WILLIAM H. COLLINS. William H. Collins, a director of the Illinois State Historical Society since its organization and one of the founders of the Society, died at his home in Quincy, Illinois, July 29, 1910. William H. Collins belonged to a family historic in the annals of the State of Illinois. He was born March 20, 1831, in the town of Collinsville, Illinois, which town was named for the Collins family, who settled there in 1817, the family having moved to that place from Litchfield, Conn., and established a tan yard, erected a mill for grinding corn and wheat, and for sawing lumber. Wm. H. Collins was educated at Illinois college, Jacksonville, and later took a course of literature, philosophy and theology at Yale. He served as the pastor of the Congregational church at LaSalle, Illinois, and in 1858 became editor of the Jacksonville Journal, which he conducted until the breaking out of the civil war. He was elected chaplain of the 10th Illinois regiment of infantry volunteers but resigned in 1863 and organized a company of the 104th Illinois Volunteers, of which he was chosen captain. He participated in the battles of Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. He later served on the staff of Gen. John M. Palmer, commander of the Fourteenth Army Corps. He resigned in 1864 and was appointed, by Secretary Stanton, provost marshal of the 12th district of Illinois, continuing in this service until the close of the war. He then engaged in the manufac turing business in Quincy, Illinois, being at the head of the Collins Plow Company for twenty-five years. He served as alderman of the city of Quincy, and served two terms in the Legislature of the State, being a member of the Thirty-fourth and Thirty-fifth General Assemblies. |