San Joaquin County
Biographies
JOHN J. COLLINS
JOHN J. COLLINS was born in
Eastport, Maine, March 17, 1836, son of Miles and Julia (Coleman) Collins, both
natives of Ireland. In 1834, shortly after their marriage, they left their
native country for the United States, locating in Maine. About 1838 Mrs.
Collins died, leaving two children, the subject of this sketch and a little
daughter, who died about three weeks after the death of her mother. Miles
Collins was once more married, in 1847 to Miss Mary Irvine. She died in 1887
the mother of four children, all of whom are living in the East. Miles Collins
died in Eastport, in November, 1889.
John J. Collins, the subject of this
sketch, spent most of his boyhood in his native place, although part of the
time he was with his uncle, who resided at St. John, New Brunswick.
When he was quite young, probably ten
years old, he attempted to learn the tailor’s trade at intervals while he was
going to school; but as it was too confining for a boy of his age he gave it up
at the end of six months. His work had been very systematic and he was able to
make an ordinary pair of pants, all but the cutting. In the fall of 1847 he
began to learn the tinner’s trade; this was not a trade of his choice, as he
had always desired to become a machinist; but as there were no shops of this
kind at that time he turned his attention to the tinner’s trade. At the end of
four years he was thought competent to go into business for himself;
accordingly he went to Lynn, Massachusetts, in August, 1855, and engaged with
the firm of Rice Brothers, with whom he remained over four years. Going to
Boston he worked there a year, then went to Point Duchêne, on the Gulf
of St. Lawrence, where he worked in a canning factory for some parties in
Boston for about six months. At the breaking out of the war in 1861 he went to
Boston and joined several of the military companies being organized there, but
it was so long before they began to get their clothes and equipments that he
became uneasy and, leaving there, joined the navy. He enlisted in Boston and
was taken to New Bedford for medical examination, passed that and was put down
as a machinist. So many were applying to be admitted to the navy at that time
that a law had been passed that none but those of a mechanical turn of mind
should be admitted. He was sent to Charlestown, where he passed another
examination by the authorities. He remained on the receiving ship Ohio for some
three months and was then transferred to the United States frigate Congress,
one of the largest vessels in the navy. She sailed from Boston on the 6th
of September for Fortress Monroe, under Captain Goldsborough, remaining there
until March 9, 1862, when the vessels were attacked by the rebel fleet and so
many destroyed, an account of which is so well given in our national history.
Mr. Collins was wounded and taken prisoner during that engagement. He was taken
to the hospital at Portsmouth, Virginia, where he was confined two months, and
was then sent to Libby prison at Richmond. A short time after, he with a large
body of men were paroled and returned to Fortress Monroe, where they remained
but a few days, were then sent to Baltimore, remained three weeks, were then
paid off and discharged, not being fit for further duty. Mr. Collins returned
home and shortly after engaged in business for himself at Newton,
Massachusetts. Not being very successful he went to Eastport, where he remained
until March, 1867, when he came to California, landing in San Francisco on the first
of April. After working there for about three months at his trade he came to
Stockton. Later he went to Woodbridge, where he started up a little business
for himself. Two years later he went to Lodi and August 6, 1870, became a
permanent resident of that place. He has one of the finest hardware stores in
the county, and on the whole has been successful. His greatest loss was during
the fire that occurred October 11, 1887. A year after he put up the building he
now occupies, which forms one of the finest business houses in Lodi. He was
married in 1872 to Mrs. Sarah Spaulding, who died in Sonoma, July 4, 1884. He
was married to Mrs. Agnes Gondonin, his present wife, in 1887. She has been a
resident of California for a number of years.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 505-506. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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