Three different Collins lines of Johnson County Kentucky......

"There are three Collins lines who are found in present day Johnson County Kentucky.They are all separate and distinct families, but are often confused as one.

Valentine Collins, the father of Otary Collins,  immigrated from Hawkins County, Tennessee to Floyd County in the early 19th century, a number of years before Rhesa and Mary Collins settled in the John's Creek area.

Sometime in the 1850s a William Collins moved to the northwestern corner of Johnson County from Wise County Virginia.

Valentine's family, having immigrated from Hawkins County, Tennessee, was probably of Mulungeon origin and it is possible that William Collins of Wise County Virginia was also.

Rhesa (or Reece) was from Frederick County, Maryland.  Research does not show any tie with Mulungeons for Rhesa's family.  His father, Patrick, was said to have come from Ireland before the Revolutionary War."


Read more here:  Patrick & Rhesa Collins Descendants

Sunday Morning Mountain Gospel Music 68

   Silent Night Sung by Loretta Lynn Dedicated to the good Christian people of Johnson County, Kentucky  

Silent Night  

Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, Mother and Child
Holy infant, so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, Holy night
Shepherds quake, at the sight
Glorious stream from Heaven above
Heavenly, hosts sing Hallelujah.
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.

Sunday Morning Mountain Gospel Music 58

I'm Getting Ready To Go
Sung by Loretta Lynn, a native of Johnson County, Kentucky



I'm Getting Ready To Go   I get down on my knees everyday and I pray
These tears I'm a cryin' are tears of joy cause it wash my sins away
I'm a livin' for the Lord and I want everybody to know
This old world's just my dressin' room and I'm a gettin' ready to go

Yeah I'm a gettin' ready to go to a place called Heaven
I'm gonna praise my Saviour's name everyday that I'm livin'
Glory hallelujah I'm not ashamed to let my salvation show
This old world's just my dressin' room and I'm a gettin' ready to go

I'm gonna walkin' there with Jesus and my God
I wanna know everything's a gonna be alright when they lay me under the sod
When he gathers his sheep I wanna be as white as snow
This old world's just my dressin' room and I'm a gettin' ready to go    Yeah I'm a gettin' ready to go to a place called Heaven
I'm gonna praise my Saviour's name everyday that I'm livin'
Glory hallelujah I'm not ashamed to let my salvation show
This old world's just my dressin' room and I'm a gettin' ready to go    

My Triple Brick Wall: The Dale Sisters

I've been searching  for information on my 3 DALE Sisters and their parents for over 10 years. I haven't made much head way, in fact they are a big high 'brick wall'.

They really don't show up on the 'radar', until Martha COLLINS nee DALE shows on the 1840 Floyd County, KY US census. Her sisters Mary and Elizabeth DALE don't show up until they married Martha's husband, Hiram COLLINS' brothers David and Joshua, all  3 son's of Valentine COLLINS , in Johnson County, KY

Jemima DALE is my 4th Great Grandmother. She is the Mother of the 3 DALE sisters.
Both her parents and husband are unknown. There are some theory's and speculations on who both her husband and parents are. I have found no documentation to show them to be fact.

Mary DALE is my 3rd Great Grandmother, she married David COLLINS, as you can see the State where she was born and her age are inconsistent on the US census.

Mary COLLINS nee DALE (nick name 'Polly') :
1850 Johnson County US census
'Polly' COLLINS w/David COLLINS
49 years old,  born in Virginia

1860 Johnson County, KY US census
'Polly' COLLINS w/David COLLINS
53 years old, born in Kentucky

1870 Johnson County, KY US census
'Polly' COLLINS w/David COLLINS
60 years old, born in Virginia, shown as Indian as do all in her household

1880 Johnson County, KY US census
Mary COLLINS (Widow, Husband David COLLINS)
80 years old, born in Virginia, shown as Mulatto as do all in her household.
This is the last time she is shown on the US census, I haven't found her death papers.

Elizabeth DALE is my 3rd Great Grandmother, she married Joshua COLLINS, again, as you can see the State where she was born and her age are inconsistent on the US census.
  
Elizabeth COLLINS nee DALE (nick name 'Eliza'):
Joshua COLLINS and Elizabeth DALE were married in Greenup County, KY on  June 21, 1824, Valentine COLLINS and Jemima DALE are listed as bondsman on Greenup County marriage records

1850 Johnson County, KY US census
Elizabeth COLLINS w/Joshua COLLINS
45 years old, born in NC

(Joshua Collins died Feb 1854 in Johnson County, Kentucky he is buried at the  Collins Cemetery, Collins Branch SR #2039 Jenny Creek, Johnson County, Kentucky)

1860 Johnson County, KY US census
50 years old born in NC   
Elizabeth COLLINS (Joshua COLLINS  d 1 Feb 1854)

1870 Johnson County, KY US census:
( Widow of Joshua COLLINS)
54 years old, born in Virginia, shown as Indian as do all in her household

According to Johnson County KY death records , Elizabeth COLLINS died February 6, 1876 at the age of 72. The cause of her death is listed as 'dropsey'. Her death record is listed on Johnson County 'Deaths-Colored' records......

Martha DALE is my 3rd Great Aunt, as you can see her age shown is inconsistent on the US census.

Martha COLLINS nee DALE (nick name 'Patty'):
1840 Floyd County, KY US census
Martha COLLINS (Hiram COLLINS not in household)
Place of birth not shown. Martha would be 'Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: 1'
Her Mother Jemima, would be 'Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69: 1, White Persons - Blind: 1'.  All people shown in this household are shown as 'Free White'.

1850 Johnson County, KY US census
Martha COLLINS  (Hiram COLLINS not in household)
43 years old born in Virginia
(Jemima DALE living in this household age 75 Born Virginia, listed as blind)

1860 Johnson County, KY US census
'Patty' COLLINS (Hiram COLLINS not in household)
65 years old born in Virginia, shown as Mulatto, as are all in this household.

1870 Johnson County, KY US census
Martha COLLINS is not shown

U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885:

Name:     Martha COLLINS
Gender:     Female
Race:     Black
Marital Status:     Widowed
Estimated birth year:   abt 1797
Birth Place:     Virginia
Age:     82
Death Date:     Oct 1879
Cause of Death:     Dropsy
Census Year:     1880
Census Place:     Precinct 4, Johnson, Kentucky, USA
Enumeration District:     45
LINE:     9

Martha COLLINS died in Johnson County, Kentucky in Oct 1879. Her death record states she was 82 at time of death, that she as well as both of her parents were born in Virginia. She also died from 'dropsey'. The original 'W' (white) shown as race was over written in a bold 'B' for black ?

This is what I know, nothing more, nothing less. I've come across lots of slipshod research, none of which has panned  out. No documentation equals myth, plain and simple.

I'd love to hear from anybody who might have information concerning this Dale Family.

Sunday Morning Mountain Gospel Music 18

Standing Room Only
Loretta Lynn, a native of Johnson County, Kentucky





Standing Room Only

Standing room only, not even room to kneel and pray
Standing room only on the Judgment Day

Last night I had an awful dream that the end of time had come
The trumpet had been sounded and life on earth was done
An angel stood one foot on land, and the other foot on sea
And as I tried to kneel and pray a voice said unto me

There's standing room only, it's too late now to pray
There's standing room only, this is the Judgment Day

People filled each church and churchyard just as far as I could see
I heard a pitiful cry for mercy and then I realized it was me
I saw the Savior then appear as He split the eastern sky
I saw tears of joy on a Christian's face and I heard the sinners cry

And as I tried to touch His hand with one last people plea
I cried again have mercy, have mercy, Lord, on me

The earth was burning all around, the world went up in smoke
And as the flames engulfed me, thank God I awoke
Then I got out of bed and got down on my knees
And you should've heard me pray

Cause in my dream I witnessed God's great Judgment Day
Standing room only on God's great Judgment Day

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.