The
S/S Olivia embarked from Le Havre, France circa Feb 2, 1854 and after spending
37 days at sea arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 10, 1854 with it’s
assorted merchandise and passengers. Appearing on the passenger list are Anton
Helmer, age thirty-eight; Eva Helmer, age thirty-seven; Joseph, age fourteen;
Mariann, age nine; Sophia (m), age eight; Nicholos, age five; Anton, age
three; and Stephan, age nine months. These are a father, mother, and six
children.
Antoine
Helmer was
born July 29, 1815 in Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France the son of Joseph HELMER and
Magdeline KLIPFEL. He
married MARIE
EVA
KEMPF January 16, 1837 in Eschbach, B-R, France, daughter of JEAN
KEMPF and GERTRUDE
KLIPFEL. She was born February
17, 1816 in Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France. Antoine and Eva had nine children but
only six survived to make the journey to America. Andre died before his first
birthday, Georges
died at the age of 4, and Antoine died at 18 months of age. They would later
name another one of their sons Antoine.
Antoine
and his family went to Holmes Co, MS. [1]
“Holmes County is located in the west central part of Mississippi. It was
created February 19, 1833 out of the land originally ceded by the Choctaw
Indians in the Treaty of Doak's Stand, October 18, 1820 and known as the
"New Purchase." Out of the original large county of Hinds was formed
Yazoo County, and Holmes was formed from Yazoo in 1833. A portion of western
Holmes County was contributed to the formation of Humphreys County in 1918.
Holmes County was named for Governor David Holmes, fourth Territorial
governor, first Mississippi state governor, and later U.S. Senator.
Holmes
County attracted many immigrants, drawn to its rich soil. All crops grew well,
but the area was especially suitable for farming grain and fruit. Timber was
abundant, and there were numerous rivers and lakes. The Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley Railroad connected Durant and Tchula with the county seat,
Lexington, and this farming region shipped large quantities of produce to
northern markets through the connection in Durant with the Illinois Central
Railroad.”
Marie
Eva Kempf Helmer's brother George Kempf, his wife Marie, and child came to
Holmes Co, MS, in 1852. This is
probably how the Helmers came to this location. The Kempfs are on the 1860
Holmes County MS census and Tax Roll for that year.
Antoine
and Eva Kempf Helmer were not enumerated in any census.
Antoine Helmer was on the Tax Rolls for 1861 and 1862 along with what I
believe is his daughter Mary's husband Charlie House. In both of these years
the names appear together. Joseph Helmer is also on the tax roll for 1861.
Antoine
and Marie died before 1870 and the older children along with Marie's
sister-in-law, Mary Kempf raised the younger ones (there is a male child
between the age of 10 and 20 living with Mary Kempf on the 1866 State Census).
1.
ANTOINE6 HELMER was
born July 29, 1815 in Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France, and died aft. 1862.
He married MARIE EVA
KEMPF January 16, 1837 in Eschbach, B-R, France, daughter of JEAN KEMPF and GERTRUDE
KLIPFEL. She was born February
17, 1816 in Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France, and died bet. 1854-1870.
i. ANDRE7 HELMER, b. May 07,
1838, Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France; d. February 15, 1839, Eschbach, Bas-Rhin
France.
ii. JOSEPH
HELMER, b. August 07, 1839, Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France; d. January 17, 1893,
Lee, TX; m. LOUISA
TINDLE, January 04, 1866, Vicksburg, MS (according to family); b. February 15,
1847, Near Winnsboro, Franklin, LA; d. January 18, 1939, Lee, TX.
iii. GEORGES
HELMER, b. February 12, 1841, Eschbach, B-R, France; d. March 06, 1845,
Eschbach, B-R, France.
iv. MARIE
ANNE (MARY) HELMER, b. October
03, 1842, Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France; d. December 1932, Birmingham Jefferson
County, AL; m. (1) CHARLES
HOUSE, Bef. 1870, Holmes CO, MS; b. Abt. 1825, Austria; d. Unknown; m. (2) WILLIAM
HERBERT, Bef. 1880, Holmes CO, MS; b. Unknown; d. Unknown; m. (3) THOMAS
FRANCIS DALY, May 13, 1886,
Tchula, Holmes County, MS; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.
v. XAVIER
HELMER,
b. July 10, 1844, Eschbach, B-R, France; d. Aft. 1880.
vi. ANTOINE
HELMER, b. May 11, 1846, Eschbach, B-R, France; d. September 02, 1847,
Eschbach, B-R, France.
vii. NICOLAS
HELMER, b. October 27, 1848, Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France; d. Unknown.
viii. ANTOINE
(Tony) HELMER,
b. May 02, 1850, Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France; d. Aft. 1870.
ix. STEPHEN
HELMER, b. December 26, 1852, Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France; d. September 11,
1921, Dallas Co, TX; m. (1) CLARISSA
ANN ORRELL, December 13,
1877, Tallahatchie County Ms; b. February 02, 1846, Beaufort County, NC; d.
Unknown; m. (2) NANNY
RYAN, April 19, 1892, Jefferson County, AL; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.
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Mary
Helmer married Charlie House sometime between 1860 and 1870. Charlie
House was from Germany/Austria and in 1860 was a rafts man. Charlie was on the
Tax Roll in 1861 and 1862. With the out break of the Civil War Charlie
enlisted June 14 1862 at Lexington MS and served with Co F, 3rd
Reg’t Miss State Troops. After the war Charlie appeared on the Tax Rolls
again in 1866 and for last time in 1876.
By 1880 Mary had married William Herbert (Hubbard on the 1880 census) and had a daughter, Eva Estelle Herbert. Mary may have been widowed again by 1881. On March 19, 1881 Mary Herbert bought interest in some land from her aunt Mary Kempf for $150.00.
Mary Helmer House Herbert married Thomas Dailey on May 13, 1886 in Tchula, Holmes County, MS. The Daleys later with the help of a Doctor John Dabney, moved to Birmingham AL where Thomas Daley was a real estate agent in 1888. In 1889 and 1890 Thomas was a Grocer with his brother-in-law Stephen Helmer working for him as a clerk.
Descendants
of Marie Anne (Mary) HELMER
1. Marie Anne
(Mary)7 HELMER was born October 03, 1842 in Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France, and
died December 1932 in Birmingham Jefferson County, AL. She married (1) Charles HOUSE Bef. 1870 in Holmes CO,
MS. He was born Abt. 1825 in
Austria, and died Unknown. She
married (2) William HERBERT Bef. 1880 in Holmes CO, MS.
He was born Unknown, and died Unknown.
She married (3) Thomas Francis DALY May 13, 1886 in Tchula,
Holmes County, MS. He was born
Unknown, and died Unknown.
Child of Marie HELMER and William HERBERT is:
i. Eva Estell8
HERBERT, born January 13,
1880 in Tchula, Holmes County, MS; died November 08, 1967 in Birmingham
Jefferson County, AL.
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Generation No. 2
2.
Eva Estell8
was born January 13, 1880 in Tchula, Holmes County, MS, and died November 08,
1967 in Birmingham Jefferson County, AL.
She married Elbridge Eastman HYDINGER, son of William HYDINGER
and A. STEWART. He was born April 26, 1878, and died January 1964 in
Birmingham Jefferson County, AL.
Children of Eva HERBERT and Elbridge HYDINGER are:
i. Aurelia Ardene9 HYDINGER, born January
31, 1901; died Unknown.
ii. Addie Dennis HYDINGER, born February 08, 1903; died
Unknown.
iii. Herbert Wade HYDINGER, born January 24, 1905; died July 1984.
iv. Elbridge Seals HYDINGER, born July 13, 1908; died September 01,
1998.
v. Eva Catherine HYDINGER, born Private.
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On
June 14 1862 Xavier Helmer was listed on the Company Muster Rolls for
Co F, 3 Reg’t Mississippi State Troops, formerly Co A, Holmes County
Minutemen. In January of 1863 Private Xavier Helmer was stationed in Grenada
Mississippi.
By
January 31st of 1863 Private Helmer was listed as a deserter. In the early days of the civil
war, there really was no confederacy, so individual states formed such units
as they were able to, to protect the state borders. These were enlisted
for a period of one year. In most cases, at the end of the year, the
units were disbanded. By that time the confederacy had sort of gotten
organized and started forming the confederate army. Some state units
were taken into the confederate, with all personnel enlisting for a period of
three years. Some were renamed and some were consolidated with other
units and may or may not have changed names. So I suspect that that Co A
of the Holmes County Minutemen consolidated into the 3rd MS Inf and
at the end of his one-year enlistment Xavier simply went home.
On
September 25, 1863 Xavier enlisted with the 28 Cavalry at Lexington MS by Maj.
McBee, for 3 years joining his older brother Joseph in Company F.
Private X. Helmer appeared on the Roll of Prisoners of War of Co A, 28
Cavalry Regiment Miss. Vol. Confederate States Army, commanded by Col. J. T.
McBee, surrendered at Citronelle, Ala., by Lieut. Gen. R. Taylor, C.S.A., to
Maj. Gen. E. R. S. Canby, U.S.A., May 4, 1865 and paroled at Gainesville,
Ala., May 12, 1865.
In
1880 Xavier Helmer is living with his sister Mary and her husband William
Herbert. Xavier’s occupation at this time was a steamboats man. On or around
this time period, trade goods and freight were brought up the Mississippi and
then the Yazoo River in rafts.
The
old riverbed for the Yazoo River comes through Tchula and is now known as
Tchula Lake. There was a dock in Tchula, where the freight was handled, then
it was put on freight wagons and hauled through Lexington and then east, over
into Alabama. There was an old town, named Rankin, that was just on the edge
of the hills and the delta and it was the gathering place for the rafts men
and freight haulers. The town disappeared in the mid-1800s.
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In
1870 Stephen (Stafford) and Tony Helmer both born in France are farmers and
living next door to their Brother in law and sister Charles and Mary House in
Holmes Co, MS (Tchula Dist.).
Stephen/Stafford Helmer is living in Tallahatchie County, MS in 1876. Stephen is on the Tax Rolls as Stafford Helmer from 1876 – 1881, owning a horse valued at $50.00. He married Clarissa Ann ORRELL December 13, 1877 in Tallahatchie County, MS. Around November 1879 their first child Mary, was born but died at age 3 months cause of death was unknown.
By 1888 Stafford was living in Birmingham working in a restaurant at 1 street alley s corner 20th, Bessemer. In 1889 and 1890 Stafford Helmer is working for his brother-in-law T. F. Daly, as a grocery clerk located at 1803 4th Avenue and boarding with his brother in law and sister at 315 18th. Stafford married Nanny Ryan April 19 1892 both were previously married. Shortly after they were married Stafford moved his family to Lee County Texas where his brother Joseph lived. In 1893 Stephen/Stafford is on the Lee County, TX tax rolls. Stephen and Nanny’s daughter Bertha was born in Lee County in 1897.
Stephen/Stafford Helmer later moved to Burleson County where he worked as a carpenter. On June 24, 1906 Stephen was baptized and received into the Dove Baptist Church of Burleson County. His daughter Bertha was Baptized in 1908.
In November of 1915 Stephen/Stafford, (aka S. A.) Helmer and his family moved to Dallas Texas. In 1920 Stafford his wife Nanny and daughter Bertha are all living at 2210 Cockrell Ave. Dallas TX and employed at Dallas Cotton Mills in 1920. In 1927 Nannie A. Helmer widow of Stafford is living at 2906 Alaska Ave. in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas
Generation No. 1
1. Stephen7
HELMER was born December 26, 1852 in Eschbach, Bas-Rhin France, and died
September 11, 1921 in Dallas Co, TX. He
married (1) Clarissa Ann ORRELL December 13, 1877 in Tallahatchie
County Ms. She was born February 02, 1846 in Beaufort County, NC, and died
Unknown. He married (2) Nanny
RYAN April 19, 1892 in Jefferson County, AL.
She was born Unknown, and died Unknown.
Children of Stephen HELMER and Clarissa ORRELL are:
i. Mary8 HELMER, born November 1879; died
February 1880 in Tallahatchie Co, MS.
ii. Annie Bell HELMER, born December 1881; died October 07,
1964 in Milam County, TX.
Child of Stephen HELMER
and Nanny RYAN is:
i. Bertha8
HELMER, born October 14, 1897;
died September 15, 1980 in Dallas CO, TX.
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Generation No. 2
3. Annie Bell8
HELMER was born December 1881, and died October 07, 1964 in Milam County,
TX. She married Charles GEICK
March 16, 1899 in Burleson County TX. He
was born September 1863 in Germany, and died Unknown.
Children of Annie HELMER and Charles GEICK are:
i. Ida Viola9 GEICK, born December 04,
1899; died January 1985 in Caldwell, TX.
She married Paul Charles Kellar; born January 15, 1903; died June 1986
in Caldwell, TX.
ii. William Charles GEICK, born July 26, 1901; died November
23, 1979 in Cameron, Milam, TX.
iii. Louis S. GEICK, born Abt. 1903; died Unknown.
iv. Earl Henry GEICK, born March 12, 1906; died July 26, 1972 in
Caldwell, TX.
v. Alvin GEICK, born Private.
vi. Dick GEICK, born Private.
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4.
Bertha8
HELMER was born October 14, 1897, and died September 15, 1980 in Dallas
CO, TX.
She married Andrew D. POPE.
He was born Unknown, and died Unknown.
Children of Bertha HELMER and Andrew POPE are:
i. Andrew D. Jr.9 POPE, born October 23,
1927 in Kaufman CO, TX; died August 1975 in Dallas CO, TX.
ii. Guy Graham POPE, born Private.
iii. Sadie Mae POPE, born Private.
iv. Piercy Edwin POPE, born Private.
Bertha and
Stephen Helmer
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[1] Holmes County, MS web page http://www.rootsweb.com/~msholmes/ Karolyn Hathcock County Coordinator,Holmes County, Mississippi.