Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-04-20
CLERICAL GAME WARDEN.
Lives with His Dogs. Fishes, Hunts and
Subsists Upon tho Results.

Subsists Upon tho Results.
Calhoun county, Michigan, boasts OF
the only clergyman game warden in
America, the Rev, Isaac Collier, who
is known throughout the State as the
Henry D. ThoIeau of Michigan, as he
has for many years lived alone with
his dogs in a cottage on the shore of
Goguac Lake, summer, winter and
every season, spending his time in
fishing and hunting and in the study
or books and nature.
A passionate regard for nature has
led this unique clergyman to live
among the flowers and trees, the birds
and animals of the woods. Years of
botanical training make it possible for
him to understand the flowers which
he plucks by the roadside or in the
fields or forests. Never does a day
pass that the venerable character
with his fshpole, may not be seen
vending his way to the waters edge
for his customary fish. His expert
knowledge Of angling makes him
known among the fishermen as "Our
Izaak Walton" and he lives out his
title. Not only does he fish, but he
studies his prey. He knows the fish
and their habits, and is at home
among them.
A stran ge place is his cottage, un-
lathed, upholstered, but the home of
contented man. He subsists entirely
upon the results of his hunting and
fishing. He not only sells his fish for
the few g gtoceries and supplies which
he requires, but he is fond of them as
regular diet. He is his own cook.
His tea he makes from the wild plant
blossom known as the jersey tea, and
the only coffee which he uses is made
from the hickory nuts which he gath
ers. Above all, he is hale, hearty and
healthy, although sixty eight years of
his life, have passed. Bat he says,
Il live close to nature, and so l do
live, not ex ST."
Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Chaldaic,
Syriac, French and modern languages
are read bg the quaint character, and
no matter how busy day he has spent
among his fish friends he closes it by
reading a chapter in his Greek Testa-
ment. Apart from the world, he never
neglects his religion, and studies re-
lgious questions of modern a1d
ancient character.
The Rev. Isaac Collier was born in
Greene county, n. Y, and in his mere
childhood he astonished his par nts
by declaring his intention to enter the
ministry He took course of study
in the CoXsackie IN. Y. academy. and
then the grammar school at New
Brunswick, n. J. He received his
diploma from Rutgers college, follow
ing TINS ny tli' "a wears theolooi, ,a1
course. His first call was 10 Coey-
mans, on the Hudson river, where he
preached for five years. In 1866 he
entered upon his duties as pastor of
the Dutch Reformed church of Battle
Creek, leaving in 1871 for Richboro,
Pa, on like call, where he remained
fourteen years, returning to preach as
a CeDgregationalis in the Augusta
church. After his return to Battle
Greek he took up his Thoreau-like life,
and has continued ever since in this
plan of living.
He has just been appointed Game
Warden for Calhoun county by State
Warden Chase Osborne, and an
nounces emphsticslly tn t he will use
the same vigor in the fultilment of the
law as in the expounding of the Scrip
lures and the travelling of the woods
for nature study. No one can fail to
understand why he is called the Henry
d. Thoreau of Michigan.