Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Collins, Jeremiah ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 13, 2006, 5:25 pm Author: History of Grundy County, 1914 Collins, Jeremiah (deceased), was born in Coeymans, twelve miles south of Albany, N. Y., September 19, 1820, and died February 12, 1910. His parents were Joshua and Margaret (Rowe) Collins, who were of New England stock and natives of Rhode Island. In 1834 the parents decided to try their fortunes in the West and came to Illinois, landing in Chicago on September 19, 1834. The trip from Chicago to what is now Aux Sable Township was made by the mother and children in a wagon driven by Charles Smith. After arriving and settling in Aux Sable Township they met with all the hardships of pioneer life, which they endured with fortitude until they had founded a permanent home. Joshua and Margaret Collins were the parents of nine children: Theron, Phillip, Margaret, George, Joshua and Jeremiah, twins; Catherine, Edward and Franklin. With the death of Jeremiah all the children have passed away. Jeremiah Collins was fourteen years old when he came to Illinois with his parents and lived in Grundy County all the rest of his life, settling in Saratoga Township when he was twenty years old. He hauled the first load of wheat from his township to Chicago in 1841, his father being in poor health at the time the trip was made, in order to procure medicine and supplies, previous preparation being the trampling out of 32 bushels of wheat, spread on the barn floor, by himself and his brother Joshua and the horses. After the purchases had been made in Chicago, he learned, on the return trip, that his father had died during his absence. Mr. Collins cut and hauled the first load of logs used to erect the first house in the village of Morris. This was the home of John Cryder and was built on the hill just south of where the gas house now stands. Mr. Collins' first enterprise was the purchasing of eighty acres of land in Saratoga Township. By continued industry he prospered and came into possession of several thousand acres of the best farm land in Illinois. He was married in 1843 to Miss Hannah Cryder, daughter of Michael and Eva Cryder, of Pennsylvania. Two years later Mrs. Collins died, also their infant son, Phillip Henry. On November 16, 1853, Mr. Collins was wedded to Margaret W. Widney, daughter of John and Mary Widney, of Kendall County, Illinois. Three children were born to them: Joshua Rowe, Hannah Mary and Oscar Eugene. The daughter died May 13, 1881. The sons reside at Morris, Joshua being the president of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank. Mrs. Collins, who survives her husband, was the fourth born in her parents' family, the others being: Rachel, Mrs. John Van Dolsen, deceased, October 11, 1858; Thomas Henderson Widney, deceased, March 8, 1904; Joseph Caldwell; George Newcome, now residing at Battles, Ala.; John Johnson Widney, deceased, August 31, 1886; Mary Elizabeth, now Mrs. H. C. Henderson, now residing in Chicago, Ill.; and Louanna M., who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Collins' son, Joshua Rowe, married Annie Holroyd, and they have one son, Frank Wilbur Collins of Morris. Their second son, Oscar Eugene, married Alice Holroid, of Morris. Frank Wilbur Collins, the grandson of the late Jeremiah Collins, married Margaret Donahue and they have two children, Alice Mae and Genevieve Anna. Jeremiah Collins was elected supervisor of Saratoga Township in 1882, and served in that capacity for ten years. At the time of his death he was the only surviving votes of the county election of 1841. Thus passed away one of the oldest pioneers of Grundy County, who had watched the city of Morris grow from a single house to its present proportions, and had observed the farms in the surrounding country produce wealth and thrive under the industrious hands of the sturdy pioneers. The family tree of the Collins family consists of four generations, and the relatives are numerous throughout this section of Illinois. Mr. Collins was a man of indomitable courage, thrifty and industrious, yet open-handed wherever there was need. He was financially interested to a great extent in the Grundy County National Bank of Morris for many years. At the time of death he was probably the oldest settler in Grundy County. pages 790-791 Additional Comments: Source: History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. Publishers; 1914 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/grundy/bios/collins763nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 4.9 Kb