Background
Collins, Samuel W. was born on September 17, 1923 in Caribou, Maine, United States.
Collins, Samuel W. was born on September 17, 1923 in Caribou, Maine, United States.
Collins chose to return in Maine following graduation and took a position with Alan Bird"s law firm in Rockland, where he was later named a managing partner.
A Republican, Collins was first elected to represent Knox County, including his residence in Rockland in 1974. He was subsequently served for 10 years until 1984, when he did not seek re-election. Collins served for 6 years (1988 to 1994) as an associate justice on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
The law firm was later renamed Collins, Crandall, Hanscom and Pease.
An active Republican, Collins was elected to five two-year terms in the Maine Senate. He also served as Majority Leader of the Maine Senate.
Collins was born and raised in Caribou, Maine and worked as a youth on a potato farm. He was the oldest of four sons to Samuel Wilson Collins and Elizabeth Black Collins.
Collins graduated from Caribou High School and attended the University of Maine at Orono.
He graduated in three years and worked during World World War II in the War Department in Arlington, Virginia doing army intelligence work. After the war ended, Collins attended and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1947. An active Unitarian-Universalist, Collins served as president of the Universalist Churches of Maine and president of the Northeast District of the Universalist/Unitarian Association.
He is the uncle of the United States. Senator of Maine Susan Collins.
Trustee Rockland School Dist, 1949-1961. Maine State Senate District 21, 1975-1984, Majority Leader, 1981-1982, Minority Leader, 1983-1984. Member Maine Bar Association, Rotary, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Delta Tau Delta.
Son of Samuel Wilson Collins & Elizabeth Black C. Married Dorothy Small, 1952;children: Edward, Elizabeth, Diane.