Thursday, September 8, 2011

Some Descendants of Meredith Collins

Who Is Meredith Collins?
Brenda Collins Dillon (deceased Dec. 13, 2006) Brenda's family has given me permission to reprint some of her articles. There is good information here. JC

Meredith Collins was my ggggrandfather. He served in the REVWAR as a Virginian Soldier,
served in the militia after the war was over, and appeared to have moved often always with
a group of Collins families believed to be related somehow. The Collins intermixed or inter-
married with such families as Mullins, Johnsons, Roark, Holloway, Gipson, Trent, Riffe,
Lambert, Justice, Coots, Blankenship, Roberts, and with these names the mystery of a group
called "The Melungeons". In my 25 + years of research I have heard many times rumors of
of a connection to the famous Melungeon, Vardy Collins of Newman's Ridge Tennessee. Many
folks believe Vardy and "Merdy" were brothers and tho this has not been proven, I personally
believe they were related but think they were more likely to have been first cousins, grandsons
of Old Thomas Collins who settled with his sons on the Flatt River of NC.


c.-Meredith "Meredy" Collins - Veteran of the Revolutionary War
b.1760 Virginia *from Eula Conley. d.1841 Pike Co.KY
Revolutionary war- Montgomery-Fincastle Counties Division under Captain
James McDaniell. (his name is on a plaque by the courthouse, Pikeville, KY)

1776 Fincastle-Momtgomery Co.
Christianburg,Va.-signed entry list for RevWar
under Capt. James McDaniel
George Collins
Lewis Collins
David Collins
Meredith Collins

Meredith Collins was probably son a of John Collins Sr. who was the son of old Thomas of
Orange Co. NC then to Pittslyvania Co. VA came from Louisa Co. VA

(Montgomery Co. militia 1780's by Kegly)(Osborn Company )

Benjamin Sexton
Charles Sexton
David Collins
George Collins
* Meredith Collins (enlisted 1776 at age 16, makes him in his 20's)
Lewis Collins (son of John)
Elisha Collins (refused to take Oath of Allegiance 1777)
John Sexton
William Bowlin
William Riddle(son of Moses)
John Riddle (son of Moses)
Samuel Collins
John Collins (Probably a Jr.)


m.1-Unidentified woman ca.1782-85 (This would be durning his militia
service in Montgomery Co. Va.)
h. probably Upper New River along the VA/NC border
h. probably Russell Co. VA. Name on tax rolls 1799-1809; children:
c.1-Bradley Collins b. 1787, probably Wilkes Co. N.C.
d.after 1844, probably Appanoosa Co. IA
m.1-Unidentified woman, in Virginia ca 1810.
c.1-Andrew Collins b.1811, probably Russell Co., VA
d.possibly Iowa, later than 1844.
m. "Betsy"Sizemore ca. 1830's
h.1-Clay Co. KY, ca 1830-1840
h.2-Chariton Co., MO ca 1840-1844
h.3-Appanoosa Co., IA, 1844-?
c.1-Lewis Collins b. 1837, Clay Co., KY. Civil War Veteran.
c.2-Samson Collins b. 1841, Chariton Co. MO. Civil War.
c.3-Archibald "David" Collins b. 1844, Chariton Co., MO. or Appanoosa Co., IA.
c.4-Polly Ann Collins b. 1848, Appanoosa Co., IA.
m.Phillip Newton Smith 3/26/1871, Scott Co., MO.
c.2-? Bradley had several children by his first wife, but the number and their names are
not known.
m.1- possible........Jane Rhea 1817 Orange Co. NC...(found record not sure him)
m.2-Catherine Barney, 7/28/1831, Clay Co., KY. No children?
m.3-Betsy Griffin, 2/16/1833, Clay Co., KY. No children?
m.4-Elizabeth Lunsford, 9/5/1836

con't

© History Chasers Click here to view all recent Historical Melungeons Blog posts Bookmark and Share



Enter your email address to start receiving this blog in your inbox


Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner

2 comments:

Barbara Bauer said...

Thanks for this post. I was interested to hear you are in touch with Brenda's family. Do you know if they have Fidella Donnelson Collins Bible, which has the list of children of John W. Collins?

I am a descendant of John Collins by his first wife, Lydia Toner/Tanner. I think Brenda is probably right that he is somehow related to the Newman's Ridge Collinses, but I think she's mistaken that the John Collins who married Lydia Toner is the same one who married Mary Roark. She believed that he was counted twice on the 1860 census, once with each wife, and then only with Mary Roark on the 1870 census. I have copies of land records, though, that state that the John Collins married to Lydia Toner was dead before 1870, which would indicate they are two different men. Probably they were related.

I also have never seen any original records with the middle name "Wesley" or initial "W." The marriage record from Grainger County just says "John Collins," and all the census, land and tax records I have seen just say "John Collins." This is also true for his son John Collins Jr., who married Mary Riffe (my gg grandparents).

Brenda did wonderful research, and we owe her a lot, but I think she's mistaken on these details. The thing that makes me wonder, though, is that Bible, which is said to list all the children of John Collins Sr by both wives. Is that an accurate record, or was Fidella Donnelson Collins guessing? I would love to know the publication date of the Bible.

You can reach me at bsadovnic at gmail dot com

Barbara Bauer

Anonymous said...

Hello, my name is Debra Sampson, I am the 2nd born and oldest daughter of Brenda. I found this very interesting.

Debbi