Collins (Patrick) is born in County Cork, Ireland.

With his widowed mother, Patrick Collins emigrates to the U.S. in 1848, living first in Chelsea, where he works in the law office of Benjamin Roberts. He moves to Boston in 1859, works as an upholsterer, then graduates from Harvard Law School and practices law. Collins serves in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1868-69), Senate (1870-71), and Congress (1883-89), then as U.S. Consul to London (1893-97). A moderate who wins the support of the Boston business community, Collins serves as mayor (1902-05). He dies in office while in Hot Springs, Virginia on September 14, 1905* (13) and is buried in Holyhood Cemetery in Brookline.