1. FRANCIS1 COLLINS was born March 11, 1791 in South Carolina1, and died 1844 in Stewart Co., TN1. He married (1) ALICE BROWNE Abt. 18272. He married (2) ANNIS LAST NAME UNKNOWN Abt. 18292. She was born April 07, 1788 in Robertson County, Tennessee2, and died Aft. 1896 in Troy, Tennessee2.

Francis Collins born 11 March 1791 in South Carolina. Francis does not appear in the census until 1840 Stewart County, Tennessee. Francis would have been forty-nine years old which seems rather strange that he would just be settling down to a permanent home. Francis Collins was a very noted Methodist Preacher in the south in those days and this could be the reason that he had not taken up permanent residence before. In those days it was not unusual for a preacher to travel around the country and not own any material things. There were only two families of Collins in Stewart County when Francis first appeared in 1840, the other being William Collins. James Monroe Collins, son of Francis Collins and Alice Brown states on the 1880 Federal Census that his father was from South Carolina and his mother were from Tennessee. If Francis was just going from place to place preaching or he was on his way to Stewart County is not known, but somewhere in Tennessee he met Alice Brown and married about 1827. It appears that Alice died either in child birth or shortly there after.

Francis Collins died before 6 May 1844 because on this date Anna (Annis) Collins, his wife, Jacob Browning and Benjamin McIntosh bound One hundred dollars to the governor so that they might become to executors and administrators of the personal property of Francis Collins. Anna Collins, age 40, was still in Stewart County in 1850 living with three of her children, John age 20, Benjamin age 14, and Francis Jr. Age 11. Lousia J. Collins is not listed as living with her mother but she does show up on the marriage records as marrying Thomas B. Madden in Benton Co., Tennessee 23 September 1851. On the 1840 Stewart County census Louisa is listed as under five years old, so she has married rather young. James Monroe Collins is listed in 1850 census as age 21 and living with John Collins age 20, from Tennessee. The 1850 Stewart County census also lists Andrew Collins age 60 from South Carolina and Hanna Collins age 42 from Tennessee. This is not documented but I think that the John Collins living with James Monroe is a son of Hannah Collins, widow of Benjamin Collins, a son of William Collins. who passed away before 1850. The relationship of James Monroe and John Collins I am not sure of.

In 1860 Anna (Annis) Collins age 53 is still in Stewart County living with her son, John Collins 29, Marion Collins age 24 and her daughter Louisa J. Collins, age 21, who has returned home from her marriage to Thomas B. Madden.

In 1870 census of Polk County, Tennessee Anna (Annis) Collins age 62 is living with (unreadable) female age 35 from Tennessee, William Collins age 23 of Tennessee, Richard Collins age 15 of Tennessee, and Zeoma Collins age 1 of Tennessee. It is my belief, but it has not been proven, that all the Collins of Stewart County from 1830 until 1860 were related with the exception of Andrew Collins of North Carolina.

William Francis Collins, son of James Monroe Collins, moved from Tennessee to New Concord Community, Callaway County, Kentucky after 1882 and before 1884. During the year 1891 William Francis was fatally injured in a mill boiler explosion. His wife Manerva Jane (Alsup) along with her brother and his family moved to Meridian, Bosque County, Texas.

Mrs. Anna Collins of Troy, Tennessee Is in her 108th year.
Mrs. Anna Collins of Troy, Tennessee is probably the oldest woman in the United States. She was born in Robertson County, Tennessee April 17, 1788 and is therefore in her 108th year. Her husband, Francis Collins, was born March 11, 1791 and came from South Carolina to West Tennessee. He was one of the most noted Methodist evangelists that were ever in the south. It is said of him that in one of his revival meetings such enthusiasm was manifested that there were in two weeks 845 conversions and 456 accessions to the church. Five children were born to Francis and Anna Collins, two of who are still living, the eldest being a man of three score and six years. She has used tobacco constantly for fifty-five years and is as strong today as most women at the age of 45.
This article was sent to me by a Mr. Ben Brewer. It did not have a date on it.

2. JAMES MONROE2 COLLINS (FRANCIS1) was born January 02, 1829 in Stewart Co., TN, Dover5, and died Aft. 1880 in Benton Co, TN6. He married MARY JANE OBAR January 08, 1850 in Stewart County, TN6. She was born 1829 in Stewart Co., TN7.

4. NANCY ANN3 COLLINS (JAMES MONROE2, FRANCIS1) was born October 11, 1852 in Benton County, Tn.24, and died August 19, 1888 in Benton County, Tn.24. She married WINFIELD SCOTT BREWER, son of LEWIS BREWER and MARTHA HERRINGDON. He was born January 01, 1848 in Benton County, Tn.25, and died May 11, 1930 in Carroll County, Tn.25.

8. WILLIAM FRANCIS "FRANK"3 COLLINS (JAMES MONROE2, FRANCIS1) was born 185131,31, and died Bet. 1879 - 1942 in New Concord, Calloway County, Kentucky31. He married MENERVA JANE ALSUP January 01, 1873 in Big Sandy, Benton County, Tennessee, daughter of JAMES ALSUP and HANNAH LEWIS. She was born April 24, 1855 in Big Sandy, Benton County, Tennessee, and died June 02, 1916 in Johnson County, Texas.

Notes for MENERVA JANE ALSUP:
Death certificate of Manerva Jane Collins: Informant; J.R. Alsup (her brother) of Fort Chadborune, Texas. Widowed: cause of death: Apoplexy, Place of Death: Johnson County, Texas. Burial: Kimball Cemetery, Bosque County, Texas. Undertaker: Dave Alsup, of Kopperl, Texas. Place of Birth: Big Sandy, Benton County, Tennessee. Father: James R. Alsup, Mother: Manerva J. Alsup (this is incorrect) Corrected Mothers name: Hannah Lewis