Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Collins, Joshua R 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 13, 2006, 5:28 pm

Author: History of Grundy County, 1914

Collins, Joshua R. - Every community has one or more men who take the lead in 
every enterprise, being fitted by natural ability and experience to make a 
success of their undertakings.  Without the public spirit and enterprise of 
these men, there would be very little advance made by the people.  Morris owes 
much to several of its citizens who have inaugurated and carried out to 
successful completion many enterprises, organized companies and instituted 
reforms which all have tended to increase the prestige of the county seat.  
One of these representative business men is J. R. Collins, President of the 
Farmers & Merchants National Bank of Morris.  Mr. Collins was born in Saratoga 
Township, November 13, 1854, a son of Jeremiah and Margaret (Widney) Collins, 
natives of Coeymans, N. Y., and Piqua, Ohio.  Jeremiah Collins was a son of 
Joshua and Margaret (Rowe) Collins, natives of New England.  The maternal 
grandparents were Jonathan and Mary (Henderson) Widney, natives of 
Pennsylvania.  Joshua Collins came with his family to Grundy County in 1834, 
making the trip by way of the Great Lakes to Chicago, and thence by wagon.  
They entered land in Aux Sable Township, but a few years later moved to 
Saratoga Township, where they bought more land.  These grandparents both died 
on the latter farm in the early forties.  The maternal grandparents came to 
Kendall County in 1840, and there spent the remainder of their useful lives.

Jeremiah Collins and his wife were married in Kendall County, but moved 
immediately thereafter to a farm he owned in Saratoga Townships.  Here they 
resided, improving their property and was a well known man at the time of his 
death, February 12, 1910.  His widow resided in Morris until her death, March 
22, 1914.  The children born to Jeremiah Collins and wife were:  Joshua R.; 
Mary, deceased; and Oscar E., of Morris.

Joshua R. Collins was brought up on his father's farm, remaining at home until 
twenty years of age.  At that time he began working in the Union Stock Yards 
at Chicago and continued there for four years, when he returned to Grundy 
County, and invested in a farm in Goose Lake Township.  This he operated, 
carrying on general farming and stock raising and feeding for the Chicago 
market, until 1902, when he moved to Morris, and, with his brother, Oscar E., 
looked after their combined acreage, which amounts to 10,000 acres, all in the 
vicinity of Morris.  This property is worked by a number of tenants.  In 1905 
Mr. Collins bought a lot64x112 feet, on the corner of Liberty and West Jackson 
streets, Morris, which he later sold to his father.  The latter erected on it 
a fine three-story building covering the entire lot, and in it, on the ground 
floor, Mr. Collins established the Farmers & Merchants National Bank, with 
himself as president; Henry Stocker, Cashier, and William Gebhard, Barney 
Wilcox, Story Matteson and E. J. Matteson as directors.  Mr. Collins has an 
office at 107 West Jackson street, where all business connected with the farms 
is transacted, including that of a grain elevator on one of the farms, on the 
E. J. & E. Railroad.  Mr. Collins loans out a large amount of money as a 
private individual and is one of the most substantial men of Grundy County.

On November 30, 1878, Mr. Collins was married to Anna Holroyd, born in 
Livingston County, Illinois, daughter of Benjamin and Ann Holroyd, natives of 
England.  One son, Frank W., was born of this marriage.  He conducts the home 
farm for his father.  Mr. Collins is a Progressive and served as supervisor of 
Goose Lake Township for one term, as well as in all the township offices, and 
since coming to Morris was an alderman for one term.  A Mason, he belongs to 
the Blue Lodge, Orient Chapter, Commandery and Medinah Shrine, the latter of 
Chicago.  The educational advantages of Mr. Collins were superior to many 
farmer boys, for he not only attended a select high school in Morris, but was 
graduated from Onarga seminary.  A man of sterling worth, Mr. Collins has 
always been ready and able to go ahead with any project and bring it favorably 
before the public.  His standing in financial circles in unimpeachable, and 
his high position is well sustained.

page 791

Additional Comments:
Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914

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