'
Roy Day Collins was born on December 13, 1880 in Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa, the son of Carlos Plant Collins (1851-1925) and Susan Alma Dyer (1850-1934). The family moved from Waverly to Bathgate, Pembina County and lived there for several years before finally settling in Grand Forks, Grand Forks County. It was there that Roy finished high school and attended business college.
Then, at the age of 20, Roy and his friend Roy Slater went west on horseback looking for potential cattle land. Passing through Fort Buford, they heard of land for sale on Second Hay Creek just west of the Yellowstone River in Montana, land that was part of the Fort Buford Indian Reservation that hadn't yet been surveyed.
Roy settled on the land, 5 miles southwest of the present town of Fairview, and when Richland County was established, he formally filed his claim to the land (Section 15, Township 24, Range 59) on July 20, 1903, as did his father (Section 12, Township 24, Range 59), although his father didn't move into the area until later. Roy's mother-in-law, Isabella Boyes filed her claim to Section 23 of the same township and range on March 2, 1907, and Roy's brother Art filed on Section 14 of the same township and range on April 10, 1908.
In partnership with his father, Roy operated the Spring Valley Stock Ranch on Second Hay Creek, breeding and raising Percheron horses. He broke those horses and sold them in large numbers, supplying many of the early Richland County homesteaders with their work horses, while shipping many more by rail to markets further east. Roy also raised Herford cattle and spent much time riding the range and working on cattle and horse roundups with other Montana cowboys.
It was during this period of time that Roy went back to Grand Forks where he was married on October 11, 1905 to Edith "Lillian" Boyes (1878-1973). After their first child was born, the family packed up and left for eastern Montana, making their home in the log house Roy had built on the Spring Valley Stock Ranch. Later he built a 2-story ranch house and a larger barn. Surrounded on 3 sides by Second Hay Creek, the location was outstanding and the house and barn even had running water after Roy dug a 6-foot deep trench some 600 feet long to lay pipe from a fresh-water spring located across the creek.
While still on the ranch and an active member of the Ridgelawn community, Roy helped organize the Lower Yellowstone Presbyterian Church there in 1906, a church that later merged with the Methodist Church to become the Community Presbyterian Church of Fairview. He served as an active church elder form the time of his ordination in 1921 until his death. He was also active in the Richland County Fair and in the Fairview Old Timers Reunion & Summer Festival, the latter having its first season in 1946.
Roy had also established a farm in the irrigated Yellowstone River valley closer to Fairview, and in 1925 the decision was made to move their ranch house some 3 miles to that farm land.
He was Fairview Postmaster from 1928 until 1933, and in 1932 was elected to represent Richland County in the state legislature.
On February 1, 1935 Roy, in partnership with his son Carlos and his son-in-law Kenneth Harris Gardner, established the Collins Mercantile Company, a John Deere farm implement dealership at Fairview. It was a time when most farmers in the area used horses to work the fields. The John Deere A & B row crop tractors were just being introduced at a cost of $600 to $900, and the newly formed company often took 6 to 8 horses as down payment on new tractors. It was not uncommon for the company to sell several hundred horses each year either locally or to a horse trader from Iowa.
When Roy more or less retired about 1946 he sold his share in the company to his two partners, but still kept busy on his farm raising sheep & alfalfa. He and his wife eventually built a 2nd home in Lemon Grove, San Diego County, California, where they spent the winter months.
Roy was 79 years old when he passed away on November 2, 1960 at Sidney Hospital.
Survivors included his widow Lillian, daughters Mrs Kenneth Gardner and Mrs Robert Deming, son Carlos Collins, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral Services were held on November 6th at Community Presbyterian Church in Fairview, and burial was in Fairview Cemetery in McKenzie County, North Dakota.
Original obituary in THE BILLINGS GAZETTE on November 5, 1960
Children of Roy and Lillian:
~ Mildred Isabelle Collins (1908-1984)
~ Edith Mae Collins (1909-2005)
~ Carlos Peter Collins (1912-2011)
Roy Day Collins was born on December 13, 1880 in Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa, the son of Carlos Plant Collins (1851-1925) and Susan Alma Dyer (1850-1934). The family moved from Waverly to Bathgate, Pembina County and lived there for several years before finally settling in Grand Forks, Grand Forks County. It was there that Roy finished high school and attended business college.
Then, at the age of 20, Roy and his friend Roy Slater went west on horseback looking for potential cattle land. Passing through Fort Buford, they heard of land for sale on Second Hay Creek just west of the Yellowstone River in Montana, land that was part of the Fort Buford Indian Reservation that hadn't yet been surveyed.
Roy settled on the land, 5 miles southwest of the present town of Fairview, and when Richland County was established, he formally filed his claim to the land (Section 15, Township 24, Range 59) on July 20, 1903, as did his father (Section 12, Township 24, Range 59), although his father didn't move into the area until later. Roy's mother-in-law, Isabella Boyes filed her claim to Section 23 of the same township and range on March 2, 1907, and Roy's brother Art filed on Section 14 of the same township and range on April 10, 1908.
In partnership with his father, Roy operated the Spring Valley Stock Ranch on Second Hay Creek, breeding and raising Percheron horses. He broke those horses and sold them in large numbers, supplying many of the early Richland County homesteaders with their work horses, while shipping many more by rail to markets further east. Roy also raised Herford cattle and spent much time riding the range and working on cattle and horse roundups with other Montana cowboys.
It was during this period of time that Roy went back to Grand Forks where he was married on October 11, 1905 to Edith "Lillian" Boyes (1878-1973). After their first child was born, the family packed up and left for eastern Montana, making their home in the log house Roy had built on the Spring Valley Stock Ranch. Later he built a 2-story ranch house and a larger barn. Surrounded on 3 sides by Second Hay Creek, the location was outstanding and the house and barn even had running water after Roy dug a 6-foot deep trench some 600 feet long to lay pipe from a fresh-water spring located across the creek.
While still on the ranch and an active member of the Ridgelawn community, Roy helped organize the Lower Yellowstone Presbyterian Church there in 1906, a church that later merged with the Methodist Church to become the Community Presbyterian Church of Fairview. He served as an active church elder form the time of his ordination in 1921 until his death. He was also active in the Richland County Fair and in the Fairview Old Timers Reunion & Summer Festival, the latter having its first season in 1946.
Roy had also established a farm in the irrigated Yellowstone River valley closer to Fairview, and in 1925 the decision was made to move their ranch house some 3 miles to that farm land.
He was Fairview Postmaster from 1928 until 1933, and in 1932 was elected to represent Richland County in the state legislature.
On February 1, 1935 Roy, in partnership with his son Carlos and his son-in-law Kenneth Harris Gardner, established the Collins Mercantile Company, a John Deere farm implement dealership at Fairview. It was a time when most farmers in the area used horses to work the fields. The John Deere A & B row crop tractors were just being introduced at a cost of $600 to $900, and the newly formed company often took 6 to 8 horses as down payment on new tractors. It was not uncommon for the company to sell several hundred horses each year either locally or to a horse trader from Iowa.
When Roy more or less retired about 1946 he sold his share in the company to his two partners, but still kept busy on his farm raising sheep & alfalfa. He and his wife eventually built a 2nd home in Lemon Grove, San Diego County, California, where they spent the winter months.
Roy was 79 years old when he passed away on November 2, 1960 at Sidney Hospital.
Survivors included his widow Lillian, daughters Mrs Kenneth Gardner and Mrs Robert Deming, son Carlos Collins, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral Services were held on November 6th at Community Presbyterian Church in Fairview, and burial was in Fairview Cemetery in McKenzie County, North Dakota.
Original obituary in THE BILLINGS GAZETTE on November 5, 1960
Children of Roy and Lillian:
~ Mildred Isabelle Collins (1908-1984)
~ Edith Mae Collins (1909-2005)
~ Carlos Peter Collins (1912-2011)
'
Roy Day Collins was born on December 13, 1880 in Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa, the son of Carlos Plant Collins (1851-1925) and Susan Alma Dyer (1850-1934). The family moved from Waverly to Bathgate, Pembina County and lived there for several years before finally settling in Grand Forks, Grand Forks County. It was there that Roy finished high school and attended business college.
Then, at the age of 20, Roy and his friend Roy Slater went west on horseback looking for potential cattle land. Passing through Fort Buford, they heard of land for sale on Second Hay Creek just west of the Yellowstone River in Montana, land that was part of the Fort Buford Indian Reservation that hadn't yet been surveyed.
Roy settled on the land, 5 miles southwest of the present town of Fairview, and when Richland County was established, he formally filed his claim to the land (Section 15, Township 24, Range 59) on July 20, 1903, as did his father (Section 12, Township 24, Range 59), although his father didn't move into the area until later. Roy's mother-in-law, Isabella Boyes filed her claim to Section 23 of the same township and range on March 2, 1907, and Roy's brother Art filed on Section 14 of the same township and range on April 10, 1908.
In partnership with his father, Roy operated the Spring Valley Stock Ranch on Second Hay Creek, breeding and raising Percheron horses. He broke those horses and sold them in large numbers, supplying many of the early Richland County homesteaders with their work horses, while shipping many more by rail to markets further east. Roy also raised Herford cattle and spent much time riding the range and working on cattle and horse roundups with other Montana cowboys.
It was during this period of time that Roy went back to Grand Forks where he was married on October 11, 1905 to Edith "Lillian" Boyes (1878-1973). After their first child was born, the family packed up and left for eastern Montana, making their home in the log house Roy had built on the Spring Valley Stock Ranch. Later he built a 2-story ranch house and a larger barn. Surrounded on 3 sides by Second Hay Creek, the location was outstanding and the house and barn even had running water after Roy dug a 6-foot deep trench some 600 feet long to lay pipe from a fresh-water spring located across the creek.
While still on the ranch and an active member of the Ridgelawn community, Roy helped organize the Lower Yellowstone Presbyterian Church there in 1906, a church that later merged with the Methodist Church to become the Community Presbyterian Church of Fairview. He served as an active church elder form the time of his ordination in 1921 until his death. He was also active in the Richland County Fair and in the Fairview Old Timers Reunion & Summer Festival, the latter having its first season in 1946.
Roy had also established a farm in the irrigated Yellowstone River valley closer to Fairview, and in 1925 the decision was made to move their ranch house some 3 miles to that farm land.
He was Fairview Postmaster from 1928 until 1933, and in 1932 was elected to represent Richland County in the state legislature.
On February 1, 1935 Roy, in partnership with his son Carlos and his son-in-law Kenneth Harris Gardner, established the Collins Mercantile Company, a John Deere farm implement dealership at Fairview. It was a time when most farmers in the area used horses to work the fields. The John Deere A & B row crop tractors were just being introduced at a cost of $600 to $900, and the newly formed company often took 6 to 8 horses as down payment on new tractors. It was not uncommon for the company to sell several hundred horses each year either locally or to a horse trader from Iowa.
When Roy more or less retired about 1946 he sold his share in the company to his two partners, but still kept busy on his farm raising sheep & alfalfa. He and his wife eventually built a 2nd home in Lemon Grove, San Diego County, California, where they spent the winter months.
Roy was 79 years old when he passed away on November 2, 1960 at Sidney Hospital.
Survivors included his widow Lillian, daughters Mrs Kenneth Gardner and Mrs Robert Deming, son Carlos Collins, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral Services were held on November 6th at Community Presbyterian Church in Fairview, and burial was in Fairview Cemetery in McKenzie County, North Dakota.
Original obituary in THE BILLINGS GAZETTE on November 5, 1960
Children of Roy and Lillian:
~ Mildred Isabelle Collins (1908-1984)
~ Edith Mae Collins (1909-2005)
~ Carlos Peter Collins (1912-2011)
Roy Day Collins was born on December 13, 1880 in Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa, the son of Carlos Plant Collins (1851-1925) and Susan Alma Dyer (1850-1934). The family moved from Waverly to Bathgate, Pembina County and lived there for several years before finally settling in Grand Forks, Grand Forks County. It was there that Roy finished high school and attended business college.
Then, at the age of 20, Roy and his friend Roy Slater went west on horseback looking for potential cattle land. Passing through Fort Buford, they heard of land for sale on Second Hay Creek just west of the Yellowstone River in Montana, land that was part of the Fort Buford Indian Reservation that hadn't yet been surveyed.
Roy settled on the land, 5 miles southwest of the present town of Fairview, and when Richland County was established, he formally filed his claim to the land (Section 15, Township 24, Range 59) on July 20, 1903, as did his father (Section 12, Township 24, Range 59), although his father didn't move into the area until later. Roy's mother-in-law, Isabella Boyes filed her claim to Section 23 of the same township and range on March 2, 1907, and Roy's brother Art filed on Section 14 of the same township and range on April 10, 1908.
In partnership with his father, Roy operated the Spring Valley Stock Ranch on Second Hay Creek, breeding and raising Percheron horses. He broke those horses and sold them in large numbers, supplying many of the early Richland County homesteaders with their work horses, while shipping many more by rail to markets further east. Roy also raised Herford cattle and spent much time riding the range and working on cattle and horse roundups with other Montana cowboys.
It was during this period of time that Roy went back to Grand Forks where he was married on October 11, 1905 to Edith "Lillian" Boyes (1878-1973). After their first child was born, the family packed up and left for eastern Montana, making their home in the log house Roy had built on the Spring Valley Stock Ranch. Later he built a 2-story ranch house and a larger barn. Surrounded on 3 sides by Second Hay Creek, the location was outstanding and the house and barn even had running water after Roy dug a 6-foot deep trench some 600 feet long to lay pipe from a fresh-water spring located across the creek.
While still on the ranch and an active member of the Ridgelawn community, Roy helped organize the Lower Yellowstone Presbyterian Church there in 1906, a church that later merged with the Methodist Church to become the Community Presbyterian Church of Fairview. He served as an active church elder form the time of his ordination in 1921 until his death. He was also active in the Richland County Fair and in the Fairview Old Timers Reunion & Summer Festival, the latter having its first season in 1946.
Roy had also established a farm in the irrigated Yellowstone River valley closer to Fairview, and in 1925 the decision was made to move their ranch house some 3 miles to that farm land.
He was Fairview Postmaster from 1928 until 1933, and in 1932 was elected to represent Richland County in the state legislature.
On February 1, 1935 Roy, in partnership with his son Carlos and his son-in-law Kenneth Harris Gardner, established the Collins Mercantile Company, a John Deere farm implement dealership at Fairview. It was a time when most farmers in the area used horses to work the fields. The John Deere A & B row crop tractors were just being introduced at a cost of $600 to $900, and the newly formed company often took 6 to 8 horses as down payment on new tractors. It was not uncommon for the company to sell several hundred horses each year either locally or to a horse trader from Iowa.
When Roy more or less retired about 1946 he sold his share in the company to his two partners, but still kept busy on his farm raising sheep & alfalfa. He and his wife eventually built a 2nd home in Lemon Grove, San Diego County, California, where they spent the winter months.
Roy was 79 years old when he passed away on November 2, 1960 at Sidney Hospital.
Survivors included his widow Lillian, daughters Mrs Kenneth Gardner and Mrs Robert Deming, son Carlos Collins, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral Services were held on November 6th at Community Presbyterian Church in Fairview, and burial was in Fairview Cemetery in McKenzie County, North Dakota.
Original obituary in THE BILLINGS GAZETTE on November 5, 1960
Children of Roy and Lillian:
~ Mildred Isabelle Collins (1908-1984)
~ Edith Mae Collins (1909-2005)
~ Carlos Peter Collins (1912-2011)
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