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Adgate Ward Collins was associated with his brother, S. L. Collins, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this
work, in mercantile business in Knoxville for a number of years and was also closely identified with banking circles
in this county as president of the Knoxville National Bank, which he aided in organizing. He was a pioneer of the
county and witnessed the marvelous changes of the past half century brought about here. He was born in Richland
county, Ohio, October 30, 1821, a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Adgate) Collins, natives of Springfield, Massachusetts,
and Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York, respectively. Their marriage occurred in New York and they subsequently
removed to Coshocton county, Ohio, and later to Muskingum county, that state.
Adgate W. Collins learned the potter's trade, which he followed for a short time. In 1852 he came to Marion county,
Iowa, and resided here for more than fifty years, or until 1906, his death occurring on the 18th of April of that
year. Soon after coming to this county he located upon a farm near Knoxville and in the early years of his residence
here he was engaged in merchandising with his brother, S. L. Collins. He was also president of the Knoxville National
Bank, of which, he was one of the organizers, and was at the head of the institution until his retirement from
business. He achieved greater success than does the average man and was known as one of the prosperous citizens
of his county. He was successful as a farmer, merchant and financier and his labors were part of those forces which
made for the development of his locality.
In 1846 Mr. Collins was married to Miss Susan Cecilia Olive and they had five children, the three eldest of whom
were born in Ohio, the younger ones being natives of this state. Chester Llewellyn, a judge residing at Bay City,
Michigan, married Miss Sarah Miller and has two daughters, Emily and Susan: Mina Ellen married John Reed, of Knoxville,
Iowa. Emma Jane is the widow of Dr. W. K. Sloan and resides at Moline, Illinois. She has two children, Dr. Chester
C. Sloan and Mrs. Clara O. Page. David Olive passed away in 1885, at the age of thirty one years. He was a lawyer
by profession. His son, Ward Olive, is a consulting engineer residing in Chicago. Susan married J. L. Broderick,
of Elkhart, Indiana, and passed away in 1896, leaving a daughter, Mrs. Isabelle Rust, of Northampton, Massachusetts.
The mother of these children died and Mr. Collins married Miss Sarah Jane Lewis, who was born in 1837 at West Jefferson,
Madison county, Ohio, and passed to her reward on the 18th of October, 1913. To this union were born four children:
Wilson Lewis, who died in July, 1912, when fifty years of age, at Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he was engaged in the
banking business; Frank Weldon, who died in infancy; Bertha L., now Mrs. Walter Brown, of Los Angeles, California;
and Prudence W., who resides in Knoxville.
Mr. Collins became a member of the Methodist church in early life and was active in securing the new building for
the First Methodist Episcopal church here. He was a republican in his political views but never sought office,
preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business interests. These he managed with ability and at the same
time that he gained material prosperity he won the unqualified regard of those who were brought in close contact
with him.
From:
History of Marion County, Iowa
And its People
John W. Wright, Supervising Editor
W. A. Young, Associate
Vol II
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Chiago 1915
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