COLLINS, Patrick
Patrick COLLINS, residing on section 4, La
Prairie township, with post office at la Prairie Center,
Marshall county, is a representative of that class of men of
foreign birth who easily assimilate the American ways and
customs, and, while always having a high regard and love for the
place of their birth, yet believe they must give their best to
the country of their adoption. He is a native of Ireland, born in County Wicklow,
March 17, 1828, and came to this country a youth of seventeen
years, his parents having died some time previous. He was the
first of the family to come to
America, and accompanied by two neighbor
boys, he crossed the ocean, and at once proceeded to Albany, New York,
near which place he secured work on a farm for one month. At the
expiration of this time he went to Chester
county, Pennsylvania, where he
worked at farm labor for about five years, four years of which
time working for one man, receiving a salary of from nine to
eleven dollars per month.
Leaving Pennsylvania,
Mr. COLLINS came to Illinois,
stopping for a time at Chillicothe,
Peoria
county, and later securing work with Mr. STONE on his farm at
Lawn Ridge, La Prairie township,
Marshall
county, where he remained one season. He then returned to Peoria county, where he remained one year,
after which he came again to La Prairie township, and for two
years rented a farm and raised two crops. The desire had long
possessed him of being the owner of a farm, and with the
accumulations of the years spent in America he
purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Bureau county
at a cost of eight hundred dollars. He purchased this land
without having seen it, and when he came to look it over he was
not well pleased and determined to sell, which he did at an
advance of one hundred dollars on the purchase price. With the
proceeds of this sale he purchased eighty acres where he now
resides at a cost of one thousand dollars. This was all prairie
land and partially improved, but all the land adjoining was in a
wild state. His nearest neighbor, Francis GRADY, lived one mile
away and was one of the pioneers of the locality.
When Mr. COLLINS purchased the place he was
yet a bachelor, and for one year after lived that lonely life
and was then married to Miss Margaret MONIER, of Saratoga township. In the little log house,
16x24 feet, then standing on the place, Mr. COLLINS took his
young bride, and the two commenced together the battle of life.
But little progress was at first made, the nearest market for
his grain and produce being Chillicothe, which was just then reached by
railroad. By and bye the tide began to turn and an era of
prosperity dawned upon our subject. Hard work and the practice
of economy brought its results, and with their savings eighty
acres lying on the north, then owned by Albert POWELL, was
purchased at a cost of one thousand nine hundred and fifty
dollars. Mr. POWELL, who was a young man, had begun the
improvement of the place, but thought it advisable to sell to
Mr. COLLINS, who about this time also bought one hundred and
sixty acres in Stark county, which he shortly sold at an
advantage. With the proceeds of this sale he bought other lands
adjoining his home farm, one hundred eighty acres of which cost
him three thousand dollars. From this time on he continued to
add to his possessions, securing next the HILL farm of one
hundred and sixty acres, for which he paid nine thousand
dollars. This farm was well improved with good buildings.
Another purchase of eighty acres about this time cost him four
thousand dollars. He next purchased one hundred and sixty acres
opposite the home farm, for which he paid ten thousand dollars.
This also was well improved. Since then he has added one hundred
and sixty acres on section 32, paying for it eleven thousand
dollars. On section 31, Whitefield township, he owns a farm
which cost him fourteen thousand dollars for one hundred and
sixty acres. Both of these farms have fine houses and barns. All
of these tracts of land yet remain in his possession and are
operated by himself and family.
Politically Mr. COLLINS is thoroughly
independent. He does not believe that all the intelligence, all
the honesty, or all the rascality belong to any one party, and
in exercising the elective franchise he votes for the man he
considers best qualified to fill the office desired. In politics
he has always been interested enough to vote as the opportunity
was given him. He has never had the time or inclination to serve
in official position, but filled the office of road commissioner
for twelve years, because it was a position in which he felt a
special and personal interest. Farming has been his life long
work and that he has always been a good farmer is proven by the
great success which has followed him for a period of over forty
years since making his first purchase of land in Marshall county. Stock raising has been a
specialty with him, and upon his place at all times may be found
one hundred head of cattle, a number of horses and many head of
swine. He believes in keeping the best stock, and therefore you
will find on his place Norman horses and the best breeds of
cattle and hogs. He ships his own stock, and, having no
commission to pay, his profits are usually satisfactory.
To Mr. and Mrs. COLLINS nine children were
born – Thomas, Charles, James, John, Eddie, Sadie, Anna, Lottie
and Della. Of this number Thomas married Miss Mary ODELL,
daughter of William ODELL, of Steuben township, and now resides
on a farm near Lawn Ridge; Anna is the wife of H. T. WEBBER, of
La Prairie township, while the rest yet remain at home. The wife
and mother died February 27, 1895, loved and respected by all,
and was buried in the La Prairie cemetery.
Mr. COLLINS has never identified himself
with any religious organization, but has contributed to those in
his vicinity. The golden rule has been his life motto and
therefore he has avoided all strife, never having in his entire
life had a law suit. A friend of education, he has given more or
less of his time to educational matters and has served more than
twenty years as a member of the school board and is at present
occupying that position. As a friend and neighbor no one has a
better reputation than Patrick COLLINS, of La Prairie township.
Extracted April 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois,
1896.
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