Sunday, March 03, 2013

A Collins Story

Part of the Collins saga of Nothern Bonavista Bay is that most of the families that started out in Newport/New Harbour can all trace their early beginnings to Samuel Collins. From this man came many of the Collins names that we know today. One such man was Enoch Collins who married Frances Lane of Gambo in 1872. From this family we see Mary Ann who married Philip Holloway who were the grandparents to Carrie (Caroline) Noseworthy of Newport/Gambo. Sarah Sims Collins who married Louis Keats of Dover back in 1899. Enoch the son who married a Sarah Pickett from Fair Island back in 1901. Andrew who married and moved to Botwood back @ 1915. Another daughter Susanna married another Holloway and stayed at New Harbour. The 6th child Keziah probably named after her Aunt Keziah and sister to her Mother married Thomas Lush and lived at Gambo for many years. The next child Eli Collins married a Henrietta Bragg of Shamblers Cove. The last child Elizabeth Ellen married Archelaus Collins of Newport. When Archelaus died in the winter of 1910 Elizabeth was widowed but soon married again. This time to Obediah Hunt of Silver Fox Island and that is the story of just one Collins family of Bonavista Bay North. One thing in this genealogy thread that has always intrigued me is the Sims names as in Sarah Sims Collins and sister to Keziah. Keziah's grand daughter Shirley Lane Simms married a David Simms from Badger Bay in Notre Dame Bay many years later. Another thing of note was the relation between Keziah Collins and Esau Lane. Keziah was a 1st cousin once removed to Esau Lane of Gambo as her mother Frances was Esau's 1st cousin. Alma Lush was Keziah and Thomas Lush's daughter. Alma's husband Frank Lane was son to Esau and Agnes Brown Lane which means all the children born to this couple are related on both sides of their parents more than once. Interesting! The picture above is  Elizabeth with  brother Enoch and possibly a friend or other relative around taken @ 1910.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

lol, good to know i come from a background of incest!
that might explain some of the craziness that seems to run in the family.

Gambolian said...


I don't think it is incest. It was a time for many when most of these people lived in very small and closely knitted communities. It was not rare for 1st cousins to marry. They were good and god fearing people and that is something we may never see again.

Marilyn said...

Hi.

I find your story quite interesting. I'm also a Newfoundland Collins, although I'm not from the Bonavista people.

Do you know where Samuel Collins came from? Was he one of the early Collinses in Bonavista Bay?

I'm doing a Newfoundland Collins surname study and so far have included people from Notre Dame Bay, Spaniard's Bay, Harbour Grace, Burin Peninsula, Placentia Bay, and Placentia in it.

Would love to have your take on the Bonavista Collins families.

Marilyn

Ruth L. said...

Marilyn
Who did Samuel Collins marry?

Anonymous said...

Marilyn,

Samuel Collins left Liverpool England arrived in St. John's around 1825 then took a boat to Greenspond, NL from there he bounced around a bit I believe.

As for where he lived in europe, no clue !

I come from Samuel's Hare Bay line. I tried to tell them we're related to the newport, new harbour, gambo collins crowd, but that seems to be lost info to them.

Nick

Anonymous said...

Samuel Collins (who was father to Enoch, Thomas, Ann, etc) was born in New Harbour in 1827. His father, also named Samuel, was born in Bonavista. I have not as yet been able to locate this Samuel's birth or baptismal record to find out who his parents were, but there were Collinses in Bonavista in the 1790s so likely he is connected to these.

Unknown said...

I believe Samuel collins came from Lansallos a village in the civil parish of Polperro in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated between Polruan and Polperro about 5 miles east of Fowey in Liskeard Registration District.

Unknown said...

I am looking for information
Adelaide (Collins) Samson
New Harbour, NL
Parents: Samuel & Honour (Mouland) Collins

Adelaide was the 2nd wife of John Samson 1831 - Mar. 23, 1874
Buried: Flat Islands