Holt Collier became famous when he was hired to guide Teddy Roosevelt on a hunt for bears in Mississippi. This is what history claims started the Teddy Bear craze. Holt Collier was a hunter, an ex-slave, and an ex-confederate soldier. He had run away from the plantation to join his master in the Civil War, against orders. Holt's master was Colonel Howard Hinds of Plum Ridge, the Hind's plantation, south of the present city of Greenville. The story goes...

"...he climbed up the high banks at the Memphis landing to find his master standing with a group of officers, among whom were General Bedford Forrest and General Breckenridge. No more was said of Holt's youth and he went into training at Camp Boone; it was in Tennessee. Be served as a soldier and did not go as a body- servant to Colonel Hinds.

After drilling for a time at Camp Boone, he was sent with his company into Kentucky. His first taste of war came in a fight at a bridge over Green River and there he met his "Old Colonel" again. During the four years conflict, he served with the Texas Cowboys, Ross' Brigade and was under Colonel Dudley Jones at the close of the struggle. After the surrender, he returned to Washington county with his master and Tom Hinds..."

Mr. Holt was given an honor when Congress created the Holt Collier National Wildlife Refuge in the Mississippi's Delta Region.

http://www.fws.gov/holtcollier/index.html

A history and photograph of Mr. Holt can be found at...

http://www.fws.gov/southeast/pubs//HoltCollier-TheMan.pdf

Pictures of Holt Collier and Teddy Roosevelts hunting party can be found at....

http://www.holtcollier.com/

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David Upton