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Hon. Michael F. Collins City of Troy |
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Hon. Michael F. Collins City of Troy |
HON. MICHAEL F. COLLINS, as editor and publisher of the Troy "Observer" and former Senator of New York State, is looked upon as a very useful citizen by the community in which he lives. The honors conferred upon him by his fellow citizens and the success attained as publicist, are the result of a well trained mind and an intelligent application of business principles.
Michael F. Collins, is a son of Patrick and Alice (Cullen) Collins, and was born at Troy, New York, on September 27, 1854. He began his education in the primary grade of the old Third Ward Public School in his native city, and at the age of fifteen he commenced as a type-setter, learning the printer's trade, and fifteen years later, when a strike was declared among the printers, became stockholder and city editor of the Troy "Evening Standard," a paper published by the striking printers. On October 3, 1878, he resigned from the "Standard" and purchased theTroy "Observer," a paper still owned and operated by him. Mr. Collins has always been a loyal supporter of the Democratic party, and though holding no office at the present time, is still active in party councils. In 1882 he was a delegate to the New York State Democratic Convention and assisted in nominating Grover Cleveland for governor. He was an alternate to the National Democratic Convention in 1884, when Grover Cleveland was nominated for President. In 1885-6 he was elected to the State Assembly, and in 1887 to the State Senate, carrying Washington and Rensselaer counties by large pluralities, and was reelected State Senator in 18S9. Both of these counties are normally strongly Republican. He was a candidate for Congress in the Rensselaer-Washington district in 1890, but failed of election. In 1891, owing to the division in the Democratic party he was defeated for State Senator. In 1893 Rensselaer and Columbia districts were combined, and Mr. Collins was nominated for State Senator in the district and elected by a large plurality. In 1916 he was nominated for Congress in the Albany-Rensselaer congressional district, but was defeated. He is a member of the Troy Typographical Union, New York State Democratic Editors' Association; Hudson Valley Democratic Editor's Association ; the National
Publisher's Association, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. After years of continued application to business, he now devotes some of his time to rest and recreation in the home he owns in the Adirondack mountains.
Mr. Collins married, December 20, 1880, at Troy, New York, Carolyn
Elizabeth Sullivan, and they were the parents of eight children, of whom seven are still living: Carolyn Alice, educated in the public schools and Emma Willard School, of Troy, and who became the wife of George E. Armstrong, of Albany, New York; Francis M., educated in the public schools, married Elizabeth Bohrer, and they have three children: Robert, Francis and Carolyn; J. Edward, educated in public schools and Troy Academy and now engaged in the newspaper business with his father; Daniel, died when three years old; Katherine, a graduate of Troy High School, and wife of C. Arthur Wales, who have three children: C. Arthur, Phillip Collins, and Caroline; Helen, educated in public and Emma Willard schools; Marie, a graduate of Troy High School; Eugene R., a graduate of high school, in business with his father. During the World War Eugene R. was in France with the 27th Division, United States Army, and received special citation, No. 86, for conspicuous bravery at St. Souplet, October 16 to 18, 1918, as a dispatch rider.
