John Collins Sr. (abt. 1715 - bef. 1795)

Born about 1715 in Ireland

Husband of Jane (Major) Collins — married 21 Dec 1749 in Saint George Mayfair,Westminster,London,England

Descendants

Died before 1795 before about age 80 in Hackers Creek, Lewis, Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Glen Wolfe [send private message], Paul Satterthwaite [send private message], Anonymous Hemenover [send private message], Tammy Dunn [send private message], and Dean Bays [send private message]

This profile is part of the Collins Name Study.

John Collins Sr. was born in Ireland.

• Profile Represents John Collins m Jane Major presumed son of John Collins (1682) and Mary Smith (1686)
• This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources? Recent research availability has helped to solidify some of the mis-information; Researchers are encouraged to reverify (and add source) information; making adjustments to profiles as necessary.

No original source records have been located to confirm birth or marriage records. It appears that some erroneous information may have been published, and perhaps republished/reported, making the “actual facts” obscure. There is a great deal of conflicting information surrounding the Collins Family of West Virginia – Many Source-to-Source discrepancies; co-mingling, Lack of records; conflicting family stories; number of Collin’s with the same names, etc.

Discrepancy

Child Discrepancy - Date errors - Co mingled (with Son John m Hannah Cozad)^[1]. Additional research/sources needed.

• Jacob (1740) m Unknown - may be same as m Mary Ellsworth (1742–1800) (presumed (g-son) likely (attached to "wrong parent"; s/b son of; JOHN COLLINS Jr. and HANNAH COZAD vs John m Jane Major
• Cornelius COLLINS b: Abt. 1760 m Eleanor RICHARDS b: Abt. 1774 likely son of John and Hannah Cozad

Spouse Discrepancy

May have m (after 1766) Mary Wolfe as 3rd spouse (estate docs in Hampshire County June 25, 1787 (vs 1795) lists Mary Wolfe as his widow) (aka He kept the Fairfax and Wolfe tracts until his death

Biography

John Collins presumed son of John Collins (1682) and Mary Smith (1686)

Birth Estimate 1715-1720 Antrim Ireland

Marriage

Marriage Estimate 1731-1749 Saint George Mayfair, Westminster, London, England

• Unknown
• 1749 Virginia vs England- Jane Major (Elizabeth Jane Major (1715 - 1765)) presumed Daughter of John Major (1656–1724) and Mary Little
• m 3rd after 1766 Mary Wolfe (presumed Daughter of Melchior Brumbach and Maria Elisabeth (Fischbach) Brombach (aka Maria Gertraut (Brombach) Wolf (1722 - 1803) (m 1st Johann Jacob Neuschwanger ; 2nd Michael (Wolfe) Wolf; 3rd John Collins)

(estate docs in Hampshire County June 25, 1787 (vs 1795 distribution) lists Mary Wolfe as John's widow; presumed mother of Abraham (Neuschwanger/Niswanger) (1746 - bef. 1785) who was Witness to the will of Michael Wolf, 1765, Frederick County, Virginia Will Book "3," p. 338.

Arrival Estimate He emigrated to the American colonies (about 1745) and was an early settler of Hackers Creek, Virginia (later West Virginia).

Location Estimate Frederick County, Virginia; Stony Run, Hackers Creek-Skin Creek, Lewis County, West Virginia

Death

Death Estimate 1787 vs 1795 Hackers Creek, Lewis County, Virginia (later West Virginia).

He left no will, and his sons Thomas, John Jr. and George Divided the land without probate in 1795.

May have m Mary Wolfe as 3rd spouse (estate docs in Hampshire County June 25, 1787 (vs 1795) lists Mary Wolfe as his widow) He kept the Fairfax and Wolfe tracts until his death.

Children

3 Identified/proven Children Estimated Birth 1731-1766 from Probate^[2]

• Thomas (1748 - 1822) m Elizabeth Sprigg (Cresap) ^[3][4]
• John (1750 Frederick Co., VA -1835 St. Joseph Co., IN) m Hannah Cozad (1751–1829) ^{[5] [1]} (reportedly 11 children (1770's -- Sons of John and Hannah Cozad may have included Collins-8601 Jacob m Mary Ellsworth; Cornelius m Unknown (presumed Eleanore Richards); Isaac m Unknown
• George (abt. 1755 - abt. 1833) m 2X - m 1st 1791 Mary Richards; 2nd 1809 Mary "Polly" OWENS^{[6] [7]}

Other/Unproven/Unsourced Children (Not Named in 1795 distribution)^[2]

• Jacob (1740) m Unknown - m Mary Ellsworth (vs Mary RICHARDS) ^[1][8]
• Sarah Colin, (Twin) 1741 m Unknown; presumed died before 1787 ^[4]
• Solomon COLLINS b: Abt. 1742 m Unknown; presumed died before 1787
• Cornelius COLLINS b: Abt. 1760 m Eleanor RICHARDS b: Abt. 1774]] likely son of John and Hannah Cozad (1772 vs 1760)^[1]

^[8]

See Also

• (sourced) John Collins m Jane Major
• https://www.geni.com/people/John-Collins-Sr/6000000000491103015
• https://www.geni.com/people/John-Collins/6000000059442391826?through=6000000000314793886
• (sourced) https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:John_Collins_%28139%29

Research

(partial sources) History of Harrison County, West Virginia: From the Early Days of ...By Henry Haymond

(JOHN COLLINS) received a land grant of 425 acres in Frederick County VA from Lord Fairfax August 8, 1749. This grant became part of Hampshire County VA (WV) when that county was created from Frederick County in November 1753.

1765 deeds from Hampshire County where John Collins Sr. sold his land to John Keating

https://www.geni.com/people/John-Collins-Sr/6000000000491103015 John’s first wife is unknown, but she is believed to have died before 1765. John purchased a tract of 400 acres of land in Hampshire County from Mary (Nieswanger) Wolfe August 12, 1766. She had received this tract as a grant from Lord Fairfax in 1757, before her marriage to Michael Wolfe. A examination of John’s estate in Hampshire County June 25, 1787 lists Mary Wolfe as his widow.

https://books.google.com/books?id=wD4VAAAAYAAJ&q=collins#v=snippet&q=collins&f=false A History of Lewis County, West Virginia; By Edward Conrad Smith]

(appears to be son John m Hannah Cozad vs John m Jane Major)

page 138: John Collins and his three sons, Jacob, Cornelius and Isaac, were the first permanent settlers in the district. They brought all their worldly possessions to the upper West Fork on packhorses in the winter of 1797-98, and selected the broad bottom facing the rising sun which is now part of the George 1. Davisson farm about one mile south of Jacksonville. The first cabin was located on the right side of the river and not far northeast of the sugar orchard. The Collins' were industrious and cleared a considerable portion of the land in the immediate vicinity of their homes. They remained in their original location until after the formation of Lewis County when they sought a more favorable situation in the west.

First Settlers: John Collins of Frederick County Virginia Later of Hacker's Creek by Clarissa Tatterson 1982

John Collins Jr. was born about 1750, in Frederick County Virginia,

the Collins family moved to Monongalia County Virginia in 1769, where John Sr. got 300 acres by "Settlement rights". The Survey of this tract of land on Morgan Run, Forks of Cheat River shows (Rev.) Jacob Cozad III adjacent to John Collins' Land. It was here that John Collins Jr. won the Rev. Jacob Cozad's daughter's hand in marriage, Miss Hannah Cozad for his wife. They were married about 1771, by Hannah' father or by the Rev. Isaac Sutton, founder of the Great Bethel Baptist Church, at Uniontown Pennsylvania, this Church sponsored the organization of the Forks of the Cheat River Baptist Church on November 5th 1775.

• "Partner Trees: *https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:3Y14-G9C MyTrees.com," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:3Y14-L1H : accessed 3 October 2021), entry for John Collins; file (2:2:2:MMX3-5WM), submitted 17 December 2019.
• John Collins

ABT 1720 - 29 Aug 1769 • 3Y14-L1H Birth ABT 1720 Ireland,, Death 29 Aug 1769 NOTES (2) GIVN John SURN Collins EVEN TYPE Miscellaneous Was a soldier in the indian wars (1610–1646), and was captured by Shawnee Indians and held captive for four years.

Clerissa (Hathaway) Tatterson

researched the John Collins line for 23 years before publishing "John Collins of Frederick County, Virginia" in 1982 (Descendants of John COLLINS m Jane Major

Since that time others have contributed to and refined the research. It was Clerissa who traced the immigration of John Collins from Ireland to Pennsylvania and thence to Virginia.

As a marker to distinguish this John Collins from others in the same region and at the same time she used his companion and possible relative by marriage Thomas McGuire. She states that John Collins indentured himself to Daniel Boyle for a year and a half on September 22, 1745 in Philadelphia. John Collins and Thomas McGuire were then transported to Frederick County, Virginia to work on a tobacco plantation. By 1749 John Collins bought land in Hampshire County, Virginia from Thomas Lord Fairfax. In 1765 he sold tracts of 119 acres and 133 acres to John Keating.

He bought 400 acres from Mary Wolfe in Hampshire County in 1766. He kept the fairfax and Wolfe Tracts until his death. He left no will, and his sons thomas, John Jr. and George Divided the land without probate in 1795.

• https://www.geni.com/people/Mary-Collins/6000000174141954324?through=6000000059442391826

Mary Collins (Smith) Gender: Female Birth: circa 1690 Ireland Immediate Family: Wife of John Collins Mother of Thomas Collins and John Collins

Sources

Links are provided for reference and convenience only (and are considered unreliable /unproven unless sources are contained within). ^[2]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24235777/john-collins
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Clerissa (Hathaway) Tatterson researched the John Collins line for 23 years before publishing "John Collins of Frederick County, Virginia" in 1982 (Descendants of John COLLINS m Jane Major
3. ↑ Hampshire County deed from Deed Book 12, p. 14, which proves the relationship between John Sr. and his son Thomas
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBS1-Q5L : 19 March 2020), John Colin in entry for Thomas Colin, 30 Jan 1741.; Dawley Magna, Shropshire, England (Parents John/Jane) ; Twin /Sarah "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J79Y-RHH : 19 March 2020), John Colin in entry for Sarah Colin, 1741.
5. ↑ Hampshire County deed from Deed Book 10, p. 55, which proves the relationship between John Senior and John Junior
6. ↑ West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZX-CDHY : 22 July 2021), George Collings (abt. 1755 -1833) and Mary Richards, 12 Mar 1791; citing Marriage, Harrison, West Virginia, United States, county clerks, West Virginia; FHL microfilm
7. ↑ / in-depth research re George Collins Family by John J. Hood US Genweb Archives Calhoun County, West Virginia establishes dates (b. 1760-65, d. 1840-50) and marriages Mary Richards and Mary Polly Owens 1809 Harrison Co WV Marriage Bond; confirms as a brother to John Jr (m Hannah Cozad); Reportedly 10 children each marriage
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} [https://books.google.com/books?id=J4QFK5LO-boC&pg=PA450&lpg=PA450&dq=jacob+collins,+mary+ellsworth&source=bl&ots=bIQ1cmlH7S&sig=2KVOem1qVA3tbthO1PBv90K6-Mw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiRy8bk9unaAhULr4MKHR0ZBqsQ6AEwDnoECAAQWg#v=onepage&q=jacob%20collins%2C%20mary%20ellsworth&f=false 1794 and 1795 Marriages of Harrison Co WV; History of Harrison County, West Virginia: From the Early Days of Northwestern Virginia to the Present; Henry Haymond; Acme Publishing Company, 1910 - Harrison County (W. Va.) - 451 pages

Acknowledgments

• Collins-4187 was created by Glen Wolfe.
• Collins-7508 was created by Tammy Jarrell through the import of 1916598.ged on 16 Aug 2014.