Ernest Collins

Ernest Collins was a cousin to Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and Roger Collins. Ernest lived at the Collinwood estate with his wife, Elaine, for a brief while in the mid 1960s and owned a yellow and white house on the Collinwood property. Ernest was a popular symphony violinist and spent very little time in Collinsport. Shortly after the death of his wife, he fell in love with a woman named Stella Hastings and invited her to stay at Collinwood for a while. Some time around 1965, Stella took her own life by leaping off of the peak high atop Widows' Hill. Authorities investigated her death and did not rule out the likelihood of foul play. Ernest Collins became a suspect into her possible murder. However, there was insufficient evidence to provide a case for murder and Ernest was cleared of any potential wrongdoing. A short time later, Ernest struck up a friendship with his cousin Elizabeth's new family governess, Victoria Winters. He left Collinwood soon after to tour with the symphony, but always kept in touch with Vickie. In June of 1967, Ernest proposed to Vickie via a mailed letter, but Vickie was not yet ready to entertain thoughts of marriage.

Notes & Trivia
If Ernest is indeed a cousin to Roger and Elizabeth, then he would have to be a second cousin, descended from the line of the second Quentin Collins. It is known that Quentin sired an unnamed male child with the gypsy Jenny Rakosi. It is possible that Ernest may be a grandson of that child. Another possibility is that Ernest may be descended from the line of Benjamin Collins, Quentin's brother. Little is known about this man, and it has never been documented whether or not he sired any offspring.

Appearances

 * Dark Shadows Novel: Victoria Winters undefined
 * Dark Shadows Novel: Strangers at Collins House undefined