Beth: My James COLLINS (as best I know) was born in 1810 and died in 1869. He lived in Bertie Co. NC - near Plymouth. He was married three times. My grandmother was one of his children. Her mother was Martha Bowers. It is still possible that we have the same family. The story that I have on James (passed down from others) is that his parents died when he was a young boy and he was left in the care of others (because he had no known relatives). The people he was left with went through the property that his parents left and then they apprenticed him out to people that were mean and beat him. He was cutting trees in the woods with the slaves and a slave gave him his shirt and told him to run. I don't know any more until he was grown . He was a master mechanic, built homes, cotton gins, and coffins. He had a plantation in the Indian Woods Section of Bertie Co. He was a farmer. The name of his first marriage is unknown. It was stated that she may have been Indian or half Indian. Their children were Elizabeth A., b.1830, mar William Henry Jackson; Nancy, b.1832, mar ____ Skyles; and Martha. The second marriage was Martha Bowers. Their children were: Laura, b1847, mar John Skiles; John, b 1849; Mary Winifred, b 1850, mar Thomas Augustus Berry (my grandparents); and Louisa, b. 1854, mar ____ White. I have more information. If you see anything that comes in your line, please let me know. I'm keeping your message in case John and Mahala are in fact the parents of my James Collins. Thanks, Betty.