Ralph Furman Collins was born in Wilkinson County, Georgia, November 13, 1883, a son of William Allen and Athlia (Hall) Collins, and grandson of William Lee Collins, who was killed, June 22, 1864, at the battle of Kennesaw Mountain, while serving in the Confederate Army.

William Allen Collins was born in Wilkinson County, Georgia, November 23, 1855, and his wife was also born in that county, where her father had been an early settler. Up to 1899 William Allen Collins was engaged in farming in Wilkinson County, but in that year he came to Sumter County, Florida, which has since continued to be his home.  For a time he was engaged in the naval stores business, and then, in partnership with his son, founded the firm of R.F. Collins & Company, general merchandise.  He was one of the organizers of the Citizens Bank of Bushnell, of which he is now vice president, but for some time he has been retired from active participation in business affairs, and is enjoying the comfortable leisure his years of hard work have earned for him.  For six years he served as county commissioner of Sumter County, and has always been interested in public affairs.  He is a Mason.

The only child of his parents, Ralph Furman Collins was carefully reared and educated at Abbeville, Georgia.  With his father he established a small store at Bushnell, under the firm name of R. F. Collins & Company.  It was not long, however, before the initial stock was greatly increased to meet the demands of the satisfied customers.  In 1906 the partners started a private bank in one corner of their store, of which Mr. Collins was cashier, and from it has been developed the Citizens Bank of today, a state institution since 1912.  This bank increased its capital out of its undivided profits in 1922, and under the save and conservative policies of Mr. Collins its affairs are in excellent condition, and it is rated as one of the sound institutions of this part of the state.  Mr. Collins is deservedly proud of the fact that the handsome bank building which opened to the public October 21, 1922, is a credit to the city as well as to his institution.  This new home of the bank is thoroughly modern, and well-equipped for all kinds of banking business.  Mr. Collins is one of the largest landowners in the county, for he has great faith in the future of this locality.  In civic affairs he has been a leader, one of the wheelhorses in the development of Bushnell.  He has served on the county and city school boards, and has been mayor of the city.  For years he has done everything possible to create the system of good roads in Sumter County, and is no one of the members of the Board of Trustees.  He has inaugurated and carried out to successful completion a number of innovation s in his agricultural development work, and his methods are now adapted by the more progressive of the farmers of the county.  During the late war he served as chairman of the Liberty Loan campaigns, and was largely responsible for their success. His many interests have absorbed his time and he has never connected himself with fraternal organizations, but he is very active in the Bushnell Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of which he is a steward.

In 1904, Mr. Collins married at Bushnell Miss Florence Beville, a daughter of C. Beville, one of the pioneers of Sumter County, now living retired at Bushnell.  Mr. and Mrs. Collins have three children:  Ethel, Louise and Ralph F., Junior.  In spite of his prominence Mr. Collins is a singularly unassuming man, and in all that he undertakes is actuated by a real sense of this responsibility as a citizen, and the determination to make the best use of his opportunities so as to be of service to his city and associates.

From History of Florida
submitted by Liz Sumner