Vernon C. Collins was born in Grenada, Mississippi, on January 12, 1916. He was born to Robert L. Collins (July 22, 1888- December 21, 1959) and Donnie Howard (December 29, 1890- January 17, 1971). Robert married Donnie in 1909. According to the current Mayor of Grenada, Billy Collins, “They lived where Double Quick is now, had a little café on bottom floor and lived above the café in a small apartment.”
Robert worked as a farmer early on, then went on to being a barber and owning a café with his wife. He lost his father, John Franklin Collins (May, 1843-December 23,1916) and his mother, Mary E. Sellers (ca. 1854-July, 1918) early in his adult life. John Franklin Collins had 8 children with the second to last being Robert. John was also married two different times. Donnie was one of ten children to her parents, Nathaniel H. Howard (February 7, 1862-July 15, 1927) and Ida Belle Chambly (March 23, 1867- ?). Nathanial lost his father in 1865, when he was only 3 years old. Nathanial married Ida Belle on October 5, 1879.
Siblings:
Vernon had three siblings, two older brothers, Walace Collins (ca. 1911- ?) and James Collins (ca. 1914- ?) and a younger sister, Margie Collins (ca. 1922- ?).
Walace Collins was the oldest of the children and was born in 1911. He helped his father as a barber but he didn’t get paid for this.
James Collins is the second oldest born in 1914. He worded whatever job he could find and didn’t stay in the same occupation for long.
The final and youngest member of the family was Margie Collins, born in 1922. She was the only daughter of the family.