Solomon Collins, farmer, deceased; the subject of this sketch was one of the early pioneers of Morgan Tp.; he was a native of North Carolina, and emigrated to Illinois with his father, Aaron Collins, and located upon Greasy Creek, Morgan Tp., about the year 1831; he suffered all the hardships and privations of frontier life, but was known as a hard-working, industrious and successful farmer, and at the time of his death was held in high esteem in the township in which he lived. He married Theney Carter; she was born in Kentucky, and, at the time of her death was the mother of three children, viz., John J., William A. and Elizabeth B. His second wife was Mary Taylor, by whom he had two children – Hiram and Thomas. John J. Collins, the oldest son, was born in Morgan Tp., Feb. 7, 1850, where he attended the common schools and assisted his father in farming until 12 years of age, since which time he has made his home with Joseph Carter, whom he assisted in farming in summer and attended the common school in the winter, until 1871, when he entered the Westfield College, where he attended two years, since which time he has been engaged in school-teaching during the fall and winter and farming in summer.
