"Robert was a son of John Collins, who was son of Thomas Collins Jr., who was son of Thomas Collins. This Thomas was the progenitor of the Collins about Maiden Down and Mullins. The writer saw old man Thomas 70 years ago [abt. 1830]; he lived and died on Maiden Down and Martin Swamp, right at the junction of the latter with the former; he was then past middle life, and, I think, was a Justice of Peace or Magistrate away back in the 30's - a prominent man in his day; He was the great grandfather of the late Sheriff Robert Collins.

Robert Collins, the Sheriff, married a Miss Powell of North Carolina, and had and raised a family of three sons and, perhaps, daughters. Of the three sons, Barney, the eldest, married a Miss Wall. John, the next son, died a young man at Marion, whilst his father was Sheriff. Sydney, the youngest son, married someone to the writer unknown, and has gone out of sight - don't know what has become of him. Sheriff Collins died some years ago. The writer will here relate the circumstances under which he became Sheriff:

In May 1867, during the Reconstruction period, Neill C. McDuffie, who was then Sheriff, resigned the office, and the fact of his resignation was not known in Marion to the public for two weeks, when it became known in the following manner: The writer one day received a letter from Governor James L. Orr, announcing the fact, and saying that if we could get some man who would take the "iron-clad oath" that was suited to the office, that he thought he could get General Canby to appoint him, and urged that we attend to it at once, lest General Canby might appoint someone objectionable or some carpet-bagger. I immediately showed the letter to Hon. A. Q. McDuffie, Judge Willcox and others. It was agreed that Robert Collins was the man, that he was fit for the office, having been a deputy for several years, and that he could take the required oath, as it was known to us that he was opposed to the war.

I saw Mr. Collins that evening and opened the matter to him. He said he could give the bond and would accept the position. I immediately replied accordingly to the Governor and in a few days the appointment came from General Canby through the Governor. And thus, Robert Collins was made and became Sheriff of the county. At the first general election after the Constitution of 1868, Collins was a candidate for Sheriff and was elected for four more years, and served until his term expired. He made an excellent Sheriff, and especially in those troubled times, but was not "radical" enough to get the nomination of the dominant party for a second term."

- Page 513, 514 "A History of Marion County, SC by W. W. Sellers


MARION - Robert Collins, a former Sheriff of Marion County and recently a United States Deputy Marshal, died this afternoon at his residence, five miles from here.

Published in The State, March 3, 1891