My Genealogy Hound

BENJAMIN Y. COLLINS, since 1834 one of the pioneer settlers and representative business men of Niles, Mich., has for nearly three-score years been a prominent factor in the upward progress and development of enterprise in his home locality. Our subject is a native of Delaware and was born in Milford, Kent County, March 14, 1814. His parents were Thomas and Sophia (Candy) Collins. The father was also a native of Milford, Del., but the paternal grandfather, Thomas Collins, was born in Maryland and was of direct Irish descent. The mother was born and reared in Delaware, where her father, William Candy, was a prosperous farmer. The Candys were of English descent and, honest, hard-working citizens, commanded the respect of all who knew them. The father and mother of our subject were united in marriage in their native place and made their home amid the scenes of their youth. Thomas Collins engaged in his trade of a brick-mason until the close of his life, at the age of thirty-nine years. After his death the mother came to Niles and died here at three-score years and ten.

Nine children blessed the old home in Milford. Sarah, the eldest, died in Missouri; William died in Kansas; Thomas is likewise deceased; James passed away in youth; Sophia, now a widow, resides in Chicago; Benjamin Y. is our subject; John S. lives in Milton Township, Cass County; Mary is Mrs. George N. Bond, of Chicago; James A. is a well-known citizen of St. Joseph, Mich., and is in the shoe business. Our subject, the sixth child and fourth son, was reared and educated in his birthplace, and was early trained into habits of industry and self-reliance. At twenty years of age, having served an apprenticeship at the business, he began for himself as a manufacturer of shoes. Later, deciding to try his fortunes in the West, he came direct to Niles by team, and in 1834 went to work for J. Staler in the shoe business. After remaining six months with Mr. Staler, he engaged in the same line of trade for himself, and, meeting with success, built the first three-story frame building in Niles. Mr. Collins began his business on a small scale, but his sales rapidly increasing he was forced to employ at one time twelve shoemakers, and profitably continued in the same business for eighteen years.

In 1851, Mr. Collins commenced the manufacture of brick, and for a quarter of a century prosperously handled the product of his kilns and yards, and the last brick he ever made was used in building up Chicago after the terrible fire of 1871. For that purpose he filled one order for three hundred thousand brick. In 1871, our subject retired from the active cares of daily business and allowed himself the needed rest after years of confining employment. Mr. Collins has built thirty houses in Niles and has valuable property within the town, and also possesses a number of farms. In 1845, our subject and Miss Helen Robinson were united in marriage at the residence of the bride in New York City. Of the three children born unto Mr. and Mrs. Collins two died in infancy; one, a son, William B., survives, who is a traveling salesman, with headquarters at Grand Rapids. He is married and is the father of two children. Lucile was born on the same day and month as our subject, March 14; Helen is the youngest. The estimable mother of these young daughters was Miss Bacon, a native of Niles, of which city her father, Samuel J. Bacon, was an old and highly esteemed resident. Mr. Collins cast his first vote for Martin Van Buren, and has affiliated with the Republican party ever since the war. During his long years of faithful and enterprising citizenship, our subject has efficiently held important positions of trust, and in the early days was a member of the Village Council. He is not connected with any society, and has devoted himself mainly to the demands of his private business interests. In his pleasant home, the abode of hospitality, he receives many old-time friends, who together recall the struggles and triumphs of pioneer days.