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Collins Research HistoryHome > Genealogy > Surnames > Collins > Research Research History - A History of my research on this family Major Sources Used - Major published and unpublished sources used My Collins Family - Outline of my Collins ancestry Collins Research HistoryI learned about my Collins ancestry fairly recently (1999) when my cousin Terry Britt told me that my ancestor Martha, wife of Daniel Turner (c1796) was a Collins. The death certificate of their son Daniel J. Turner proved it. Although death certificates are notoriously inaccurate in regards to parents names, I felt this was probably correct, for the Collins were neighbors of the Turners, and one of Daniel Turner’s daughters married a Collins. I researched the Collins via census records, probate records, Equity Records, and other sources, but found no solid leads on who Martha’s parents might be. Based only on census analysis, I had narrowed it down to John J. Collins (c1790), Jonah Collins (c1774) and Thomas Collins (1765/70). Thomas left some extensive Equity records naming his heirs, and Martha was not among them. That left John and Jonah as prime suspects. In 2002, Jo Dickerson found a Court record dated 1884 that named all the heirs of Jonah Collins (1774-1854), and included among them was Martha Turner, wife of Daniel Turner who was listed as a daughter of Jonah and his first wife. Now the question remains as to who Jonah Collins’s parents were. I have no strong leads on that so far. I have consulted all the sources I have available (see below) to try and document all the white Collins families in Marion County from 1790 through ca 1870. Many families have been documented on up through 1900 or later based on availability of records. Someday I will attempt to document the black Collins families, several of whom appeared in Marion for the 1870 census. I have not yet done any research on the Collins of neighboring counties (except a little bit in Horry) or in eastern North Carolina where the Marion Collins probably originated. Some have told me that the Marion Collins families originated with a Captain John Collins of Bertie Co, NC, but I have not attempted to confirm that yet. Major sources used1790 census for Georgetown District, SC; 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900 and 1910 Federal Census Records for Marion District and Marion County. "Marion County Court Records Court of Common Pleas 1788 to June 1861", Extracted by Lucille Utley, Transcribed by Teri Dalrymple, Three Rivers Historical Society, 2002 "Marion County South Carolina Abstracts of Deeds Volume One Books A - E 1800-1811", by Lucille Utley, and Alita White Sutcliffe, 1996 "Marion County South Carolina Abstracts of Deeds Volume Two Books F-I & K 1811-1823", by Lucille Utley, and Alita White Sutcliffe, 1997 "Marion County South Carolina Extracts from Equity Rolls", by Lucille Utley "Probate Records, Marion County, South Carolina" (3 Volumes), by Lucille Utley, Danny Smith, 1985. "A History of Marion County, South Carolina", 1902, by W. W. Sellers, Esq "101 Cemeteries in Marion County South Carolina" Compiled by The Marion County Historical Society, 1985. My Collins ancestorsMy earliest known Collins ancestor is Jonah Collins (c1774-1854) who was married twice, first wife unknown, and second wife Sarah ---. They lived on Flat Swamp (Collins Swamp, Collins Creek). Jonah had 17 children, 15 of whom survived too adulthood. I do not know who Jonah's parents are, though I suspect he was a brother or somehow closely related to Thomas Collins (1765/70), Shadrack Collins (c1790) and others. Martha Collins, daughter of Jonah, was born 1811. She married Daniel Turner ca 1840 in Marion Dist, SC. They lived in the Catfish Church area (Bethea Township) until moving a little east of Mullins (Reaves Township) around 1850-1860. Martha died there in 1892 and is buried at the McMillan Cemetery. I have set up several web pages, each containing documentation, for different branches of this family. Follow the links below for more information. For information on other Collins families within my area of interest (Marion County, SC) but who are not related to my Collins family, go to my Collins Families page Jonah Collins (1774-1854) and --- Last Updated January 15, 2006
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