I am interested in finding any information about my ggggg-grandfather, Dr. Richard Collins of NJ. I am especially seeking information about his origins in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Richard Collins emigrated to the United States about 1765, where he was the first resident physician of what is now Atlantic County, New Jersey. His origins in Ireland have been elusive, but it is known that he was married previous to his emigration and left a daughter (Elizabeth) behind in Ireland. Having exhaused all known paths into Richard Collins' past, it seems to me that Elizabeth offers the best insight into the Collins family origins in Ireland. Maybe if we can trace where SHE was, we will know more about where Dr. Collins originated. Elizabeth later came to this country and married first, John Holmes, and after his death, Christopher Ludlam, both of Cape May County. Her first husband's family also came from County Tyrone, from the town of Strabane. Was this coincidence? Or did she meet him in Ireland, where they were, perhaps, neighbors or family friends? John Holmes' brother, Nathaniel, was born in Strabane.
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&...

Coincidence or not, it is possible that the two families knew each other prior to Richard's emigration. Maybe Richard was from Strabane, also and knew Gabriel Holmes, John Holmes' father, who later emigrated to New Jersey. The Holmes family graveyard has inscriptions of the family graves, but no birthplace is listed for Elizabeth.
http://celinasfrontier.com/newjersey/capemay/cemeteries/holm...

Elizabeth married first John Holmes, then Christopher Ludlam. Both of these families left houses behind which the state of New Jersey calls "historical houses." See
http://www.cmcmuseum.org/museum.htm

In the section marked "History of the Cresse-Holmes House" you can see that the property was named Strabane Farm for the property in Ireland from which John Holmes emigrated. Also interesting is the fact that it says that John and Elizabeth Collins Holmes' grandson was named "Richard Collins Holmes." The Holmes House has been owned by the Cape May County Historical and Genealogical Society since 1976, which uses it as a museum, which also houses a "research library." There also exists Holmes Family papers at the University of Michigan -- here is a link.
http://www.clements.umich.edu/Webguides/HK/HolmesFm.html

The section labeled "Scope and Contents" is interesting in the mention of the "abysmal economic conditions in Northern Ireland and the consequent stream of immigration to the United States." This was much prior to the 1840 Potato Famine. Perhaps Richard Collins was caught up in the same conditions.

The Christopher Ludlam House is also listed by the National Park Service as a historical property. http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj2/chap4.ht...

Obviously, this is all speculative and a longshot at best, but I still think possible clues to Richard Collins' origins in County Tyrone can be collected through Elizabeth Holmes Ludlam. Any information would be most gratefully welcomed!