In reply to the query: S.C. date admitted 23 May 1788, N.C. date admitted 21 Nov 1789 and VA date admitted 25 June 1788 and WV 20 June 1863. My Collins line is a blank prior to my g-g-grandfather Elijah (Elias/Lige) Collins. He is buried in Lincoln Co. WV, Lucas Madden Cemetery with wife Celecia. According to the information on the stone he b) 1803 d) 1898, she b) 1829 d) 1916 His name was Elijah but as noted was called Elias or Lige. His stone say Elias. In any event we will call him Elias for simplicity. 1850 (W)Va Cabell Co census Elias Collins 36 yrs Farmer father b) Va mother b) Va (note his age, had he been married before?)(one record I found, had his mother b) Indiana (?) Mary E. 19 yrs " " Merritt 6/12 " " Cabell Co (W) VA Marriages Elisha Collins m) 12 Dec 1851 Melissa J. Adkins 1860 (W)VA Cabell Co census Elias Collins 45 yrs Farmer Selecia 31ys (The following children were listed with the family, note that Merritt and William R Collins are listed first. Was William a child of Elias' marriage to Melissa J. Adkins? I live in the general area and to-date haven't found records to verify.) Merritt 10 yrs (m) Nancy __?__ she was b) Mo. they had 4 child) William R. 9 yrs (I haven't any concrete info on William) Timothy 6 yrs. b) Mar. 1854 (m) Parmelia Ray (9 children known) Elijah 4 yrs b) 10 Mar. 1856 Andrew Jackson 2 yrs. (my direct) Vincent 4/12 The 1880 WV Lincoln Co WV census additional children: Breckenridge 16 yrs Ira M. 14 yrs Lelia B. 12 yrs Arthur A 10 yrs I have the death cert. for Lelia Belle Collins b) 10 Feb 1868 d) 10 Jun 1958 On the certified copy of her death cert. her fathers name is ELIJAH COLLINS, her mother name is SAESHIA ATKINS. There have been many discussions in the family as to the correct spelling and pronouncion of her name. Depending on records the spelling varies, Selecia, Celecia, Cecelia and, of course, the name that her only daughter swears was correct, SAESHIA. My grandmother said that the family ( her children, grands, neices, nephews and anyone who knew her called her AUNT SHEESH.) It is also believed that Malissa J. Adkins and Saeshia Atkins were sisters. Lawrence/Lawrence Adkins is listed living with the family 8 yrs old, in the 1860 census. Will send another message with the counties in Virginia later West Virginia with dates and from which counties formed. My Collins information derived for the most part from the records in these counties as I live within a short driving distance to all. Hope this isn't over the top. Barb in Ohio

Barbara, Noted that your Elias Collins died in Lincoln Co. WV. I have a branch off of my Meredith Collins line that is full of blank spots but they were also in Lincoln Co. Wondered if there could be a connection: . MERDY LEVI JOHNSON2 COLLINS (MERIDITH1) was born 1815 in Pike Co. KY, and died Aft. 1890 in Lincoln Co. WV. He married NANCY JOHNSON 1836 in Pike Co. Kentucky. She was born 1815 in Scott Co. Virginia, and died Aft. 1884 in Lincoln Co. WV. Notes for MERDY LEVI JOHNSON COLLINS: AKA Levi Collins Notes for NANCY JOHNSON: According to family tradition Nancy was Cherokee, her father born in Tennessee, and her mother born in Kentucky. Framily tradition tells that Nancy used to ride a bull from Hart's Creek , along the Drawdy Creek to Charleston where she bought salt. Children of MERDY COLLINS and NANCY JOHNSON are: i. MINBY3 COLLINS, b. 1837; d. 1856. ii. DEBBY COLLINS, b. 1840; m. JOSHUA WELLS. iii. WILLIAM P. COLLINS, b. 1841; d. Aft. 1915; m. SUSEY. Notes for WILLIAM P. COLLINS: William Collins son of Levi along with his two brothers,Fransis & James, and father Levi joined the 34th Battalion, Virginia Calvary. They were on the Jones-Imbroden raid into WV, and pro- tected LEE durning his retreat from Gettsburg. Levi was promoted to Captain and commanded about 40 men, at Rheastown, Tenn. in October 1863. Fransis was shot in the forearm and captured at Rheastown, Tennessee in October 1863 He was imprisioned in Camp Chase at Columbus, Ohio Brother James L. Polk Collins died of fever at Hart's Creek, WV in 1863. In early 1864 Levi was shot through the knee. After the war William P. Collins moved to Kentucky and recieved a pension beginning in 1915. iv. FRANSIS MARION COLLINS, b. 1842; d. 1925; m. MARY TOMBLIN. v. THERESA COLLINS, b. 1844. vi. JAMES L.POLK COLLINS, b. 1846; d. 1863, Hart's Creek, WV (fever). Notes for JAMES L.POLK COLLINS: James L Polk Collins , went by the name of Polk Collins. He entered the Civil war with his father and two brothers in 1861 or 1862. ( see William) Near the end of the war Polk caught the fever and died 1863 at Hart's Creek. He was probably buried there and that is probably why Levi and Nancy settled in the same area in 1866. vii. PRESTON COLLINS, b. 1850; m. MARGARET THOMPSON. 2. viii. JOHNSON LEWIS COLLINS, b. 1852; d. 1918. ix. RICHARD J COLLINS, b. 1853; m. SARAH ANN LUCAS. x. JANE COLLINS, b. 1856; m. OSCAR LAMBERT. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Barbara Harvey" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, November 27, 2004 11:43 AM Subject: [COLLINS-L] S.C./N.C./VA/WV STATEHOOD DATES > > My Collins line is a blank prior to my g-g-grandfather Elijah (Elias/Lige) Collins. He is buried in Lincoln Co. WV, Lucas Madden Cemetery with wife Celecia. > According to the information on the stone he b) 1803 d) 1898, she b) 1829 d) 1916