The Collins Families of Scott County, Iowa

WILLIAM S. COLLINS.

William Sheridan Collins came to Scott county, Iowa, from New York, in August, 1838. He was born February 15, 1806, at Litchfield, Connecticut, a son of David and Jerusha (Wright) Collins. David Collins became a merchant of New York and at one time a member of congress. In 1826 William S. Collins went from Connecticut to Albany, New York, where he learned and followed the carpenter's trade. He was married there in 1831 to Miss Orphia Jackson and unto them were born two children, Miles A. and Orphia L. The latter became the wife of Newton J. Field arid had one son Newton Miles Field, who was killed in a railway accident.

Orphia Jackson, the first wife of William S. Collins died in 1836 and Mr. Collins was influenced to come to Iowa by the fact that his brother Lucius Collins was a farmer of this state, living near the Summit. William S. Collins was a contractor and carpenter in Davenport and erected a large number of business blocks, including the former McManus building at Second and Main streets, the Perry and Mcintosh blocks, the old Baptist church at Sixth and Main, and the brick residence at Fifth and Rock Island streets. A number of the structures which show forth his handiwork are still standing. He became recognized as one of the leading contractors and builders of this part of the state and did much in promoting the substantial improvements of this district. In 1842 he married Eliza Dillion, and they had three children, of whom two died in infancy, while the other, Chester Worthington Collins is a banker of Brooklyn, New York. The mother, who was born in the Empire state in 1823, passed away in 1846. For his third wife Mr. Collins those Mrs. Eleanor Bird, who was born in New York city in 181 5 and was the widow of William Bird. There were two children of this marriage namely: Sarah Ella, now the widow of Watson Graham, who died in Davenport; and McManus W., of Denver, Colorado. The third wife of William S. Collins has also passed away.

William S. Collins was one of the charter members of the Edwards Congregational church and its first clerk. He donated money for the erection of the church and took an active part in the organization of the first Sunday school. His political allegiance was given to the whig party until its dissolution, when he joined the ranks of the new republican party. He served as alderman of Davenport from the third ward from 1846 to 1849, and from the fifth ward in 1859. He also was trustee of the poor. He was a very earnest and zealous worker in the organization known as the Sons of Temperance for twenty years, and from 1848 until his death on August 9, 1887, he was an exemplary representative of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

MILES A. COLLINS.

One of Scott county's pioneer farmers was Miles Augustus Collins, who lead an industrious and prosperous life in the live stock business. Mr. Collins was born in Albany, New York, September 1, 1832. When but four years old his mother, Orphia (Jackson) Collins, died, and he went to live with his grandfather, David Collins, upon a farm at Blanford, Massachusetts, and was there reared, early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. Following his grandfather's death he took charge of the home farm at Blanford, Massachusetts, there remaining until 1854, when he sought a home in the middle west and came to Scott county, Iowa, where he worked at the carpenter's trade with his father for a year. He then engaged in farming. He also established one of the first cheese factories in Scott county. His life was a busy and useful one. At different times he owned several farms in Scott county and was quite successful in his dealings in real estate. In 1860 he purchased the farm just north of town upon which he spent his remaining days, his death there occurring June 5, 1908. He was diligent and enterprising, making good use of his opportunities, and as time passed on he won a creditable measure of prosperity.

It was on the 15th of June, 1870, that Mr. Collins was united in marriage to Mrs. Amy George Wilson, the widow of George Wilson and the daughter of William George and Nancy (Reed) George. William George was a native of, and formerly lived in Columbiana county, Ohio, whence he removed with his family in 1853 to Scott county and settled near Big Rock, Iowa.

Mr. and Mrs. Collins became the parents of six children: Mina Rusha, who is now a teacher of English in the high school at St. Louis, Missouri; Vera Elva, who is the wife of Fred A. Garrison, field secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association for Arkansas and Oklahoma; Eleanor Harriet, at home; Miles William; Amy George, the wife of William C. Rowse, a professor of engineering in the State University at Madison, Wisconsin; and Ruth Elizabeth, who is a pupil in the Grinnell Iowa College.. All of the children are graduates of that college, and Miles is a graduate of the University of Chicago law department, having received the degree of Doctor of Laws. Mina was also a student of the University of Chicago, where she pursued post-graduate work in English.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

In the life of Edward Collins, who was for many years one of the prominent newspaper men of Davenport and is now the auditor of Scott county, we have an exemplification of what is only too infrequently the case, the office seeking the man. A' native of this city, he was born November 15, 1864, a son of Jeremiah and Mary (Tobin) CoUins, both of Irish birth, who as young people came with their parents to this country at the time of the famine in Ireland. Jeremiah Collins located first in Detroit and Chicago, where he worked for years upon the lake steamers as steward. During that time, however, he also learned the trade of an iron holder, and when he came to Davenport, in the early '50s, he followed that calling until he retired from active life. His death occurred in 1907, when he was seventy-seven years of age, his life partner following him to the grave two years later.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.