William Collins (abt. 1790 - 1860)

Born about 1790 in North Carolina, United States

Husband of Mary (Endsley) Collins — married 6 Dec 1814 in Lincoln, North Carolina, United States

Died 1860 at about age 70 in Rhea, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

William Collins married Mary Endsley 6 Dec 1814 in Lincoln Co., North Carolina.^{[1] [2] [3]}

On 6 Dec 1814 William Collins, Archabald Endsley, and Alexander Collins are firmly bound unto the Governor of North Carolina in the sum of $500 for the marriage of William Collins and Mary Endsley.

Census

1850 Rhea Co., Tennessee, 3rd Dist.; Sept 24; pg 576 ^[4]
247/247
William Collins 60 MW NC $-- Farmer
Mary " 64 FW NC
Eliza Moore 26 FW NC
William " 9 MW NC
Smith " 7 MW NC
Dotson " 4 MW NC
Madison Edmonds 21 MW Tn Farmer

He is not in the Slave Schedule. His son Alfred Collins lives at 248/248, and another son Pincney Collins lives at 251/251. Joshua Collins lives at 269/269 and Nancy Collins lives at 295/295, both in the 4th District.

1860 Rhea Co., Tennessee, District No. 3, p.o. Washington; July 21; pg 60 ^[5]
411/411
William Collins 69 MW NC ---/$700 Farmer
Mary " 72 FW NC
Eliza Moore 35 FW NC
Thomas S. " 18 MW NC
Albert D. " 16 MW NC
Mary E. Collins 5 FW NC

He is not in the Slave Schedule. His son Pinkney Collins lives at 412/412. Mary E. is probably a daughter of William's son Alfred.

In 1870 Polly Collins (80, NC) is living in Rhea Co., Tennessee, 7th District (p.o. Smith & Roads), at 38/38 in the household of Elizabeth Burton (54, NC). ^[6] Eliza Moore (44, NC), presumably Polly's daughter, is living in the same district at 52/52 in the household of her son Albert D. Moore. ^[7]

Probate

On pages 202 and 203 of the Rhea County, Tennessee Record of Wills, Volume 1, the court deals with the recent death of William Collins. In March 1861 the court sets aside to Mrs. Collins, widow of William Collins, "so much of the crop and provisions on hand as will be sufficient in our opinion to support her one year from the death of her said husband", specifically, "all the meat on hands and the wheat on hands, & the growing crop of wheat, & one pen of corn, & all the household cooking utencils on hands, & the pottry & the farming utencil & the fodder on hand, & the hogs on hands".

On February 18, 1861 there was a sale of the property of William Collins, and on page 203 Robt. N. Gillespie presents an account of the sale.

1 cross cut saw to Mrs. Collins for $ .20
1 grind stone to Mrs. Collins for $ .10
2 yearlings to Mrs. Collins for $1.00
1 blind horse to Mrs. Collins for $21.00
1 colt to Mrs. Collins for $32.00
1 old saddle & 1/3 interest in wind mill to P. Collins for $1.00
2 sheep to John Wilson for $3.10
_____
total $58.40

There are 2 doubtful notes due to the deceased for $145.00, one from Henry Wassum and one from George Minnick.

Brothers?

Joshua Collins married in Rhea Co. in 1846 at the age of 21. He had to have a reason to be there, and one possible explanation is that he came to Rhea County with his parents. On that basis he might be the son of William Collins or Nancy Collins, who in the 1850 census are living relatively close to each other. Joshua's death certificate says that his father was Thomas Collins, so one can conjecture that Nancy is Thomas's widow and that Thomas and William are brothers.

In 1860, 1870, and 1880 Joshua lives close to either Martin Collins or to his children. It seems highly likely that Joshua and Martin are related. Joshua is not Martin's son because Joshua was born in May 1825 and Martin's son Jesse was born 12 Jul 1825. It may be the case that Martin, William and Thomas Collins are brothers and that Joshua is Martin's nephew.

Nancy, William and Martin say that they were born in North Carolina, and their older children say that they (the children) were born there also.

We need to find a marriage between a Thomas Collins and a woman named Nancy about 1820, bearing in mind that Thomas, Nancy and Collins are frequently occurring names. There is a Thomas Collins in the 1830 census of Lincoln Co., North Carolina whose wife in the 1850 census is Nancy, but it is clear that they moved from North Carolina to Georgia and are not Joshua's parents. The census suggests that they married about 1824.

Another Thomas Collins married Nancy Parker April 10, 1823 in Gates Co., NC, but, alas, Thomas Collins, 45, and Nancy, 48, are in the 1850 Gates Co. census as husband and wife.

Remember that the conjecture that William, Martin, and Thomas are brothers is merely a conjecture.

Wife

In a biographical sketch of her great-grandfather Alfred Collins, Wanda Collins Richardson says on page 933 of "Washington County History" that Alfred was the son of William Collins and Mary Endsley Collins and that the family moved to Rhea Co., Tennessee around 1840.

Sources

1. ↑ Frances T. Ingmire, "Lincoln County, North Carolina Marriage Records, Females 1783-1866," 1984
2. ↑ "North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records 1741-2011", Lincoln > Marriage Bonds (1785-1883), at ancestry.com
3. ↑ "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:QRV7-F7QW : 9 March 2021), Entry for William Collins and Marcy Endsley, 6 Dec 1814; citing Lincoln, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm .
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1850", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDY-JWM : Sun Mar 10 22:31:27 UTC 2024), Entry for William Collins and Mary Collins, 1850.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8TJ-DRP : Sun Mar 10 07:22:04 UTC 2024), Entry for William Collins and Mary Collins, 1860.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDZB-JPV : Tue Mar 05 06:34:55 UTC 2024), Entry for Elizabeth Burton and Martha J Burton, 1870.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDZB-JRK : Tue Mar 05 06:35:22 UTC 2024), Entry for Albert D Moore and Sarah Moore, 1870.

• Rhea County, Tennessee Record of Wills, Volume 1, pgs 202-203