Daniel and his sister, Millicent, were heirs in their own right to a large portion of the Collins Family fortune (as the only surviving members of the New York branch of the Collins family). Joshua Collins had hoped to consolidate this fortune by arranging a marriage between Millicent and his younger brother, Jeremiah, but neither Jeremiah nor Millicent had any interest in such an alliance. Millicent secretly married naval captain Lt. Nathan Forbes after she had given her share of the fortune to Daniel to prove that Forbes was not after her money.
Daniel and Millicent were heirs to a large portion of the Collins Family fortune, but Joshua Collins wanted to consolidate it through a marriage between Millicent and his younger brother, Jeremiah. However, neither Jeremiah nor Millicent were interested in such an alliance. To prove that Lt. Nathan Forbes was not after her money, Millicent secretly married him after giving her share of the fortune to Daniel.