George "Big George" Helman of East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania

I have had two requests recently for information on George "Big George" Helman of East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. There was a blog post in February, 1816 on the "Two George Helmans of Indiana County, Pennsylvania." I had given information in that blog post on the George Helman who lived in Washington Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. These two men by the same name were first cousins.  Both were born in the 1780's in Franklin County, Pennsylvania to sons of George Sebastian Helman.  George Helman who eventually settled in East Mahoning Township,  Indiana County, Pennsylvania was a son of John Daniel Helman.  John Daniel Helman left Franklin County, Pennsylvania and moved to Somerset County, Pennsylvania where he was living in the 1810 census. 

George Helman who settled in Washington Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania was a son of George Sebastian Helman, Jr.  George Sebastian Helman, Jr. remained in Franklin County, Pennsylvania where he died in 1832.  Estate records in Franklin County, Pennsylvania give the names of his children.  Among them was the George Helman of Washington Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. See the previous blog post for more information about him. 

The George Helman who settled in East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania was known as "Big George" and his son was known as "Little George". George "Big George" was born from about 1780 to 1781 since he was 79 years old in the 1860 census. He was married twice but the name of his first wife is not known. The Helman family newsletter gives her name as Catherine Seese. However, the death certificate for George Helman's son, David, from his first marriage gives her name as Elizabeth Platz. 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? George Helman was living in Shade Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania in the 1830 census with his children but there is no adult female so his first wife must have died prior to 1830. The following children were born to George Helman and his first wife:

1.  Adam born 15 November 1812-died 31 January 1894 in Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio married to Mary Fry

2.  Elizabeth born about 1818-died between 3 August 1850 and Janurary 1851 married to George Washington Shaffer

3.  George "Little George" born 11 May 1818-died 4 September 1905 in Shelby County, Ohio married to Eve Anna Shaffer 

 4.  David born September, 1820-died 23 May 1902 in Goshen, Elkhart County, Indiana married to Catherine Rarick

 5.  Catharine born estimated 1824 to 1825-died before 1878 married to Robert Beatty McMillen

George Helman had one female 5 thru 9 and one female 10 thru 14 in the 1830 census. George Sheaffer and Beaty McMillen were living next to each other in Plumcreek Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in the 1840 census. George's wife Elizabeth was 20 to 29 years old in the 1840 census. Beatty's wife Catharine was 15 to 19 years old in the 1840 census. Therefore, Elizabeth was the oldest daughter and Catharine the youngest.

George Helman married Mary Miller sometime after 1830. She was born 5 May 1802 and died 10 March 1889. The following children were born to George Helman and Mary Miller. 

1.  Mary born May, 1835-died 5 September 1905 married to Daniel Repplogel, Irwin Cooper Brady, and Abraham Milliron 

2.  Josiah "Jesse" born 9 April 1837-died 11 September 1908 married to Ann Margaret Deijarmin

3.  Sally born about 1838-died after 1870

4.  Jane born about 1840

5.  John A. born 9 September 1844-died 20 August 1899 married to Martha J. Rowe

The death certificate for Josiah Helman gives his parent's names as George Helman and Mary Miller.

George Helman was living in Shade Township, Somerset County in the 1820 and 1830 censuses; Washington Township, Indiana County, in the 1840 census; and East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. He died after 7 June 1864.

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 Susannah Helman, the sister of Daniel Helman, George Hellman's father. 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.

There are four letters written during the Civil War from Daniel Helman and I. S. (Isaac S.) Helman, 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, sons of Daniel Helman, were brothers. The letters also mention Daniel Repplogel, husband of Mary Helman, a daughter of 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. The Civil War letters are available online at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania library in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

George Helman's son, Adam Helman, was a Church of the Brethren minister. Adam Helman performed the marriage ceremony for Mary Helman and Daniel Repplogel, according to his affidavit in the Civil War pension file for Mary Reploggel, widow of Daniel Repplogel. The affidavit helps to support the relationship between Adam Helman and Mary Repplogel since they were half siblings.

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 (Liitle George), and David Helman were sons of George Helman (Big George) and his first wife. 

George Helman may have belonged to the Church of the Brethren as did his sons. There are no baptismal records for any of George Helman's children in the existing German church records in Somerset County. The only records he appears in are census records. There are no deeds for him in Somerset or Indiana Counties nor are there any probate records for him. There is no known tombstone for him. Family records state he died in 1865. We know he was still living in June, 1864 when the Civil War letter was written. Information given in the Helman family newsletter is supported by that given in census and the other records listed above.

If anyone has any other information regarding George "Big George" Helman, please contact me at fowler1947@gmail.com. I am always willing to share whatever information I have.

 

Who is the Father of Mary McKelvey, Wife of Jacob Bash?

My third great grandparents are Jacob Bash (1805-1863) and Mary McKelvey (1804-1886). I have been trying to determine the father of Mary McKelvey. Online trees give her father as William McKelvey or James McKelvey but do not give any further information. Some of the trees are obviously wrong.

 

I decided to try to identify the father of Mary McKelvey. Jacob and Mary Bash's daughter, Isabella, is living with James and Jane McElvy [McKelvey] in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio in the 1860 census. That seemed like a good place to start.

 

An Orphans Court record in Indiana County, Pennsylvania (book 2, page 240) lists the children of Samuel and Ann McKelvey as Jane McKelvey married to James McKelvey, Mary McKelvey married to Samuel Moore, Ephraim McKelvey, Robert McKelvey, and Margaret McKelvey. Samuel McKelvey married Ann Wallace, a daughter of Ephraim Wallace, who left his daughter Ann land that was to go to her children when she died (see Indiana County will book 1:56 for the will of Ephraim Wallace). After the death of Ann (Wallace) McKelvey, one son, Ephraim McKelvey, purchased his other siblings’ interest in the land (see Indiana County deed books 11:67 and 21:260 for deed releases). Three of the other siblings (Jane and James McKelvey, Mary and Samuel Moore, and Margaret Ellen McKelvey) were all living in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio when they sold their interest.

 

Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio, is where Isabella (Jacob and Mary Bash's daughter) was living with James and Jane McKelvey in the1860 census. James and Jane McKelvey's son, James, was listed in the 1880 schedule for defective, dependent, and delinquent classes in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio since he was blind. The cause of his blindness was listed as his parents being cousins.

 

Now I had to find the father of Samuel McKelvey. Since Wheatfield Township in Indiana County was a part of Fairfield Township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, at one time, I looked at deeds in Westmoreland County for McKelvey families. There are numerous McKelvey families in this area of Westmoreland County but I got lucky. Samuel McKelvey was a son of James McKelvey (see Westmoreland County deed book 23:502-503). This deed names James McKelvey and his sons: Samuel, James, Lewis, Joseph, and William. James and Joseph McKelvey bought land from James McCurdy in 1802 in Fairfield Township, Westmoreland County (see Westmoreland County deed book 6:299-300). 

 

Another Samuel McKelvey (perhaps a relative) bought land next to James and Joseph McKelvey from Cornelius Clawson (see Westmoreland County deed 7:537-538). This Samuel McKelvey died in 1816 in Westmoreland County and Lewis McKelvey, Andrew Boyer, and Anthony Ruff were named administrators of his estate. Lewis McKelvey brought suit in Indiana County regarding Samuel McKelvey's estate (see Indiana County deed book 8:569-570).

 

Several of the children of James McKelvey (Senior) married children of Ephraim Wallace (see Indiana County will book 1:56). They lived in Wheatfield Township in Indiana County near the Conemaugh River. Samuel McKelvey married Ann Wallace, Joseph McKelvey married Sarah Wallace, William McKelvey married Margaret Wallace, and Jane McKelvey married Samuel Wallace.

 

It was a process of elimination to determine the father of Mary McKelvey, wife of Jacob Bash. The sons of James McKelvey (Senior) mentioned in Westmoreland County deed 23:502-503 were Samuel, James, Lewis, Joseph, and William. Lewis McKelvey never married since he is single when he appears as a grantor in deeds.  Joseph McKelvey's only child died young. All the children of Samuel McKelvey are mentioned in the Indiana County Orphans Court record 2:240.

 

William McKelvey had the following children: Jane married to Archibald Devlin, Ephraim W. McKelvey, Ellen married to William Tomb, Mary McKelvey married to Peter Seib, Lewis McKelvey (died 1849), Robert McKelvey (died 1841), James McKelvey (died 1848), and Sarah McKelvey (died 1841). The names of William McKelvey's wife, Margaret, and their daughter Mary Seib, are on a large grave stone at the Armagh Old Presbyterian Cemetery, in Armagh, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The grave stones for William McKelvey and the last four children listed above are in front of the large grave stone for Margaret McKelvey and Mary Seib. Ellen Tomb's obituary states she was a daughter of William McKelvey. She and her husband are also buried at the Armagh Old Presbyterian Cemetery. E. W. (Ephraim W.) McKelvey is living with his mother, Margaret McKelvey, in the 1850 census.

 

Westmoreland County deed 23:502-503 names James McKelvey (Senior) and his sons: Samuel, James, Lewis, Joseph, and William. The only son who is unaccounted for in later records is James McKelvey (Junior). He and his wife appear in the following deed in Fairfield Township in Westmoreland County in 1819 (see Westmoreland County deed 14:248). James McKelvey and his wife Sarah sold 101 acres for $952.50 in Fairfield Township to David Fallon on 6 November 1819. The deed states "This tract is part of a larger tract purchased by James and Joseph McKelvey from James McCurdy on 2 September 1802 and by deed of conveyance from Joseph McKelvey to William McKelvey dated 28 September 1815 and by deed of conveyance of release from William McKelvey and wife to James McKelvey dated 6 November 1819."

 

There is no deed or will naming the children of James McKelvey (Junior). I believe two of his children are James McKelvey (the husband of Jane McKelvey), a daughter of Samuel and Ann McKelvey) and Mary McKelvey (the wife of Jacob Bash). Remember that Jacob and Mary Bash's daughter, Isabella was living with James and Jane McKelvey in the 1860 census. James and Jane McKelvey were cousins according to the 1880 schedule for their son James McKelvey. Jane McKelvey's father was Samuel McKelvey. Her husband and cousin, James McKelvey, is not a son of Joseph, Lewis, Samuel, or William. Therefore, he must be a son of James McKelvey (Junior). Also, Jacob Bash and Mary McKelvey named their oldest son, James Madison McKelvey.

I have deeds, estate records, censuses. county and family histories, newspaper articles, and cemetery records for this McKelvey family. I have much information on this family which is too extensive to include here. If anyone would like further information on this family, please contact me at fowler1947@gmail.com

Relationship between Daniel McCoy and Charles McCoy

Daniel McCoy was taxed on 150 acres of land in Armstrong Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania from 1808 to 1816. The tax lists indicate the title to the land was by warrant but it does not say to whom it was warranted.  There is no record of Daniel McCoy taking out a warrant for land in Westmoreland or Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The tax records begin in 1808 but give total valuation of the property he was taxed on in 1805 and 1807.  His property was valued at $356 in 1805 and at $364 in 1807.  He was taxed on 150 acres of land between 1808 and 1816 but the number of horses and cows he was taxed on varied from year to year but was never more than a couple of horses or cows.

According to a biographical article on Benjamin Walker in the 1880 History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, a Charles McCoy was killed in 1795.  "There is an apple tree standing in his (Benjamin Walker's) garden, twelve feet and eight inches in circumference. It was planted in 1786 by Charles McCoy, who was killed by the Indians in 1795, and is still bearing fruit."  Stewart's History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania relates that Charles McCoy, a single man, was killed by the Indians in the spring of 1794 while accompanying Andrew Sharp and others on the Kiskiminetas River on their way to Kentucky. "When all his (Andrew Sharp's) arrangements had been completed, he placed his family and effects in his boat, and on the 30th of May, 1794, launched it on the waters of Black Lick, at Campbells mill, and bid adieu to his friends and neighbors who had assembled to witness his departure. He was joined by Taylor and Connor with their families, and Charles McCoy, a single man. They reached a point on the Kiskiminetas near the mouth of the Roaring Run before sunset. The boat was fastened to the shore, and some horses on board were taken out; while these were being tied to trees by their halters the men were fired upon by a band of Indians, who had been lying in wait with fifteen yards of the landing. Taylor escaped unharmed; but McCoy and Connor's son were killed and Connor and Sharp severely wounded, the latter having received a ball in his left side and another through his body, and had his right eyebrow carried away." Letters of administration were filed for Charles McCoy by Daniel McCoy on 12 December 1796 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.  The bondsmen were Absolum [Absalom] Woodward and Alexander Black.

Charles McCoy took out a warrant for 200 acres on the 11 August 1786 and it was surveyed to Charles McCoy on 24 August 1787 for 315 acres. It was "situate on the north side of the Conemaugh including his improvement and a white oak tree marked CM at the head of a spring in Westmoreland County." Alexander Sharp, John Barr, George Keihmell [Kimmell], John Latta, Alexander McCausland, and John Findlay's land adjoined Charles McCoy's land. A later survey dated 10 May 1828 stated the land is now in the occupancy of Benjamin Walker and Thomas and Joseph Benkley [Buckley]. The land was patented on 9 January 1817 by Absalom Woodward.

There are two deeds at the Indiana County Courthouse in Indiana, Pennsylvania regarding this land.  The first is from Absolom Woodward to Benjamin Walker and the second is from Absolom Woodward to Thomas Buckley and James Buckley, administrators of John Buckley deceased. Both are dated 6 July 1818 and state that it was part of the tract of land warranted to Charles McCoy on 11 August 1786 and surveyed on 24 August 1787 for 315 acres. Both deeds state  that Charles McCoy by deed dated 2 April 1816 sold the tract of land to Absalom Woodward.

There is a Charles McCoy living in Armstrong Township in Indiana County, Pennsylvania near Daniel McCoy in 1810 that is probably his son with the following household composition:

Free white males 26 thru 44-1
Free white females under 10-1
Free white females 26 thru 44-1

The 1810 tax records for Armstrong Township in Indiana County show that  Daniel McCoy was taxed on 150 acres of land and Charles McCoy 165 acres of land. The amount of acres that Daniel and Charles McCoy are taxed on is 315 acres, the same amount of land that was surveyed for Charles McCoy in 1787. The two Indiana County Histories both state that Charles McCoy was killed by the Indians about 1794 or 1795. Daniel McCoy applies to be administrator for him on 12 December 1796. Absalom Woodward to whom the land was patented in 1817 was one of the sureties. There are no deeds in Westmoreland or Indiana Counties showing Daniel McCoy selling this land as the administrator of Charles McCoy. Absalom Woodward and Isabella his wife sell 153 acres of this land in 1818 to Benjamin Walker for $800. Absalom also sells 100 acres to Thomas and James Buckley, administrators of John Buckley, for $620. Benjmain Walker and Thomas Buckley  are mentioned as residing on this property in a survey of this land done in 1828. The only conclusion that can be reached is that Daniel McCoy as administrator for Charles McCoy did not sell Charles'  land but lived on it himself with his son Charles McCoy. This is  based on the amount of acreage in the tax records. The Charles McCoy who later sells the land to Absalom Woodward is not the Charles McCoy killed by the indians prior to 1796 but the son of Daniel McCoy who had the same name.

According to a biographical sketch for his grandson, Church Smith McCoy, in the Indiana County History by Arms and White, Daniel McCoy was "an early settler on Crooked Creek" and "at one time resided on what is now the Benjamin Walker farm.

The relationship of Daniel McCoy and Charles McCoy for whom he was administrator is not known but they may have been brothers. Charles McCoy was single and probably young if he was making a trip down the river to go to Kentucky.