Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Collier, Peter Fenelon

COLLIER, PETER FENELON, an American publisher and philanthropist, born in County Carlow, Ireland, 1849. He removed with his parents to the United States, settling in Cincinnati, and his formal education was completed in St. Mary Seminary in that city. He began his business career in New York City early in the seventies, selling books from door to door. He purchased in 1882, for a small sum, a complete set of the plates of an edition of Dickens' works. Purchasing a printing press, he began the publishing business which within a few years had become very successful. The firm of P. F. Collier & Son published and sold many millions of books, chiefly editions of standard authors, made in inexpensive form. He founded in 1888 “Collier's Weekly.” Mr. Collier was well known as a sportsman and breeder of blooded horses. He died April 23, 1909.