Welcome and Introduction

Welcome to my Blog, Appalachian Mixed Blood Notes, my name is Donald Alfred Collins, most call me Don Collins.

I first became interested in my paternal side's history in 1957, when I was in the 5th grade. In the American History class of that year, we had an assignment to name both our parent's Country of origin, before coming to America.

Well, I knew my Mother's parents migrated to America from Ireland, but when I asked my Dad where our Collins' came from , his answer was Kentucky. He was being 100% honest, because that is all he knew. This didn't sit well with my teacher. This is when the seed of curiosity was planted in me.

I believe this is the case with a good number of Appalachian families, not really knowing their roots.

 Dr. Ralph Stanley the "Old Time Mountain Style Music" musician states in his Autobiography "Man of Constant Sorrow; My Life and Times",  the following:  

"A lot of people like to talk about their ancestors. They'll tell you how they're descended from a line of Scottish kings and and whatnot, and they'll brag on a Lord So-and-So who they say they are related to. Maybe even got 'em a fancy coat of arms framed and hanging on the wall. Funny how you never hear nobody say they come from a gang of horse thieves that got run out of the old country.

I don't know when or why my people came here. Don't know why they decided to stay. All I know for sure is we've been in these mountains as long as anyone can remember.

So I can't tell you much about who our ancestors were. Never been much interested in my family line. I don't know why. Never did try to search the family tree; my dad and my mother didn't either, as far as I know. When I was coming up, people from around here didn't mess around in family history. They were working to hard to fool with it, I reckon. For people in the mountains, it was just get up at daylight, go to bed at dark, and in between work like a mule.

My Mother's father and my Dad's father, that's as far back as I can tell you about, and I don't know much about them either because they died when I was young."

Dr. Stanley's experience and my Collins' family experience, are carbon copies.

So as an introduction to my Collins line, here is what I know:
                  
Generation 1
Donald Alfred COLLINS, son of Alfred Edwin COLLINS and Florence Edna STANLEY.

Generation 2              
Alfred Edwin COLLINS (son of Timbrook COLLINS and Bessie 'Vessie' DOLBOW) was born on 17 Aug 1924 in Weeksbury, Floyd Co., Kentucky, USA. He died on 25 Dec 1979 in New York, USA. He married Florence Edna STANLEY.

A photo of my Dad, Alfred Edwin Collins, taken about 1940 in Lewis Co., Kentucky....

Generation 3 
Timbrook COLLINS (son of Andrew B. COLLINS and Georgia Ann COLLINS) was born on 19 Dec 1881 in Johnson Co., Kentucky, USA. He died on 17 Aug 1937 in Lewis Co., Kentucky, USA. He married Bessie 'Vessie' DOLBOW.

A photo of Timbrook Collins, taken in the year 1900, he was 18 years old....... 

          
Generation 4   
Andrew B. COLLINS (son of Hiram Herrison COLLINS and Mary CAUDILL) was born on 06 Mar 1862 in Johnson Co., Kentucky, USA. He died on 23 Oct 1937 in Lewis Co., Kentucky, USA. He married Georgia Ann COLLINS (daughter of George Washington COLLINS and Lydia COLLINS) on 08 Mar 1881 in Johnson Co., Kentucky, USA

A photo of Andrew B. and Georgia Ann Collins taken in Lewis Co., Kentucky in the early 1930's .........

Generation 5   
Hiram Herrison COLLINS (son of David COLLINS and Mary DALE) was born in 1835 in Floyd Co. Kentucky, USA. He died on 22 Apr 1863 in Louisa, Lawrence Co., Kentucky, USA. He married Mary CAUDILL (daughter of Stephen CAUDILL and Elizabeth FIELDS) on 07 Jul 1856 in Johnson Co., Kentucky, USA.

Generation 6       
David COLLINS (son of Valentine COLLINS and Dicey GIBSON) was born in 1807 in Cumberland Co. Kentucky. He died about 1870 in Johnson Co., Kentucky, USA. He married Mary DALE.(Daughter of Jemima Dale)

Generation 7          
Valentine COLLINS was born sometime in the late1760's ?,  in either North Carolina or Virginia. He died in  Morgan Co., Kentucky, USA, date unknown. He married Dicey GIBSON.

Note:
Generation 4: Andrew B COLLINS and Georgia Ann COLLINS were first cousins. Andrews' father Hiram COLLINS, was brother to Georgia Ann's father George Washington COLLINS.
 
Generation 5:
Georgia Ann COLLINS' parent's were also double first cousins. Her father George Washington COLLINS was the son of David COLLINS and Mary DALE, her mother Lydia COLLINS was the daughter of Joshua COLLINS (born in 1805 in Hawkins Co. Tennessee, died 1 Feb 1854 Johnson Co. Kentucky)  and Elizabeth DALE (Daughter of Jemima DALE).

There is another line that I don't descend from, and that is the marriage of Hiram COLLINS and Martha DALE. Hiram was also son of Valentine and Dicey COLLINS nee GIBSON, and Martha a third daughter of Jemima DALE.

Stay tuned....there is more to come.