About the Author

 

Collins - Hambrick Family History

(now including Caddess, Bond and Rodgers information)

 

 

 

 

My name is Ron (Ronnie) Lee Collins.  I was born December 31, 1954, in Vaiden, Mississippi, and lived there until I moved to Jackson, MS in 1981.  Before moving to Jackson, I played drums in many local bands including The Livin’ End (Article), ColdFire, the John C. (“Bubba”) Calhoun Band, and Magnolia Blue.  After relocating, I played with the Hi-Lites, the Earl Bishop Band, and Borderline.  While The Livin’ End won local awards, the others offered opportunities to play with Nashville stars such as Helen Cornelius, Jim Ed Brown, Kenny Price, Dottie West, Percy Sledge, David Frizzell, and Dickie Lee.  While I wasn’t playing in the bands, I was busy riding go-karts, motorcycles, camping out, building on my super-fortress (the Mighty Treehouse), or cruising in my 1972 Plymouth ‘Cuda with my favorite band of all time, Grand Funk Railroad, playing at ear-splitting levels. At the present, I ride a rocket, my Honda V65 Magna (1100cc).  Click here to relive a Blast from the Past.

 

If I Could Dance With My Father Again

 

Back when I was a child 
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high 
And dance with my mother and me and then
Spin me around 'till I fell asleep 
Then up the stairs he would carry me 
And I knew for sure, I was loved 
 
If I could get another chance, another walk, another dance with him 
I'd play a song that would never, ever end 
How I'd love, love, love, to dance with my father, again 
 
Oooooh 
 
When I and my mother would disagree 
To get my way I would run from her to him 
He'd make me laugh just to comfort me 
Yeah yeah, then finally make me do just what my mama said 
Later that night when I was asleep 
He left a dollar under my sheet 
Never dreamed that he would be gone from me 
 
If I could steal, one final glance, one final step, one final dance with him 
I'd play a song that would never, ever end
'Cause I'd love, love, love, to dance with my father, again 
 
Sometimes I’d listen outside her door
And I’d hear how my mother  would cry for him
I prayed for her even more than me
I prayed for her even more than me
 
I know I’m praying for much too much
But could you send back the only man she loved
I know you don’t do it usually
But dear Lord she’s dying to dance with my father again
 
Every night I fall asleep 
And this is all I ever dream

 

By Luther Vandross

 

 

 

 

Click on the Photo Above

 

 

 

The Pictures

 

I am the only child of Alf Trotter Collins and Juanita Hambrick Collins Rhine, of Vaiden.  My middle name “Lee” came from my Grandmother, Exyah Lee Bond Hambrick.  I have two wonderful sons, Cody Ryan Collins (born 03/30/1993) and Sean Eric Collins (born 03/05/1996).  I graduated from Vaiden Elementary School on 05/24/1968, from Vaiden High School on 05/21/1972, from Hinds Community College (Associate in Arts Degree) on 05/20/1990, and Mississippi College (Bachelor of Science in History, 05/16/1992, and Master of Social Sciences Degree, 05/10/1997).  CLICK HERE for other certifications. 

 

I currently live in Florence, Mississippi and work for Pomeroy IT Solutions, a national computer service firm that provides IT support for businesses nationwide. I’m a Computer Technical Specialist and, among many other hobbies, spend my spare time with my boys and doing historical research and WEB page design.  I am the author of 240+ web pages, including The History of Vaiden, Mississippi WEB Pages, and the Childhood Memories Page.  I also wrote Capitol Murder: Tempers and Temperance – Truth and Consequences, which was accepted for publication by the Mississippi Journal of History, while I was completing my Masters Studies at Mississippi College.  The Final Draft for this paper is still in progress and awaiting submission.

 

My father, Alf Trotter Collins (05/22/191301/24/1964), was one of the eight children of Major Robert “Bob” (01/15/1872 – 01/11/1945) and Erma Rodgers Collins (02/14/1878-10/04/1953) of Winona.  Alf was killed in an automobile accident while enroute to work at the J.A. Olsen Company in Winona, MS.  The Collins family included: Joe Marlow (12/31/189706/17/1966), Ladell Small (Dell) (10/05/190008/30/1949), Lottie Mae (02/05/190203/21/1997), Lattie Rodgers (“Doc”) (04/28/190508/07/1977), Lay Turner (10/20/190702/28/1985), Nick Pegues (06/13/191002/07/1999), Alf Trotter (05/22/191301/24/1964), and Susie Ellen (b. 11/27/1915 – 12/11/2007).  Major Robert Collins married Erma Lou Rodgers on 01/21/1897.  Erma was the daughter of William Rodgers and Ellen Jane MorganMarker Photo.  Major Robert and Erma Rodgers Collins are buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS.

 

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Collins

 

 

The following information is taken from Elsie Lilburn’s Family Treemaker listings.

 

 

JOE MARLOW COLLINS was married twice.  His married his first wife, BESSIE JANE BLAYLOCK, on 09/11/1918 in Winona, MS.  Bessie Jane Blaylock (Collins), after her divorce from Joe Marlow, later became the second wife of Leonard T. Caddess, the father to James Harvey Caddess and Wilson Monroe Caddess. 

 

BESSIE JANE BLAYLOCK CADDESS (04/25/1899 – 06/25/1959) is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS. 

 

Joe Marlow’s second wife was NETTIE CHANDLER (08/11/1905 – 03/23/1985).  Nettie is also buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS. – Marker Photo 2 

 

Joe and first wife, Bessie Jane Blaylock, had 3 children, as follows: 

 

1. JOE NEVEL COLLINS, b. November 12, 1919, Winona, Montgomery County, Mississippi; d. March 21, 1987, Lake Cormorant, Mississippi.

 

2. JAMES LAMAR COLLINS, b. May 10, 1923.

 

3. MARY ELIZABETH COLLINS.

 

Joe Marlow and second wife, Nettie Chandler, had no children.

 

Joe Marlow worked for the Montgomery County, MS Roads Department.

 

Joe Marlow is buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS.  He was 68y, 5m, 17 days old at his death.

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DELL SMALL COLLINS married AMY DELL STEPHENS-BROOKSHIRE (01/12/1902 – 01/14/1983).  They had 3 children, as follows:

 

1. STILLBORN DAUGHTER

 

2. ERMA “JOYCE” COLLINS (12/20/1929 - )

 

3. ROBERT LEE “BOB” COLLINS (06/19/1934 - )

 

Amy Dell is buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS.

 

Dell was a taxi cab driver in Winona, MS.

 

Dell is buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS.  He was 48y, 10m, 25d old at his death.

 

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LOTTIE MAE COLLINS married (1) RUPERT (“JACK”) DALTON (Birth and death dates and burial location unknown – married on 01/04/1925 – divorced 05/06/1926); (2) JAMES ELLIS HAYES (05/01/1881 – 01/14/1968 – married 07/18/1956 – buried in Paducah, KY – name of cemetery unknown); and (3) ELMER ELLSWORTH ROBINSON (02/25/1902 – 09/12/1996 – married 09/05/1970) – buried in Illinois (cemetery name unknown) next to his first wife).

 

Lottie Mae Collins was nicknamed "Dolly" by her grandfather, William "Bill" Franklin Rodgers.  Lottie was a young woman when she moved to Paducah, Kentucky and lived with her relatives. One of the first jobs that she had in Paducah was making cigars.

 

Lottie never had any children from any of her marriages.

 

Lottie is buried in Paducah, Kentucky, presumably buried next or near to her 2nd husband, James Ellis Hays – cemetery name is unknown.  She was 95y, 1m, 16 d old at her death.

 

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LATTIE RODGERS “DOC” COLLINS married CORRINE ODOM (08/06/1917 – 08/03/1973).  They had 2 children, as follows:

 

1. JIMMY RAY COLLINS

 

2. ANNIE RUTH COLLINS

 

Corrine Odom is buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS. – Marker Photo 2

 

Doc was manager of a plantation called Glenwild, near Camp McCain, MS.

 

Doc is buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS.  He was 72y, 3m, 10d old at his death.

 

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LAY TURNER COLLINS married FLORA MAE KITE (05/06/1917 - ).  They had 3 children, as follows:

 

1. PAUL TURNER COLLINS (10/19/1940 - )

 

2. MARTHA NELL COLLINS (10/15/1944 - )

 

3. MARY FRANCES (“FRAN”) COLLINS (08/19/1949 - )

 

Lay was a farmer, house painter, and was employed at the Recreation Pool Hall in Winona, MS, before moving from Mississippi to southern California in August, 1971.  Lay Turner Collins at age 21.

 

He lived with his daughter Martha Nell Collins Stewart for several years before moving into a convalescent home in El Monte, California.

 

Lay Turner Collins is buried at the Oakdale Cemetery in Glendora, Los Angeles County, California.  He was 77y, 4m, 8d old at his death.

 

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NICK PEGUES COLLINS married ROSA CRANE BROOKSHIRE (12/02/1921 - ), daughter of J. Brookshire and Amy Dell Stephens-Brookshire (later Collins) on 03/15/1936.  Nick was 25y, 8m, 21d old and Rosa was 14y, 3m, 3d at the time they were married.  Nick and Rosa had 6 children, as follows:

 

1. DEANNA BROOKSHIRE COLLINS (02/26/1939 - )

 

2. LINDA CAROL COLLINS (09/18/1945 - )

 

3. DAVID WENDELL COLLINS (05/09/1947 - )

 

4. ROSEMARY COLLINS (02/22/1949 - )

 

5. ROBERT BRUCE COLLINS (02/24/1953 - )

 

6. AMYE JEANINE COLLINS (03/14/1957 - )

 

Nick retired from the Screw Conveyor Corporation in Winona, MS.

 

Nick is buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS.  He was 88y, 7m, 25d old at his death.  Nick and Rosa had been married 62y, 11m, 2d at the time of Nick’s death.

 

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ALF TROTTER COLLINS married JUANITA ELIZABETH HAMBRICK (10/12/1920 – 07/01/2002) on 03/11/1953.  Alf was 39y, 9m, 17d old and Juanita was 32y, 4m, 27d old when they married.  They had 1 child, as follows:

 

RONNIE LEE COLLINS (12/31/1954 - )

 

Alf was 41y, 7m, 9d old and Juanita was 34y, 2m, 19d old when Ronnie was born.

 

Alf Trotter Collins served in the U. S. Army during World War II, He served in the Military Police and was classified as Marksman, M-1 Rifle. He received the Good Conduct Medal, Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar, the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal and the Honorable Service Lapel Button – WWII.  He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1946.  [Ed. Note:  Due to the loss of the original medals, the ones depicted here are reissues from the Army’s National Personnel Records Center – Military Personnel Records; 9700 Page Avenue; St. Louis, MO 63132-5100 or by the web at: https://veteranmedals.army.mil/].  Completion of Service Letter from President Harry Truman

 

Alf died on January 24, 1964 as the result of an automobile accident, south of Winona, Mississippi, on January 23, 1964 -- in which he was riding on the front passenger seat -- while enroute to work at J.A. Olsen Picture Frame Factory.  Also killed were Johnson Cooke (09/12/1921 or 1923 – 01/23/1964 (driver)) and James Stephens Downs (08/07/1913 – 01/23/1964 (rear left passenger)).  Avery Peeler (right rear seat) was the only survivor. Juanita was 43y, 3m, 12 d old and Ronnie was 9y, 0m, 24 d old when Alf was killed.

 

Johnson Cook is buried at Midway Church Cemetery, Vaiden, Carroll County MS. 

 

James Stephens Downs is buried at Old Plank Cemetery, Carroll County, MS. 

 

Avery Peeler is buried at Chapel Hill Cemetery (McCool), Attala County.

 

Alf is buried in Winona Garden of Memory Cemetery, Winona, Mississippi.  He was 50y, 8m, 2d old at his death.  Alf and Juanita had been married 10y, 10m, 13d at the time of Alf’s death.  Juanita was 43y, 3m, 12d old at the time of Alf’s death.  Ronnie was 9y, 0m, 24d old at the time of Alf’s death.

 

Juanita Collins married 2nd husband ROY JULIUS RHINE on September 12, 1969.  Juanita was 48y, 11m, 0d old and Roy was 55y, 2m, 13d old when they were married.  They had no children from this marriage.

 

Juanita is buried at the Winona Garden of Memory in Winona, MS.  She was 81y, 8m, 19d old at her death.  Ronnie was 47y, 6m, 0 d old when Juanita died.  Juanita’s grandsons (Ronnie’s sons) Cody and Sean were 9y, 3m, 1d and 6y, 3m, 26d old, respectively, when Juanita died.

 

Roy Julius Rhine (06/30/1914 – 02/04/1986) is buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, MS.  He was 71y, 7m, 5d old at his death.  Juanita was 65y, 3m, 23d and Ronnie was 31y, 1m, 4d old when Roy died.  Juanita was Roy’s 2nd wife.

 

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SUSIE ELLEN COLLINS married WILLIAM THOMAS RICHARDS.  They had 1 child, as follows:

 

JUDITH (“JUDY”) MAXINE RICHARDS (10/20/1939 – 04/01/1993) – 1966 PHOTO

 

Susie Ellen Collins Richards is buried in the Pilgrim’s Rest Cemetery, Huntington County, Huntington, IN

 

Judith Maxine Richards married her first husband, Daniel “Dan” Schock, on February 14, 1970. He was born November 22, 1920 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and died June 07, 1983 in Fort Wayne Indiana. They had had 2 children, which are, as follows: RICHARD DALE SCHOCK, b. April 27, 1971, Paducah, Kentucky, and JOHN WILLIAM SCHOCK, b. December 13, 1975, Marion, Indiana.  She married second husband, FRANK GOTSCHALL July 15, 1989.

 

Judith Maxine Richards Schock Gotschall is said to be buried in the Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio, with her first husband, Dan Schock.

 

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Major Robert Collins Family Age Comparisons

 

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THE COLLINS FAMILY (as listed above)

 

The Collins Homeplace – Winona, MS

 

Photo 1     Photo 2     Photo 3     Photo 4     Photo 5     Photo 6

 

 

More Photos of the Collins Clan

 

Photo 1     Photo 2     Photo 3     Photo 4     Photo 5

 

Photo 6     Photo 7     Photo 8

 

Photo 9     Photo 10

 

Still More Photos of The Collins Clan

 

Photo 1Photo 2Photo 3Photo 4Photo 5

 

Photo 6Photo 7Photo 8Photo 9

 

Rosa and Nick Collins’ 50th Anniversary Napkin

(March 5, 1936 to March 5, 1986)

 

Visit With the Collinses – November 1979

 

The J.A. Olsen Employees of Winona, MS -- 1955 (541kb .jpg file)

 

Winona Times Article With Listing of Employees in the Above Photo (490kb.jpg file)

 

 

Bob and Erma Collins were a farming family that lived in Montgomery County all their lives.  After receiving the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal, my father (Alf Trotter) was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1946, where he served in the Military Police and was classified as Marksman, M-1 Rifle.  He was employed by the J.A. Olsen Company in Winona for many years and was one of three involved in an automobile accident en-route to work on January 23, 1964.  He died the next day.  He was a devoted father and loved his family.

 

Bob and Erma Collins are buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Winona.  Bob’s father (my Great-Grandfather) was named James Polk Collins.  His (James Polk Collins’) wife, Mariah Jane Collins (12/29/1850 – 11/30/1887), was also James Polk Collins’ 1st cousin (Mariah’s father was Major Crume Collins, the brother of James Simpson Collins, father of James Polk Collins (Mariah’s husband)).

 

Bob also had three sisters, Lallie Otee (“Sis”) (11/30/187410/29/1937) (I believe this is correct) and Rosa Paralee (07/25/1881 – 03/03/1951), and Rachael Elizabeth (“Lizzie”)(b. 09/10/1879, d. ?) and two brothers, James Thomas (“Tom”)(05/10/1875 – d. ?) and Rube (William Wade (“Rube”) (08/24/188312/29/1969). 

 

Major Crume Collins, James Simpson Collins, James Polk Collins, Mariah Jane Collins, Lallie Otee (“Sis”) Collins, Rosa Paralee Collins and William Wade (“Rube”) Collins, are buried at Mission Cemetery in Winona.  Lallie (“Sis”) and Rosa Paralee Collins never married.  Rube married Mrs. Myrtle McCarty.  Information about Myrtle is currently unknown.

 

James Thomas (“Tom”) is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Winona -- MARKER CLOSE-UP.  His wife’s name was Lila (04/26/1891 – 12/25/1968).  Lila’s maiden name is currently unknown. 

 

 

Our Cousin, Elsie Lilburn, has traced the Collins Family History to England in 1569 (14 generations), beginning with John Collins I, Keeper of the Gael in the Court of King Charles I.

 

 To go to Elsie’s Family TreeMaker site, CLICK HERE.

 

To view an Adobe .pdf document of only the Collins Descendents, CLICK HERE.

 

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Hambrick

 

 

Juanita Hambrick Collins Rhine (10/12/192007/01/2002), was one four children of John Cleveland (04/23/1886 – 02/02/1951) and Exyah Bond Hambrick (04/02/1884 – 01/07/1955), who were originally from Attala County, married on April 20, 1906, and moved to Vaiden shortly thereafter.  [Ed Note:  The marriage license of John C. and Exyah Bond Hambrick shows