Ela Collins was an American lawyer and politician from New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

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Life

Collins was the son of Gen. Oliver Collins (1762–1838) and Lois (Cole) Collins (b. 1761). He attended Clinton

Clinton, Oneida County, New York

Clinton is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. It was named for George Clinton, a royal governor of the colony of New York....

 Academy. Then he studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Lowville in 1807. On July 11, 1811, he married Maria Clinton (1791–1871), and they had eleven children, among them Congressman William Collins

William Collins (representative)

William Collins was a United States Representative from New York. He was born in Lowville on February 22, 1818. He was the son of Ela Collins, a prominent politician from the State. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and commenced practice there. He served as district attorney for Lewis...

 and Harriet Anne (Collins) Herron (1833–1901).

He was a member of the New York State Assembly

New York State Assembly

The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...

 in 1814-15. He was District Attorney of the Eighth District (comprising Lewis, Jefferson

Jefferson County, New York

Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...

 and St. Lawrence

St. Lawrence County, New York

St. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...

 counties from 1815 to 1818, and of Lewis County from 1818 to 1840.
He was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1821.

Collins was elected as a Crawford Democratic-Republican to the 18th United States Congress

18th United States Congress

The Eighteenth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1823 to March 3, 1825, during the seventh and eighth...

, holding office from March 4, 1823, to March 3, 1825.

He was buried at the Jackson Street Cemetery in Lowville.

His daughter Harriet married John Williamson Herron (1827–1912), and they had eleven children, among them First Lady Helen Herron Taft

Helen Herron Taft

Helen Louise Herron "Nellie" Taft was the wife of William Howard Taft and First Lady of the United States from 1909 to 1913.-Early years:...

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