Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/343

 COLLINGWOOD

COLLINS

years a member of the board of county super- visors, and was a representative from Dutchess and Columbia counties in the 29th congress, 1845-47. He was married to Pamelia Jane TuUer. He published A HL^toi-y of HiUsdale, N.T. (1883). and four volumes of jwlitical history during 1879-84, valuable as reference books. He died at Hillsdale, N.Y., Sept. 16, 1889.

COLLINGWOOD, Francis, civil engineer, was born in Elniira, N.Y., Jan. 10, 1834; son of Francis and Elizabeth (Kline) Collingwood ; grandson of Thomas and Mary Collingwood, and of John and Elizabeth (Shipman) Kline. Francis Collingwood, senior, came to America in 1816 and settled in Elmira, N. Y. His son Francis was graduated at the Rensselaer polytechnic institute in 1855; was city engineer of Elmira, 1856-68; as^ sistant engineer of the BrookhTi bridge, 1869-83 ; chief engineer during construction of Newport News dry dock, 1887-89; also, 1888-89, on com- mission of engineers to examine the work on the new Croton aqueduct ; secretary of the Ameri- can society of civil engineers from 1891 to 1894, inclusive, and an expert examiner for the civil service commission. New York, from 1895. He was awarded the Telford premium and the Tel- ford medal by the Institution of civil engineers of Great Britain for his paper on the repairs made by him on the Allegheny suspension bridge, and was elected to a membership in various engineering societies in Europe and America, a fellow of the American association for the ad- vancement of science, and a member of the New York microscopical society, and of the New York academy of science.

COLLINS, Charles, educator, was born in North Yarmouth, Maine, April 17, 1813. He was graduated at the Wesleyan university in 1837 and joined the Maine conference. He was transferred to the Holston conference in 1838, and helped to found and organize Emory and Henry college, Va., of which institution he was president, 1838- 52. In 1850 he was a delegate to the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. He was president of Dickin.son college, 1852-60; and of the State female college near Memphis, Tenn., 1860-75, which he established. In 1851 the Centenary college, La., the Masonic college. Mo., and Dickinson college. Pa., each conferred upon him the honorary degree of D.D. He contributed to the Ladies' Bepository, the Southern Methodist FuJpit, and the Methodist Quar- terly Eeview, and edited TTie Northern Repertory and C'oUecje Eeview (1845-.52). He died at Mem- phis, Tenn., July 10. 1875.

COLLINS, Charles Sidney, journalist, was born in Utica, N.Y., April 23, 1827. His father was a tool manufacturer and the boy was brought up to the trade. In 1843 he shipped

before the mast and made a four years' voyage on a whaler around the world. His adventures included a short service with the army of General Stockton in California during the Mexican war, when his ship's crew Aolunteered their assistance. Upon returning home he engaged in business with his father, first at Buffalo, N.Y., and after- ward at Ravenna, Ohio, and Rochester, N.Y. While in Rochester he contributed to the Ameri- can and his articles gave him a place on the staff of that paper in 1854. In 1857 the American was merged in the Democrat and he became city editor. In 1864 he was agent in New York city for the State associated press and worked with the staff of the Troy Times. He soon returned to the Democrat, remaining with that journal until 1868 when he established the Chronicle and was its chief editor for two years. In 1870 it was consolidated with the Democrat, and he estab- lished the Xeics Letter, a Sunday morning paper. In 1872 he returned to the Troy Times and was connected with its editorial management until his death, in Troy, N.Y., June 19, 1889.

COLLINS, Edward K., steam navigator, was born in Truro, Mass., Aug. 5, 1802. He gained his first business experience as clerk in a ship- ping office in New York city. He was soon made superintendent of a New York and Vera Cruz packet line, afterward having charge of a packet line to New Orleans. In 1836 he estab- lished a line of sailing packets to Liverpool. In April, 1849, he dispatched the Atlantic, the first of four steamships equipped by him, the others being the Pacijic, Arctic and Baltic. This was the inauguration of the Collins line of steamers be- tween New York and Liverpool, carrying both freight and passengers. The Arctic was lost off Cape Race, Newfoundland, in 1854, and three hundred and twenty-two of the passengers per- ished. In May, 1856, the Pacijic sailed from Liver- pool with a full passenger list and was never heard from. The company was obliged to cease operations in January, 1858, owing to the action of the government in terminating without reas- onable notice the contracts made with Mr. Collins for carrying the European mails, and involving a subsidy of §385,000 a year, obtained in 1847, and another of §858,000 a year, made in 1852. The U.S. mail was thereupon carried across the At- lantic by vessels sailing under a foreign flag. Mr. Collins engaged in mining in Ohio and the west. He died in New York citj-, Jan. 22, 1878.

COLLINS, Ela, representative, was born in Meriden. Conn., Feb. 14, 1786. He practised law in Lowville, N.Y., and was for twenty-one years district attorney of Lewis county, meanwnile conducting a large and productive farm. In 1814 he commanded a regiment of state militia at Sacket Harbor. He repeatedly represented Oneida