. At a later period he emigrated to America, and chose Bergen County, N. J., as a place of residence. Mr. Collignon, after a sojourn of some years in the latter State, returned to his native place, where his death occurred. His only son, Peter C., was born in Reught, France, on the 22d of September, 1799, and having been attracted by the enterprise of the New World, embarked in 1825 for New York City. Here he resided for five years, and subsequently removed to Bergen County, where he engaged in willow-basket making, and also in farming pursuits. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary Perrine, a native of France, to whom were born children,-Catherine, whose birth occurred in France, Nicholas, born in Hudson Street, New York City, and Claudius O., Elizabeth, James Peter, August, Adam, Perrine, Jane Ellen, and , all born in New Jersey.
The death of Mr. Collignon occurred March 15 1879. Mrs. Collignon survives her husband, and is still in robust health. Claudius O. was born Dec. 8, 1830, in Harrington township, where the principal portion of his life has been spent. His boyhood after a period at school was occupied in labor on the farm or in acquiring the trade of basket-making. At the age of seventeen he learned the sash and blind making business, and followed it for eight years, after which he returned to New Jersey.
Claudius Collignon

He was married Jan. 24,1856, to Miss Sarah Cleveland, of Washington township, who is the mother of five children,-Peter C., Sarah Louisa (Mrs. Tures), Evelina, Catherine Delia, and Isaac. Mr. Collignon on his return to New Jersey engaged in chair-turning and lumbering, and in 1857 established at Old Tap- pan, in Harrington Township, an extensive chair-factory. The mechanical genius and skill of the founders of this enterprise at once insured its success, and the quality of the work produced has created a demand, which has rendered an extension of their establishment a necessity. They have made a specialty of folding-chairs, which are protected by ten different patents. They are also the makers of the first folding-rocker in the United States, which now enjoys a great popularity.
Mr. Collignon is in politics a Republican, but in no sense a party man, voting rather in the cause of right and good government than for the advancement of personal or party interests. He was reared from infancy in the Roman Catholic Church, but is liberal in his views and a cordial supporter of all worthy church and school enterprises.
Nicholas Collignon, the subject of this biographical sketch, may with propriety be spoken of as one of the foremost citizens of the township of Harrington, both in point of energy and integrity. He was the grandson of John Collignon, who was a native of Reught, France, where he was born in 1754, and emigrated to the inviting shores of America. At a later date he resided in Bergen County for some years, but ultimately returned to his birthplace, where the declining years of his life were spent. He had one son, Peter C., born Sept. 22, 1779, who also made the United States his residence in 1825. In 1831 he removed to Bergen County, where he engaged in business pursuits. He married Mary Perrin, also of France, and had children,-Catherine, Nicholas, Claudius O., Elizabeth, James, Peter, August, Adam, Jane Ellen, and Victor. Of this number Nicholas, the subject of this biography, was born in Hudson Street, New York City, Sept. 10, 1829. His boyhood was spent in Bergen County at school, and at a later date in the city of New York, where he acquired the trade of a ship-carpenter with Messrs. Bell & Brown, of that city. In 1852 he went to the gold-fields of California to seek his fortune, but not liking the rough life of gold-digging, he left the mines and went to San Francisco, where he laid the foundation of a ship-yard, and built the first American vessel ever built on the Pacific coast. He named it the " Maria Matilda," and it was the fastest sailing-vessel of the coast.

In 1855 he returned to the home of his childhood, and was married to Miss Catherine Demarest. There were born to them seven children,-Nicholas, Matilda, Peter, George W., Emma B., Alice Jane, and Cecelia, of whom died Nicholas, Peter, Alice J., and Emma in early childhood. He then purchased a large mill property on the Hackensack River two miles east of Westwood, with his brother Claudius. They have built up a large and prosperous business, consisting of saw-mills, wheelwright material, and extensive chair-factories, and were the owners and inventors of several patents for folding-chairs. Mr. Collignon was beloved by all who knew him. He was a man of sterling integrity, kind and generous to all. He was during the war of the Rebellion an officer of the Twenty-second Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, and served with credit during the period of nine months. He then returned home and continued the business with his brother. He was in politics a Republican, and on repeated occasions a member of the township committee of Harrington. In his religious faith he was a Disciple of Christ, with a kindly feeling to all Christian denominations. During the last three years of his life he suffered terribly with a cancer tumor in his windpipe, and went through six painful operations. The death of Mr. Collignon occurred June 25, 1879, and caused profound sorrow in all circles, where his broad sympathies, his genial nature, and his noble traits of character have caused him to be greatly beloved.⁵
General source(s) for this information, see footnotes.⁶

     Peter C Collignon was born on 22 September 1799 at Verdun, Meuse, Lorraine, France.² He was born on 22 September 1799 at Reught, Lorraine, France.¹ He was born circa 1800 at Lavaiere, France.³ He married Mary Catherine Perrine. He died on 22 March 1878 at Rivervale, Bergen County, NJ, at age 78.² He died on 15 March 1879 at Bergen County, NJ, at age 79.¹
     General source(s) for this information, see footnotes.⁴      Immigrated to United States in 1825, and lived in New York until 1831 when the family moved to Rivervale, NJ

Some sources indicate he had been in the United States previously and returned to France, then returned to live permanently in the U.S.

List of children from John C Collignon family website, Texas

Nicholas, Claudius, and Adam Collignon invented the folding rocking chair March 10, 1868. There were many other variations invented. Regular folding, deck, lawn, and variations of these. The whole town of Westwood New Jersey, (then River Vale) in Bergen county, worked at the factory on the Hackensack river. A history of this enteprise can be found at http://www.jcollignon.net/FirstFoldingRockingChairInUS.htm.² Name variation: Pierre (Peter) Collignon.

     Peter C Collignon was born on 19 October 1856 at Rivervale, Bergen County, NJ.^2,3 He married Isabella K Ward.
     He was in 1880 a clerk in a chair factory at Harrington, Bergen County, NJ.⁴ He was in 1910 a bridge tender at Washington, Bergen County, NJ.⁵      Peter was educated in the Bergen County public schools, and at the age of eighteen became a bookkeeper in the chair factory run by his family. He continued in that capacity until 1890, when he purchased the business and successfully conducted it until 1896.
General source(s) for this information, see footnotes.¹

     Sarah Louise Collignon was born on 20 May 1858 at River Vale, Bergen County, NJ.^1,2 She married James H. Tuers, son of John Tuers and Maria Sip, on 8 February 1874 at Closter, Bergen County, NJ.¹ She died on 19 March 1890 at Westwood, Bergen County, NJ, at age 31.^1,3
     Married name: Sarah Louisa Tuers.
General source(s) for this information, see footnotes.⁴

     George Collin married Hannah Sherrington.¹ He was born on 29 May 1830 at Clifton, Westmorland, England.¹

     George Collin married Frances Clarke.¹ He was born on 16 November 1793 at Orton, Westmorland, England.¹ He married Esther Tinkler on 28 March 1844.¹ He died on 6 June 1865 at Clifton, Westmorland, England, at age 71.¹

     Jonathan Collin married Jane M.¹ He was born on 11 January 1835 at Clifton, Westmorland, England.¹

     Mary Collin was born on 26 March 1826 at Clifton, Westmorland, England.¹ She married Robert Robson on 8 June 1847 at Clifton, Westmorland, England.¹
     Married name: Robson.

     Ruth Collin was born on 16 September 1821 at St. Andrew's Church, Penrith, Cumberland, England.² She was born on 16 September 1821 at St. Andrew's Church, Penrith, Cumberland, England.¹ She married James Jennings on 17 January 1846 at Clifton (Parish), Westmorland, England.¹ She married James Jennings, son of John Jennings and Mary Riggs, on 17 January 1846 at Clifton (Parish), Westmorland, England.²
     Married name: Jennings. Married name: Jennings. Name variation: Ruth Collin.²

     Thomas Collin married Ann.¹ He was born on 18 May 1828 at Clifton, Westmorland, England.¹

     Thomas Collin III was born on 19 February 1796 at Orton, Westmorland, England.¹ He married Mary circa 1820.¹

     Thomas Collin Jr. was born circa 1768.¹ He married Ruth Winskell on 25 October 1789 at Kirby Thore, Westmorland, England.¹ He died on 8 January 1835 at Clifton Hall, Westmorland, England.¹

     Thomas Collin Sr. married Mary. He was born circa 1748.¹

     Catherine Collins was born on 18 January 1854 at England?¹ She married George Henry W Modemann, son of George H Modemann and Mary V Webb, in 1870.¹ She died on 26 August 1938 at Paterson, NJ, at age 84.¹
     Married name: Modemann.

     Charles Revilo Collins was born on 20 October 1847 at Sodus, NY.¹ He married Emma Cleora DeWitt, daughter of James Noble DeWitt and Lucinda Sperry, on 20 June 1871 at Bay City, MI.¹
     He lived at Denver, CO.¹      Dickerman Gen.¹ He was a salesman.¹

     Elizabeth Collins married Eli White on 19 June 1813.^1,3
     Elizabeth joined the DRC of NYC 1 Dec 1819 by confesssion of faith. She was a widow at that time.² Married name: White.

     Elizabeth Collins married Pearsall.¹
     Married name: Pearsall.

     George Collins died at New York, NY.¹ He married Margaret Cameron. He was born in 1800 at England.¹

     Isaac Collins Sr. married Deborah.¹ He was born on 26 March 1816.¹

     Jamima Collins married James Recorla.^1,2 She married James Burnett.^1,2
     Married name: Burnett. Married name: Recorla.

     Jane Collins was born on 8 December 1799 at Warwick, Orange County, NJ.^1,5,6 She married James Richard Veldran, son of Michel Veldran and Jeremiah, in 1827 at Warwick, Orange County, NY.^1,3,5 She died before 1850 at New York, NY.^1,5
     Name variation: Janetje Collins. Married name: Veldran.

     Joseph Collins married Rachel Dorsett, daughter of Joseph Dorsett and Elizabeth Poling.¹ He was born on 15 October 1695 at Lynn, MA.¹ He died in 1757 near Middleton, MA.¹

     Joseph Collins was born after 1635 at Lynn, MA.¹ He married Mary Smith Widow on 15 October 1684 at Massachusetts.¹

     Mary Collins married Longstreth.¹
     Married name: Longstreth.

     Mary Collins was born in 1724 at Monmouth, NJ.¹ She married William Brittain, son of Nathaniel Brittain and Elizabeth Garretson, on 30 November 1743 at Monmouth, NJ.¹ She died on 13 August 1805 at Hunterdon, NJ.¹
     Married name: Brittain.

     Rebecca Collins married Stephen Gellet.¹
     Married name: Gellet.