Dennis J. Collins Papers (DeKalb), 1931-1974 | Northern Illinois University

Dennis J. Collins was born on November 21, 1900, in Gifford, Illinois. His family moved to DeKalb in 1910. He married Gertrude Kellman in 1944 and they had three children. Collins attended NIU and the University of Illinois and studied law at Northwestern. In 1928 he opened a law office in DeKalb and continued his practice until his death in 1974. He owned 480 acres of land in DeKalb County as well as business property in DeKalb.　

Dennis J. Collins served a record forty-two years in the Illinois State Legislature with twelve spent as a Representative and thirty as a Senator. He stepped down in 1973 to a ten-minute standing ovation from his colleagues.

A conservative Republican, Collins was a long-term chairman of the Illinois Agriculture Committee in both the House and Senate and was chairman of the Municipalities Committee for twelve years. He championed veteran’s legislation and benefits as well as better pensions for the aged and infirm. He introduced much of the legislation furthering the welfare of Northern Illinois University (NIU), but in the late nineteen sixties became a leading opponent of campus protests and student demonstrations. As a state senator Collins sponsored and was instrumental in the passing of tollway legislation. One of his last achievements was the establishment of Shabbona State Park.