Individual Details
George "Big George" HELMAN
(From Abt 1780 to 1781 - Aft 7 Jun 1864)
There are no probate or deed records in Somerset or Indiana County, Pennsylvania that name the wife and children of George Helman. The Helman newsletter gives his first wife's name as Catherine Seese. George Helman's sister Elizabeth Helman was married to Melchior Seese, Jr. whose father was Melchior Seese, Sr. Other researchers show a Catherine Seese married to someone else.
David Helman is the only child of George Helman and his first wife to have a death certificate naming his parents.. His death certificate gives his parents' names as George Hilman and Elizabeth Platz. There was a George Platz living in Somerset County with a daughter Elizabeth. George Platz died in Holmes County, Ohio in 1843 leaving a will naming a daughter Elizabeth but the probate packet does not give her husband or childrens' names.
To complicate matters there is a baptismal record at the German Reformed Church in Stoyestown, Somerset County for a John Helman born in 1799 to George Helman and Susanna. Could this be the same George Helman?
Possible candidates for George Helman's wife or wives include Susanna, Catherine Seese, and Elizabeth Platz. The last wife of George Helman was Mary "Polly" Miller living with him in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. Their son, Joshua "Jesse" Helman's death certificate, also gives his parents' names as George Helman and Polly Miller.
There are four letters written during the Civil War from Daniel Helman and I. S. Helman (Isaaac S.), sons of Samuel Helman, to their cousin, Josiah Helman, son of George Helman and Polly Miller. These letters help to prove that Samuel Helman and George Helman were brothers. The letters also mention Daniel Repplogel, husband of Mary Helman (a daughter of the above George Helman); Jacob Helman, a brother of Daniel and I. S. Helman (sons of Samuel Helman), and Amos Miller, related to them through their grandfather John Daniel Helman who married Elizabeth Sell (a brother of John Sell). The letter dated 7 June 1864 from Daniel Helman to Josiah Helman asks about "uncle" (Josiah's father, George Helman). This gives a date that George Helman was still living.
These letters are available online throught the Civil War collection at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania.
George Helman was in Indiana County by 1837 when he provides an affidavit for John Sell's application for a Revolutionary War pension. John Sell was married to his father's sister, Susannah Helman. Daniel Helman was married to Elizabeth Sell, a sister to John Sell. This affidavit helps to establish that he was a son of Daniel Helman although it does not give their relationship. John Sell's daughter Magdalena was married to Moses Miller. Their son Amos is mentioned in the above Civil War letters.
George's son Adam Helman was a Church of the Brethren minister. He married his half sister, Mary Helman and Daniel Repplogel, according to his affidavit in the Civil War pension file of Mary Repplogel, widow of Daniel Repplogel. The affidavit does not give the exact relationship but helps to support it.
The book, Two Centuries of the Church of the Brethren in Western Pennsylvania 1751-1950, states that "among the first Brethren to settle here (Manor congregation in Indiana County at Purchase Line) were Christian Fry and wife, Barbara (Shultz); David Fyock and wife, Mary (Hoffman); Adam, George, and David Helman. They came from Shade Creek, Somerset County." Adam, George, and David Helman were sons of George "Big George" Helman and his first wife.
David Helman is the only child of George Helman and his first wife to have a death certificate naming his parents.. His death certificate gives his parents' names as George Hilman and Elizabeth Platz. There was a George Platz living in Somerset County with a daughter Elizabeth. George Platz died in Holmes County, Ohio in 1843 leaving a will naming a daughter Elizabeth but the probate packet does not give her husband or childrens' names.
To complicate matters there is a baptismal record at the German Reformed Church in Stoyestown, Somerset County for a John Helman born in 1799 to George Helman and Susanna. Could this be the same George Helman?
Possible candidates for George Helman's wife or wives include Susanna, Catherine Seese, and Elizabeth Platz. The last wife of George Helman was Mary "Polly" Miller living with him in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. Their son, Joshua "Jesse" Helman's death certificate, also gives his parents' names as George Helman and Polly Miller.
There are four letters written during the Civil War from Daniel Helman and I. S. Helman (Isaaac S.), sons of Samuel Helman, to their cousin, Josiah Helman, son of George Helman and Polly Miller. These letters help to prove that Samuel Helman and George Helman were brothers. The letters also mention Daniel Repplogel, husband of Mary Helman (a daughter of the above George Helman); Jacob Helman, a brother of Daniel and I. S. Helman (sons of Samuel Helman), and Amos Miller, related to them through their grandfather John Daniel Helman who married Elizabeth Sell (a brother of John Sell). The letter dated 7 June 1864 from Daniel Helman to Josiah Helman asks about "uncle" (Josiah's father, George Helman). This gives a date that George Helman was still living.
These letters are available online throught the Civil War collection at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania.
George Helman was in Indiana County by 1837 when he provides an affidavit for John Sell's application for a Revolutionary War pension. John Sell was married to his father's sister, Susannah Helman. Daniel Helman was married to Elizabeth Sell, a sister to John Sell. This affidavit helps to establish that he was a son of Daniel Helman although it does not give their relationship. John Sell's daughter Magdalena was married to Moses Miller. Their son Amos is mentioned in the above Civil War letters.
George's son Adam Helman was a Church of the Brethren minister. He married his half sister, Mary Helman and Daniel Repplogel, according to his affidavit in the Civil War pension file of Mary Repplogel, widow of Daniel Repplogel. The affidavit does not give the exact relationship but helps to support it.
The book, Two Centuries of the Church of the Brethren in Western Pennsylvania 1751-1950, states that "among the first Brethren to settle here (Manor congregation in Indiana County at Purchase Line) were Christian Fry and wife, Barbara (Shultz); David Fyock and wife, Mary (Hoffman); Adam, George, and David Helman. They came from Shade Creek, Somerset County." Adam, George, and David Helman were sons of George "Big George" Helman and his first wife.
Events
| Birth | From Abt 1780 to 1781 | Franklin County, Pennsylvania | |||
| Marriage | Aft 1810 | Unknown | |||
| Census | 1820 | Shade Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, |  | ||
| Census | 1830 | Shade Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania | | ||
| Marriage | Aft 1830 | Mary MILLER | |||
| Census | 1840 | Washington Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania |  | ||
| Census | 1850 | East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania | | ||
| Census | 1860 | Brady Post Office, East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania | | ||
| Miscellaneous | 1861 | appears for the last time in the tax list - East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania | | ||
| Death | Aft 7 Jun 1864 |
Families
| Spouse | Unknown ( - 1830) |
| Child | Adam HELMAN (1812 - 1894) |
| Child | Elizabeth HELMAN (1818 - 1850) |
| Child | George "Little George" HELMAN (1818 - 1905) |
| Child | David HELMAN (1820 - 1902) |
| Child | Catharine HELMAN (1824 - 1878) |
| Spouse | Mary MILLER (1802 - 1889) |
| Child | Mary HELMAN (1835 - 1905) |
| Child | Josiah "Jesse" HELMAN (1837 - 1908) |
| Child | Sally HELMAN (1838 - ) |
| Child | Jane HELMAN (1840 - ) |
| Child | John A. HELMAN (1844 - 1899) |
| Father | John Daniel HELMAN (1760 - 1850) |
| Mother | Elizabeth SELL (1761 - 1840) |
| Sibling | Jacob HELMAN (1786 - 1867) |
| Sibling | Daniel HELMAN (1789 - 1859) |
| Sibling | Frederick HELMAN (1789 - 1865) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth HELMAN (1802 - 1888) |
| Sibling | John HELMAN (1800 - 1875) |
| Sibling | Samuel HELMAN (1805 - 1892) |
Notes
Census
There are two George Helmans in Washington Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania listed in the 1840 census. It is difficult to determine which one is the George Helman married to Mary Miller. There are two George Helmans in the 1850 and 1860 censuses who are first cousins but are separate persons.The first George Helman has the following family composition:
Free white males under 5-1
Free white males 5 thru 9-1
Free white males 10 thru 14-1
Free white males 50 thru 59-1
Free white females 5 thru 9-2
Free white females 30 thru 39-1
Persons employed in agriculture-1
The second George Helman has the following family composition:
Free white males under 5-1
Free white males 5 thru 9-1
Free white males 15 thru 19-2
Free white males 50 thru 59-1
Free white females 5 thru 9-1
Free white females 10 thru 14-1
Free white females 40 thru 49-1
Persons employed in agriculture-2
There is a Jacob Helman living near this George Helman. There is also a George Helman aged 20 to 29 living closer to this George Helman. Since George Helman married to Mary Miller had a brother Jacob Helman that moved to Indiana County, Pennsylvania and a son George that would have been 20 to 29 in 1840, it is believed that the second George Helman listed here is the one married to Mary Miller.
Miscellaneous
A George Hileman appears for the last time in the tax records for East Mahoning Township, Indiana County Pennsylvania in 1861. He does not own any acreage,, horses, or cows but is taxed on an occupation at the rate of $100 with county tax being 40 cents and state tax being 20 cents. There is a notation in the column under occupation for "sell" but it is not known what this means.Endnotes
1. 1820 U.S. census, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, Shade Township, page 141, George Helman; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 November 2015); from National Archives microfilm M33, roll 111.
2. 1830 U.S. census, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, Shade Township, page 111, George Hillman; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 November 2015); from National Archives microfilm M19, roll 161.
3. 1850 U.S. census, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, East Mahoning Township, page 254B, dwelling 118, family 118, David Hellmen; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 November 2015); from National Archives microfilm M432, roll 785.
4. 1860 U.S. census, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, East Mahoning Township, Brady Post Office, page 174 (stamped), page 312 (penned), dwelling 2203, family 2152, George Helman; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 November 2015); from National Archives microfilm M653, roll 1116.