JOHN THOMAS COLLINS
John Thomas Collins (1851-1929) was born on 16 September 1851 in Mississippi City, Mississippi. At New Orleans on June 29, 1885, he married Frances “Fannie” Corr (1861-1945), the daughter of George Corr (1827-1887) and Sarah Glancy (1828-1902). George Corr and Sarah Glancy Corr were natives of Farnaught, County Leitrim, Ireland and County Roscommon, Ireland respectively. Their corporal remains were interred in St. Patrick Cemetery No. 3 in the Crescent City.(The Daily Picayune, august 11, 1887, p. 4 and The Daily Picayune, December 15, 1902, p. 1)
John was a boat builder with at least some of his sons in Gulfport, Mississippi. He died on 3 January 1929 at the age of 77 at West Howard Ave in Biloxi, Mississippi. He died of Influenza – pneumonia. He was buried on 4 January 1929 in the John T. Collins family plot in the Biloxi Cemetery. His death certificate and census records say he was born in Biloxi in 1851 which would make his parents arrival from New Orleans sooner than 1854 unless they went back and forth.
Although he did not use the term “Sr.” after his name, so as not to confuse anyone, his family dedicated this window in the Nativity BVM Church (first one on the left as you enter the Church) to him and the entire Collins Family. Those are Saint Patrick and Saint Bridget who are patron Saints of Ireland.
Frances Margaret “Fannie” Corr was born on 4 February 1861 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was baptized on 9 May 1861 at St Theresa Church in New Orleans. She was married to John T. Collins on 29 June 1885 at St Theresa Church, New Orleans. The wedding was performed by Father Thomas Heslin, who in 1889 became the fifth Bishop of Natchez (which covered the entire state of Mississippi), was Fannie’s cousin. Frances was the daughter of George Corr and Sarah Clancy. She died on 6 May 1945 at the age of 84 at their home, 1850 Father Ryan Ave, Biloxi, Mississippi. She died of “peritonitis – gall bladder.” She was buried on 8 May 1945 in the John Collins Family Plot in Biloxi, Mississippi.
John and Fannie's Children
William Joesph Collins
Sarah Collins
George J. Collins
Susan M. Collins
Katherine Collins
Francis Ruth Collins
Anna M. Collins
John T. Collins Jr.
William Joesph Collins (information on seperate page)
Sarah Collins was born at New Orleans on September 15, 1890.
George J. Collins was born at New Orleans in November 1891.
Susan Mary Collins was born at New Orleans on January 28, 1894. She died in 1973 at the age of 79. Known to everyone ast “Aunt Sue Sue” she was a nurse and assisted in the birth of most of the Collins kids. Miss Collins was a graduate of Hotel Dieu and was in charge of the Biloxi Hospital in 1933. (The Daily Herald, July 4, 1933, p. 2)
Katherine Collins
Francis Ruth Collins
Anna M. Collins
Anna May Collins Caillavet (1901-1990) was born October 19, 1901 at New Orleans. She was one month old when her family relocated to Biloxi, Mississippi. She graduated from Biloxi High School in 1920. Anna retired in 1971 as assistant executive director of the Biloxi Housing Authority after 32 years of service. She was an original employee in 1940 of the Biloxi Housing Authority and served as secretary during the initial planning and developmental stages of all the of all the housing projects. Mrs. Caillavet died at Biloxi, Mississippi on December 12, 1990.(The Sun Herald, December 15, 1990)
Anna M. Collins married Edward A. Caillavet (1898-1963), the son of Aristede Caillavet (1868-1898) and Ellen Gannon (1871-1929), in Harrison County, Mississippi on October 29, 1923 in Harrison County, Mississippi.[Harrison Co., Mississippi Circuit Court MRB 35, p. 371]
Edward Caillavet made his livelihood at Biloxi in sales at the W.V. Joyce Company and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.
Anna M. Collins and Ed Caillavet were the parents of two daughters: Doris Caillavet Delano (1925-2005), the spouse of Arthur Delano of Huntington, Long Island, New York and Barbara Ann Caillavet, the wife of Lloyd Thomas Moon.
Ed Caillavet expired on April 17, 1963 at the Gulfport Memorial Hospital. He was survivied by wife; two daughters; Winnie Caillavet Mon (1895-1977), his sister and the spouse of George Maximillian Mon (1896-1973); and two grandchildren.(The Daily Herald, April 18, 1963, p. 2.)
The corporal remains of Anna and Ed Caillavet were interred in the Biloxi Cemetery under the auspices of the Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home.
John T. Collins [image made 1922]
John Thomas Collins Jr. (1904-1985) was born at Biloxi, Mississip on February 17, 1904 to John T. Collins (1852-1929) and Frances Margaret Corr (1861-1945). His father was a noted Biloxi building contractor and established the firm which became Collins Brothers Contractors of Biloxi. John T. Collins was a 1923 graduate of Biloxi High School where he played footbal and baseball. He graduated from Tulane University School of Architecture with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1928. He began independent practice in 1929 in Biloxi. He served in the Navy Seabees (Construction Battalion) in WWII from 1942-45. After the war, he joined in partnership with William J. Collins, Jr. a civil engineer as COLLINS & COLLINS. In 1956, his office was in the United Building, and his residence at 2227 W. Beach. He was registered to practice in both Mississippi and Louisiana. By 1962, John was in practice with Leonard A. Collins. John was named the Lions Club "Biloxi's Outstanding Citizen" for 1960.
John graduated from Tulane University School of Architecture with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1928. He began independent practice in 1929 in Biloxi. He served in the Navy Seabees (Construction Battalion) in WWII from 1942-45. After the war, he joined in partnership with William J. Collins, Jr. a civil engineer as COLLINS & COLLINS. In 1956, his office was in the United Building, and his residence at 2227 W. Beach. He was registered to practice in both Mississippi and Louisiana. By 1962, was in practice with Leonard A. Collins.
Buildings
Some of the notable projects included: the Biloxi Community House; Sacred Heart Academy; Bayou Auguste Homes; Bayview Homes; Dukate Elementary School; Biloxi Health Center; “Old Brick House” restoration; Sunkist Country Club; Biloxi USO Club; Veterans of Foreign Wars Building; M.L. Michel Middle School; U.S. Post Office and Federal Building; Villa Maria Retirement Apartments; Magnolia Hotel restoration; St. Martin School in Jackson County; Biloxi Municipal 'Yankee' Stadium; A.L. May Stadium at MGCCC-Perkinston Campus; Beauvoir Elementary School; Popp's Ferry Elementary School; and the Orange Grove Elementary School.
John T. Collins married on 2 June 1942 to Martha Thrash (19-1962) of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and in 2 June 1963 to Gertrude Miller Keyes (1905-1981).[Harrison Co., Mississippi Circuit Court MRB Bk. 55, p. 445 and Bk. 124, p. 321]
References:
The Daily Herald, 'Miss [Mary] Collins graduates', June 8, 1946.
The Daily Herald, ‘Mrs. John Collins Funeral Tomorrow’, May 7, 1945.
The Daily Herald, 'Wilson-Collins', April 27, 1953.
The Daily Herald, “$500,000 School construction to start at Biloxi”, October 8, 1958.
The Daily Herald,“John Collins is recipient 1960 Lions Cup award”, January 2, 1961.
The Daily Herald, 'Edward A. Caillavet', April 18, 1963, p. 2.
The Sun Herald, "John Collins dead at 81", November 1, 1985.
The Sun Herald, 'Anna Collins Caillavet', December 15, 1990.
The Sun Herald, 'Francis X, Collins', August 3, 2000.
The Sun Herald, 'Doris Caillavet Delano', December 17, 2005, p. A-12.
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