Birth PlaceWashington County, Tennessee
OccupationCarpenter
Spouses
Birth Date1 Mar 1828
Birth PlaceWashington County, Tennessee
Death Date31 May 1876 Age: 48
Death PlaceKnox County, Tennessee
Burial PlaceOld Gray Cemetery, Knox County, Tennessee1130
Marr Date16 Jul 1840
Marr PlaceWashington County, Tennessee
Notes for George J. COLLINS
1850 - Found in Washington County, Tennessee census
Washington County Tennessee census page 309. Living next door is Margaret Cloyd/Collins.
Thomas and Rebecca Collins born in VA. Rebecca is listed before Thomas. They could be the parents of George, but so far, that connection has not been made.
Under George, the following were listed:
George age 28 a carpenter born in TN
Adeline age 21 born in TN
Richard D. Collins age 10 born in TN
Thomas L. age 4 born in TN
Arthur age 3 born in TN
Wm M. age 6 months born in TN
1860 - Found in Washington County, Tennessee census
Geor. J. 38, Ruth A. 28, Richard D. 17, Thomas L. 15, Arthur C. 13, Martha L. 8, Jessee Mc. 6, Wa-77-169
1870 - Haven't found him yet.
1880 - Haven't found him on census yet.
George was a member of Company F 10th US Calvary.
90 He enrolled on the 19th of October, 1863 for three years and was discharged at St. Louis, Missouri on the 13th of June, 1865. On his discharge papers it states that he was born in Washington County, Tennessee, was fourty-one, five feet seven inches high with had dark hair and blue eyes -weighing 137 pounds. It also listed his occupation as a carpenter.
George's civil war pension application was filed from Knox County, Tennessee. On the 18th of October in 1871 he applied for an Invalid Army Pension. He claimed that while out on scout duty in Franklin Co., TN, at or near Spring Hill, TN, he became ill. He was diagnosed with inflamation of the kidneys and was taken from duty and sent by the steamer "Hard Times" to Jefferson Barrachs Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. George's application was rejected on May 15, 1872. There was no mention of any family member's named. But there was a witness named Thomas Collins. The relationship between the two Collins men (if any) is not known.
1132 However, it is known that George and Ruth had a son named Thomas.
Notes for Ruthey Adeline (Spouse 1)
1833 - On the 29th of March in 1833 when Ruthie was about 4, Arthur was around 3 yrs and 5 mths, and Elmirah may have only been a baby, there was a land transaction between the three children with Conrad and Elizabeth Ball Brown. There is no indication from the deed on how much land was transferred, but it did say that there was $30 exchanged for the land. This deed is rather interesting for several reasons.
Arthur J. Smith (McGinnis) married a Harriette M. Brown. Also, Conrad Brown was an uncle to Leland Salts who married Mary Jane McGinnis -sister to the three children named in the deed. Also, Elizabeth Ball Brown, wife of Conrad, was an aunt to Leland Saults (his mother was Rebecca, a sister of Elizabeth's). Although there is no indication of a further connection between the McGinnis-Smith children, it is interesting to see that they were all living on adjoining farms. And two other family names that have had possible connections to this McGinnis-Smith family were also identified in this document, living next to the land mentioned. They were William Thompson and Abraham Brown. William Thompson may be somehow related to David A. Thompson who married Amanda McGinnis-Mercer - yet another daughter of Hannah's from a different marriage. And Abraham Brown was a brother to Conrad.
1850 - In the 1850 census for Washington County, George and his family are listed under George Collins 28 Carpenter $200, Adeline 21, Richard D. 10, Thomas L. 6, Arthur 3, William M. 6/12 all born in Tennessee.
11311858 - On June 13th in 1858, Hannah McGinnis transfers her entire 90 acre farm to her children -providing that they take care of her as she gets older. She lists her children as Arthur J. Smith, Almyra V. McGinnis, Martha Ann Campbell and Saraphine Dukes. Being named as another daughter, Hannah states that Adeline Collins will only be included in the division of her property if Adeline "...will join in and help my four children above named to support and provide for me..."
1840 - On July 16, 1840, George Collins and Adeline McGinnis-Smith were married in Washington County, Tennessee. She was listed as R. A. McGinnis.
1860 - In the 1860 census for Washington County, George and his family are listed under Geo. J. 38, Ruth A. 28, Richard D. 17, Thomas L. 15, Arthur C. 13, Martha L. 8, Jesse Mc. 6, Wa-77-169.
1868 - George J. Collins wrote a reference for Catherine C. Smith Salts pension application (wife of Henry C. Salts). George was the husband of Ruthie Adeline McGinnis-Smith, daughter of Richard D. Smith. In this document he stated that he had served in Company F 10th US Calvary, commanded by Col George Bridges.
901876 - Ruth A., wife of G.J. Collins is buried in the Old Gray Cemetery in Knox County, Tennessee. She is buried next to an unmarked grave. It is not known if her husband is buried next to her or if it is an empty grave.