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Sankt Ingbert Coat of Arms
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The first record of a Helmandollar here in America was Johann Andoni Hellenthal from St. Ingbert, Germany, in 1743. He sailed on the ship (Snow) Charlotta. He is listed on the passenger list of the ship which was captained by John Mason out of the Port of Rotterdam and arrived in Philadelphia on September 5, 1743, via Cowes, England.
Snow: the largest of all old two-masted vessels. The sails and rigging on the main mast of a snow are exactly similar to those on the same masts in a ship; only that there is a small mast behind the mainmast of the former, which carries a sail nearly resembling the mizzen of a ship.
The Palatinate or German Pfalz was subject to invasion by the armies of Britain, France, and Germany. As well as the devastating effects of war, the Palatines were subjected to the winter of 1708 and 1709, the harshest in 100 years. At the invitation of Queen Anne in the spring of 1709, about 7,000 harassed Palatines sailed down the Rhine to Rotterdam. From there, about 3,000 were dispatched to America, either directly or via England, under the auspices of William Penn. The remaining 4,000 were sent via England to Ireland to strengthen the protestant interest.
Over the next 100 years, impoverished Palatines fled from Germany to America - many arriving in Pennsylvania. Once landing in Philadelphia in 1743, Johann made his way to Maryland with his wife (unknown). A son, Michael Helmantel, was born in 1745 probably near Frederick, Maryland.
There is some hearsay evidence that Johann Andoni was a "Dunker". This would make sense because of his German emigration and ending up in Frederick, Maryland where the Brethren had a large congregation. There is mention of Johann Andoni in a journal regarding two monks wondering the countryside in about 1745. His son, Michael, was listed as an indentured worker on the Mannakees Plantation in the Monocacy River Valley. Mannakees (Mannakess) is probably just a misspelling of Monocacy Plantation. He and his wife died in Span, Georgia.
Michael Helmantel married Catherine Herman about 1761 in Manakees, Frederick County, Maryland. They had six children: Johann, Catherine, Paulser, Mary, Elizabeth, and William B. Johann, Catherine, and Paulser are all listed as Helmantel, while Mary and Elizabeth are listed as Helmantoller, and William B. is listed as a Helmandollar, born in 1778. They all show in records as being born on the plantation. At some point, William B. Helmandollar, made his way to Tazwell, Virginia. He married Rebecca in 1798 and they had 10 children in Boutetart, Tazwell County, Virginia. William B. died in 1832 in Burkes Garden, Virginia.
One of the 10 children was John Thomas Helmandollar who was born in 1820 and died in 1863. He married Elizabeth Susan Martin in about 1820 and had 9 children. This is where the LDS line of Helmandollar begins. Their oldest son was William Charles Helmandollar, born in 1844. Three of the other children's names were handed down to the next generations: John Floyd, George, and Mary.
John Floyd Helmandollar married Mary Virginia Clark on September 8, 1874 in Burks Garden, Virginia.
Eastern Tazewell County represents the furthest settlement of the Germans who came to far Southwest Virginia in the late 18th Century. The Central Church and cemetery at Burke's Garden in Tazewell symbolizes this outpost of settlement. Located in a picturesque bowl like valley atop Garden Mountain, the Central Church cemetery contains a collection of rare sandstone Germanic grave markers whose decoration and forms betray their connections to the related Wythe and Bland County settlements. These stones, most of which were carved in the 1820s and 1830s, appear to have been cut by the same unknown craftsman who made most of the stones at Zion and Kimberling churches in Wythe County and at Sharon Church in Bland County. The history of Central Church and cemetery is shared by several denominations. The earliest burial was in 1827 and from its earliest days the cemetery has been an interdenominational or union one [sic]. When the Central Church Lutheran congregation erected its first building in the 1820s, it was apparently constructed in conjunction with other denominations. When the present building was erected i n 1875, it continued to serve as a union church. However, the Lutherans alone have worshipped here in modern times. The Central Church Lutheran congregation is considered the mother church of Tazewell County Lutherans. In 1828 the group applied for pastoral services from the Synod of East Tennessee. David Forester and Nehemiah Bonham were the first pastors. Bonham was succeeded in 1841 by J. J. Greever, who served until 1877. Since 1843, the church has been under the jurisdiction of the Synod of Western Virginia.1
It is likely then, that the couple was married in the original Lutheran Church by Pastor Greever.
Without definite proof, it is also likely that both sets of their parents are buried in the historic Central Church Cemetery. Since their second child, Cora, was born in Burks Garden on April 17, 1880, the family was still residing in Virginia at that time. Their next child, Litz, however, is born on August 4, 1885 in Dayton, Washington, just north of Walla Walla and west of Lewiston, Idaho. Litz does not have a registered date of death. Their youngest child, Mary Almeda, was born February 28, 1888, also in Dayton. Their mother, Mary Virginia, passed away in Dayton, Washington on March 11, 1888, but was buried in Lewiston, Utah on March 13, 1888. Her death may have been from complications of child birth.
It appears that Mary Virginia (Clark) Helmandollar had two older siblings, who had moved to Southern Idaho as early as 1877. Her older brother, John Peter Litz Clark, was married in Lewiston, Utah in May of 1882. It is an assumption on my part that the family may have packed up a moved to Lewiston at that point in time. The reasons for my assumptions is that I have no evidence of John Floyd having any family living in or around Dayton, Washington. Since the railroads were expanding rapidly in the Northwest, it may have been that John Floyd had come west to work for the railroad. The Oregon Railway and Navigation Company was expanding during these very years from Dayton to Walla Walla in order to haul grain into Walla Walla. The line then was extended from Walla Walla to Umatilla on the Columbia River.
1. United State Department of Interior, Nation Park Service, National Register of Historic Places, Inventory Nomination Form, November 21, 1978.
George Thompson Helmandollar moved to Utah, Cache Valley, and later homesteaded 160 acres in Oxford, Franklin County (then Bingham County, later Bannock County), Idaho. The homestead deed is dated October 30, 1913 and another 160 acres was homesteaded on August 16, 1918 (copies of original deeds are in my possession). My grandmother, Nellie, ran a boarding house for the school teachers in Oxford. My grandfather and the boys ran the farm where they also had a dairy and ran sheep on Oxford Peak.
Their children were: George Floyd (1901), Nellie Viola (1903), Mary Inez (1904), Arnold Boyce (1906), Herman Joseph (1910), Howard A. (1912, died 1913), Ralph (1914) Cora Boyce (1916, died 1916), Roy Thompson (1917).
Nellie Boyce - family home in Oxford, 1898
This homestead was the home of my Great Maternal Grandfather, Joseph Young Boice and his wife, Eunice Sophia Merrick (below). The property is between Oxford and Clifton. This is near the property where George and Nellie Boice Helmandollar built their first home, later to be farmed by Floyd and Iretta Helmandollar.
(Courtesy of Don Bosworth, Son-in-Law of Ron Helmandollar)
This homestead was 160 acres west of Oxford. The Homestead was staked on October 30,1913 in Blackfoot, Bingham County, Idaho, authorized by President Woodrow Wilson.
The next homestead was another 160 acres adjacent to the original parcel, staked in 1916.
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Nellie Boyce died February 1, 1937. George Thompson Helmandollar then married Martie Whitt Gibbs on March 24, 1938. The family always referred her as Aunt Martie. My grandmother's brother also lived in Oxford. His name was Dee Boyce. When I was very young I remember him living in an old house that had no indoor plumbing or electricity. He had a small, horse drawn cart that he would ride around in Oxford. He was kind of eccentric, but everyone seemed to like Uncle Dee.
(From left to right: Back - George, Nellie, Viola, Mary Front - Herman, Ralph, Arnold, and Floyd - Roy was not yet born, so this was probably about 1916)
May 19, 1987 - Herman with his two sisters, Viola Ames and Mary Hill. Siblings Floyd, Arnold, and Ralph had passed already.
Herman and Baby Joyce - 1939 - 1940
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Herman showing off one of his horses, circa 1952. It appears that he might be in a pasture owned by Jack Staley, in Inkom. He and Jack were good friends and got in a lot of trouble together, drinking and carousing.
1955, Ron Helmandollar holding Baby Kim in the living room of our old pink house in Inkom.
Wilma Helmandollar, about 1942, in front of her new house in Inkom. Herman was building their new house and eventually Joyce and Ron would help him by pouring the concrete floor in the basement, all by themselves.
Kim in 1955 with his lettermen's sweater in the front yard at the old house in Inkom. The one-car garage is in the background.
1956, Kim feeding the sheep in the barnyard. Herman would bring the baby lambs in the basement during lambing season and let them sleep in boxes in the furnace room next to the coal furnace to keep them warm. We would feed the lambs from a large Coke bottle with a rubber nipple. Most of the time the lambs would chew of the nipple and spill the milk all over you. As a little kid, it was so fun (an so tasty after they were butchered). Herman had a butcher board set up in the basement of the house and would slaughter the animals in the barnyard and then cut them up with the help of my Mother and Ron.
Herman with his 5 day old colt, Pepsi Cola, in 1943. It looks like the picture may have been taken at Monte and Delpha Hurd's place just a couple of houses away from their old house. I say that because I think that may be Monte skulking around in back.
Herman, Wilma, Ron, Joyce and little Sue. This would probably be about 1950 to 1951. It's a little hard to tell, but Sue looks like she may be 4 or 5 years old.
Herman on the right is pouring the concrete for the basement walls at the old pink house. Joyce is standing on the planks.
Ronnie, Joyce and Sue, again, probably 1950 - 1951, standing in the front yard.
Kim - 1956
Herman - age 4, 1914 in Oxford, Idaho.
Nellie Elnora Boyce and George Helmandollar. This must have been about 1936 when the picture was taken.
Craig Stephenson and Kim, about 1962, sitting on the front sidewalk at the old house in Inkom. I have no idea why he is in a snow suit, it is obviously warm outside.
Sue is appears to not be very happy about babysitting baby Kim in this 1955 photo.
Herman with Baby Kim in 1955 in the front yard. You may notice that the saddle bags have a monogram - WH in silver studs. These were my Mother's saddle bags. Herman and Wilma had their own set of tac. Also notice the rolled up Levis. When my father smoked, he used the rolled cuff for cigarette ashes.
Same day, different shot. Kim loved riding horses.
Herman with his father, George
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Herman and Wilma met at a 4-H Meeting in Oxford in 1933. Wilma was working at her Aunt Suzie's Millinery Shop making stylish ladies hats. After a few months of dating, they were married in 1934 in Preston, Idaho.
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1920-30's Style of Women's Hats
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Herman's brother, Arnold, was working at the new cement plant in Inkom, where he helped Herman get a job. The newly weds moved to Inkom where they rented an apartment from Bishop Webb. The apartment was a tiny trailer and their first son, Ron, was born there. Not long after, they purchased some property on Rapid Creek Road (the pink house) from Gathe Realty and our father started building a house and barn on the parcel of land. They had milk cows, horses, pigs, chickens, lambs, and rabbits to care for and provide food for the growing family. Joyce were born in 1939 Sue was born in 1946. They had Linda Kay, who died shortly after birth. Their last child, Kim, was born in 1954.
In 1961, Ron and Herman purchased 26 acres of land further up Rapid Creek Road and subdivided the land. Ron and his wife Jackie has started their family and began building their house at the top of the hill. Richard and Joyce Stephenson followed suit and built a home half-way between Ron and Herman's homes. Herman helped build all the homes for the family. He started and finished their home last and moved from the old pink house to a the new home on 1963. David and Sue Wright later built a home between Joyce and Herman and Wilma, moving back to Inkom in their new home in 1976.
Herman passed away in April, 1998 and was buried in the Inkom Cemetery. Wilma lived many more years, alone, in her house, but luckily Ron, Joyce, and Sue lived close and cared for her. Her in last years, Sue and Dave lovingly cared for her, making sure she took her medications and had company. Ron took care of Herman and Wilma's financial well being for many years and Joyce provide wonderful meals for Wilma, giving her lots of company. Wilma passed away in December, 2013.
The Helmandollar family has had a long history here in America. If anyone wishes to contribute to this blog, please email your documents to me in Word or PDF format, and I will post. I would love to add pictures of your families with accompanying family histories for all to share. Please leave your comments and any corrections, additions, or deletions to this blog.
- by Kim Helmandollar Colaianni
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