Michael Collins

1844 - 1912  (68 years)

• Name	Michael Collins
  Born	29 Feb 1844	Puslinch Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	carpenter
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-171531
  Died	17 Sep 1912	Carberry, , Manitoba, Canada
  Person ID	I171531	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Thomas James Collins,   b. Feb 1805, Drogheda, Louth, Leinster, Ireland ,   d. 26 Feb 1886, Puslinch Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 81 years)
  Mother	Ann Kelly,   b. CALC 19 Dec 1816, , Ireland ,   d. 27 Jun 1901, Puslinch Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 84 years)
  Family ID	F39499	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  COLLINS, MICHAEL On the 17th September 1912, at his home at Carberry, MB, the second son of the late Thomas Collins of Puslinch. He was born on the old homestead at Puslinch on the 29th February 1844 and was therefore, in his 69, h year. Mr. Collins was well and favourably known in Hespeler and the surrounding country during the 1860's, 70's and early 80's, having worked as a carpenter in Hespeler for a considerable time. Later, he worked as bridge builder for the Canadian Pacific Railway between Toronto and Winnipeg. About the 1870's, he was a member of the local volunteers, at that time conceded to be one of the finest companies in Canada. Thirty-five years ago, he took up a homestead and was one of the first settlers on the "Big Plain" near Carberry. He lived in a tent the first summer and experienced his share of the hardships of western pioneer life. Notwithstanding this, he increased the dimensions of his farm and was for many years, one of the most successful western farmers and a useful and influential man in the community in which he lived. When the Big Plain district was formed into municipalities, Mr. Collins was appointed Secretary-Treasurer for North Cypress, which office he held till his death. He was also a justice of the peace and many a culprit had reason to regret coming before him, as Mr. Collins was a law-abiding man and had no use for law-breakers. He was a man of far more than ordinary intelligence, being of an agreeable, genial turn of mind. He was, too, a popular member of the masonic order. Not feeling in the best of health, he retired from the farm last spring to live in the town of Carberry. His condition was not considered serious and the end came rather unexpected. On the 29th February 1888, he married Isabel Switzer, who proved a worthy life companion, by whom there were three sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Thomas is now on the old homestead; the second son, Michael is on his pre-emption farm; the third, John and daughters, Isabel and Annie are now at home. Mr. Collin's brothers were the late John Collins of Idaho; the late Professor Thomas J. Collins of the Detroit College of Dentists and Surgeons; the late Christopher Collins, at one time principal of the Guelph Roman Catholic Separate School; and George, the only surviving brother, a veterinary and schoolteacher in Manitoba. The sisters are Mrs. Egan of Wilmington, Delaware; Mrs. Barrett of Galt; Mrs. O'Hara of Detroit; Mrs. Wood of Vancouver; and Miss Fanny, now of Wilmington, Delaware. - Information from marriage certificates: Of the daughters of Thomas Collins and Ann Kelly, Margaret Collins (born c. 1853) married Richard Barrett in 1878; Catherine Collins (born c. 1853) married Michael O'Hare; Ellen Collins (born c. 1860) married John Woods; Mary Ann (born c. 1846) married John Eagen. A Celebration of Lives Obituaries of Puslinch Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Vol 1, Anna Jackson & Marjorie Clark Used with kind permission of Marjorie Clark

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 29 Feb 1844 - Puslinch Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Occupation - carpenter - - Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 17 Sep 1912 - Carberry, , Manitoba, Canada  = Link to Google Earth