My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM COLLINGWOOD, insurance agent, post office Swissvale, is a native of Somerset county, Pa., born in 1812, a son of Thomas (a contractor) and Jane (Robinson) Collingwood, both natives of Londonderry, Ireland, former of whom emigrated to America in 1812, going first to Somerset, thence to Pittsburgh, where he died. They had eight children, seven of whom were born in America. The subject of this memoir was educated at the common schools, and for the most part was engaged in commercial pursuits, as book keeper, etc., and for the past thirty-six years has been prominently identified with the insurance business. He served as director in Franklin school, Seventh ward, Pittsburgh, and was chief engineer of the Pittsburgh volunteer fire department. Mr. Collingwood has been married four times: first, in 1845, to Miss Sarah, daughter of John White, who bore him one child, now deceased; second, to Miss Sarah A. Hall, who bore him two children, Ella J. and Sarah E.; third, to Miss Harriet Wilson, by whom there are no children; fourth, to Maria L., daughter of David A. Foulk, and ten children were born to this union, viz.: David F., Louis W., Fannie R., Robert L., Clemens B., George J., Anna Duff, Mary Louisa, Howard Drucks and Loy Hartman. Of these Louis W. married E. B. Haslett, and Fannie R. married W. W. Cotton, attorney for the U. P. R. R. at Omaha. Mr. Collingwood lost one child by each of his first three wives. He was one of the thirteen original founders of the Presbyterian Church at Swissvale; was chosen elder of the same at the time, and for a long period was its only elder; he is now a member of the Wilkinsburg Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a republican.