Miles Augustus Collins

As printed in 1910

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 History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa : Illustrated (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.