Short Biography of Andrew P. Collins

Hon. Andrew Perry Collins was reared on his father's farm, near West Lodi, Seneca Co., Ohio, and received a common school education and later attended the Seneca Co. Academy at Republic, O. In 1856 he entered the Freshman class of the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, O. Graduated from the latter with the degree of B. A., in 1860. Three years later he was given the degree of A. M. In the fall of 1860 he began teaching at Burnsville, Miss., but came north in 1861 and taught school near Niles, Michigan. This occupation was interrupted by his enlistment in Co. K, of the 12th Mich. Infantry, war of 1861. At the organization of the Company he was elected and commissioned 1st Lieutenant, in which capacity he served at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, as a member of Prentiss' Brigade. He was made prisoner on that occasion and not exchanged until six months and twelve days thereafter. After exchange he served in the battles of Vicksburg, Miss., and Little Rock, Ark., and participated in other smaller affairs. In 1864 he was appointed Assistant Ordinance officer and assigned to the staff of Maj. Gen. C. C. Andrews, commanding the 2nd Div., 7th A. C., where he remained until mustered out by expiration of his three years' service, at Devalls Bluff, Ark. Soon after he engaged in merchandising at Natchez, Miss., where he remained two years. In 1866 he located on his farm of about 1,000 acres, near Solomon City, Kan., but has recently moved to his town residence, 1416 Highland street, Salina, Kansas, still supervising the management of his extensive farm. Since settling in Kansas, 1868 to 1872, he has been Superintendent of Public Schools; 1883 to 1887 he was a member of the House of Representatives of the Kansas Legislature; for about ten years he was a member of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture; has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Kansas Wesleyan University since 1886, and was President of the Board for four years. Mr. Collins was a member of the General Conference of the M. E. church and attended a meeting of that body at New York City in 1888. Mr. Collins' children have all enjoyed unusual facilities in obtaining an education, but take pride in the fact they they were all reared on a farm and obtained their rudimentary education in the public schools of their native place, Solomon City, Kansas.

Source: "Descendants of John Collins, of Charlestown, Rhode Island, and Susannah Daggett, his wife" ⁸²²⁴