Governor John Collins

Governor John Collins

Continental Congressman, Rhode Island Governor

Elected to represent Rhode Island as a delegate to the Continental Congress, 1778-1780 and 1782-1784 and a member of the committee sent by the general assembly in September 1776 to inform General Washington of the condition of the colony and obtain his views upon the best method to adopt for its defense; Member of the Continental Congress 1778-1780 and 1782-1783; Governor of Rhode Island 1786-1790; as Governor he cast the deciding vote in the senate, thereby assuring the calling of a convention to decide upon the acceptance of the Constitution of the United States; elected to the First Congress but did not take his seat; died in Newport, Rhode Island, March 4, 1795.

DAR Ancestor #: A024503
Service: RHODE ISLAND
Rank(s): PATRIOTIC SERVICE
Birth: 6-8-1717 IN NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND COUNTY, RHODE ISLAND
Death: 3-8-1795 IN NEWPORT NEWPORT COUNTY, RHODE ISLAND
Service Source: BARTLETT, RECS OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, VOL 8, PP 139, 218, 388, 530
Service Description: 1) DELEGATE TO CONGRESS, ASSISTANT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY, PAID FOR SERVICES RENDERED

Burial: Collins Burial Ground Newport Newport County Rhode Island, United States

Spouse: Mary Avery (1735 - 1788), the daughter of Massachusetts Secretary of State John Avery.

Children:

1. Abigail 'Abby' Warren (Collins) (1757 - 1832) m. Dr. John Warren, founder of the Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Medical Society; younger brother of General Joseph Warren, MD.
2. John Avery Collins

• Find A Grave Memorial ID # 6946790
• Governor Collins on Wikipedia

John Collins was the 3rd Governor of Rhode Island. He was born in Newport, Rhode Island to Samuel and Elizabeth Collins (Thurston).

He stood forth as a staunch advocate of the independence of the Thirteen Colonies. An admirer of George Washington, he was selected by the governor of Rhode Island in 1776 to carry a letter to Washington informing him of the condition of the colony and soliciting counsel upon the best method to adopt for its defense. Later (1782) he was made bearer to the President of Congress of a statement of Rhode Island's reasons for rejecting the Impost Act. During the American Revolution, Rhode Island was for the most part an agricultural area and as such opposed the restrictions of a national government. Within the state the agricultural interests vigorously advocated a paper currency. Collins espoused their cause and in 1786 was elected governor. During his term in office the issuance of paper money, which had been ceased at intervals since 1750, was resumed. It was provided by law that should any creditor refuse to accept the bills of the state the debtor might secure a discharge by depositing the amount of his debt with one of the judges of the state superior court or the court of common pleas. This law led to the suit of Trevett vs. Weeden, which resulted in a decision looking toward the right of courts to declare legislative enactments unconstitutional.

In 1778, Collins represented Rhode Island in the Second Continental Congress, where he served until May 1781, when he was superseded by William Ellery. He was, however, re-elected in 1782 and held the position until 1783.

In 1786 Collins was elected governor of Rhode Island and took office on May 3d, 1786.

When George Washington was inaugurated as President on April 30, 1789 Rhode Island was one of only two of the thirteen original states (along with North Carolina) not to have ratified the United States Constitution and was, technically speaking, an independent nation with Collins as it chief of state.

Anti-Federalist elements in Rhode Island, up to 1790, vigorously fought against the calling of a convention to decide upon entering the Federal Union, but in that year (January 17) gave its sanction to such a call by a majority of one vote in the General Assembly. This vote was cast by Collins, who had come to realize the importance of a Federal connection. The vote cost him his popularity and the governorship. He left office on May 5, 1790. The Rhode Island General Assembly ratified the United States Constitution on May 29.

Later in 1790 Collins was elected to the 1st Congress but did not take his seat.

Personal life

Collins was married to Mary, daughter of John Avery of Boston, and his daughter Abigail married John Warren. Collins died at Newport was buried on his farm near that city, "Brenton Neck". The Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the Revloution has an annual observance of Rhode Island Independence Day (May 4) at Governor Collins' grave. His grandson and namesake, John Collins Covell (1823–1887), was a principal of the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind and West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind.

Name John Collins
Birth Date 1 November 1717
Birth Place Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Father Name Samuel Collins
Mother Name Elizabeth Collins
Page Number 53

Collection Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899

Name John Collins
Mother Name Hannah Collins
Marriage Date 23 May 1757
Marriage Place Rhode Island, USA
Spouse Name Mary Collins
Father in Law John Avery
Page Number 20

Collection Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899