San Francisco County
Biographies
WILLIAM COLLINS
WILLIAM COLLINS – In rendering honor to whom honor is due
the public cannot offer tribute to any one more deserving than William Collins,
whose name is linked indissolubly with the history of Oakland, the Athens of
the pacific coast. Few travelers have visited Oakland of late years who
have neglected seeing Mountain View Cemetery, whose great beauty of design is
due entirely to the genius of the late Mr. Collins. It is indeed a comfort
to the living to be able to rest the earthly remains of the beloved dead in a
spot surrounded by all the charms of nature and art combined.
Mr.
Collins was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1823,
and is of a long line of Scotch ancestry. His early life was spent amid
the rugged hills, the lochs and heather. From his infancy he imbibed with
the clear, pure air of his naive land that untiring energy characteristic of
the Scotch nation. When he arrived at years of maturity he emigrated
to America, making his home at first in Illinois. In 1860, six years after
coming to the United States, he removed to Missouri, but this was not a
congenial atmosphere to so loyal a citizen; when the war of the Rebellion was
opened he decided to go farther North, and settled at Ottumwa, Iowa. From
this place he crossed the plains to Salem, Oregon, but remained there only one
year. In the fall of 1865 he came to Oakland, and
from that time hade this city his home. Soon after his arrival here he
accepted the position of Superintendent of Mountain View Cemetery, which was
then unadorned by the hand of man, but one of Nature’s most perfect
creations. For a quarter of a century this "city of the dead"
was in his charge with the exception of a short period in 1883, when he made a
visit to his native land. After his death the superintendency
passed to the hands of his son, D. Edward Collins, whose close association with
his father has fitted him for these duties.
Mr.
Collins did not, however, confine his abilities to this one thing. He was
a prominent figure in commercial circles, and was president of the well-known
banking firm of William Collins & Sons, of Ventura. He was an active
member of the Amador Marble Company, and was interested in other enterprises of
public benefit. As a business man he was conservative; as a citizen he was
a loyal patriot; as an employer he was generous and considerate.
Mr.
Collins was united in marriage to Miss Walker, a native of Scotland. She died
in 1876, leaving three children, two sons and a daughter; John S., of Ventura;
D. Edward, of Oakland, and Mrs. Catharine Flint, also of Ventura. Mr.
Collins was married a second time, to Mrs. Catharine Gieschen,
of Oakland, who survives him. By her first marriage Mrs. Collins has four
children, two sons and two daughters. Mr. Collins died at his home in
Oakland, February 17, 1891, honored and lamented by all who knew him.
D.
Edward Collins, son of William Collins, deceased, was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1850, but during his early
childhood was brought to America by his parents. He was reared in this
country, and was graduated from the University of California in the class of
1874. The following year he went to Europe for the purpose of continuing
his studies. He applied himself diligently to two branches of work,
philosophy and political economy. It was his intention to fit himself
thoroughly for teaching, and with this end in view he chose his line of
study. He spent two years in Edinburgh, and one year each in London, Leipsic and Paris. When he considered himself ready
for the duties of this high calling he returned to America, and had entered
into an engagement to teach; almost immediately thereafter he was elected
secretary and treasurer of the Amador Marble Company; he was also elected
secretary of the Mountain View Cemetery Association, and upon the death of his
father was elected to succeed him as superintendent and manager of the
cemetery. He is also president of the banking house in Ventura, which
still does business under the old firm name of William Collins &
Sons. He is president of the Standard Building and Loan Association of
Oakland, and has many other important business interests. He is president
of the Young Men’s Christian Association, having been elected to this position
three times. It was under his able and efficient management that the
association erected its handsome building, said to be the most commodious and
complete of its kind on the coast.
Mr. Collins is a young man who is fitted both by natural
gifts and attainments to fill the highest position to which he may be
called. He is in every way worthy of the confidence reposed in him by the
community.
Transcribed7-1-06
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: "The Bay of San
Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages
417-418, Lewis Publishing
Co, 1892.
©
2006 Marilyn R. Pankey.