COLLINGS, Archibald - Putnam

ARCHIBALD COLLINGS, farmer, section 2, Monroe Township, was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, May 29, 1819. His father, Abraham Collings, now deceased, was a native of the same State; his mother, Nancy [Nutgrass] Collings, was a daughter of Gray Nutgrass, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The father died when Archibald was eight years of age, and in 1831 he came with his mother to this county, where he has lived most of the time ever since. His mother died in Parke County, this State, December 31, 1886, in the ninetieth year of her age. Our subject was thrown upon his resources at the age of eighteen years. His education was somewhat limited, having attended the subscription schools in the old log cabin, with huge fireplace in one end of the room, a mud-and stick chimney, puncheon floor, clapboard roof, slab seats without backs, boards on wooden pins for desks, and one log left out for light, with a greased paper occasionally inserted in the aperture. Mr. Collings has done much hard work in clearing land, burning logs and brush day and night. He was married September 1, 1841, to Miss Sarah McClain, daughter of John McClain, deceased, who was an early settler of Parke County. Of their six children three are living--Emeline, Nancy and Eliza. Emeline married Howard Franzee, of Hamilton County, and has one son, William; Nancy married James Ragland, of Bainbridge, and Eliza married John Ragland, and has two children--Clara and Laura. Mr. Collings owns 258 acres of land, and makes a specialty of raising Jersey cattle, hogs and horses. Mrs. Collings died January 13, 1874, and June 3, 1879, Mr. Collings married Elenora Gaines. They have three children--Joseph S., Edna and Lena. He has held the office of assessor, and was elected justice of the peace but declined to serve.