Langley Collyer (1885-1947) was a pianist and later a recluse and a hoarder with his brother Homer. The Collyer brothers' name has become synonymous with hoarding. (b. October 3, 1885; Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA - d. March 1947; 2078 Fifth Avenue at corner of 128th Street, Harlem, New York City, New York, USA)
Name:
On all documents he appears as "Langley Collyer". He has a cousin Langley Wakerman Collyer (1883-1933), a farmer from Broadalbin, Fulton County, New York. Some researchers have confused the two and used the middle name "Wakerman" for the hoarder and used the image of the farmer's tombstone for the hoarder.
Parents:
Herman Livingston Collyer (1857-1923) a physician, and Susie Gage Frost (1856-1929) an opera singer. Herman had his medical office at 153 West 77th Street in Manhattan. Herman and Susie were first cousins.
Birth:
He was born on October 3, 1885 in Manhattan, New York City.
Sibling:
Susan Collyer (1880-1880) who died as an infant, and Homer Lusk Collyer (1881-1947).
Education:
Langley graduated from Columbia University in Manhattan with a degree in mechanical engineering and chemistry, but he never worked in a job that used those skills.
Harlem, New York City:
The family moved from Murray Hill, Manhattan to Harlem, Manhattan in 1909 or in 1910. The family appears in the 1900 and 1910 US Census living in Manhattan at 109 East 54th Street. Homer is listed as a lawyer in the 1910 Census and Langley is listed as a student. By 1940 they were living in a four-story brownstone at 2078 Fifth Avenue at the corner of 128th Street.
Deaths:
Homer died on March 22, 1947 of starvation after Langley had set off one of his own booby traps that fatally buried him in a pile of debris. It took 18 days to find Langley's body.
Burial:
The family is buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn.
Bibliography:
Their story is told in the book "Ghosty Men: The Strange but True Story of the Collyer Brothers, New York's Greatest Hoarders, An Urban Historical" by Franz Lidz. The Corbis image archive has many photographs of the Collyer's funeral, the removal of the collected junk, and the sale at auction of their more valuable furnishings.
Research:
Updated on September 9, 2018 with information on his name and the confusion with a cousin.
.
Name:
On all documents he appears as "Langley Collyer". He has a cousin Langley Wakerman Collyer (1883-1933), a farmer from Broadalbin, Fulton County, New York. Some researchers have confused the two and used the middle name "Wakerman" for the hoarder and used the image of the farmer's tombstone for the hoarder.
Parents:
Herman Livingston Collyer (1857-1923) a physician, and Susie Gage Frost (1856-1929) an opera singer. Herman had his medical office at 153 West 77th Street in Manhattan. Herman and Susie were first cousins.
Birth:
He was born on October 3, 1885 in Manhattan, New York City.
Sibling:
Susan Collyer (1880-1880) who died as an infant, and Homer Lusk Collyer (1881-1947).
Education:
Langley graduated from Columbia University in Manhattan with a degree in mechanical engineering and chemistry, but he never worked in a job that used those skills.
Harlem, New York City:
The family moved from Murray Hill, Manhattan to Harlem, Manhattan in 1909 or in 1910. The family appears in the 1900 and 1910 US Census living in Manhattan at 109 East 54th Street. Homer is listed as a lawyer in the 1910 Census and Langley is listed as a student. By 1940 they were living in a four-story brownstone at 2078 Fifth Avenue at the corner of 128th Street.
Deaths:
Homer died on March 22, 1947 of starvation after Langley had set off one of his own booby traps that fatally buried him in a pile of debris. It took 18 days to find Langley's body.
Burial:
The family is buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn.
Bibliography:
Their story is told in the book "Ghosty Men: The Strange but True Story of the Collyer Brothers, New York's Greatest Hoarders, An Urban Historical" by Franz Lidz. The Corbis image archive has many photographs of the Collyer's funeral, the removal of the collected junk, and the sale at auction of their more valuable furnishings.
Research:
Updated on September 9, 2018 with information on his name and the confusion with a cousin.
.
Langley Collyer (1885-1947) was a pianist and later a recluse and a hoarder with his brother Homer. The Collyer brothers' name has become synonymous with hoarding. (b. October 3, 1885; Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA - d. March 1947; 2078 Fifth Avenue at corner of 128th Street, Harlem, New York City, New York, USA)
Name:
On all documents he appears as "Langley Collyer". He has a cousin Langley Wakerman Collyer (1883-1933), a farmer from Broadalbin, Fulton County, New York. Some researchers have confused the two and used the middle name "Wakerman" for the hoarder and used the image of the farmer's tombstone for the hoarder.
Parents:
Herman Livingston Collyer (1857-1923) a physician, and Susie Gage Frost (1856-1929) an opera singer. Herman had his medical office at 153 West 77th Street in Manhattan. Herman and Susie were first cousins.
Birth:
He was born on October 3, 1885 in Manhattan, New York City.
Sibling:
Susan Collyer (1880-1880) who died as an infant, and Homer Lusk Collyer (1881-1947).
Education:
Langley graduated from Columbia University in Manhattan with a degree in mechanical engineering and chemistry, but he never worked in a job that used those skills.
Harlem, New York City:
The family moved from Murray Hill, Manhattan to Harlem, Manhattan in 1909 or in 1910. The family appears in the 1900 and 1910 US Census living in Manhattan at 109 East 54th Street. Homer is listed as a lawyer in the 1910 Census and Langley is listed as a student. By 1940 they were living in a four-story brownstone at 2078 Fifth Avenue at the corner of 128th Street.
Deaths:
Homer died on March 22, 1947 of starvation after Langley had set off one of his own booby traps that fatally buried him in a pile of debris. It took 18 days to find Langley's body.
Burial:
The family is buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn.
Bibliography:
Their story is told in the book "Ghosty Men: The Strange but True Story of the Collyer Brothers, New York's Greatest Hoarders, An Urban Historical" by Franz Lidz. The Corbis image archive has many photographs of the Collyer's funeral, the removal of the collected junk, and the sale at auction of their more valuable furnishings.
Research:
Updated on September 9, 2018 with information on his name and the confusion with a cousin.
.
Name:
On all documents he appears as "Langley Collyer". He has a cousin Langley Wakerman Collyer (1883-1933), a farmer from Broadalbin, Fulton County, New York. Some researchers have confused the two and used the middle name "Wakerman" for the hoarder and used the image of the farmer's tombstone for the hoarder.
Parents:
Herman Livingston Collyer (1857-1923) a physician, and Susie Gage Frost (1856-1929) an opera singer. Herman had his medical office at 153 West 77th Street in Manhattan. Herman and Susie were first cousins.
Birth:
He was born on October 3, 1885 in Manhattan, New York City.
Sibling:
Susan Collyer (1880-1880) who died as an infant, and Homer Lusk Collyer (1881-1947).
Education:
Langley graduated from Columbia University in Manhattan with a degree in mechanical engineering and chemistry, but he never worked in a job that used those skills.
Harlem, New York City:
The family moved from Murray Hill, Manhattan to Harlem, Manhattan in 1909 or in 1910. The family appears in the 1900 and 1910 US Census living in Manhattan at 109 East 54th Street. Homer is listed as a lawyer in the 1910 Census and Langley is listed as a student. By 1940 they were living in a four-story brownstone at 2078 Fifth Avenue at the corner of 128th Street.
Deaths:
Homer died on March 22, 1947 of starvation after Langley had set off one of his own booby traps that fatally buried him in a pile of debris. It took 18 days to find Langley's body.
Burial:
The family is buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn.
Bibliography:
Their story is told in the book "Ghosty Men: The Strange but True Story of the Collyer Brothers, New York's Greatest Hoarders, An Urban Historical" by Franz Lidz. The Corbis image archive has many photographs of the Collyer's funeral, the removal of the collected junk, and the sale at auction of their more valuable furnishings.
Research:
Updated on September 9, 2018 with information on his name and the confusion with a cousin.
.
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