My Genealogy Hound

Collin Walls, a successful general farmer of Springfield township, Oakland County, owning a fine farm of 260 acres in sections 17 and 18, was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, October 21, 1834, and is a son of James and Jessie (Cramm) Walls, both of Scotland.

The grandfather of our subject bore the name of Collin Walls and spent his life in Scotland, although he was of French ancestry. He reared a family of four children, namely: Andrew, William, Jane and James. James Walls came across the Atlantic Ocean in the sailing vessel “Jean Haddy,” the voyage consuming six weeks. He landed in New York and in 1836 came to Michigan, securing 40 acres of government land in Springfield township, Oakland County, and adding by purchase until he had 170 acres, 110 of which he put under cultivation through his own efforts. His first log house served as a home for a number of years. He was married in Scotland and our subject was the only child of his parents born there, the other two being: William, of Springfield township, Oakland County; and Caroline, wife of William Walls of Orchard Lake, Oakland County.

Collin Walls was married in 1870 to Katherine Cordon, who was born in Canada and died some 17 years ago, leaving a family of eight children, as follows: Mrs. Jessie Tindall of Springfield township, Oakland County; Mrs. Mary Crosby, of Springfield township, Oakland County; Caroline and Nellie, who live at home; William, his father’s assistant; Annie, a successful teacher of Springfield township, Oakland County; and Collin and John, who live at home.

Mr. Walls resided with his parents until 1867 and then removed to Durham County, Ontario, Canada, where he remained engaged in farming for 19 years. He then returned to Michigan and purchased his fine farm of 260 acres, of which he has sold off some 10 acres in village lots as an addition to Davisburg. Mr. Walls has always been very successful in farming and stock raising on account of his following out his own practical ideas. He believes in first class stock and his fine farm is made very attractive by its herds of Durham and Galloway cattle, his Shropshire sheep, Poland-China swine and fine draught horses. Formerly he made wheat his main crop, but now raises more corn, with all the other grains and vegetables permitted by climatic conditions. He has four acres of fine apple trees and his thrift does not permit any of its produce to be lost. In fact Mr. Walls is a representative farmer of Springfield township and he is also one of its most honest and upright citizens. In politics he is a Democrat.