For some reason I missed seeing the original message from the list administrator about this 'roll call' talking about who we would like to come to our Thanksgiving Dinner of our ancestors and what we would ask them. But I am thrilled to have the opportunity to do this since I have been unable to find so little about my GGgrandfather Jacob Collins and most of his children. You would think that since he isn't so many Greats backwards that it would be easier. Gosh in some of my other lines I have grandparents many generations further back...but unfortunately this particular grandparent has continued to be elusive although his wife ancestry was a wealth of information due to help from other of her distant cousins. They just knew next to nothing about poor Jacob. Jacob Collins b. abt 1839 in Maryland according to the 1880 census m. Lorenia "Rene" Goshorn b. Bet. 1838 - 1840 in either Indiana or Ohio (her parents were Matthew & Hester WILEY Goshorn) Children: Emma Ritta COLLINS Livingston b. 16 Nov 1862 in Union City, Indiana, d. 18 Apr 1943 in Lightsville, Darke Co, Ohio Matthew M. Collins b. Abt. 1865 in Ohio Laura Ann Collins b. Abt. 1868 in Ohio Mary A. Collins b. Abt. 1870 in Ohio George W. Collins b. Abt 1873 in Ohio Kate "Katie" Collins b. Abt 1875 in Ohio Rosa E. "Rosie" Collins b. Abt 1879 in Ohio Wesley Collins b. After 1880 in Ohio William Collins b. After 1880 in Ohio After Lorenia died, Jacob placed most of the children in the local 'poor farm' or asylum...since he had no one to care for them when he went to work and was too poor to pay someone. Some of the younger children may have been unofficially adopted by other families since they were so young. Most of the children died at the poor farm. It is believed that Kate "Katie" Collins survived her life in the 'poor farm', and had a child there who may also have survived. My Great Grandmother, Emma Ritta, being old enough to work was sent to live with a family named Tucker Young Family, who she must have worked for in exchange for room & board. Needless to say, I wish I could have all of the above family to attend Thanksgiving Dinner, so that I could hear their life stories, and also find out from Jacob who his ancestors were and his family story. If anyone out there knows anything at all about this Collins family it would be the most wonderful gift you could give me if you shared what you know with me. Carrol in Michigan