Rev. James E. Collins Biography


	This biography appears on page 431 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				REV. JAMES E. COLLINS. 

	Rev. James E. Collins, pastor of St. Williams Catholic church, of 
Ramona, was born in Kansas in September, 1859, a son of Pierce and 
Julia Collins, both of whom have passed away. He pursued his early 
education in public and parochial schools and his classical course in 
Atchison, Kansas. He later attended St. Meinrad's College of Indiana 
and was ordained to the priesthood in 1887, having in the meantime 
determined to prepare for holy orders. His first charge was at Roswell, 
South Dakota, after which he was sent to Woonsocket as assistant to 
Father Murphy. For three years he was pastor of the Catholic church at 
De Smet and was then transferred to Vermillion, where he remained for 
two years. He was in charge of the parish at Montrose for five years, 
and in 1902 went to St. Williams Catholic church in Ramona as the 
second resident pastor. There he has now remained for thirteen years, 
building up the church, improving the property and advancing the 
interests of the congregation in many ways. He also has charge of one 
mission, that of Badus, five miles from the town.