One of the first settlers of Pomona Valley, where he located in 1883, after varied experiences in California and Arizona, David H. Collins crossed the plains to California when a lad of fifteen years and, with the exception of two years, lived the balance of his life in this state, a part of the growing West, in which he was a well-known figure. Born in Rochester, N.Y., in 1838, he was the son of LaFayette and Elizabeth (Hayden) Collins, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Connecticut. The father located in Rochester, and there practiced law and was judge of the district court in that city. In 1853 he brought his family across the plains to California, and located in Petaluma, Sonoma County, where he practiced law and served as district attorney for that county. His death occurred in 1867.
David H. Collins followed farming and stock raising with his father and brothers in Sonoma County. For two years he was in Arizona and helped lay out the town of Prescott in that state, also followed mining for a time. Then, in 1867, he came to Southern California and located at San Jacinto and with his brother, Germain Collins, engaged in stock raising, continuing in that occupation until 1874, in which year he came to Santa Ana and followed ranching.
From 1881 to 1883 Mr. Collins was in the dairy business, on his Chino ranch, with 600 cows, leasing land and stock from Richard Gird. In 1883 he came to Spadra, bought 200 acres of land in the San José School District, one mile west of Spadra, and engaged in grain-raising on a large scale; in addition to his ranch property, he rented land and combined his raising of grain with the breeding of fine horses and Durham cattle.
Always with the public welfare at heart, this fine old pioneer served in public office even while busily engaged in development work; a Republican in politics, he was a member of the county central committee, and also served as deputy county assessor. In fraternal organizations he was a member of Pomona Lodge No. 246, I.O.O.F.
David H. Collins was twice married; the first time in 1867, to Zille Martin, a native of Sonoma County, Cal. She died in 1881, leaving five children: Fred, Bessie, Gertrude, Grace, and John, a druggist at Cutler. On April 20, 1882, Mr. Collins was united in marriage with Ida F. Arnold, and one son was born to them, Henry LaFayette, who entered service in the very beginning of the World War, 1914, as chief yeoman in the United States Navy, and assisted in the capture of the German raider Vicksburg in the Pacific Ocean.
A true helpmate to Mr. Collins during their thirty years of life together, after his death Mrs. Collins sold the home ranch, in 1912, and moved to Pomona, where she conducts the Fifth Avenue Apartment House.
History of Pomona Valley, California, with Biographical Sketches
of The Leading Men and Women of the Valley Who Have Been
Identified With Its Growth and Development from the Early Days
to the Present
Published in Los Angeles, Cal., by the Historic Record Company
1920
Transcribed by Linda Jackson 8/25/08, Pages 275-276
Los Angeles County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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