Three Collins brothers were the “immigrant ancestors” for this entry; (I) Thomas Collins (1818-1897), (II) John Collins (1823- 1879) and (III) William Collins (1830-1890). They came out from Ireland around 1840. They with their wives and older children joined thousands of others immigrating to the New World to escape the famine and economic hardships of Ireland in those years.
The eldest, Thomas, first came to Lanark County, and then moved to Westmeath Township, Renfrew County, and descendants are still in the community. One Collins sister, a Mrs. Gordon, remained in Ireland.
Each brother is given a separate headlined section in this Collins family entry.
The first homestead for Thomas Collins was Lot 12, Concession 6, of 100 acres, 20 acres of which were under cultivation with 19 in crops and 1 acre in pasture. For crops he had 3 acres of wheat producing 30 bushels per acre. 80 acres were “Under wood or wild”. From 1851 Agricultural Census.
Thirty-seven years later there are 6 Collins farmers listed in the 1888 Directory of Renfrew County.
[Verla Collins Robinson has generously submitted photos and information on the Thomas Collins Family to this entry. Material on the John Collins and William Collins lines was used from Ancestry.ca. Thank you to those contributors.]
I. Descendants of Thomas Collins (1818-1897) – Brother #1
Thomas Collins (1818-1897) m. Eliza Smith (1820-1912). They settled in Smith Falls, Lanark County around 1840 & later moving to Westmeath Township to what is now known as the Conley farm on the Lookout Road. They lost their first two children but then raised ten more; 9 sons and one daughter. Buried at Beachburg Union Cemetery.
Their children were:
1. John Collins – infant death, Smith Falls
2. Eliza Collins – infant death, Smith Falls
3. James Collins (1843-1921) born in Montreal, Que.,was the oldest surviving son. James m. (1) Margaret Harriett Argue (1852- 1908) in 1873. 1873 Jame s & Margaret Marriage. Margaret Argue was the daughter of “Immigrant Ancestor” Henry Argue (1819-1885) from County Limerick, Ireland and Ann West (1820-1894), also from County Limerick; who had married in 1845. Buried at Beachburg, Ont. A second Argue daughter would marry William Collins.
James Collins purchased 150 acres from the crown and cleared a farm on the location being on the corner of Pleasant Valley Rd and the Beachburg-LaPasse Rd. That homestead would support 5 generations of the Collins Family.
In his later years as a widower James remarried to (2) Susannah Catherine Graham after 1908, daughter of John Graham and Jane Palmer.
James & Margaret had one son: Thomas Henry Collins (1874-1944) m. Ann Elizabeth Campbell (1876-1942) in 1897 in Beachburg. 1942 Death Notice Elizabeth Ann Campbell Collins. Ann Campbell was from Waltham, Quebec, the daughter of Robert James Campbell (1848-1929) and Annie Wright (1851-1921) who had married in 1872. Her parents Robert and Annie Campbell went out to Manitoba to homestead and died at Foxwarren, near Brandon, Manitoba.
Ethel, Lizzie, Jimmie, Baby Russell, Thomas H., Annie
Thomas H., Eliza Smith Collins, Baby Jimmie, James Collins
The children of Tom Collins and Ann Campbell all attended S.S. No. 13 School;
I. James “Jimmie” Robert Collins (1898-1977) m. Alice O’Brien (1895-1979); daughter of “White Bill” O’Brien and Maude Friar. See O’BRIEN entry.
Their children:
a. Robert James Collins (1921-2005)
b. Margaret Kathleen Collins (1922-
c. Harold Alexander Collins (1924-1996)
d. Beulah Ethel Collins (1925-2005)
e. Murray Ellard Collins (1926-1997)
f. Gordon Arnold Collins (1933-
g. Patrick William Collins (1937-2008)
II. Annie Harriett Collins (1901-1979) m. Fred Burgess (1899-1986) in 1920 and is buried in Pembroke Pentecostal Cemetery.
They farmed in Perretton and later retired in Beachburg. Their children are:
a. Leila E. Burgess (1921-1987) married Allister Robinson; they farmed on the Lookout Road of Westmeath Township. In the 1950’s Leila and Allister moved to Beachburg, Leila operated a dress shop in the former Stokes harness shop and then in her home located beside the garage. A note of nostalgia…in the 1950’s we fondly remember a highlight of Saturday nights in Beachburg was the Robinson family singing gospel music under the light post in front of Bob Rollins’ house!
b. Mervin Burgess (1927-1955)
c. Freda A. Burgess (1930-2010)
III. Ethel Esther Collins (1903-1910) m. Gordon Thompson (1896-1965)
a. Douglas Thompson (1931- ) m. Diane Craig
IV. Russell Thomas Collins (1906-1983) m. Mary Evna Cotnam (1909-1980) in 1931. Mary was the daughter of George Andrew Cotnam (1879-1969) and Mary Jane Graham (1881-1979). Russell and Evna farmed on the LaPasse Rd., raising two children.
Through the generations the Collins families have been actively involved in church and community endeavors. Five generations of this branch of the family have served in numerous positions on the Beachburg Fair Board.
a. Verla Evna Collins (1932- ) m. Gordon Delmer Robinson (1924-2015) in 1952 at St. Andrew’s United, Beachburg. They farmed on LaPasse and Grant Settlement Roads and later retired to Beachburg Village. See ROBINSON entry.
AN EXCELLENT VIDEO: Gordon and Verla Robinson became the subjects of a wonderful video by Alan Soucie now available on YouTube. Take the time to watch “An Ottawa Valley Farming Story Featuring Gord & Verla Robinson” as it shows the humanity of this couple and the family’s transition out of full-time family farming that so many township people have experienced. Thank you to Alan for giving permission for its use here.
b. Versil Russell Collins (1935-2010) m. Shirley Testke in 1957 and bought the family farm where they raised their children Arlene, Laura and Blair. 1968 Collins Barn Fire In 1986 this farm was once again handed down to the next generation – Versil’s son Blair. 1996 Versil Collins Accident Versil and Shirley retired to Cameron St. in Beachburg. In 2003 to Hank Nagel and sons purchased the Collins farm and operate a large dairy business.
V. Eva Jennie Collins (1908-1987) m. Alex Shields (1903-1977). See SHIELDS entry. They raised three children in Copper Cliff Ont.
The family returned to Beachburg in 1963 after Alex retired from INCO. Their son David and his family reside in Beachburg.
a. Darrell Shields (1930-2012) m. Helene Hartibise
b. Betty Shields (1935- ) m. Jack Blackman
c. David Shields (1945- ) m. Susan Johnson
VI. Elmer Campbell Collins 1911- infant death
VII. Martha “Mattie” Elizabeth Collins (1912-1996) m. Allen Broome (1907-1972) in 1940. They farmed on the Lookout Road, later retiring to Beachburg. They had no children.
Take a moment and enjoy Mattie Collins Broome Memoirs. Mattie may not have had her own children but she was greatly beloved by her nieces and nephews. Mattie Collins We Sang every Song.
VIII. Kenneth Wright Collins (1914-1957) m. Beulah Dougherty (1919-2008).
When his father Thomas died in 1944, Kenneth took over the family farm. In 1957 a disaster hit the family when Kenneth died leaving a young family. Kenneth’s nephew, Russell’s son Versil, then took over the Collins homestead farm. Beulah became the switchboard operator for the Beachburg exchange.
a. Marilyn Collins (1942-2005) Marilyn Janice JOHNSON Obituary
b. Barbara Collins (1943-
c. Richard Collins (1946-
d. Anne Collins (1949-
4. William Collins m. Martha Argue. This is the second of the two Collins brothers who married the two Argue sisters.
i. William Henry Collins m. Katie Mick
ii. Abraham Collins m. Ethel Thrasher
iii. Peter Collins – unmarried
iv. Thomas Collins – died in infancy
v. Edith Collins m. (1) Samuel Mick and (2) Evelyn Walsh
vi. Ernest Collins m. Violet ___
5. Eliza Collins m. John Robertson
i. John Robertson – died age 5.
ii. Lizzie Robertson m. Alec McLean
iii. Agnes Robertson m. James Stewart
iv. Katie Robertson m. William Fletcher
v. Thomas Eno Robertson m. __ Burton
6. John Collins (1852-1929) m. Mary Wright (1858-1929); the daughter of Nathaniel Wright and Christina Burd Ferguson. They married July 4th 1874. See WRIGHT entry. 1876 John & Mary Marriage. 1929 John Collins Death.
The children of John & Mary are:
i. Arthur Collins (1877-1952) m. Rebecca Mabel Condie (1880-1941) in 1901. First of two brothers marrying Condie sisters. See CONDIE entry. She was the daughter of James Condie and Margaret Johnson. Their children:
a) Percil Wilford Collins (1903 – 1983), born at Massey Ont. He m. (1) Muriel McBride ( – 1967) on August 29, 1928. After being widowed Percil married (2) Mae Prendergast in 1980.
I. Joyce Thelma Collins (1934- ) m. Arnold Bennett in 1952
b) Mary Mabel Collins (1906 –1936) m. Thomas S. Davies (1906- )in 1935.
I. Eleanor Davies (1945- ) m. Walter Smyth in 1973.
c) Hilda Mabel Collins (1910 – ) m. (1) Arnold Hamilton(1905-1953) in 1931; m. (2) George Gough in 1957.
I. Joan Gail Hamilton (1936- ) m. Don Swift in 1956.
II. Mary Elizabeth Hamilton (1940- ) m. Larry Lighthouse in 1963.
d) Doris Collins (1919) infant death
ii. Christina “Tina” Ethel Collins (1881-1956) m. Harry Eric Emerson Byce (1884-1956), daughter of John Collins and Mary Wright. They married in 1914 and are buried in Howard Cemetery, Forester’s Falls. 1914 Harry & Tina Marriage. Their children:
a) Norma Grace Byce (1915- ) m. Charles Wood in 1944 in Ottawa.
b) Ethel Byce (1916-1983)
c) Eric Byce (1917- )
“I remember Grandpa and Grandma Collins visiting on the farm driving their lovely horse and buggy with which the Byces and we had the biggest upset in history. Norma was driving, with her were Eric, Ethel, Kathleen, Allan and I and some neighbors in the buggy. The spirited horse got scared by a piece of paper on the road so we ended up upside down and right upside down, horse, buggy and all in the ditch. That’s Norma’s driving for you.” – Note from “The Collins Clan” by Irvin L. Collins, 1990.
b) Eric Lindsay Byce (1917-
c) Kathleen Mabel Byce (1920-
iii. Archibald “Archie” Nathaniel Collins (1882-1945) m. Margaret Ellen “Nellie” Condie (1882-1961) in 1907. 1907 Archie & Nellie Marriage See CONDIE entry.
a) Leslie Emerson Collins (1909- ) m. Beatrice Mabel Shaw (1912- ) in 1935.
b) Alva Collins (1918- ) . Minetta Crozier (1922- ) in 1943.
iv. Eliza May Collins (1884-1956) m. Milburn McBride (1886-1971) in 1909 on the seventh line farm (now Pleasant Valley Road); – two Collins sisters married two McBride brothers, sons of John McBride (1860-1927) and Isabella Pettigrew. See MCBRIDE entry.
a) George “Harold” McBride (1911 – 1985) m. Mary Comrie. See COMRIE entry.
b) Hanley “Emerson” McBride (1913 – 1974) m. Anne Marks from Nova Scotia in 1941.
c) Audrey McBride (1915- ) m. Wallace Anderson in 1936 and they lived in Sudbury. See ANDERSON entry.
“Grandpa John Collins died in the fall of 1929 and wife Mary died in June 1929. His parents were buried in Beachburg and he and Grandma in Cobden. They had lived first on the Wilson place on the Seventh Line (Pleasant Valley Road) where I think Grandpa was born. His mother Eliza lived with them. They bought the farm Percil had in Cobden and moved there after most of the children were grown and some married. Uncle Arthur had that farm later and Grandpa retired in Cobden. He only had one sister, Eliza, who married John Robertson and lived in Roche Fondu. He had a brother Jim who was buried in Beachburg and was Thomas Henry’s father, another brother Josh went to the States. Dave lived in Cobden.” – a note by Audrey McBride Anderson included in “The Collins Clan” by Irvin L. Collins, 1990.
c) Lester V. McBride (1921 – 1975) m. Agnes MacKinnon in 1946.
d) William “Billie” Earl McBride (1924 – 1931)
v. Mary “Minnie” Annie Collins (1882-1950) m. James Russell McBride (1888-1975). See MCBRIDE entry. 1910 Mary Annie & Russell Marriage
a) Lepha Claire McBride (1912 – 1993) m. Allen Cameron and farmed on Lookout Road.
b) Mary Erva McBride (1915 – 1950)
vi. Osborne Leslie Collins (twin) (1888-1958) m. Jessie Hilda Barr (1891-1967); daughter of Matthew Barr and Maggie Condie in 1914. 1914 Osborne & Jessie Marriage. They farmed in “The Glen” outside Beachburg Village.
a) Irvin “Irv” Lindsey Collins (1918- ) m. Geraldine “Gerry” Francis Acres in 1948.
“I remember Mom often talking about one of the worst winters in her life. Here she was with pneumonia in bed over the summer kitchen and Allan making me play hockey with him down below. She’s yell down “Watch the windows”, and then bang, crash, Allan put the puck right through the window. Forty degrees below zero.
“Allan was always the worst but Mom and Dad once remembered, me leaving the table with visitors, me no where to be found. They later looked out and there I was peeking out of the dog-house eating the meat off the roast bone. Move over Rover.”
“Now where was I? Poor Dad spoiling Allan and me, especially Allan was the understatement of the decade. We didn’t have to be driven to school. I think most of the reason was maybe because he’d have a few games of checkers at the back of John Tight’s store, -spittoon available and all. Jack Davidson, Ab Stokes and Dad were the best checker players between Calabogie or Killaloe and Deux Riviere. I’d be over at Aunt Maggie’s – one of my favourite aunts. She’d give me more humbugs for 5¢ than most. Irene Davidson was pretty good for candy too.
“Poor dad could always manage to milk the cows at 3 p.m. if a ball game was on. He’s sit out at first base with a cigar coaching the referee.
“Sunday on the farm. John T. always drove around. Uncle Arthur only came about once a month. John T. would never stay for supper. Mom would say, “Come on in and we’ll have a bite to eat and a cup of tea and likely a ginger snap“. I would work better on Uncle Arthur.
“Dad would forever tell the true stories about going to the shanty in winter up Black River. His horses were always fatter in spring than when he left.
“Later he knew every farmer in the county – buying and selling oats and grain. The feldspar mine at Indian was a big thing – driving by sleigh from the Glen in winter to that area. He always hunted at Indian – but only shot one deer – that I think they chased right past him.
“I have to mention about Dad driving to Dr. Wood’s in Westmeath through the swamp – having one tonsil out one Saturday and the other out the next. Before Dad died, Vernie Price had bought the farm. What great neighbours! they were so kind to Mom after Dad died. We fondly remember Vernie’s family – poor Vera and Keitha were killed tragically in an accident – Bob, Pat Price Krose, Randy, Jimmy, Alex and Beverley. ” – notes from Irvin’s “The Collins Clan”, 1999.
b) Allan Barr Collins (1921- ) m. Beulah Adrienne Wilson (1922- ) from Foresters Falls in 1947, daughter of Hugh Wilson and Mary Johnston.
vii. John Thomas “Jack” Collins (twin) (1888-1945) m. Margaret Davis (1891-1988); she was the daughter of William Davis, a Sharbot Lake railroad section-man. 1912 John T & Margaret Marriage. 1988 Margaret Lasette Collins Death.
a) Dorothy Jean Collins (1913- ) Reg Pineger (1899-1966) in 1936 in Beachburg. Their children: Ann Collins (1937- ) m. Jean Salgleish (1938- ); Nancy Collins (1944- )m. (1) ____ and (2) Douglas Cornwall (1933- )
“Gerry Condie wrote to Mother at Christmas every year till she died. He said “Aunt Jessie made the best molasses cookies in the Glen“. By the sound of it he ate plenty of them”. – Note from Dorothy Pineger in “The Collins Clan” by Irvin L. Collins, 1990.
b) William Edgar Collins M.D. (1915- ) m. Mary Payne (1907-1979) in 1942. Their son: John Payne (1943- ).
Fortunately for us, a young lad growing up in the lean years of the 20’s and 30’s, took the time to set out his memoirs. The writer’s father, John T. “Jack” Collins operated a General Store in the Village of Beachburg for many years with his wife Margaret Davis. Their son Dr. W.E.(Edgar) Collins remembers his formative years in Beachburg: My Father the Storekeeper by Edgar Collins, M.D.
Edgar also wrote out his impressions of some his McBride cousins and this piece has been generously submitted to the HWTProject by Ruth McBride Ross, daughter of Harold McBride and Mary Comrie:
“After the United Church of Canada was formed in 1925-26, the Pentecostal Church was formed when they foresaw that the new United Church would eventually become what it has (1988) during most of its lifetime, always gradually. Minnie and Russell McBride and May and Milburn McBride were charter members as far as Eastern Ontario was concerned. The tenets of the new church were the teachings of John and Charles Wesley and the central tenet was that any Christian could approach his or her God without the intercession of a priest.
Some random thoughts of these two families follow:
Minnie Collins and Russell McBride were jolly people. Their children:
1. Leapha married Allan Cameron – they remained on her parents’ farm (on Lookout Road) until they retired.
2. Mary, a schoolteacher, died long ago.
3. John also a school teacher, went to Kenya in 1935 as a teacher missionary and worked easily with the natives. On furlough he collected money to support his mission schools. On one furlough he learned how to set up mail order courses and introduced this to Kenya. My opinion of John has improved steadily over the years.
May Collins and Milburn McBride were more serious and quiet. Their children:
1. Billie died of spinal meningitis aged 8 or 9 years.
2. Emerson a teacher, auspices of the Pentecostal Church in the USA, went to Jamaica. Set up school in the terrible east end of Kingston and a second near Spanish Town. His son went to USA and have lost touch with him. His daughter is still teaching in the Jamaican schools. Emerson was widely and greatly respected because he was quietly trying to teach Jamaicans to read and write. Lawson Douglas had Rev. McBride being dialysed. The Billy Graham was in Kingston at the same time as meeting of all urologists in West Indies – just a few. Emerson invited both groups to a sit down dinner on the Mission lawn. Emerson met his guests at the front door, a handsome pleasant man in an immaculate white suit – but was forced to return to the hospital and with his internist about 9:00 p.m. When I visited him for the last time the next morning, I asked why there was no wall around the Mission and why I could not find a front door. His reply,
“I have a mission in the penitentiary at Spanish Town and all the worst criminal element in Jamaica are my parishioners. My family and I and our processions are perfectly safe anywhere is Jamaica, If anyone bothered any of us there would be swift retribution and everyone knows it.”
I was much impressed with Emerson. He must remain one of the best people in our family.
3. Harold McBride, my favourite cousin I am proud to say. He worked with his father for many years and loved to do custom threshing every fall for 4-5 weeks using his father’s steam tractor. He should have been an engineer. He married Mary Comrie. Her father baled Dad out in two recessions when the bank foreclosed large loans that Dad needed during the depression when he continued to supply his customer farmers and the people he supplied with hay and oats in lumber camps. And at the railway divisional points. In those days all animals raised in the prairies were shipped to Toronto, Hull, and Montreal, to be slaughtered. They had to be unloaded, rested, fed and watered at each divisional point (approximately every 200 miles) and the cars cleaned. Dad continued to supply both types of customers from either. Banker Macmillan could not see that the depression was nearly over and foreclosed twice. Herb Comrie (Mary McBride’s father) lent him enough money twice to cover the loan and said:
“John I have enough money in accounts in both Cobden and Renfrew to cover this – the account in Renfrew is with a different branch – I’ll get the money in Renfrew today – you take it in tomorrow and don’t tell that SOB McMillan where you got it.”
Dad did this thinking it would improve his credit rating. Dad was right about the depression too. In 1937 he shipped 12,000 tons of hay from Beachburg and was paid for it. But he had his first heart attack early in 1938 and had to sell his business.
Francie Comrie and her daughter were both intelligent, pleasant and hard working. Mary and Harold McBride’s three daughters were also; Ruth, Wanda and Sylvia. Harold invented a machine to chop large blocks of wood and a unique attachment to lift the blocks up to the chopping platform.
The three McBride girls were the smartest and best family to ever come out of Beachburg.
4. Lester McBride the youngest – a small handsome man – married a beautiful, nice and quiet girl from Westmeath. I have lost touch with them but I understand that some of their children are in Ottawa and doing very well.
“Our family clearly shows the characteristics of the four families that begat us. The Wright family was upper class English originally from Yorkshire who moved to Kent for three generations and who arrived in Massachusetts in September shortly after the Mayflower. Two of the Wrights married children of the original 22 Mayflower families. Philamon Wright led the expedition from Woburn, Massachusetts to found Wrightville and later Ottawa.
“He was not an United Empire Loyalist but rather an entrepreneur as were most so-called United Empire families. He remained leader of the settlements along the Ottawa River throughout his life, pioneering first the farm settlements, pioneered the squared timber trade, was elected to represent the area in Parliament, established the Ottawa-St. Lawrence route for rafts to Quebec City. His descendants remained leaders in the community and he has a huge family progeny.
“The Collins family came to Canada in 1857 in the form of a Methodist Minister who immigrated from County Antrim and settled in North Renfrew County. Like the Wrights they were prolific. They worked the land, became clergymen, nurses, doctors, teachers, missionaries and continued to do so. They have tended to support and lead left wing political parties. They have a sense of the fitness of things and show little concern for money. Men are all of stenic build and many men in successive generations have been said to resemble brick outhouses.”
“Dad and Obsorne were identical twins. When they were young they had their own private language and like many identical twins the also communicated by telepathy. When Dad was terminally ill Ossie would on occasion drop his work and come up to the village to visit Dad and it was always when Dad was having an especially difficult time. They were both excellent checker players and had to stop playing because whoever had the first move would naturally win the game.
“In 1930 or 1931 a farmer brought a fine team of draft horse into the store yard and asked Dad if he would take them as payment of $250.00 on his store account, which Dad did. When the farmer left with his receipt I was told to take them down and give them to Ossie as he had only one horse and would loose his farm if he did not have a team. Two weeks later I told Dad that Ossie had sold the team and he replied that he had given them to him and if Ossie could help himself by selling then there was no reason why he shouldn’t do so.
“I have always believed firmly in mental telepathy and in extrasensory perception. In 1953 on Monday afternoon in the midst of a busy office I suddenly realized that I had not seen Ossie for many months. I told Mrs, Morton to cancel my cystoscopies the next day which was Tuesday and Mary and I went up to visit Ossie. We found him in bed and very happy to learn he had received his first old age pension cheque that very morning and with us he spent that cheque many times that afternoon and always on one of his grandchildren.
“Ossie died the following Friday and I was happy that we had gone to visit him because Dorothy and I always felt very close to Ossie.” – from notes written by Edgar Collins collected in “The Collins Clan” by Irvin Collins 1999.
c) Margaret Edna Collins (1926-1944) died in Beachburg
Twin Brothers John T. Collins and Osborne Collins
Two grandsons of Thomas and Eliza Collins stayed and raised their families in Westmeath Township.
“John T Collins Store: Another store, mid village on Main Street, was built by Peter Barr in 1865. It was sold to Silas and Edward Beach, but when they went bankrupt, Herman Christmann took over and sold it to John Wilson. It ceased to be a store for awhile. In 1913, Mr. Alvin Johnson was appointed Post Master for Beachburg and the post office was set up in this building. Mr. L.O. Christmann also operated a jewelry store there.
” In 1914, John T. Collins purchased the property, remodeled the building and added a second story. He operated a general store of groceries, dry goods, hardware, farm supplies, clothing, etc. He was known as the “farmer’s friend”. Farm produce was exchanged for groceries and supplies, oil and gasoline was available after the coming of the automobile, from the pumps outside the store.
“Many checker games were played in the back part of the store, by the senior men. Donald McLean with his horse and cart delivered groceries and supplies for John T. Collins.”
There is a worth-your-while story about this John T. Collins’ Store in the Beachburg Village entry.
viii. George Ernest Collins (1890-1954) m. Cecilia Florence Johnson (1891-1956), daughter of Eliza and Samuel Johnston of Forester’s Falls. 1913 George & Florence Marriage
a) Lillian Olwyn Collins (1917- ) m. Ernest Stirling Lightle of Stoney Creek in 1942 at Cobden.
b) Estelle Collins – infant death
c) Jean Elizabeth Collins (1921- ) m. William Sinclair and moved to USA.
d) William George Collins – infant death
e) Mary Florence Collins (1924-1987) m. Harold Hein ( -1987)
ix. Lillian Pearl Collins (1896-1932) m. Alva McDeirmid. She died at age 24 yrs. Infant son (1922-1922)
x. Edna Collins – died in infancy
7. Samuel Collins m. Mary Knapp
i. Ruth Collins
ii. Florance Collins
8. Joshua Collins (1856-1944) m. (1) Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bromley (1861 – 1886), daughter of Edward Bromley (1821-1901) and Sarah Holmes (1822-1913). See BROMLEY entry. They left Canada and settled in Minnesota, USA. Their children are:
i. Margaret Sara Collins (1882 –
ii. Jennie Collins (1883 – 1975)
iii. Elizabeth Collins (1884 – 1961)
iv. Baby Collins -1886 infant death.
v. Leslie Edwin Dewey Collins (1898 – 1976)
vi. Catherine B Collins (1904 –
After Lizzie died in 1886, Joshua remarried to (2) Mary Elizabeth Hamilton (1861 – 1943) of Wilberforce Township, Renfrew County, in Pembroke, Ontario. 1887 Joshua & Mary Elizabeth Marriage.
vii. Susie Isabel Collins (1888 – 1971) m. Harvey Herger
viii. Maybelle Esther Collins (1889 – 1967) m. Irvin Herger
ix. Oneita Luverne Collins (1891 – 1891)
x. Doris Mary Edna Collins (1893 – 1976)
xi. John Arthur Lloyd Collins (1895 – 1979)
xii. Laura Pearl Collins (1896 – 1987)
xiii. Amerilla Joslyn Collins (1900 – 1933)
xiv. Kathryn Beatrice Collins (1904 – 1988) m. Walter Tucker.
9. David Collins m. Mary Caswell.
i. Lily Queen Collins
ii. Evangeline Collins
iii. Ada Luella Collins
iv. Wendall Collins
v. Darloena Collins
vi. Daisy Collins
vii. Stanley Collins
10. Thomas Collins – died at age 21 yrs.
11. Robert Collins, who became a minister in the Nazarene Church, m. Roxanna Sykes. Buried in Cobden. The Nazarene Church was an outgrowth of the Methodist theology and part of the Holiness Movement which had the Wesleyan and Standard Church connected.
i. Walter Collins
ii. Alfred Clifford Collins
12. Benjamin Collins m. Jamie Dixon
i. Marguerite Collins
ii. Genevieve Collins
iii. William McKinley Collins
II. Descendants of John Edward Collins (1823- 1879) – brother #2.
John Edward Collins (1823- 1879) and wife Sarah Thompson (1820-1880) were married in Lisburn, Ireland. They came to the New World with their three oldest sons: James, Joseph and William. The family were Wesleyan Methodist adherents.
The children of John and Sarah are:
1. James Thompson Collins (1847- ) was born in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. He would m. Mary Burns (1850- ) and start their family in Westmeath Township but by the 1911 Canadian Census the family was residing in Calgary, Alberta.
i. Joseph L. Collins (1874- ) & brother George left this area in young manhood
ii. Wesley Edward Collins (1875 – 1962)
iii. John Wellington Collins (1877 – ) – died early manhood
iv. William Peck Collins (1879 –
v. George T Collins (1882 –) – died early manhood
vi. Susan “Ethel” Collins (1884 – ) married Eric Humphreys
vii. Wm George Tait Collins (1891 –
2. Joseph Collins (1851- ) born in Ireland. Unknown whereabouts after age 20 in 1871.
3. William Collins (1852- ) -died in early manhood
4. Jane Collins (1854- ) m. Joseph Burns (brother of Mary Burns?)
i. John Burns
ii. Minnie Burns
iii. Sarah Burns
iv. Edward Burns – died in boyhood
v. Mabel Burns
vi.William Burns
5. John Edward Collins (1855-1937) m. Annie Jane Ross (1853-1937) in May of 1883 in Ross Township. They lived in Alice and Fraser Township and later Village of Cobden.
i. Hattie Doran Collins (1884– ) m. Wilson McCracken
ii. William Edward Collins (1886–) – unmarried
iii. Richard “Lloyd” Collins (1888– 1956) m. ___McLeod
iv. Albert “Ernest” Collins (1891– ) m. Lois Watchorn
v. C. Margaret Collins (1893 – ) m. Ernest Wilson
vi. John B Collins (1897 – ) m. ___Beamish
6. Richard Collins (1858-1893) – died after a two year battle with tuberculosis; buried at Beachburg. 1893 Richard Collins Death
7. George Thompson Collins (1860- ), with his brother Joseph, left this area in young manhood. George married Susannah McPherson (1863- ) in North Bay, Nippissing District.
8. Dorthea “Dora” Collins (1863- ) m. James Taite
III. Descendants of William Collins (1830-1890) – brother #3
William Collins (1826-1891) m. Charlotte Margarette Humphrey (1830-1916); her maiden name was not recorded on her 1916 Death Registration. However she had been born in Ireland.
The Humphrey Family from notes by great-grand-daughter Gertrude Ross Alexander:
“Mr. Humphrey (first name unknown) died in Ireland. His wife died of typhus either en route to Canada on board ship or on arrival at Montreal. There were five children or young people who arrived in Canada. There may have been more but have no way of verifying this. I only knew them by their married names i.e. Auntie Halliday, Auntie Stuart, Auntie Reid. The last two I remember well. My grandmother Margaret was the youngest and after the death of their mother she was cared for by her older sisters.” More of Typhus “Ship Fever”.
1881 Census Beachburg Village
William Collins Household Members Name & Age:
William Collins 50
Margarette Collins 40
Charlotte Jane Collins 21
Maryalella Collins 17
John Collins 19
Isabell Collins 14
Gertrude Collins 12
Mary Collins 8
1. Charlotte Jane Collins (1860- ) m. Duncan Robertson (1852- ) son of John & Janet Robertson
The children of Charlotte and Duncan are:
i. John Robertson- unmarried
ii. Francis Robertson m. Herbert Comrie. See COMRIE entry.
iii. William Robertson m. Grace Stevenson
iv. Margaret Robertson m. ___Gillean
v. Peter Robertson m. (1) Della Blackburn, (2) Etta Carnegie. See CARNEGIE entry.
vi. Allan Robertson
vii. Lula Robertson m. Jack Gordon
viii. Dora Agnes Robertson (1901- ) m. James Bennie (1909-1988), the son of Robert Bennie (1870-1955) and Mary Elizabeth Condie. See BENNIE entry.
ix. Jean Robertson m. Bill Gunn
2. Frances Elizabeth Collins (1858–1876) – a schoolteacher – died at age 16 from consumption (tuberculosis).
3. John James Collins (1862 – 1912) m. Sarah Maria Strong (1868-1912) The children of John and Sarah are:
i. Ida Gertrude Collins (1895– 1922)
ii. Margaret Lillian Collins (1899– )
iii. Eldon Strong Collins (1901– )
iv. Stuart Humphrey Collins (1903– )
v. John Stanley Collins (1906– )
vi. Baby Collins (1912– 1912)
4. Margaret Collins (1864 –) m. Roland Grant
i. Evelyn Collins
ii. William Collins
5. Isabella “Bella” Collins (1867–1953) m. Robert William Ross (1864 – 1941) on March 18, 1891. See. ROSS entry.
6. Eliza Gertrude Collins (1870 – 1938) – unmarried
7. Mary Louisa Collins (1872 – ) Collins m. George Wagner
i. George Wagner
ii. Harvey Wagner
8. Richard Collins – shortly before his death he visited Ireland and found some cousins and the school that his great-great-grandfather attended and the old schoolmaster.