Hi, Cuzzins and Seekers: following data is self-explanatory. I just wish I had the rest of the data: I intend to send for the "rest of the story" very soon. Shirley: bobert@panacom.com ------------------------------------------------------- Wilkes County, North Carolina, Heritage Book, Volume I MEREDITH COLLINS -- 468 Meredith Collins was born in Virginia, in 1760, and was an American Revolutionary War soldier in Montgomery Co., Virginia. A monument which includes his name was unveiled in Pike Co., KY, May 30, 1929, by the Pikesville Chapter DAR. The name of his first wife is not yet known. The only known child of his first marriage was a son named, Bradley. His second marriage was to Polly Holloway between 1790 and 1800. The children of his second marriage were: Archibald, James, and William. Meredith lived for a while in Wilkes Co., NC, and appears on the 1796 Wilkes Co. Tax List. He migrated to Russell Co., VA, after 1796. About 1809, he settled in Floyd Co., KY. Meredith Collins was among the white pioneer families of Floyd Co. in 1810. About 1822, he moved on to Pike Co., KY, and died there in the latter part of 1841. The known children of Meredith Collins are: Bradley, Archibald, James, and William. Bradley Collins (1787-185?) was born in NC, possibly in Wilkes Co. He was a farmer by occupation, but also followed other pursuits. He migrated to Russell Co., VA, with his parents between 1796 and 1799. About 1811, Bradley followed his father, Meredith, to Floyd Co., KY. The Floyd Co. 1820 Census shows that Bradley, in addition to himself and his wife, had one male and two females under the age of fourteen in his household. The male was his son, Andrew. Later census records show additional children. The name of his first wife is not yet known. About 1826[?], he moved to Clay Co., KY. While in Clay Co., Andrew married Betsy Ann Sizemore, Mar.. 31, 1838. He sold his land in 1839, and shortly afterwards, he and his family, Andrew and his wife and son, Lewis, traveled by flat boat down the Kentucky and Ohio Rivers to Missouri. They were in Carroll Co., MO, in 1840, but later settled near Keytesville, Chariton Co., MO. It was here that Bradley received a land grant in May of 1841. Bradley and Andrew raised and sold crops of corn, cotton, and tobacco. About 1844, Bradley and Andrew sold their land in Missouri, and moved to Centerville, Appanoose Co., Iowa, on the Chariton River. They farmed in addition to running a ferry across the Chariton River. Andrew (1811-ca. 1873) was living in 1850, in Appanoose Co., Iowa Census, with his family, Betsy Ann (wife), Lewis, Samson, Archibald, and Polly Ann, and his father Bradley, age 63, born in North Carolina. Bradley died in either Appanoose Co., Iowa, or Hancock Co., Illinois. About 1856, Andrew moved to Warsaw, Hancock Co., IL, where Polly Ann, his daughter, attended her first year in school. About 1859, Andrew moved to Marion Co., MO. The 1860 Census shows the following additional family members: Eliza, age 9, and Eli, age 5. They were both born in Iowa. Andrew and Betsy's sons, Samson, Lewis, and Archibald were veterans of the Civil War. Archibald Collins (1800-ca.1886), born in Russell Co., VA. He married Margaret (Peggy) Coots on May 18, 1824, in Pike Co., KY. He engaged in agriculture in Roane Co., WV, and he possibly died there between 1882 and 1890. His children were: Matilda, John Wesley, Euorkia, Henry Newberry, Jenny, Washington, Lucinda, and Reece. James Collins (1804 - ?) was born in Russell Co., VA. He married Susan Holloway on Oct. 15, 1824, in Pike Co., KY. He migrated from Pike Co. prior to the 1830's. His whereabouts is still unknown. William Collins was born Apr. 13, 1806, and became a "Jack of all trades". He was a lumberman, gunsmith, owner and operator of a dry goods store, and a minister of the Primitive Baptist Church. On Mar. 22, 1829, William married Mary (Polly) Mullins. Their children were: William, Pricy, Lucinda, Louisa, John, Arvid, Floyd, Arminda, and Samson. On Nov. 25, 1860, he married Mary A (Molly) Hatfield. The children of this marriage were: Samuel, Tobias, Archibald, Nancy Jane, Aaron, Levi, Ancel, and Louemma. William died in Nicholas Co., WV, on March 30, 1896. Sources: Research in Public Records --- John D. Young ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wilkes County, North Carolina Heritage Book, Volume I [incomplete article] VARDY (VARDI-VARDE) NAVARRAH COLLINS - 469 Vardy Collins, born 1764 in NC, listed on the tax list of Wilkes County during the 1790's, married Margaret (Peggy) Gibson, b. 1773 in Virginia. Vardy married Peggy in NC, and came to what is now Hancock County, Tennessee. He is listed as a taxpayer 1809-1812, in Hawkins County. They had the following children, all born in Hawkins County, except the oldest, who was born in NC: 1 - Lottie, also called Letitia or Peggy, born 1791, married Timothy WIlliams, born 7 November 1808, NC, son of Charles. 2 - Morgan, born 1798, married Minta Gibson, born 1825, in TN. 3 - Allen, born in 1802, married 1st Rachel Reed, born 1804 TN. 2d - Rachel Nichols, born 1831, TN; died 1921 in Hancock County. 4 - Alford, born 1810, married Elizabeth Mullins, daughter of James and Clarah (Martin) Mullins. 5 - Ethel or Effie, born 1812, married Alexander Gowins, born 1815, TN. 6 - Claricia, born 1813, married Isum Biggs, born 1813, TN, son of William and Elizabeth (Collins) Biggs. 7 - Varda, born 1817, married Elizabeth "Betty" Maxey. The 1830, 1840, and 1850 census of Hawkins County, TN, and the Tennessee Land Grants show Vardy Collins to be living there. These land grants were all in what is now called Vardy, Hancock County. The land extended from the Virginia line to the Mulberry Gap-Sneedville road. It included land from the top of Newman's Ridge to the top of Powell's Mountain. Where they received the money for this much land is open to speculation. Possibly it was for military services; possible, but improbably is that Vardy was a pirate. Some sources say that Peggy was descended from the rich pirates who plied the North Carolina waters. Whatever the source of his funds, he was considered one of the wealthier man in the area. Vardy and Peggy operated a hotel-boarding house at the foot of Newman's Ridge where a big sulphur spring is still running. After his death, his descendants owned and operated the hotel until the early 1900's. Vardy and Peggy's descendants can be found in all walks of life. Alford Collins, son of Vardy and Peggy, born 1810, married Elizabeth Mullins, born 1819, daughter of James and Clarah Martin Mullins. Alford and Elizabeth had a large family. One of their children was Batey (Bata) Collins, b. 1844, Hawkins County. He married Cynthia Collins, born 1843, daughter of Simeon and Frankie (Bunch) Collins. Frankie was born in 1805, in NC; died 1885, in Hancock County. She was a daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Dotson) Bunch. Batey and Cynthia Collins owned and operated the Collins Boarding House at the foot of Newman's Ridge. They had children: 1 - Noah, born 1878, married Alice Lavin Bales. Her first husband, Morgan Bales, was drowned in Powell's River in Lee County, VA. Noah was a farmer, stock trader, and owned a general merchandise store in Vardy. ---------------------------- copied page ends - darn it! - person who requested this Collins data was only interest in Meredith Collins. Well - I intend to send for the rest of this data - or as much is as possible to acquire. Maybe some of you can add to this with data you already have. ===================