Charles Collings, a native of Corwall, England probably met his Irish wife, Susan Fitzpatrick, in Montreal, Quebec. Soon after the birth of their first child Mary, in 1833, they obtained land along the western edges of the Lacolle seigniory in
the small settlement that would become Hallerton. The Collings family made important contributions to the community of Hallerton, like donation of the land for the schoolhouse which was built adjacent to their homestead in the 1850s. Charles
Collings' only son, John, married Mary Cookman. A son from this union, William Charles Collings, was active in church and community affairs in Hallerton and later in Hemmingford Township. He operated the "Commercial Hotel" as well as a funeral
parlor and a livery and stable in the village of Hemmingford.