Sidney Algernon Collins was the 10th of 11 children born to Betsey Hall and Alpheus Collins. He was born 8 May 1828 in Rose Valley, Wayne County, NY. His family moved to Michigan about 1830, first to the Mallett's Creek Settlement in Pittsfield, and then to Lyndon, both in Washtenaw County.

He attended the district schools near home and was then educated at Albion, and finished at Ann Arbor. He taught two winters in Unadilla. He was raised as a farm boy, however, and chose that as his eventual career. He lived at home til age 21, then started out for himself by purchasing 64 acres of land which became the center of his property.

Sidney married Sylvia Ann Reed on 15 Nov 1850 ( in Ann Arbor where Sylvia lived, but there is no record on file, only newspaper articles when they celebrated their anniversaries). They lived in a log cabin for 11 years. He then built what was described as "a fine home, three large barns, and sheds." Besides farming he also bought and shipped stock to Detroit and Buffalo. Their farm eventually consisted of 280 acres. It was one of the first farms in Lyndon Township, the core of his property having originally been owned by his older brother, Josiah, and also described as "one of the finest farms" in the area. Josiah set out the first orchard ever planted in Lyndon on this property in 1837.

Sidney and Sylvia were the parents of six daughters who lived to adulthood, and two sons who died in infancy. The children were Mariam, Ida, Loda, Walter, Sylvia "Adah", Lucia, Herbert, and Agnes.

Sidney died in Lyndon on December 13, 1911 of cerebral apoplexia.

1860 MI Census Washtenaw Co Lyndon
Sidney A Collins 31
Sylvia Collins 30
Marian Collins 8
Ida Collins 6
Loda Collins 5
Eliza Porter 16

1870 MI Census Washtenaw Co Lyndon
Sidney A Collins 42
Sylvia Collins 41
Marian Collins 17
Ida Collins 16
Loda Collins 15
Ada Collins 9
Lucia Collins 6
Agnes Collins 8/12
Charles Leslie 14
Helen Collins 22 [their orphaned niece]

1880 MI Census Washtenaw Co Lyndon
Sidney Collins 52
Sylvia Collins 50
Ada Collins 19
Lucy Collins 14
Agnes Collins 10
Loda Elder 24
Kate Elder 1
Fred Green 15
Joseph Bird 63
Harm Marsh 18

1900 MI Census Washtenaw Co Lyndon
Sidney Collins 72
Sylvia Collins 70
Ester A Seigfred 56 [their niece, nee Esther Ann Collins]
Emma Schnackenberg 20
Hurbert Reynolds 43
George R. Sypher 8

George R. Sypher, called Ray, was a ward of the Collinses. He lived with them for most of his youth. I suspect they were like parents to him, although they are not mentioned in Ray's obituary. His father was George Sypher, and his mother was named Rhoda. George and Rhoda's marriage certificate was sloppily written and it is hard to tell what her actual maiden name was. I think it was Sawtell. His mother was mentally ill and was institutionalized not long after his birth.