Arthur E. Collins
It is but fitting that in the annals of the county in which he was bom and in which he spent his whole life there should appear a proper tribute to the memory of the late Arthur E. Collins, who died in the spring of 1914, and whose widow, Mrs. Mary L. Leeper Collins, president of the Greene County Woman's Christian Temperance Union, is still living in Xenia. Arthur E. Collins was a member of one of the first families in Greene county, his great-grandfather, William Collins, having been one of the early settlers in the Massiescreek settlement, a few years later locating in the Oldtown neighborhood, a few miles north of Xenia, where the family home was established. William Collins came to this county with his family from York county, Pennsylvania, and was one of that sturdy band of settlers, of Scottish descent, which formed the basis of that strong United Presbyterian element which has been one of the dominant factors in the community life of this county from the very beginning. He and his wife were the parents of ten children and the Collins connection throughout this part of the state in the present generation is thus a numerous one.
Arthur E. Collins was born on the old home farm north of Oldtown, in Xenia township. February 19, 1866, a son of William H. and Mary (Galloway) Collins, the former of whom was a son of Samuel and Rebecca (McClellan) Collins, Samuel Collins being the fifth in order of birth of the ten children born to William Collins and wife, mentioned above. Samuel Collins was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1804, and was but a child when his parents came to Ohio and settled in this county. Here he received his schooling and for a time was engaged in teaching school. In 1836 he married Rebecca McClellan, daughter of John McClellan and wife, of Spring Valley township, and straightway after his marriage established his home on the farm north of Oldtown which he had bought and on which he had erected a stone house for the reception of his bride. Samuel Collins was a successful farmer and became the owner of more than five hundred acres of land. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom William H. was the second in order of birth, the others having been Nancy E., who married John H. Jobe; John O., a veteran of the Civil War; Lydia, who died unmarried; James Martin, who became a substantial farmer of this county; Mary Jane, who married John D. M. Stewart, of Xenia; Isabella, who married S. K. Williamson, of Cedarville, and Anna Rebecca, who married R. W. Moore, of Xenia.
William H. Collins was born on the old home farm north of Xenia, above Oldtown, on November 6, 1838, and on that place grew to manhood. On February 22, 1865, he was united in marriage to Mary Galloway, who was bom at Paris, Kentucky, May 17, 1836, and who was but a girl when her parents, Samuel Galloway and wife, the latter of whom was a Kirkpatrick, came to Ohio and settled in Hamilton county. After his marriage he established his home on the home farm just north of Oldtown and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were members of the United Presbyterian church and their children were reared in that faith. There were three of these children, sons all, of whom the subject of this memorial sketch was the first-born, the others being Frank and Harvey, both of whom are still living in the Oldtown neighborhood. Frank Collins, who was born on November 6, 1868, is living on a farm north of Xenia and has been twice married. His first wife died without issue and he later married Bartha Tate, to which union three children have been born, Louise, born in 1906; Paul, 1908, and John William, 1912. Harvey Collins, who was born on August 2, 1874, married Nellie Anderson, of Clifton, and lives on the old home farm. He and his wife have four children, Eugene, born in 1898; Frederick, 1904; John Harvey, 1908, and Mary Eleanor, 1915.
Reared on the home farm north of town, Arthur E. Collins received excellent schooling and early turned his attention to practical farming, continuing thus engaged the rest of his life, occupying that part of the home farm that he had inherited. His death occurred on March 29, 1914, and his body is now lying in beautiful Woodland cemetery at Xenia. He was a member of the Second United Presbyterian church at Xenia. Since the death of Mr. Collins his widow has been making her home at Xenia and has lately built an attractive new house on Detroit street. She has for years been active in church and temperance work and as the president of the Greene County Woman's Christian Temperance Union has rendered invaluable service in behalf of the cause of temperance and good government in the city and county. Mrs. Collins has two children, a son and a daughter, Robert Leeper Collins, born on June 11, 1895, who is now serving in the great National Army of the United States, in the service of which he enlisted following the declaration of war against Germany in the spring of 1917, leaving his school work unfinished at Muskinghum College, and Erma, born on March 16, 1904, who is a student in the Xenia schools.
Mrs. Collins was born, Mary Leeper, in Hookstown, Pennsylvania, and was there married to Arthur E. Collins on August 31, 1892. She is a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Dallas) Leeper, the former of whom was born at that same place, November 6, 1827, and the latter, at Springfield, Ohio, July 17, 1829. Robert Leeper was a son of Hugh and Esther (Harper) Leeper, who also were born in Pennsylvania, both of Scotch-Irish descent. He inherited the old homestead farm on which he was born at Hookstown and there he reared his family and spent all his life, an energetic farmer and for many years an elder in the United Presbyterian church. His wife, Elizabeth Dallas, was born at Springfield, in the neighboring county of Clark, but grew to womanhood in Greene county, she having been but a girl when she became a resident of Sugarcreek township, where she was living when, on November 22, 1864, she was united in marriage to Robert Leeper, straightway afterward going with him to his home at Hookstown. To that union were born five children, of whom Mrs. Collins was the third in order of birth, the others being Hugh, William, John and Robert, all of whom are still living. Hugh Leeper, who is living on a farm in the vicinity of his old home in the Hookstown neighborhood, in Pennsylvania, married Elizabeth Campbell and has four children, three sons. Earl, William and Robert, and a daughter, Gene. The Rev. William Leeper. a minister of the United Presbyterian church, now stationed at Chicago, married Lulu McClellan and has two children, Mary and Robert. John Leeper, who is now living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, married Margaret Campbell and has one child, a daughter. Mildred. Robert Leeper, who is still living on the old Leeper fann in the vicinity of Hookstown, which has been in the possession of the family for generations, married Helen Kerr and has five children, Arthur Wallace, Hugh. Elizalieth, Frederick and Helen.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A. Broadstone, editor. B. F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918