Family Group

Surname

Helm

Johann (Phillip) Helm, son of Johann Nikolaus Helm and Anna Catharina Doll, is the first Helm in our line to immigrate to  America.  He was born October 13, 1824 and was baptized two days later at Evangelisch, Edenkoben, Pfalz, Bavaria.

Johann (Phillip) was one of at least five children with siblings Anna Philippina, Georg Christoph, Nikolaus, and Philipp Jakob.

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Key Locations: Germany, Illinois, Nebraska

Cemeteries (All): Mount Hope, Rose Hill, St. Johns, Wyucka

Phillip immigrated from Germany to the United States in 1857.  In 1860, he is found living in Putnam County, Illinois, which borders Bureau County, where he later lived.  On July 1, 1861, Phillip married Maria Kathrina "Mary" Herzberger, who had recently immigrated to the the US from Germany.  They lived for many years near Hollowayville, Bureau County, Illinois, where all 13 of their children were born.

Between 1880 and 1885, Johann (Phillip) and Maria Kathrina Elizabeth “Mary” Helm moved to Otoe County, Nebraska  with at least 8 of their 10 living children.  Over the ensuing years, the children grew and married starting their own families.

The oldest was Johann (Phillip), who was also known as John Phillip and Phillip John.  Phillip married Elizabeth Miller.  They remained in Otoe County, Nebraska their entire lives becoming parents to 13 children.

Heinrich, who was called “Henry”, married Anna Johanna Peters.  They lived in Nebraska and Colorado (near Burlington).  They had 13 children before parting ways.

• Anna Maria, who was called Mary, married Christian Buess.  They lived in Otoe County, Nebraska and were the parents to 5 children
• Wilhelmena, who was called Minnie, married Otto Fielder.  They lived in Otoe County, Nebraska and were the parents to 4 children
• Johann (Frederick) married Engelina “Lena” Renken.  They lived in Otoe County, Nebraska and were parents to 10 children
• Maria Elizabeth, who was called Lizzie, married John Meinen.  They became the parents of 7 children, who were all born in Otoe County, Nebraska.  The family later moved to Rush County, Kansas
• Anna Katherina, who was called Caroline or Carrie, married John (Frederich) Linhardt.  They raised 9 children near Avoca, Nebraska
• Nicolaus, Wilhelm, and an unnamed infant died while the family was living in Illinois
• Philibena “Bena”, died in Nebraska in a horse accident

Four generation Photo

Jake Helm, Rosa Helm Calaway, Larry Callawy,  Michael Calaway

February 1961

Phillip (Jacob) “Jake” Helm  (shown right) was the ninth of Phillip and Mary's children and is the next in our direct  family line. Jake first married Lulu Darline Guthrie.  They were the parents of two children:  Ed and Rosa.  At age 26, Lulu died of tuberculosis leaving Jake with two young children.  Jake raised the children with the help of his mother, who had become a widow a few years earlier.

It wasn’t until 1927, 16 years after Lulu’s death, that Jake married again.  His second wife was Minnie Kutzner, daughter of Herman and Minnie Schmidt Kutzner.  Although Jake around 50, his bride was 20 years his junior and thus they began a family together becoming the parents of three daughters: Alice, Dorothy, and Janice.

Phillip Jacob "Jake" Helm

Jake & Minnie Helm with their daughters Alice, Dorothy & Janice