Photo courtesy of Patty Luthy.

[Article from unidentified newspaper, 1899 or early 1900, courtesy of Patty Luthy ]
JOHN COLLINS
A New Jersey Sea Captain
"The subject of this sketch, Captain John Collins, a native of Port Republic, N.J., is still living at the advanced age of 93 years. He is active and up to date, having all his faculties and represents a type of sea captain of the days gone by.
His son, Richard, with whom he lives, owns the homestead and planing mill at Port Republic. The other son, Lewis [Levi], is a well-known sea captain.
Of his grandsons, D.C.N. Collins of Bayonne, N.J., is an architect, G.H. Collins and John C. Cake are mining engineers of Pittston, PA, C. Warren Collins is a naval architect, William and Samuel French are attorneys-at-law in Camden, N.J., and T.J. Collins operates a coffee plantation in Guatamala, Central America.
During the first half of the century Captain Collins made numerous sea voyages. In 1825 he had the schooner Gloucester, of 100 tons burden, built at Nicholas Vansant's shipyard on Nacut Creek. Her first long voyage was made in 1828. Mr. Morse, a nephew of Commodore David Porter, was mate. The crew consisted of Josia Endicott, Jonas Mathis and Thomas Brown.
The Gloucester left New York with a cargo of general merchandise. Stopping at Appalachicola, then consisting of a tavern and two houses, Mobile and New Orleans. Striking a fierce gale she was blown back three days and on arriving off Tampico took on board eight Spanish pilots well armed with machetes. They stationed themselves at the helm. Four of them standing in a row on each side. They steered the vessel badly, trying to run her aground. The captain ordered one of his men to take possession of the helm but the pilots drove him away. Captain Collins finding that his vessel was touching bottom determined to manage the helm himself. So stepping up to the tiller he gave the men on each side of it a push which knocked them all down like a row of ten-pins. Finding it impossible to outwit the captain, they left the vessel without waiting for refreshments, all the while heaping a multitude of Spanish curses on the Yankee.
While at Tampico Captain Collins superintended the repairing of the schooner Commerce, owned by parties in Tuckahoe and New York, for which he received $500.
On the outbound voyage the English consul accompanied them part way out of the harbor. After he was put ashore the pilots set out in their boat to board the vessel again. The Gloucester having a favorable breeze they could not overtake her. The captain seeing that he was out of their reach felt safe in giving them a parting salute from the ten-pounder which he carried. This caused a Spanish gunboat lying near to hoist sail and follow, but it was of no use for them to try to compete with the sailing qualities of any American built boat.
After going as far south as Rio Janeiro, the Gloucester returned home. It was a gala day when the vessel anchored in Nacut Creek off Shell Landing again, for having been gone so long many people supposed her lost.
The last years of his long life have been passed uneventfully on his farm at Chestnut Neck, where he is honored and respected by all who know him."

1830 US census, Galloway Twp, Gloucester Co., NJ (image 11/42 ancestry.com)
John Collins age 20-30, no other household members
(suggests marriage after 1830).

1840 US census, NJ, Atlantic Co., Galloway Twp. (image 11/24 ancestry.com)
John Collins, head of family
males: 2 0-5, 2 5-10, 2 30-40
females: 1 0-5, 1 15-20, 1 30-40
no colored or slaves.

1850 US Census: http://www.rootsweb.com/~cenfiles/nj/atlantic/1850/1pg0091.txt
CENSUS YR: 1850 STATE or TERRITORY: NJ COUNTY: Atlantic DIVISION: Galloway Township REEL NO: M432-442 PAGE NO: 107
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LN HN FN LAST NAME FIRST NAME AGE SEX RACE OCCUP. VAL. BIRTHPLACE MRD. SCH. R/W DDB
18 782 801 Collins John 42 M W Farming 5,000 NJ
19 782 801 Collins Elizabeth 40 F W NJ
20 782 801 Collins Levi 16 M W NJ X
21 782 801 Collins Thomas J. 14 M W NJ X
22 782 801 Collins Daniel 12 M W NJ X
23 782 801 Collins Mary C. 10 F W NJ X
24 782 801 Collins Richard S. 8 M W NJ X
25 782 801 Collins George Anna 7 F W NJ X
26 782 801 Collins Emeline 6 F W NJ
27 782 801 Collins Sarah E. 3 F W NJ X

1860 US census, NJ, Atlantic Co., Galloway Twp., Unionville Post Office (image 254/301 ancestry.com)
John Collins, 53, farmer, $5000 real estate, $1000 belongings
Elizabeth, 50
Levi, 26, sailor
Mary C., 20
Richard, 18
Georganna, 16
Emeline, 14, at school
Sarah E., 12, at school
Anna C., 10, at school
Alice, 7, at school
Learner Williams, 10, at school
Joseph Smallwood, 20 or 21
James Sooy, 29
(all born NJ)

1870 Census, New Jersey, Atlantic Co., Galloway Twp., Port Republic (series M593, roll 851, page 81):
John Collins, 64, Farmer, $6000, $2000
Sarah E., 23, House Keeping
Emeline C., 25, School Teaching, $0, $100
Ann C., 18, at home
Allice, 16, at home
Richard S., 28, Works on farm, $500, $200
Adeline, 27, at home
Tharton? Risly?, 17, App? Farming
James E. Sooy, 38, Works on Farm
[Note: names of John Collins are reversed, and so are not indexed properly.]

1880 Census (LDS) Household, Port Republic, Atlantic, NJ
John Collins, head of household, b:<1807> NJ, age 73, farmer, widowed, father b:NJ, mother b:NJ
Emma C. Collins, daughter of HOH, b:<1845> NJ, age 35, school teacher, single, father b:NJ, mother b:NJ
Anna C. Collins, daughter of HOH, b:<1852> NJ, age 28, keeping house, single, father b:NJ, mother b:NJ
James Sooy, other, b:<1825> NJ, age 55, farm laborer, single, father b:NJ, mother b:NJ
Louisa Shutt, other, b:<1870> NJ, age 10, servant, single, father b:NJ, mother b:NJ
All of race white.
Note: James Sooy is probably last son of Asenath Lake and Paul Sooy, from second marriage of Asenath Lake after death of first husband Levi Collins, therefore a half-brother of John Collins.

Reported living with son Richard Siner Collins in 1900 (see newspaper article above).

According to application fof DCN Collins for Life Insurance, 1905, died at age 94 due to ld aver--paralytic messages(??)

Daily Union History of Atlantic City and County, New Jersey, John Hall (Daily Union, Atlantic City, 1900):
30. John Collins, b. October 13, 1806; m. Elizabeth Clark, August 7, 1831. She was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Clark.
They had: 34. Judith, b. September 8, 1832; d. September 8, 1832. 35. Levi, b. October 13, 1833; m. Sarah Leonard,
October 8, 1861. 36. Thomas Jefferson, b. February 4, 1836; lost at sea. 37. Daniel, b. October 17, 1837;
d. January 30, 1865; m. Elizabeth Lippincott, October 17, 1861. 38. Mary Caroline, b. August 25, 1839; m.
William Nelson French, December 10, 1864. 30. Richard Siner, b. July 27, 1841; m. Adeline Green, May 1, 1867.
40. Georgianna, b. September 17, 1843; m. Jesse S. Clark, August 23, 1867. 41. Emeline, b. August 20, 1845.
42. Sarah Elizabeth, b. March 17. 1847; m. Dr. D. M. Stout, July 25, 1889. 43. Ann C., b. August 23, 1851; m.
Rev. C. K. Fleming, April 28, 1892. Alice, b. June 21, 1853; m. Richard Ashley Cake, September 3, 1874..

From handwritten notes in bible of father John Collins:
"John Collins died at Port Republic, April 7th 1900."

• Married: 7 Aug 1831 in Port Republic, NJ

1. Daniel COLLINS b: 17 Oct 1837 in Port Republic, Atlantic Co., New Jersey
2. Richard Siner COLLINS b: 17 Jul 1841 in Port Republic, New Jersey
3. Judith COLLINS b: stillborn 8 Sep 1832 in New Jersey
4. Mary Caroline COLLINS b: 25 Aug 1839 in New Jersey
5. Georgianna COLLINS b: 17 Sep 1843 in New Jersey
6. Emeline C. COLLINS b: 20 Aug 1845 in New Jersey
7. Sarah Elizabeth COLLINS b: 17 Mar 1847 in New Jersey
8. Ann C. COLLINS b: 23 Aug 1851 in New Jersey
9. Alice COLLINS b: 21 Jun 1853 in Port Republic, NJ
10. Levi COLLINS b: 13 Oct 1833 in NJ
11. Thomas Jefferson COLLINS b: 4 Feb 1836 in New Jersey
12. Asenath COLLINS b: btw 1848 and 1850