Descendants of Vardy Collins
Donated By Kevin Mullins
Generation No. 1
1. VARDY1
COLLINS was born 1764 in Grayson Co., VA, and died Bef. 1860 in Hancock Co,
TN. He married PEGGY GIBSON. She was born Abt. 1773 in NC, and died Aft. 1850
in Hancock Co, TN.
Notes for VARDY COLLINS:
Vardy has been called the "patriarch of
the Melungeons", and has been speculated to have been one of the first
settlers in the Newmans Ridge/Blackwater area. But a check of the records
indicates that Vardy may not have arrived in Hawkins/Hancock Co until 1810.
There were other Collins and Gibsons in
Some of Vardy's land dealings:
Land Entries: Wilkes Co., NC
#68:
##912. Jan 2, 1795.
Hillair Rousseau enters 640 ac on New River near Vardry Collins.
#1912. "1795" Vardy Collins enters 50 ac
in Wilkes co on S side of S fork of New R; border: at my line above my
improvement
Vardiman Collins land
grants, State of NC:
10/3/1790
8/14/1793
Hawkins Co, TN records
1816 Vardemon Collins, Newman's Ridge land grant
from Tennessee, on land certificate issued 11 November 1790 to John Wolf by
North Carolina for meritorious service in the NC line. Register's Office, Rogersville, TN, Grant Book
2, p. 140 (Price 1966, 15 n85).
1816 Vardemon Collins, land grant under assignment
of a certificate issued to Elisha Neilson in 1796. Register's Office, Rogersville, TN, Grant
Book 2, p. 155 (Price 1966, 15, n86).
1816, 25 April. #3772.
State of TN to Vardeman Collins.
Humphrey O. Johnson line; Mourning Gibson's claim (Land Papers; Grohse
Papers, Reel 2).
1821 Vardiman Collins
security for $200 for Tyra Gibson, who was in Jonesville, Lee Co., VA jail for
non-payment of debt (Grohse Papers, Reel 4).
Vardiman Collins land
grants, State of Tennessee:
11/5/1811 - 4/25/1816, #3772
8/14/1813 - 11/25/1816, #4067
6/19/1826, #19,622
10/1/1832, #21,408
10/12/1832, #18,248
6/27/1837, #23,226
Vardiman Collins,
Deeds, Hawkins Co., TN:
Hawkins Co., TN, Deed Book 11, p. 273. James Johnson to Vardeman Collins, Registered
27 May 1825. 25 February 1825. Each of Hawkins Co., TN. $400.
75 acres situated on Blackwater Creek, part of a 300-acre tract entered
by said Johnson & Moses Humphreys, beg. at a white oak and hickory on
Vardeman Collins' line at the foot of Newman ridge & with said line N30
& W19 poles to two sugar trees on the bank of blackwater Creek Collins'
& Gibson's corner then the same course crossing sd creek 59 poles to a white
oak and Sput of Powell's Mountain thence N59E148 poles to a maple and white oak
on the bank of Steep Hollow, said mountain, thence S30E 78 poles to a Stake on
the ...tent line of the north wide of Newmans ridge thence 59W148 poles to the
beginning. Said Vardiman Collins ...
Hawkins Co., TN, Deed Book 4, p. 369,
transferred from Book 12, p. 202. James
Johnson to Vardy Collins. 26 May 1828,
Registered 12 March 1830. $450, on
Blackwater between mountain & Numans ridge, corner Jordan Gibson, 130 acres
more or less ...
Hawkins Co., TN, Deed Book 15, p. 405. George R. Stubblefield to Vardy Collins,
Registered 21 May 1836. 28 July
1835. George R. Stubblefield of
Claibourne Co., TN to Vardy Collins of Hawkins Co., TN. $50.00.
On the waters called Black Water on the north side of Newmans Ridge,
beginning on Nichol's Large survey corner north side Black Water Creek on maple
turning thence with said survey line to Charles Williams' corner 220 poles to
two Hickories wouth 47west from thence south 28East crossing said creek to Buck
and three white oaks north of newmans ridge from thence north sixty seven East
to said Nichols line, with said line to place of beginning, 50 acres more or
less. George R. Stubblefield. Wit:
Isham X Bigs, Morgan Collins.
Ack. by oaths of Morgan Collins & Alfred Collins.
Hawkins Co., TN, Deed Book 18, pp.
571-572. Jacob Delph to Vardy
Collins. 6 December 1842, Registered 27
June 1843. $80.00, 35 acres on Newman's
..., NW part of the miner tract ... cond. line said Collins & Nathaniel
Houp & Jacob Delph. Wit: Martin Collins, Morgan Collins, Tyra X
Gipson.
Hawkins County
Tennessee General Index to Deeds Volume 1.
Conveyees: 1830 Collins, Vardy
4,369
1825 Collins, V 11,324
1836 Collins, V 15,405
1843 Collins, Vardie
18,100.
Vardy was mentioned in a journalist's
account of a stay at the Inn that Vardy operated in the valley between Newmans
Ridge and Powells Mt, in 1840;
Littell's Living Age - No.254-31 March,
1848
The Melungens
" The doctor was, as usual, my compagnon
de voyage, and we stopped at
"Old
Vardy's", the hostelrie of the vicinage. Old Vardy is the "chief
cook and
bottle-washer" of the Melungens, and is really a very clever
fellow; but his hotel
savors strongly of that peculiar perfume that one
may find in the
sleeping-rooms of our negro servants, especially on a
close, warm, summer's
evening."
The legend of how Vardy and Shepard Gibson
came to Hawkins/Hancock Co was told in
Will Allen Dromgoole's "Four Branches of Melungeon Tree" (1890's)
(refering to Shepard
as "Buck") ;
"These two, Vardy
Collins and Buck Gibson, were the head and source of the
Melungeons
in Tennessee. With the
cunning of their Cherokee ancesters, they planned and
executed a
scheme by which they
were enabled to “set up for themselves” in the almost
unbroken
Territory of North
Carolina.
Old Buck, as he was
called, was disguised by a wash of some dark description,
and taken
to Virginia by Vardy
where he was sold as a slave. He was a magnificent
specimen of
physical strength, and
brought a fine price, a wagon and mules, a lot of
goods, and three
hundred dollars in
money being paid to old Vardy for his "likely nigger". Once
out of
Richmond, Vardy turned
his mules shoes and stuck out for the wilderness of
North
Carolina, as
previously planned. Buck lost little time ridding himself of his
negro disguise,
swore he was not the
man bought of Collins , and followed in the wake of his
fellow thief
to the Territory. The
porceeds of the sale were divided and each chose his
habitation; old
Vardy choosing
Newman’s Ridge, where he was soon joined
by others of his
race, and so
the Melungeons became
a part of the inhabitants of Tennessee."
Some researcher believe Vardy was the son of
Samuel Collins, and grandson of Thomas Collins, and descended from the Saponi
Indian tribe.
It's highly possible that Vardy and Peggy
had other children besides the ones listed below.
More About VARDY COLLINS:
Burial: Hancock Co, TN
Notes for PEGGY GIBSON:
Peggy was called "Spanish Peggy"
and was believed to be the sister of Shepherd Gibson. According to the Grohse
papers, Peggy's family was believed to have once been involved in piracy.
Children of VARDY COLLINS
and PEGGY GIBSON are:
2. i. LETITIA2 COLLINS, b. Abt. 1791.
3. ii. MORGAN COLLINS, b. Abt. 1798, NC.
4. iii. ALLEN COLLINS, b. Abt. 1802, TN.
5. iv. SIMEON COLLINS, b. Abt. 1803, TN; d. Abt.
August 1836, Hawkins Co., KY.
6. v. ALFRED COLLINS, b. Abt. 1810.
7. vi. ETHIE COLLINS, b. Abt. 1810, TN.
8. vii. CLARKIA COLLINS, b. Abt. 1813.
Generation No. 2
2. LETITIA2
COLLINS (VARDY1) was born Abt. 1791. She married TIMOTHY WILLIAMS, son of CHARLES
WILLIAMS and REBECCA ?. He was born Bef.
1809.
Notes for TIMOTHY WILLIAMS:
Timothy's household was enumerated with 2
"fpc" on the 1830 Hawkins Co, TN Census. In 1850, he and
"Margaret" (Peggy?) were living with John Burk. He was a witness to
the will of Old Shepard Gibson.
Child of LETITIA COLLINS
and TIMOTHY WILLIAMS is:
9. i. BRANHAM3 WILLIAMS, b. Bet. 1829 -
1833; d. Bet. 1909 - 1912, Hancock Co, TN.
3. MORGAN2
COLLINS (VARDY1) was born Abt. 1798 in NC. He married MINTA GIBSON Abt. 1840. She was born Abt. 1825 in NC.
Notes for MORGAN COLLINS:
Morgan was a witness on deeds of land sales that
his father Vardy bought from George Stubblefield, and Jacob Delph. He was also
a witness on the will of Simeon Collins.
Notes for MINTA GIBSON:
Minta's youngest children may not be with
Morgan, as he would have been quite old at the time.
Children of MORGAN COLLINS
and MINTA GIBSON are:
i. SIMEON3 COLLINS, b. Abt. 1843.
ii. WILLIAM COLLINS, b. Abt. 1848.
iii. LOTTA COLLINS, b. Abt. 1850.
iv. MARGARET COLLINS, b. Abt. 1851.
v. MARY COLLINS, b. Abt. 1856.
10. vi. MORGAN COLLINS, b. Abt. 1860.
4. ALLEN2
COLLINS (VARDY1) was born Abt. 1802 in TN. He married (1) RACHEL NICHOLS Bef. 1822. He married (2) RACHEL REED Bef. 1826. She was born Abt. 1805.
Notes for ALLEN COLLINS:
Allen was enumerated with 6 "free
persons of color" in the 1830 Hawkins Co., TN Census. He was listed as a
witness on the Will of Simeon Collins.
Child of ALLEN COLLINS
and RACHEL NICHOLS is:
11. i. LOTTIE3 COLLINS, b. Abt. 1848, TN.
Children of ALLEN COLLINS
and RACHEL REED are:
12. ii. ELBE3 COLLINS, b. January 1822,
Hancock Co, TN; d. 1905, Floyd Co., KY.
13. iii. PASCAL COLLINS, b. Abt. 1826, Hancock Co, TN;
d. October 11, 1884, Lee Co, VA.
14. iv. VARDY COLLINS, b. Abt. 1827, Hancock Co, TN; d.
Bet. 1900 - 1910, Hancock Co, TN.
15. v. LAURA COLLINS, b. Bef. 1830.
16. vi. JAMES COLLINS, b. Abt. 1833, TN.
vii. JOSEPH COLLINS, b. Abt. 1835.
viii. WORDAN COLLINS, b. Abt. 1837; d. Bef. 1873; m.
RITTA COLLINS; b. Abt. 1834.
17. ix. STEVE COLLINS, b. Abt. 1845, Hancock Co, TN; d.
St. Charles, VA.
5. SIMEON2
COLLINS (VARDY1) was born Abt. 1803 in TN, and died
Abt. August 1836 in Hawkins Co., KY. He
married FRANKIE BUNCH, daughter of BEN BUNCH and MARY DOTSON. She was born Bet. 1796 - 1805 in VA or TN,
and died Aft. 1880 in Hancock Co, TN?.
Notes for SIMEON COLLINS:
Simeon was listed as
the head of household for 6 "fpc" (free persons of color) on the 1830
Hawkins (later Hancock) Co., TN census.
Excerpt from The Will
Grohse Papers;
"Little is known of him. He sold some
land to George Gibson (Putnam County, Indiana*), in 1836. A curious will,
unwritten, but witnessed and testified to by Sandy Collins, Morgan Collins,
Charlotty Collins, Millington Collins, and Allen Collins, is recorded in the
Rogersville (TN) Courthouse in which on his dying bed, he bequeathed all his
property to his wife, Frankie, to raise the children, etc. because she worked
hard with him to get what property he had, etc. The will is not dated. Cpl.
Simeon Collins, Co. A, 8th TN Cav (Union)".
I wonder if the last part is right because
this Simeon would be around 60 yrs old during the Civil War.
* Written in pen, over
the original typewriting.
WILL OF SIMEON COLLINS
- Hawkins Co., TN
Page 110
No Date Proven Aug
1836
Simeon Collins being
of sound and perfect mind & memory did make and publish this his last Will
& Testament in
manner and form following. He desires and requests that his wife Frankey should
have and keep all his
property, both real and personal for the purpose of keeping her children
together and to raise
them on what he left as his wife Frankey had labored with him for all they
possessed which said
Will and Testament was made while on his death bed and no opportunity of
committing his last
will to writing as he was soon after taken dangerously ill and died somewhat
unexpected and
appeared not to have had his mind engaged on the subject no more, which last
Will and Testament was
declared in presence of the undersigned subscribing witnesses. N.B. He
the said Simeon
further requested that all his just debts be paid and satisfied & the
balance retained
for the purpose above
stated.
Sardy x Collins{note:
researchers beleive this to be Vardy Collins}, Morgan x Collins,
Charlotty x Collins,
Millenton Collins, Allen Collins (his mark)
note: some of the
children listed as Simeon's were born AFTER he supposedly died.
Notes for FRANKIE BUNCH:
Frankie evidently had more children after
Simeon died ca 1836, unless some of the children listed in her household in the
censuses were grandchildren.
She's listed as head of household in the
1840 Hawkins (later Hancock) Co census. Not sure about 1850 census.
In 1860, she was listed in Hancock Co;
#652/625 Frances Collins, 55, f, afflicted, $1200,
TN
Gilford, 28, m, farming
Sally, 19, f, house labour
Syntha,
17, f, TN
William, 15, m, farm hand, TN
Joseph, 2, m, TN
she was living next to her son, Howard, and
his wife Jane (Mullins).
In 1870, she was living with her son
McKinley and his family (listed as "white");
#36/36 Collins, Kinley, 43 m W farmer 255/130,
TN
Nancy 31 f W kp hse VA
Cynthia 8 f W TN
Francis 61 f W kp hse 522/100
In 1880, she was listed as living next to
the household of Joseph Collins, who may have been her grandson, as he was too
young to be her child (he was listed in her household in 1860);
#213/216 Collins, Frances xW f 84 kp hse VA NC NC
#214/217 Collins, Joseph xW m 20 farmer TN TN TN
Chaney xW f 18 kp hse TN TN
TN
Louella xW f 5/12 Jan TN TN
TN
Next door to Joseph's house was Howard Collins,
Frankie's son.
More About FRANKIE BUNCH:
Cause of Death: old
age
Children of SIMEON COLLINS
and FRANKIE BUNCH are:
i. POP3 COLLINS.
Notes for POP COLLINS:
Is this the same Pop Collins who moved to
Union Co., TN?
18. ii. MARGARET COLLINS, b. Abt. 1830, Hancock Co, TN;
d. Abt. 1909, Hancock Co, TN.
iii. GUILFORD COLLINS, b. Abt. 1831.
19. iv. SARAH COLLINS, b. June 12, 1832, Hancock Co,
TN?; d. March 14, 1920, Hancock Co, TN.
v. WILLIAM COLLINS, b. Abt. 1834; d. Bef. 1865.
Notes for WILLIAM COLLINS:
William was a soldier in the Civil War (Cos.
G&F, 8th TN Cav). He died during the war.
20. vi. HOWARD COLLINS, b. Abt. 1836, Hancock Co, TN;
d. February 17, 1906, Hancock Co, TN.
21. vii. MCKINLEY COLLINS, b. Bef. 1827, Hancock Co, TN.
viii. RICHARD COLLINS, b. Abt. 1842.
Notes for RICHARD COLLINS:
Died in the Civil War, Co. D, 8th TN Cav (Union). May not be Simeon's birth son.
22. ix. CYNTHIA COLLINS, b. Abt. 1844, Hancock Co, TN;
d. July 09, 1930.
6. ALFRED2
COLLINS (VARDY1) was born Abt. 1810. He met (1) KATE COLLINS. He married (2) ELIZABETH MULLINS Abt. 1831,
daughter of JAMES MULLINS and CLARA MARTIN.
She was born Abt. 1811 in TN.
Notes for ALFRED COLLINS:
Alfred was a blacksmith. He was also "a
builder of good chimneys", according to the Will Grohse Papers.
Child of ALFRED COLLINS
and KATE COLLINS is:
23. i. JIM KATE3 COLLINS, d. Aft. 1933.
Children of ALFRED COLLINS
and ELIZABETH MULLINS are:
24. ii. ARMISTEAD3 COLLINS, b. Bet. 1825 -
1832, Hancock Co, TN; d. 1904, Hancock Co, TN.
25. iii. BARB COLLINS, b. Abt. 1829, Hancock Co, TN.
26. iv. PRESH COLLINS, b. Abt. 1835, Hancock Co, TN; d.
January 10, 1915, Hancock Co, TN.
v. CATHERINE COLLINS, b. Abt. 1836.
27. vi. ELIZA COLLINS, b. Abt. 1840.
28. vii. ELCANA COLLINS, b. Abt. 1842, Hancock Co, TN.
29. viii. DUNCAN COLLINS, b. Abt. 1844, Hancock Co, TN;
d. Abt. 1910, Luttrell, Knox Co., TN.
30. ix. BATY COLLINS, b. Abt. 1845, Hancock Co, TN; d.
December 23, 1914.
x. MATILDA COLLINS, b. Abt. 1846.
31. xi. FLOYD COLLINS, b. Abt. 1848, Hancock Co, TN; d.
July 21, 1879, Hancock Co, TN.
xii. LORINDA COLLINS, b. Abt. 1850.
32. xiii. JERRY COLLINS, b. Abt. 1852, Hancock Co, TN.
7. ETHIE2
COLLINS (VARDY1) was born Abt. 1810 in TN. She married ALEXANDER GOINS Bef. 1833 in
Hawkins Co, TN?. He was born 1815 in
North Carolina, and died Bef. 1870.
Notes for ALEXANDER GOINS:
Listed on 1835 and
1836 Hawkins Co., TN Tax Lists.
Listed as Head of
Household in 1840 Hawkins Co, TN Census.
Listed in 1850 Hancock
Co, TN Census;
#123/123Alexandria
Gowins, 35, m, --, farmer, $300, NC
Effa, 40, f, TN
John, 17, m, TN
Alfread, 15, m, TN
Listed in 1860 Hancock
Co, TN Census:
#90/80Alexander Goens,
55, m, farming, $500/80, NC
Elley, 51, f, housework,
TN
Melvina Yong, 10, f,
VA
Listed as
"White" in above records. Alexander may have died before 187 0 as
Ethie was listed alone in the 1870 Hancock Co, TN Census, where s he was listed
as "Mulatto".
It is doubtful that this is the same Alexander
Goins who was murdered in Southwest Virginia, the subject of the song
"Poor Goins", as the murder happened about 1844. The records listed
above rule this out.
Marriage Notes for ETHIE
COLLINS and ALEXANDER GOINS:
Ethie was listed as 'Mulatto" in the 1870
Hancock Co Census, when sh e was living alone next to her son John's family,
who was listed as "w hite". In 1880, she was living with John's
family and was listed as "w hite". In all other censuses, she was
listed as "white".
She was listed as being born in TN in all
censuses. If she was born after 1810, this would be correct as Vardy Collins
moved to Newmans R idge from North Carolina about 1810.
Children of ETHIE COLLINS
and ALEXANDER GOINS are:
33. i. JOHN3 GOINS, b. Abt. 1833.
34. ii. ALFRED GOINS, b. Abt. 1835, TN; d. September
04, 1907, Hancock Co, TN.
8. CLARKIA2
COLLINS (VARDY1) was born Abt. 1813. She married ISOM BIGGS.
Notes for CLARKIA COLLINS:
Clarkia had "dropsy" in her later
years.
Notes for ISOM BIGGS:
Biggs descendant Becky Nelson, of Knoxville,
TN, describes Isom/Isham as being "quite a wealthy man, he was a farmer
and harness maker". After the Civil War, Isom's family (except Polly and
Wilson) moved north, first to Louisa, KY, then to Lawrence Co, OH, where Isom
went blind in his old age. Isom and Clarkia are buried in Getaway, OH.
Children of CLARKIA COLLINS
and ISOM BIGGS are:
i. POLLY3 BIGGS, b. Abt. 1832.
35. ii. WILSON BIGGS, b. Abt. 1834, Hancock Co, TN; d.
July 09, 1863, Nashville, TN.
36. iii. WILLOUGHBY BIGGS, b. July 24, 1836, Hancock Co,
TN; d. November 11, 1876, Lawrence Co., OH.
iv. TERESA BIGGS, b. August 21, 1838.
v. TABITHA BIGGS, b. Abt. 1844.
vi. SARAH BIGGS, b. September 1846.
vii. ETHA BIGGS, b. Abt. 1848.
Generation No. 3
9. BRANHAM3
WILLIAMS (LETITIA2 COLLINS, VARDY1)
was born Bet. 1829 - 1833, and died Bet. 1909 - 1912 in Hancock Co, TN. He married ELIZA COLLINS Bef. 1869 in Hancock
Co, TN?, daughter of ALFRED COLLINS and ELIZABETH MULLINS. She was born Abt. 1840.
Notes for BRANHAM WILLIAMS:
Branham was living with his grandparents,
Old Vardy and Peggy Collins, on the 1850 Hancock Co Census.
Children of BRANHAM WILLIAMS
and ELIZA COLLINS are:
i. TIMOTHY4 WILLIAMS, b. Abt. 1859,
Hancock Co, TN; d. 1908, Hancock Co, TN.
Notes for TIMOTHY WILLIAMS:
Timothy was crippled.
ii. JAMES FLOYD WILLIAMS, b. Abt. 1861; d. 1931,
Hancock Co, TN; m. ANN JAMES.
Notes for JAMES FLOYD
WILLIAMS:
From the Will Grohse
Papers; "Jimmie was a Baptist Minister
and married several families in the county. His marriage services were brief
and to the point. He would usually say out loud 'I now pronounce you man and
wife, kiss the bride'..."
iii. CHARLES B. WILLIAMS, b. Abt. 1864.
iv. VESTA WILLIAMS, b. Abt. 1867; m. DALTON COLLINS;
b. Abt. 1877, Hancock Co, TN.
Notes for DALTON COLLINS:
Dalton was described in the Will Grohse
Papers; "He was a large man, red faced. He suffered from gout in his later
years." His wife, Vesta, was his 1st cousin.
v. SHALLY JONES WILLIAMS, b. Abt. 1872.
vi. RUTH WILLIAMS, b. Abt. 1875.
vii. WINNIE WILLIAMS, b. Abt. 1877.
10. MORGAN3
COLLINS (MORGAN2, VARDY1) was born
Abt. 1860. He married ELIZABETH BUNCH
September 09, 1880 in Hancock Co, TN.
Marriage Notes for MORGAN
COLLINS and ELIZABETH BUNCH:
There are 2 dates for Morgan and Elizabeth in
the Rev. Taylor marriage lists;
Morgan Collins
Elizabeth Bunch
N. Alder, JP
9/7/1870
Morgan Collins
Elizabeth Bunch
9/9/1880
Child of MORGAN COLLINS
and ELIZABETH BUNCH is: