Biographies Michigan Biographies Project |
Selah Baxter Collins engaged in farming after coming to Michigan in 1824 with his parents. His father first located at Pittsfield township, Washtenaw county, where he remained several years, his name was Alpheus Collins.
When Selah Collins started for himself, he located in Lyndon township, Washtenaw county, and first built a shack by the lake, where he lived for one year, or until a house was built. He lost this property through speculation, and his father sold out at Pittsfield and bought four hundred acres of this, replacing the frame house with one of brick, which still stands on the place. Alpheus Collins resided on this place until his death in 1860.
Selah B. Collins was early a Whig, and later a Republican. He was a member of the M. E. church and had four brothers who were Methodist ministers. His brother, Judson, was one of the first seven missionaries to China. Selah B. Collins was the first of nine children, eight boys and one girl: Selah B., Josiah, Wellington H., Isaac, Walter, William W., Judson, Sidney A. and Esther. All lived to old age.
William H. Collins was the fourth of ten children: Edwin O., Dec. 11, 1837, died in 1903; Addison C., July 25, 1838; Marian S., May 24, 1839, died in 1852; William H., our subject; Esther A., Sept. 6, 1843; Cynthia, April 11, 1846; Lucinda, Feb. 28, 1849, died the same year; Josephine, Oct. 22, 1851, died in 1852; Albert, Aug. 12, 1853, died Aug. 26, 1862, and Betsey, born April 15, 1857.
Our subject was educated in the district schools of Washtenaw county and started for himself in 1862, when enlisted in 1st Mich. Vol. Infantry, and joined the regiment at Antietam. He was in every engagement of the regiment, including Laurel Hill fight, where he was wounded in the shoulder by a minnie ball, which went in at the right shoulder and came out at the point of the left shoulder blade. After being wounded he came home on leave of absence for thirty days, and at the end of that time was transferred to St. Mary's hospital at Detroit and there put on duty where he acted as hospital steward until the close of the war. He was at one time sergeant of his company.
In the early seventies Mr. Collins settled in Lyndon township on eighty acres of improved land, where he lived until 1886, when he moved to Stockbridge village and engaged in the agricultural implement business for eight years and then moved onto his present place, which he had purchased three years previous to this time.
Nov. 27, 1868, Mr. Collins was united in marriage to Margaret McCall, who was born July 17, 1844, is the daughter of Alexander and Margaret (McIntyre) McCall of Waterloo township, Jackson county. The father was born June 17, 1800, and the mother, July 3, 1804. Mrs. Collins' father located in Waterloo township, Jackson county, in 1835, on four hundred acres of wildl land, all of which he cleared excepting eighty acres. He was in possession of this property at the time of his death, Feb. 21, 18. . . The mother is also deceased.
Mrs. Collins was the sixth of seven children: Hugh, born May 11, 1833, died in 1836; Donald, March 13, 1835, died in 1836; Alexy, A., Nov. 5, 1837, died March 20, 1901; Jane, April 1, 1839, died March 11, 1904; Hugh A., second, born Nov. 13, 1842; Margaret, July 17, 1844, and Donald, second, Dec. 18, 1846. Mrs. Collins' father was a Whig, and later a Republican. He was a member of the Methodist church while his wife was a Presbyterian.
William Collins and wife are the parents of two children: the first child born May 3, 1876, died in infancy; Arthur W., born April 29, 1877, married Annie Grimes, Nov. 25, 1903, to whom one son has been born, Rodney A., Nov. 14, 1904. They reside on a farm across the road from the parents.
Our subject held the office of Highway Commissioner for three terms, being elected by the Republican party. Fraternally he is a member of the G. A. R., Masons and Eastern Star.
Mr. Collins is one of the representative citizens of Stockbridge township, and although his residence here has not been as long as that of many, he is as loyally attached to the district as though he were a native. He has the respect of all who know him, and in business matters his word is as good as his bond.
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Biographies Michigan Biographies Project |
 Sondra Higbee
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