Carr P. Collins*

Carr Collins was born in 1892 in Chester, Texas. His mother died when he was a child, causing Collins to live with various relatives in his hometown.

While growing up, Collins worked in the fields, taught school, and sold newspapers on a train, saving enough money to attend business college. However, he only attended Southwest Texas State Teachers College (which became Texas State University) for one year.

In 1913, he became the first secretary of the Texas Industrial Accident Board. He also became a partner in an insurance management firm. In 1927, he organized the Fidelity Union Life Insurance Company.

A staunch supporter of education, Collins donated a $10 million endowment to Baylor University. He served as regional director of the United Negro College Fund and headed a campaign to raise $1 million for the Bishop College for black students. A man with deep religious convictions, Collins organized and became president of the Baptist Foundation of Texas.