The Thomas Collins Chronology on this page is generously submitted by Michael Motes in the hope of helping fellow Collins Researchers. Thanks, Michael! Posted 12/9/99 by Myrtle Bridges.
THOMAS COLLINS CHRONOLOGY
1718 – Birth, probably in Perquimans County, North Carolina.
1730 – Father and mother (or stepmother) die.
1732 – Bound to Thomas Penrice to be taught "the art Trad[e] or Mystery of a
Shoemaker." From
Chowan County North Carolina Court Minutes (Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions) 1730 through
1745, Book I, by Weynette Parks Haun, Durham, NC, no publication date, page 8:
At a Court held for said [Chowan} Precinct at the Court house in Edenton on Thursday the
10th day of April Anno Dom 1732. Present: Colo. Henry Bonner, William Badham, Thos. Luten,
Thos. Garrett.Thos. Penrice & his wife came to Court & prayed ____ have Thos. Collins an Orphan Child of James Collins Deced bound to him till he arrives at the age of Twenty One Years and said Thos. Collins appearing consented to live with sd. Penrice till he arrive at the age of Twenty One he being now of the age of Fourteen It is thereupon Ordd. That the sd. Thomas Collins to live with & serve the sd. Thos. Penrice untill he shall arrive at the age of Twenty One Years the sd. Penrice agreeing to teach or cause to be Taught the sd. Thomas Collins the art Trad[e] or Mystery of a Shoemaker and to teach him [struck through] the Boy to Read Write and Cypher.
January 25, 1742 – Married Annaritta Minge in Chowan County, North Carolina, daughter of
Joseph Minge, a prominent citizen of the area.This marriage appears to have greatly advanced Thomas Collins' financial status. Annaritta (Anna) Minge Collins appears to have had land holdings of her own in Cumberland County, North Carolina, probably obtained by her father, Joseph Minge, although additional research into all of the land holdings of Joseph Minge must be done. By 1755, Thomas Collins was well established in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and began his career in public service.
From Abstracts of Minutes of the Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Cumberland County [North Carolina] October 1755 – January 1779, Volume 1.
Page 1: October, 1755 Term: Court appointed Thomas Collins, Thomas Anderson and Rob.
Dickinson road commissioners for the road from Deep River to the Yakin Road near Wm.
Gilmore's, wherever the commissioners please.
Page 6: April 10, 1756 – A commission from Governor Arthur Dobbs appointed James Rutherford,
Hector McNeill, Thos. Armstrong, Thos. Gibson, Stephen Phillips, Duncan McNeill, Matthew
Raiford, Saml. Howard, Thomas Collins and Archibald McKisack, Esqrs., justices.
Page 8: July 1756 – Justices Present At This Term: Mark Phillips, Matthew Raiford,
Thomas Armstrong, Samuel Howard, John Heard, William Dawson, James Nicholls and Thomas
Collins.
Page 9: July 20, 1756 – The following deeds recorded: James Barton to James Russill
proved by Thomas Collins.
Page 10: July 21, 1756 – Thos. Collins took the oath and was admitted to act as a justice
for Cumberland County.
Page 11: July 22, 1756 – Court adjourned till next court. Signed by William Dawson, Matthew
Raiford, John Heard and Thos. Collins.
Page 11: October, 1756 Term – Justices Present At This Term: Wm. Dawson, Saml. Howard, Thos.
Collins, Stephen Phillips, Mark Phillips, Archd. McKisack, James Nichols, Thos. Gibson and
Hector McNeill.
Page 12: October 22, 1756 – Deed: Jacob Barnes to John Phillips proved by Thos. Collins.
Page 17: April, 1757 Term – Justices Present At This Term: Samuel Howard, John Heard, Thomas
Collens, Thos. Gibson, James Nicholl [Nicolls], Mark Phillips, William Dawson, Thos. Armstrong,
Stephen Phillips and Hector McNeill.
Page 17: April 19, 1757 – Deed: Dimas McLendal [i.e., Dennis McClendon] to John Overton proved
by Thos. Collens, Esqr.
Page 26: October 19, 1757 – Deed: George Feagin to Abel Lee, proved by Thos. Collins.
Deed: Cornelius Tyson to Robt. Cheek proved by Thos. Collins.
Page 36: July, 1758 Term – July 18, 1758 – Present: Thomas Collines [Collons], Phillip Dill,
Samuel Howard, John Howard, Gilbert Clerk, James Thornton and Arthur Danielly, who qualified
as magistrates in accordance with a commission from His Excellency. Also present at this term:
Joseph Livingston.
Page 40: July 21, 1758 – William Dawson's tavern license renewed; securities: Thos. Collins
and Phillip Dill.
Page 41: July 21, 1758 – Court adjourned till next court. Signed by William Dawson, Thos.
Collins and Phillip Dill.
Page 41: October, 1758 Term – Justices Present At This Term: John Heard, Thos. Collins
[Collons, Collens], Phillip Dill, William Dawson, Arthur Danally [Donalley, Donally],
Stephen Phillips and James Thornton.
Page 45: January, 1759 Term – Justices Present At This Term: Samuel Howard, Joseph
Livingston, William Dawson, James Thornton, Arthur Dannelly [Danally, Danielly],
Phillip Dill, Thomas Collins and [James Simpson crossed out].
Page 47: January 18, 1759 – Grand Jury: Thos. Armstrong ["Plunkett Ballard" crossed out
in the original], Stephen Phillips, Esqr., William Dawson, Alexdr. McAlester, Thos.
Collens and Farquard Campbell. Deed Moses Tomilin to John Overton proved by Thomas Collins, Esqr.
Page 48: January 19, 1759 – John McFarlan granted license to keep an ordinary; securities:
Thomas Collons, Esq., and Jams. Simpson Stephen Phillips granted license to keep an ordinary;
securities: Samuel Howard, Esq., and Thomas Collins, Esq. [At the motion of Mr. McGuire and
Mr. Burguin crossed out in the original].
Page 48: April, 1759 Term – Justices Present At This Term: James Thornton, Arthur Donnelly,
Samuel Howard, Thomas Collins, William Dawson, Gilbert Clark and Stephen Phillips.
Page 53: April 20, 1759 – Deed: Joseph Elkins to Emanuel Stevens proved by Thos. Collins,
Esq. Deed: Thos. Collins, Esq., to Robert Dicckeson acknowledged.
Page 54: April 20, 1759 – Court adjourned till next court. Signed by: Gilbert Clark, Samll.
Howard, Thos. Collins and James Thornton.
Page 55: July, 1759 Term – Justices Present At This Term: Thos. Collins, James Thornton,
Arthur Donelly, William Dawson, Joseph Livingston and Hector McNeill.
July 17, 1759 – Present: Thos. Collins and Jas. Thornton.
Page 57: July 19, 1757 – William Dawson, Esq., granted renewal of tavern license; securities:
James Livingston and Thos. Collins, Esqrs.
Page 58: July 20, 1759 – Grand Jury (Supreme Court): Hector McNeill, Farquard Campbell,
William Dawson, Ducey Shaw, Thos. Armstrong and Thos. Collins.
Page 59: July 20, 1759 – Also about the 19th or 20th of July Thos. Collins lost his pocket
book wherein were several papers of consequence, particularly a deed from Suffia Muse to Chas.
Findley and one ticket for attendance of the said Collins at the Supreme Court at Wilmington
in February last.
Page 60: July 20, 1759 – Robert Love granted renewal of tavern license; securities: Thos.
Collins and James Thornton, Esqrs.
Page 61: July 20, 1759 – Court adjourned till next court. Signed by: William Dawson,
Thos. Collins and James Thornton.
Page 61: October, 1759 Term – Justices Present At This Term: William Dawson, Thos.
Collins, James Thornton, Jas. Liviston, Hector McNeill, Phillip Dill and Arthur Donnelly.
Page 64: January 15, 1760: Commission from Governor Arthur Dobbs appointing Jonathin [sic]
Evans, Hector McNeil, Wllm. Dawson, Stephen Phillips, Saml. Howard, Gilbert Clark, Thomas
Collins, Joseph Leviston, Alexr. McAlister, Arthur Danelly, James Thornton, John Stewart,
James Simpson, Andw. Shepherd and Duncan McNeil justices, with a dedimus potestatum, read
in court; whereupon the said Stephen Phillips, Samuel Howard, John Stewart and Alexr.
Shepherd took the oath and their places on the bench.
Page 82: February 20, 1761 – Inventory of the estate of Robert Dickeson given by Thomas
Collins, Esq., and Michael Dickeson, two of the executors.
Page 83: February 21, 1761 – William Dawson granted license to keep a tavern in his
dwelling house. Securities: Thomas Collins and Joseph Livingston.
Page 84: February 21, 1761 – Court adjourned till next court. Signed by: Stephen
Phillips, Jos. Livingston, Wm. Dawson, Thos. Collins and Arthur Danely.
Page 84: May, 1761 Term – Justices Present At This Term: Thomas Collins, Joseph
Livingston and John Stewart. A commission from Gov. Arthur Dobbs appointed Jonathan Evans,
Hector McNeill, Gilbert Clark, Duncan McNeill, Samuel Howard, Thomas Collins, Alexander
McAlister, Joseph Livingston, Wm. Armstrong John Stewart, Thomas Chaney, John Betis and
Ferquard Campbell justices of the peace. Thomas Collins, Joseph Livingston and John Stewart
then qualified and took their seats on the bench.
Page 87: May 21, 1761 – An account due by Wm. Dawson, Esq., to Thos. Collins proved
by Thomas Collins.
Page 88: May 21, 1767 – Following appointed constables for the ensuing year: James
Muse, Beaver Creek to McClendons Creek; Wm. Arrington, from McClendons Creek to the
upper bounds of the county including all within the Yadkin Road. Constables to summon
all inhabitants in their districts to give Thomas Collins, Esq., an exact list of their
tithables for 1761–
Page 89: May 21, 1767 – Suit: Thomas Collins vs. Wm. Beasley – Collins came in as
garnishee to the defendant, declared that he was indebted to said Beasley in the sum of
L6:2:5. Court adjourned till next court. Signed by: Thos. Collins, Jos. Livingston,
John Stewart and William Armstrong.
Page 89: August, 1761 Term – Justices Present At This Term: Thomas Collins. John Stewart,
John Betis, Wm. Armstrong, Alexr. McAlister, Ferqd. Campbell, Joseph Livingston and Hector
McNeill.
Page 91: August 19, 1761 – Thomas Collins and George Robards appointed to divided the estate
of Charles Campbell, to return an account to the next court.
Page 94: August 20, 1761 – Grand and Petty jurors attending the next Superior Court at
Wilmington: Grand Jury: Thomas Collins, Ferqd. Campbell and John Stewart. Petty Jury:
Hector McNeill, Thomas Armstrong and James Simpson.
Page 99: November, 1761 Term – Justices Present At This Term: Joseph Livingston, Gilbert
Clark, John Stewart, Thomas Collins and Alexander McAlister.
Page 103: November, 1761 – Ordered that Thomas Collins, Esq., be nominated in the bond
which John Stevens was to give concerning the guardianship of Drusilla Raiford in place
of Joseph Livingston, Esq.
Page 110: May 20, 1762 – Suit: Charles Young vs. Thomas Collins – scire faciae to issue
to revive the judgement against the bail in order that execution may be issued accordingly.
[Notation was "Same as above suit" – Lawrence Tool vs. James McManus]
Page 111: May 21, 1762 – Constables to summon the inhabitants in their districts in order
to make lists of taxables to these justices – Joshua Collins and Jonathin Ritchison to
Thomas Collins, Esq.
Page 112: August, 1762 Term – Justices Present At This Term: Hector McNeill, Thomas Collins,
Walter Gibson, John Stewart, John Bettis, Duncan McNeill and James Rutherford.
Page 112: August 17, 1762 – Deed: Joel McClendon to Wm. Smith proved by Thomas Collins.
Page 116: November, 1762 Term – November 16, 1762: Justices Present At This Term:
Thomas Collins, James Rutherford, John Stewart and Ferqd. Campbell.
Court Adjourned till next court. Signed by: James Rutherford, Thomas Collins,
Jno. Stewart and Ferdq. Campbell.
Page 118: February 17, 1763 – Thomas Collins qualified as a justice.
Deed: Wm. Gilmore to Thomas Larimore proved by Thomas Collins.
Page 121: May, 1763 Term – Justices Present At This Term: John Stewart, Thomas Collins,
Walter Gibson, Hector McNeill, Duncan McNeill and Ferqd. Campbell.
Page 126: May 19, 1763: Constables to summon the Inhabitants of their respective districts
to give in their lists of taxables to the following justices: Constables Absolem Tyler and
Joseph Turner to Justice Hector McNeil; Constable Peter Campbell to Justice Ferquard Campbell;
Constables David Trantham, Jethro Hall, George Miller and Wm. Howard to Justice John Stewart;
Constables Thomas Stanfield, John Halles and Wm. More to Justice Walter Gibson; Constable
William Hall to Justice John Bettis; Constables Thomas Tucker, Wm. Narrimour and Jonatn.
Ritchison to Justice Thomas Collins.
Page 128: August, 1763 Term – Justices Present At This Term: Ferq. Campbell, Walter Gibson,
John Bettis, Thomas Collins, John Stewart, Duncan McNeill and Hector McNeill.
Page 131: August 17, 1763 – By governor's commission Thomas Armstrong appointed coroner;
Isaiah Parvisol appointed sheriff, he entering into bond with Hector McNeill, Stephen
Phillips, Robert Bennerman, Thomas Collins, Colin Shaw and John Donahoe, securities.
Page 133: August 18, 1763 – Grand Jury at next Wilmington Superior Court to be held in
October: Hector McNeill, Walter Gibson and Fred. Campbell. Petty Jury: Gilbert Clark,
Hugh Brown and Thomas Collins.
August 19, 1763 – Suit: Ferqd. Campbell vs. John Newberry, Jr. Verdict for defendant.
Plaintiff [presented his case through his] attorney, Richard Henderson, granted.
Securities: Thomas Collins and Hector McNeill.
Page135: August 19, 1763 – Court adjourned till next court. Signed by: Hect. McNeill,
Thomas Collins. Dun. McNeill, Jno. Stewart and Ferqd. Campbell.
November 1763 Term [First court designated as being held in courthouse in
Campbellton] – Justices present at This Term: John Stewart, Walter Gibson,
Duncan McNeill, Wm. Armstrong, John Bettis, Thomas Collins, Ferquard Campbell
and Hector McNeill.
Page 135: November 16, 1763 – Deeds (2): Keneath [i.e. Kenneth] Clark and wife Jean to
Wm. Green, proved by Thomas Collins, Esq.
Page 139: November 18, 1763 – Sheriff to take custody of the mulatto children in Thomas
Collins' possession, lately taken from John Robenson, and have them at next court.
Page 141: February, 1764 Term – Justices Present at This Term: Thomas Collins, Duncon McNeill,
John Stewart, Gilbert Clark and Hector McNeill.
February 21, 1764 – Present: Thomas Collins, Duncon McNeill. Court
adjourned and reconvened.
Page 144: February 24, 1764 – Ratchell Allen, an orphan mulatto girl age 10, bound as
an apprentice to John Stewart, Esq., till age 18. Juda [Allan], an orphan mulatto girl,
age 4, bound to Thomas Collins, Esq., till age 18. Benjamin Allen, an orphan mulatto boy
age 8, bound as an apprentice to Richard Grove till age 21, indentures of said mulatto
children to the several persons to be perfected.
Page 146: February 25, 1764 – Court adjourned till next court. Signed by: Hect. McNeill,
Thos. Collins and John Stewart.
Page 154: May 18, 1764 –Order directing Ratchell [Allen], a mulatto girl, to be bound
to John Stewart, Esq., also a girl named Juda Allen to be bound to Thomas Collins, Esq.,
and a boy named Benjamin Allen to be bound to Richard Grove, amended. Ratchell Allen
and Benjamin Allen bound to John Stewart and Richard Grove, and Juda Allen to Duncon McNeill.
Page 167: November 23, 1764 – Thomas Green vs. Duncon McLeron – Jury: Thomas Collins, Elijah
Bettis, Wm. Tulley, Hector McNeill, John Carter, Malcom Buie, George Evans, Wm. Jordan, Samuel
Boyd, Arch. McNeill, Alexd. Moore and Thos. Vince. Verdict: Defendant did detain in manner
and form complained against to him and assess damages to the plaintiff of L2:17:0 proc., with
6d. costs; defendant by A. Maclaine, his attorney, asked for an appeal to Superior Court,
granted.
Page 170: February 20, 1765 – Ordered on motion of P. Ballard, attorney for Susuannah Lawson,
widow of Batholomew Lawson, late of this country, that she have letters of
Administration on his estate, securities: Thomas Collins and John Overton, bond: L500 proc.,
she then qualifying.
November 1770 – Major Thomas Collins appears on a list of Cumberland County, NC, Militia
Officers with the notation, "never appears." This is interpreted to mean he does not appear
in further records of the militia company. [North Carolina State Archives Cumberland County
Records, Mil. TR–239, Folders: List of Officers of the Cumberland Regiment of Militia
November 1770]
[Editor's note: In one branch of the family of descendants of Randolph Hunnicutt, there exists some buttons from an officer's uniform that have been passed from generation to generation as having been from the uniform of Major Randolph Hunnicutt, son–in–law of Thomas Collins, who was an officer during the Revolutionary War. Military service for Randolph Hunnicutt has not been found, although his descendants may qualify for membership in the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution or National Society Sons of the American Revolution based on his civil service as Overseer of Road Repairs, Cumberland County, NC, 1779. This service was first established by J.V. Michael Motes, NSSAR #91863 (Supplemental: Randolph Hunnicutt) in November 1999. It is now believed that these buttons may have been from the uniform of Thomas Collins as a Major in the Cumberland County Militia.]
An additional reference to Major Thomas Collins is found in North Carolina State Archives Document Mil. TR.3–5, "Cumberland List of Officers 17—," the rest of the date missing from the original document.
From Colony of North Carolina 1765–1775 Abstracts of Land Patents, Volume Two, by Margaret M. Hoffmann:
Page 205 – 11 December 1770. Samuel Gilmore, Sr. granted 200 acres in Cumberland on a
small branch of Dunhams Creek a branch of Craine Creek, joining a Spring N. E. of
Anna Collins.
Page 315 – 22 January 1773. Daniel McNeil granted 250 acres in Cumberland on the waters
of Lower little River and (on the) branches of Andersons Creek joining Thomas Collins,
the first branch from Collins Corner, and Collins plantation.
Page 316 – 22 January 1773. Daniel McNeil granted 100 acres in Cumberland on a Branch of
Anderson's Creek that empties into Dunham's Creek, joining Thomas Collins and Thomas
Tucker – including Runnel's improvement.
Page 241: October 29, 1774 – Joseph Collins to Richd. Lyon and Co., proved by
Thomas Collins.
Page 292: 28 April 1778 – William Cocks to Chs. Seale and Wm. Seale proved by Thos. Collins.
Page 298: April 30, 1778 – Following to be summoned as jurors to the court of Dyer and
Terminer at Wilmington: Grand Jury: James Dyer, Robert Cobb and W. Rand, Esqrs. Petty
Jury: Thos. Dobbins, Charlton Atkerson and Thos. Collins.
Page 300: July 29, 1778 – Ordered that the following gentlemen be appointed tax gatherers
in the following districts: In Capt Seale's district Thos. Ellot and John Busby were
tax gatherers with Thos. Collens (sic) their Security
The above is the last entry for Thomas Collins in the Cumberland County, North Carolina Court records. It appears that he died before the first State Census of North Carolina was taken beginning in 1784 and continuing through 1787 as no record of him appears in these compiled census records. His estate settlement has not been found. It is also quite possible that he left Cumberland County with his daughter Frances and son–in–law Randolph Hunnicutt when they moved to Pendleton District, South Carolina, and died there prior to 1790 when Randolph Hunnicutt appears in the census of that year.
Research notes compiled by J. V. Michael Motes, 282 Kennesaw Avenue, NW, Marietta, Georgia 30060–1636. Telephone 770–429–8262. E-mail: Michael Motes
October 1999 Revised December 1999
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