John L. Collins 1828-1904

COLLINS, OCONNELL, SMITH

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 2/2/2022 at 07:05:35

Columbus Gazette, Columbus Junction, IA
Wednesday, February 3, 1904
page 1

The death of John L. Collins, which occurred at this place Thursday morning, January 28, was not unexpected. He had been ailing for two years or more and had gradually grown more feeble, so that his friends were prepared to learn of his death at any time during the past few weeks. Mr. Collins was born at Bombay, New York, in June, 1828, hence was almost 76 years of age at the time of his death. He was the eldest of seven children, of whom but two survive him. These are T. J. Collins of Lawrence, Kansas and Miss Ella Collins, of Emerald, the same state.

When twenty years of age, in 1848, he came to Will county, Illinois. He became a railroad contractor and came to Iowa with the C. R. R. & P. railway in 1852. He and his brothers did most of the grading of the bed of that road from Muscatine to this palace, then and for many years after known as the "Sand Bank". They had extensive contracts for grading between here and Washington when the panic of 1857 stopped all work of the kind and their contract was sold back to the company. This finished his work as railroad builder.

He had been running a supply store with his business which he restocked and entered into the mercantile trade. After the road was finished to Washington, the town of Clifton was built up and the Sand Bank became a thing of the past. Mr. Collins opened the first store at Clifton and did a big business there during the flush war times which followed. When Columbus Junction was laid out, he was one of the first to see the end of Clifton and established himself here, which ever after continued his home. He retired from active business nearly a dozen years ago since which time he has lived a retired life.

On June 13, 1866, at Forest Park, near Chicago, he was untied in marriage to Miss Ellen A. O'Connell. The funeral occurred Saturday afternoon under the auspices of the Odd Fellows, of which order Mr. Collins had long been a faithful member. Remarks were made by James R. Smith, at the request of the deceased made some years ago renewed but a few weeks prior to his death. The remains were laid to rest beside those of his wife in the Columbus City cemetery.