Thomas Collins

Thomas Collins (1732 - March 29, 1789) was an American lawyer and politician from Smyrna, in Kent County, Delaware. He was an officer of the Delaware militia during the American Revolution, and served in the Delaware General Assembly and as President of Delaware.

Early life and family

Collins was born in 1732 in Duck Creek, now Smyrna, Delaware, married Sarah, and had four children, William, Elizabeth, Mary, and Sarah. His sister was the wife of former Governor John Cook. Collins was trained in the law, but never practiced, and must have had considerable wealth available to him as he purchased several large tracts of land in the Duck Creek area early in life. They lived first at Gloster on the south side of Dawson's Branch and after 1771 at Belmont Hall now on U.S. Highway 13, south of Smyrna. They were members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church.

American Revolution

Collins began his military career during the American Revolution as Lieutenant Colonel in Caesar Rodney's Upper Kent militia and within a year was a Brigadier General of the Delaware Militia. Collins served with General George Washington in New Jersey in 1777, but returned home to contend with loyalist uprisings in Sussex County. He was probably involved in the efforts to block General William Howe on his march from the Elk River, but there is no evidence that he was at the actual Battle of Brandywine.

Political career

Collins served as Sheriff of Kent County in 1764, and was a member of the Colonial Assembly in five of the nine annual sessions during the period from the 1767/68 session through the 1775/76 session. He was a member of the Delaware Constitutional Convention of 1776 and was elected to two terms in the Legislative Council beginning with the 1776/77 session and continuing through the 1782/83 session, serving as the Speaker in the 1778/79 session and in the 1781/82 session. In 1782 he became a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. The Delaware General Assembly unanimously elected him State President in 1786 and he served from October 28, 1786 until his death on March 29, 1789. It was during his term of office that Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787.

President of Delaware
Previous		Service Dates		Successor
Nicholas Van Dyke		October 28, 1786 - March 29, 1789		Jehu Davis

Delaware General Assembly (sessions while President)
Year	Assembly		Senate Majority	Speaker		House Majority	Speaker
1786/87	11th		non-partisan	George Craighead		non-partisan	John Cook
1787/88	12th		non-partisan	Thomas McDonough		non-partisan	Thomas Rodney
1788/89	13th		non-partisan	George Mitchell		non-partisan	Jehu Davis

Death and legacy

Collins died March 29, 1789 in Duck Creek, now Smyrna, Delaware. He was buried in the Collins Family Cemetery, but his remains were later moved to the St. Peter's Episcopal Church Cemetery in Smyrna. He was the first State President to die in office.

The Thomas Collins state office building on U.S. Highway 13 in Dover, Delaware is named in his honor.

Almanac

Elections were held October 1 and members of the General Assembly took office on October 20, or the following weekday. Legislative Councilmen had a three year term and Assemblymen had a one year term. The General Assembly chose the State President for a term of three years.

Public Offices
Office	Type	Location	Took Office	Left Office	notes
Sheriff	Judiciary	Dover	1764	1767	Kent County
Assemblyman	Legislature	New Castle	October 20, 1767	October 21, 1768
Assemblyman	Legislature	New Castle	October 21, 1768	October 20, 1769
Assemblyman	Legislature	New Castle	October 21, 1769	October 20, 1770
Assemblyman	Legislature	New Castle	October 21, 1772	October 20, 1773
Assemblyman	Legislature	New Castle	October 21, 1775	June 15, 1776
Delegate	Convention	Dover	August 27, 1776	September 20, 1776	State Constitution
Councilman	Legislature	New Castle	October 20, 1776	October 20, 1779
Councilman	Legislature	Dover	October 20, 1779	October 20, 1782
Judge	Judiciary	Dover	1782	1786	Court of Common Pleas
State President	Executive	Dover	October 28, 1786	March 29, 1789

Delaware General Assembly service
Dates	Assembly	Chamber	Majority	Governor	Committees	District
1776/77	1st	State Council	non-partisan	John McKinly		Kent at-large
1777/78	2nd	State Council	non-partisan	George Read		Kent at-large
1778/79	3rd	State Council	non-partisan	Caesar Rodney	Speaker	Kent at-large
1779/80	4th	State Council	non-partisan	Caesar Rodney		Kent at-large
1780/81	5th	State Council	non-partisan	Caesar Rodney	Speaker	Kent at-large
1781/82	6th	State Council	non-partisan	John Dickinson	Speaker	Kent at-large

References

• Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company. 
• Martin, Roger A. (1984). History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press. 
• Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, DE: Roger A. Martin. 
• Munroe, John A. (1954). Federalist Delaware 1775-1815. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University. 
• Racino, John W. (1980). Biographical Directory of American and Revolutionary Governors 1607-1789. Westport, CT: Meckler Books. ISBN 0-930466-00-4. 
• Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co. 
• Ward, Christopher L. (1941). Delaware Continentals, 1776-1783. Wilmington, DE: Historical Society of Delaware. ISBN 0-924117-21-4. 
• Wilson, Emerson. (1969). Forgotten Heroes of Delaware. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Deltos Publishing Company. 

Images

• Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery, Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover.

External links

• Delaware’s Governors
• Find a Grave

Places with more information

• Delaware Historical Society website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161
• University of Delaware Library website, 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965