Obituary

May 8, 1909. The funeral of Robert Collins were held yesterday afternoon at the home on East second street and were largely attended by friends of Mr. Collins.Rev. J. Y. Ewart conducted the service and the Knights Templar gave their beautiful ritual services at the house and at the grave. The floral offerings were many and very handsome. Robert Collins was born in Belfast, Ireland, Nov. 10, 1842 [his grave marker shows Sept. 6] and died Wednesday, May 5, 1909 after an illness lasting several months. He was the sixth of ten children. His father was a Presbyterian minister and it goes without saying his early training was of the best. When about sixteen years of age he left home and came to America, first to Crockett, Texas, and a little later went to Philadelphia and learned the trade of carpenter and builder. At the breaking out of the war he joined a Pennsylvania Infantry regiment and went to the front and later served in the Navy. He returned to Philadelphia at the close of the war and took up his trade again and then went to Topeka, then to Oklahoma and finally came to Newton where he was in service of the Santa Fe as Superintendent of Buildings for many years. The new Santa Fe hospital at La Junta, the Acade Hotel, which he originally built, and rebuilt, after twenty years and many other buildings in Newton and elsewhere stand today as monuments to his energy and ability. Mr. Collins served as councilman from the Third ward in the earlier years here. he was a master Mason, and also a member of the I. O. O. F. , and also a member of Chapter and Commandery. he was also a member of the Knights of Pythias. He was married October 20, 1866, to Jane Powers, of Philadelphia,and five children were born to them, Robert, Richard, Minnie, John and Gertrude.More on Robert Collins Civil War history,In 1861 he entered the army as a private in Company H. Sixth regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was with his command continually for three years, participating in all the battles and campaigns in the army of the Potomac, from the first Bull Run to Gettysburg, where he was wounded. After his recovery from his wounds he was transferred to the navy and assigned to the North Atlantic squadron, under command of Commodore porter, where he held a commission as Acting Ensign, and was one of a command of Marines who took Fort Fisher, in North Carolina, where he was again wounded; was at the final taking of Richmond, and was mustered out in 1865.His business in Newton was very extensive and increasing. Employs twenty-five carpenters, besides masons, painters, etc. His contracts average about $50,000 per year.The Newton Kansan.