THOMAS COLLINS, farmer, of Marshall County, Tenn., and son of Willis and Phoebe (Martin) Collins, is one of nine children and was born in the State of Georgia July 27, 1818. He was reared on a farm, and his early education was wholly and needlessly neglected. He was married at an early age, being only nineteen when he and Sarah Childs were united in marriage. Of the six children born to them only two are living: W. P. and Fannie. Since his marriage he has followed agricultural pursuits, and at one time was the owner of nearly 800 acres of land, the greater part of which he has given to his children. In 1884 his wife died, and, after living with his children a year, he was married to Mrs. Nancy E. (Clark) Judia. Previous to the war Mr. Collins was a Whig; since that time he has not cast a party vote. He has been a resident of Marshall County some thirty years, and has the confidence and respect of all who know him. Our subject’s father and mother were born in North Carolina and Virgina, respectively, and were married in Georgia. The father was an overseer in the latter State, and came to Tennessee in 1826, where he became the possessor of nearly 1,000 acres of land. He was a soldier under Jackson, and in politics was an old- line Whig. He died in 1854. The mother lived to be about eighty-four years of age. (Goodspeed’s History of Marshall County, 1886)