Gilbert Collins (August 26, 1846 – January 29, 1920) was the 23rd mayor of

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Stonington, Connecticut The town of Stonington is located in New London County, Connecticut in the state's southeastern corner. It includes the borough of Stonington (borough), Connecticut, Stonington, the villages of Pawcatuck, Connecticut, Pawcatuck, Lords Point, and W ...

the son of Sarah Quinn and Daniel Webster Collins. His family immigrated to American from

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

before the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

. His grandfather, Daniel Collins was a lieutenant in a Connecticut regiment during the Revolution. He attended

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

, but the death of his father in 1862 forced him to leave school for financial reasons. In 1863, he moved to Jersey City and studied law under Jonathan Dixon (who was appointed an associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1875). Collins began practicing law in Jersey City in 1869. On January 2, 1870, he married Harriet Kingsbury Bush of Jersey City A

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, Collins unsuccessfully ran for the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...

in 1880. On March 25, 1884, Collins was nominated for mayor by the Independents of Jersey City. He was also later nominated by the Republicans. In the election, Collins easily defeated

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

John D. McGill by a 3,250 majority in the heavily Democratic city. He served one term and was succeeded by Democrat

Orestes Cleveland Orestes Cleveland (March 2, 1829 – March 30, 1896) was an American manufacturer and Democratic Party politician who represented for two terms from 1869 to 1871, and served two separate stints as Mayor of Jersey City. Early life and career ...

. In 1892, Collins was a delegate to the

Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal of the Repu ...

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

that re-nominated

Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 23rd president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia–a grandson of the ninth pr ...

. On March 2, 1897, Collins was appointed by Governor

John W. Griggs John William Griggs (July 10, 1849 – November 28, 1927) was an American lawyer and Republican Party politician, who served as the 29th governor of New Jersey, from 1896 to 1898. As Governor of New Jersey Griggs gained a reputation for siding w ...

as an associate justice to the

New Jersey Supreme Court The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases challenging the ...

and served until his resignation in 1903. He continued to practice law. Collins died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

in his home in Jersey City on January 29, 1920. He was buried in the family vault in Hilliard Cemetery in Stonington.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Gilbert 1846 births 1920 deaths People from Stonington, Connecticut Yale University alumni New Jersey Republicans Mayors of Jersey City, New Jersey Justices of the Supreme Court of New Jersey Deaths from pneumonia in New Jersey