Jenny Shellhead
George Collins followed mining in California until 1853 when he moved to Jackson County, Oregon to take part in the 1855 Rogue River Indian wars. More info on Rogue River Indian Wars here.
In 1857 George Collins moved to Siletz area and in 1864 Collins became the Alsea Indian Reservation sub-agent, overseeing the Indians that were contained on the reservation and assigned farming plots to work on the land.
pg.1 1st Annual Sub-agency Report
pg.2 1st annual sub-agency report.
George Washington Collins
In July of 1867 George went on a routine scouting trip to round up Indians that had escaped the reservation and he and his companion were attacked by a band of escaped Indians and George was left for dead.[1]
Collins homestead Alsea, OR
A land deed dated 17 May 1888 shows George bought land in Benton County/Alsea along the Oregon coast.[2] The land is said to have been 160 acres that Collins built the family homestead farm upon and later sold off piece by piece to send his two son's Benjamin and James through college.
George Collins sitting on wagon with hunting party.
1864 George owned a general store and post office located in Seal Rock, OR. George carried mail down the beach to Bay View and up the beach to South Beach. Collins family diary states that since Jenny had died “the older boys did most of the housekeeping and looking after William until he was old enough to take over the house work.”[3]
Collins General Store and Post Office
[1] Capt. F.A. Battey, “Diary”, (Lincoln Co., OR: Lincoln County Historical Society, 2006) 34, 38.
[2] Lincoln County. George Collins Land Deeds. Record of Deeds Book. Book F, 276.
[3] Velma Collins. Personal Diary.
Photos courtesy of Collins family private collection.