Place of Birth: Paducah, Kentucky
Age at Death: 85
Date of Death: September 17, 1898
Interment source:
Bay View Cemetery Association, Corpus Christi, Texas. Record of Interments
NO HEADSTONE
Biography
Unfortunately there are no extant issues of the Corpus Christi Caller from around the time of the death of Maria Collins on September 17, 1898. The records of the Bayview Cemetery Association simply state that she is from Paducah, Kentucky and about 85 years old at the time of her death. The one given as her nearest relative or friend is R. Givens (presumably Royall Givens). Maria was a member of the African-American community that was active in Corpus Christi after the Civil War. Maria is found in the 1880 census under the name of Maria Gorden. She is married to Columbus Gorden and lists herself as 45 years old and from Kentucky. Her husband is 53 years old, a laborer, and a native of Virginia (1880 federal census of Nueces County, p. 20D). Another older African-American , Judy Collins, is living nearby in Corpus Christi and serving as a domestic servant who is partial retired by reason of age. She is living with Daniel Smith (a drayman from Virginia who father is from Kentucky) and his wife Mary and daughter Mary. Daniel lists himself as 60 years old and Mary his wife as 50 years old. It may be that Judy Collins is a relative of Daniel and possibly also a relative of James Collins who is not listed with that family, but who would marry Maria Gorden/Gordan. Presumably Columbus died or separated from Maria as the marriage records of Nueces County record the marriage of “Maria Gordon†to “James Collins†on 10 November 1883 (Nueces County Marriage Records, Volume E, page 241). They married before Rev. J. W. Strong, the pastor of the First Congregational Church in Corpus Christi. While the early death records of the city and the records of the Bayview Cemetery Association say that Maria was about 85 years old at the time of her death, considering the age she gives in the 1880 census, her age may have been more like 65 years old. It would seem her husband James also preceded her in death or left this area and that she died without any relatives nearby as the association records indicate her local relative or friend is R. Givens (as noted this is probably Royall Givens). Royall Givens was a local merchant and civil leader. He is best known for his work to get a deep water port. He also organized and was president of the Board of Trade (the early Chamber of Commerce), president of the Corpus Christi School Board, with E. A. Born owned the early light and power company, was a charter member of the Knights of Pythias in Corpus Christi, organizer and president of the State National Bank, and was an early wholesale shipper of seafood that earned for him the title “Drumfish Kingâ€. It could be that Maria may have worked for him or that he helped in her funeral arrangements.
Research and transcription: Michael A. Howell