John H. Collins

Term of Office, 1893-1897, 1909-1913

John Houston Collins was born on May 16, 1868 in Santa Rosa County, Florida. His parents, Spencer Houston Collins and Mary Lenora Collins, raised John and his siblings on a 171 acres tract of land, while operating a gristmill and sawmill on Collins Mill Creek, a stone’s throw away from the family home. His father was a respected and prominent resident of Milton who served in the confederate service and held membership in the Masonic Lodge #16. As a young man, John H. Collins married Iva Estelle Clements and had 3 daughters.

In 1893, Collins was elected sheriff of Santa Rosa County. He was considered to be a “frontier type” sheriff and served two separate terms in office. Descriptively speaking, Collins stood 6’7”tall, was thin in build, and often considered to be an imposing figure. He earned the nicknames of “honest John” and “long John Collins.” While sheriff, Collins and his family resided in the upper level of the jail in the county courthouse. Some of the Labor Movement problems that commenced under the term of Sheriff William J. Johnson were inherited by Collins while he was sheriff. The problems became so severe that services provided by trains, mail, and telegraph were greatly impeded.

Collins also served in the positions of mayor and postmaster of Milton and was a part owner in the Milton Livery Stable. In his later years, Collins worked for the State Liquor Commission as a licensed inspector for northwest Florida. He remained an inspector until his death. As a prominent citizen of Milton, Collins held membership in the Masonic Lodge, Odd Fellows, Woodmen, and Knights of Pythias.

In 1936 Collins’ beloved wife died. A year later, at the age of 69, Collins died following a lengthy illness. He and his wife are both buried in the Milton Cemetery.