We have two connections to the name, one through Dad's mother, and one through his father.
The one through Grandma B goes waaaay back, to Thomas Helme of Long Island (~1656-~1710) - and is suspect.
(We relate through Jonathan Owen's possible mother Temperence Helme who married Ebenezer Owen - but I have recently decided to join the ranks of those who think Jonathan was the son of Nathaniel Owen.)
The one through Grandpa B is much closer, Francis Helm/s of (West) Virginia and Illinois (~1824- ~1900)
Thomas Helme was presumably of English stock, and Francis was probably German, so there is no connection between them (I think).
For the Helm/Helms/Helme surname, you can’t beat Ira Helms’s website
He started out looking for the parents of the North Carolina Helms brothers, but the site has grown into a treasure trove of information about all the various Helmses.
Thomas Helme of Long Island (~1656-1710)
Sources: on the Ira Helms site there is a link for “Thomas Helme of Long Island Family Chart” by Don Strahle
In addition, there is an AMAZING site devoted to the Thomas Helme House
This site has complete details about the house - through time - (room by room tours, listing of artefacts found during reconstruction, etc, etc). It also has everything the owner, C. E. Gumbrecht, has been able to find out about the Helmes family, including wills, town records, etc etc. Most of the records I list on my Thomas Helme page I have taken from the Helme House site.
William Helme (~1686-1755)
his wife Temperence Woodhull
her parents Richard Woodhull and Temperence Topping
I have done only cursory searching for information on these people, and I must say, the more I look, the more inconsistencies I find. Please do not take anything I have posted here as proven - it all needs to be worked on!
Temperance Helme (~1712-aft 1803?)
her husband Ebenezer Owen
I should note that once you get to Long Island, there is a wonderful Long Island Genealogy site. I haven't explored it in depth, but it does have much more on the Toppings than I have copied here.
Francis Helm/s of (West) Virginia and Illinois
I can't even begin to tell you how little I know about these people.
Harriet Helm or Helms (she seems to have used them interchangeably) was Dad's Great-Grandmother.
She was still alive when he was born, but was very old, and he seems to have had no memories of her. All he knew was that she was born in Western or West Virginia.
Francis's children
Harriet
husband James Roberts
children of Harriet and James
Speculation concerning the possible ancestors of Francis
Immigration information - at this point, it is only a couple of entries from Rupp's 30,000 Names . . .
Geographical information (mostly census index listings)
Kentucky - I don't think any of these are related, I found the info as I was searching for other families
Maryland
Ohio
Virginia
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Questions, comments, additions, corrections? Contact me at: lee@leesgenes.com
Page last updated 29 July 2007