Edwin Collin
COLLIN
Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 12/24/2013 at 15:22:33
Edwin Collin
Edwin Collin, attorney at law, has resided in Northwood, Worth Co., Iowa, since 1869. He was born in Hillsdale, Columbia Co., N. Y., Aug. 31, 1842. He was the son of Henry A. and Sarah A. (White) Collin. The parents were married in Hillsdale. They had three children – Alonzo, professor in Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa; Addie, wife of James H. Gilruth, and Edwin. In 1856 Mr. Collin moved his family to Lynn Co., Iowa where he at present resides. Henry A. Collin is a staunch democrat. He has been justice of the peace and notary public for many years. He is a trustee of Cornell College, and has always taken an active interest in that institution. Edwin was educated at Cornell College, graduating in the class of 1864. Soon after leaving college he was employed with a party of civil engineers in the survey and construction of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad (now the Chicago & Northwestern), through Story and Boone counties, Iowa. In 1865 he visited Europe for his health, going to Genoa Italy, where he was employed a clerk in the United States consulate, remaining there eight months. He then visited Switzerland, when he received the appointment of consular agent at St. Gall, and afterward vice-consul. Here he remained over two years, then he returned to the United States and entered the law department of the Iowa State University, graduating there in 1869. The same year he came to Northwood, where he soon after made abstracts of the county records and engaged in the practice of law. In 1874 he was married to Mary E. Hunter, a daughter of William Hunter. Mr. and Mrs. Collin have two children – Henry A. and Nellie M. Source. History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1884, page 592.
Edwin Collin, the senior member of the Worth County bar, has practiced law in Northwood for a continuous period of almost forty years. Few attorneys are in practice in Iowa today that were in the profession when Edwin Collin came to Northwood.
Edwin Collin was born in Hillsdale, N. Y, Aug. 31, 1842. In 1856, the Collin family moved lo Linn county, Iowa, where Edwin attended the public school and later entered Cornell college from which he graduated in the class of 1864. After graduating he was employed for a time as a civil engineer. His health failing, he was obliged to give up his engineering work. He then took a trip to Europe seeking health and recreation. While in Genoa. Italy, he was offered a position in connection with the American consulate, remaining there the greater part of the year. Soon thereafter he was appointed vice consul at St. Gall, Switzerland, which position he held for two years.Returning to the United States in 1868, he entered the law department of Iowa State University, graduating therefrom in 1869. In that year he came to Northwood and hung out his shingle, making abstracts while waiting for clients. His first office was in the printery of the Northwood Pioneer. He immediately entered into partnership with L. S. Butler, under the firm name of Collin & Butler. In a few months this firm was dissolved, after which Mr. Collin practiced alone until 1881, when he joined forces with C. A. M. Spencer, which partnership continued until 1883. In 1888 Mr Collin formed a partnership with Frank Forbes. 'This combination proved to to be a strong one and lasted for more than 15 years. In 1903 the firm was dissolved by mutual consent, since which time Mr. Collin has practiced alone.
Mr. Collin has been a lifelong republican and his party service has been appreciated. For six years, from 1889 to 1895 he was county attorney and again from l901 to 1903, he held the same office. . He was also one of Iowa's delegates to the Republican National convention at St. Louis in 1896.
In 1871 Mr. Collin was married to Miss Mary Hunter, daughter of William Hunter, one of Northwood's prominent pioneers. To this union three children have been born. Henry A. Collin, who was educated at Cornell College, Chicago University and the Michigan College of Mines. Henry is now a mining engineer at present, stationed at Mill City, Nevada, where he is Superintendent of the Sheba Gold and Silver Mining Co. Helen, now the wife of Morris Stanford, secretary of the George A. Mullen Book Co., of Cedar Rapids, and William Hunter Collin who is now a student of the college of liberal arts, in the Iowa State University.Mr. Collin is a prominent stockholder in the First National Bank of Northwood and in the Northwood Savings Bank of which latter institution he is president. Source: The Semi-centennial Souvenir of Northwood, Iowa, 1907, page 8.
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