Levin Collins was born in about 1748, likely in Craven County, North Carolina (1316). He was likely a son of John Collins and Elizabeth (Odom) Collins. John Collins made a will on 20 Feb 1749 in Craven County, North Carolina (387). He died in Craven County before Mar 1750, when his will was proved in court. At the death of John Collins, Levin Collins was about one year old.

Levin Collins was in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina by 4 Oct 1771, when he received a warrant to survey 162 acres of land at the White Point Pond. On 3 Dec 1771, Levin Collins received an additional warrant to survey 150 acres on the Edisto River in the Orangeburg District.

During 1780, Levin Collins served on a Petit Jury for the Orangeburg District of South Carolina (917).

A survey plat of 150 acres for Levin Collins was certified on 6 Jul 1784 (1330), and on 5 Dec 1785, Levin Collins received a patent to 150 acres of land in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina (1576).

On 2 Jun 1785, Levin Collins was paid as a Lieutenant of Horse in the South Carolina Militia (1334). He was a Patriot, resisting the South Carolina Loyalists and the British Army.

On 16 Feb 1786, a survey of 162 acres of land at White Ponds in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina was certified for Levin Collins (1652). Levin Collins received a patent to this land on 4 Sep 1786 (1512).

On 25 Dec 1787, Levin Collins conveyed 100 acres of land, together with houses, out houses, buildings, yards, gardens, orchards, wells, waters, and water courses, to Walter Robinson for 20 shillings current money of South Carolina (1314).

Levin Collins, Daniel Odom, and Ben Odom witnessed the Will of James Collins (1331). The will was recorded on 9 Jan 1790. Levin Collins served as executor of the Estate of his brother James Collins in the Barnwell District of South Carolina (1331). Joseph Collins also served as executor. The date of the Will is unknown.

The 2 Aug 1790 U.S. Federal Census of the Orangeburg District of South Carolina enumerates the Levin Collins household including five males less than 16 years old and five females (1327).

Levin Collins migrated from the Barnwell District of South Carolina to Richmond County, Georgia before 3 Sep 1792 when he received a warrant to survey 350 acres of land (1333). A patent to the 350 acre tract in Richmond County, Georgia was issued to Levin Collins on 27 Oct 1794 (1313).
Levin Collins appears on the 1795 and 1800 tax lists for Richmond County, Georgia (237, Page 27). The 1800 tax list records property at Augusta in Richmond County, Georgia (1312).

On 19 Sep 1801—likely in Richmond County, Georgia—John Furey, Leven Collins, and John Sear made an inventory of the Estate of Robert Allen (1579).

Levin Collins died on 25 Aug 1806 in Richmond County, Georgia (1316). His remains were buried on 28 Aug 1806, presumably in Richmond County.

On 28 Dec 1813, Bird Martin acquired land owned by Levin Collins in Richmond County, Georgia and in the town of Augusta, Georgia (1532). Female heirs who also signed the indenture were: Catharine Louisa (Collins) Wright, wife of Benjamin Wright; Catharine Louisa (Collins) Matthews, wife of Benjamin Wright; Martha Collins, Sarah Jane (Collins) Johnson, wife of Elijah Johnson; Elizabeth Ann (Collins) Way, wife of John Way; Mary Winright (Collins) Cheathaim, wife of Anthony Cheathaim.

Notes and Comments

An obituary published at the death of Levin Collins states that he was 58 years old at his death on 25 Aug 1806, implying that Levin was born in about Aug 1748 (1316). Levin Collins was likely a son of John Collins and Elizabeth (Odom) Collins; however, documentation of this relationship is insufficient.

The land grant to Levin Collins on 4 Oct 1771 of 162 acres in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina was likely filed on 4 Sep 1786 (1652). The 3 Dec 1771 land grant in the Orangeburg District was likely filed on 5 Dec 1785 (1676).

At the 1790 federal census of the Orangeburg District of South Carolina, the households of Levin Collins and Benjamin Odom, Sr. were living in adjacent dwellings (1326). Benjamin Odom and Thamer (Powell) Odom were the parents of Leven Collins’ wife Ann Catherine Odom.

James Collins made a will in Winton County, South Carolina.

An indenture between the heirs of Levin Collins and Bird Martin identifies the male spouses of the female children of Levin Collins. Presumably, Levin Collins made a will that also named his wife Ann Catherine (Odom) Collins and his two sons Lewis Daniel Collins, and Moses Odom Collins. Any will made by Levin Collins was likely destroyed.

Geographic Boundaries

South Carolina was admitted to the Union on 23 May 1788.

Winton County existed during the period 1786–1790 within the Orangeburg District of South Carolina. Barnwell District was established in 1800 largely coincident with the old Winton County.

Sources

237. Jeffery, Alice. “Georgia Tax Index, 1789-1799.” (Database: Ancestry.com.)

387. Will of John Collins. Craven County, North Carolina. 20 Feb 1749. Secretary of State Records, State Archives of North Carolina. Call Number SS 839–SS 861, MARS ID 12.96.5.81. Division of Archives and History, Raleigh, North Carolina. (Images: State Archives of North Carolina. Images on file.)

917. Petit Jury, Levin Collins, Orangeburg District, South Carolina, 1780. Jury Lists, 1783, Acts #1172 Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina. Page 5, Family 525. (Database: Ancestry.com.)

1312. Levin Collins, 1800 Tax List. Richmond County, Georgia. Georgia Tax Digests, Georgia Archives, Morrow, Georgia. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

1313. Patent for 350 acres Issued to Levin Collins. Richmond County, Georgia, 7 Oct 1794. (Print and images on file. Courtesy of Peggy Carter Price.) Georgia Headright and Bounty Land Records, 1783–1909, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. (Image: FamilySearch)

1314. Deed by Levin Collins to Walter Robinson. Orangeburgh District, South Carolina, 25 Dec 1787. (Print and images on file. Courtesy of Peggy Carter Price.)

1316. Obituary, Levin Collins. Richmond County, Georgia. Augusta Chronicle, 30 Aug 1806. (Print and images on file. Courtesy of Peggy Carter Price.)

1327. Levin Collins Household, 1790 U.S. Federal Census. Orangeburg District, South Carolina, 2 Aug 1790. Series M637, Roll 11, Page 261, Image 163, Family History Library Film 0568151. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

1330. Survey Plat for 150 acres, Levin Collins. Orangeburg District, South Carolina, 6 Jul 1784. Series S213190, Volume 0003, Page 00042, Item 002. South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina. (Images: South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Image on file.)

1331. Transcript of the Will of James Collins of Winton County. Barnwell County, South Carolina, 9 Jan 1790. Series S108093, Reel 0005, Frame 00027. South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina. (Images: South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Images on file.)

1333. Warrant to Survey 350 acres for Levin Collins. Richmond County, Georgia, 3 Sep 1792. Folder 005086401, Image Number 00634. Georgia Headright and Bounty Land Records, 1783–1909. FamilySearch. (Images: Family Search. Image on file.)

1334. Levin Collins, Lieutenant, South Carolina Militia, South Carolina, 2 Jun 1785. Image 65. United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775–1783. (Images: FamilySearch. Image on file.)

1512. Patent for 165 acres Issued to Levin Collins. Orangeburg District, South Carolina, 4 Sep 1786. Print courtesy of Peggy Carter Price. (Print and images on file. Box 3.)

1532. Indenture Between Levin Collins Heirs and Bird Martin. Richmond County, Georgia, 28 Dec 1813. Book N, Pages 8–11. Print courtesy of Peggy Carter Price. Box 3. (Print and images on file. Box 3.)

1576. Patent to 150 acres Issued to Levin Collins. Orangeburgh District, South Carolina, 5 Dec 1785. Print courtesy of Peggy Carter Price. Box 3. (Print and images on file. Box 3.)

1579. Inventory of the Estate of Robert Allen. Georgia, 19 Sep 1801. Print courtesy of Peggy Carter Price. Box 3. (Print and images on file. Box 3.)

1652. Levin Collins, Survey of 162 acres at White Ponds. Orangeburg District, South Carolina, 16 Feb 1786. State Plat Books, Charleston Series, S213190, Volume 0012, Page 00274, Item 002. South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina. (Images: South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Image on file.)

Revised on 18 Apr 2023.