LAURELROOTS Helms Family History

	Laurelroots
HOME SITE MAP AMAZON STORE SPENCER SEEHAWER BARROWS SPAWR NÆSS BUSCH HELMS

HELMS, SCHMALGEMEIER

Germany, Kansas

GRANDPARENTS	GREAT-GRANDPARENTS	2ND GREAT-GRANDPARENTS	3RD GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
Henry C. Helms 1877-1956 Germany Great Bend, Barton Co., Kansas Burdett, Pawnee Co., Kansas	Johann Friedrich Gottlieb Helms Germany DESCENDANTS	Carl Heinrich Helms
		+Friederike Henriette Benus	Johan Friederich Benus
	+Marie Christine Elisabeth Niemeier 1837-1907 Germany	Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Niemeier	Johann Conrad Friedrich Niemeyer
			+Anne Margarethe Dorothee Langhorst
		+Anna Margarethe Catherine Dorothee Schroeder	Wilhelm Schroeder
			+Christine Wilhelmine Louise Schlichte
+Marie Schmalgemeier 1883-1952 Germany Great Bend, Barton Co., Kansas Burdett, Pawnee Co., Kansas	Henry Schmalgemeier 1843-1924 Westfalen, Prussia (Germany) Great Bend, Barton Co., Kansas Burdett, Pawnee Co., Kansas	Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Schmalgemeier Rahden, Westfalen, Prussia (Germany) 1813- DESCENDANTS	Franz Heinrich Schmalgemeier
			+Christine Marie Elisabeth Tanne
		+Catharine Marie Elisabeth Kroeger Rahden, Westfalen, Prussia (Germany) 1825-	Thomas Heinrich Kroeger
			+Christine Wilhelmine Tieker
	+Frida Rike/Frida Reich(?) Germany

Henry Helms' name is at the bottom of this page from a list of passengers arriving in New York City on the ship Havel on Sept. 20, 1893. The family story is that he was a stowaway, but this record shows he traveled in steerage. He was 16 years old and departed from Bremen, Germany. There does not appear to be anyone else from his family on this page. It says he was a farmer and his intended destination was East Henderson, Minnesota. (He joined his brother Herman there.)

Henry Schmalgemeier and his daughter arrived in New York City Feb. 27, 1901, on the ship Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. I do not know why she was listed as Fredrika rather than Marie, but the age is right. It's also interesting that Henry's granddaughter said his wife's/Marie's mother's name was Freda Rike (or was it Freda Reich? or Friederike?). It's a piece that will fall into place eventually.

They traveled here with Henry's sister, Dorothea Schmalgemeier Eikmeier, and her husband, Wilhelm Eikmeier. Notice their nationality is given as "USA" and their residence as "Great Bend, Kansas"; the 1920 census says they originally came to the US in 1882.

The family story is that Henry was crippled and couldn't come into the US directly; supposedly he had to go to Canada first and then go to Great Bend. I don't know whether that is true or not. There is a note to the left of his name that says "Hold." I can't read what it says under the "Deformed or Crippled" column on the far right. I do know that people who appeared unhealthy were detained at Ellis Island and eventually allowed to enter the country or sent back to Europe. It seems unlikely that happened to Henry, because when he applied for citizenship he listed his arrival on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse (although he gave the year as 1900).

PHOTOS AND LINKS

Helms Photos
Helms, Eikmeier, and unidentified photos

Helms Reunion Photos
Photos we took to the Helms reunion May 31, 2010 (some the same as above and some different)

Tribute to Rose Helms Busch (1919–2003)

Photo of Lee Eikmeier and Esther Huck

Souvenir of Larned and Pawnee County Kansas
This book or booklet makes me want to move to Larned! Of course, that was the intention of the businessmen who published it in the early 1900s. On page 66 there is a photo of the F. H. Meckfessel home; Christina Helms married a Meckfessel.

Burdett High School Class of 1937
Portraits, motto, etc.

Burdett Today

Burdett, Kansas, Lookups
Marie (Schmalgemeier) and Henry Helms settled in Burdett, Kansas. Their daughter (my mother-in-law) gave me her copy of History of Browns Grove and Burdett Kansas, 1876–1976 (by Arlene Notestine Todd and Jean Bindley Thompson). Visit this site to see the index I made of all the names in the book. If you find a relative's name there, contact me at the address below and I'll tell you what the book says about him or her.

Also, if you're researching someone who was at Burdett High School in 1936 or 1937, he or she might have written something in my mother-in-law's autograph book or graduation memories book. Let me know, and I'll check for you.

Laurel Roots Amazon Associates Store
Books about life in western Kansas during the Dust Bowl.

To go to the main Amazon site or to see information about your privacy when ordering through my store:

LATEST ON THE HELMS AND SCHMALGEMEIER BRANCHES

Nov. 25, 2011
LaVone Casey Helms, 1920-2011
One of the remaining members of her generation, Aunt LaVone, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 23, after several years of poor health. She was the widow of Martin Helms (1910-1975). I don't know how long it will last, but here's a link to her obituary: http://www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1322765&fh_id=12067.

CREDITS

1977: My husband's parents, aunts and uncles—Basic information on their parents, grandparents, and siblings.
Phyllis and Roy, cousins on the Busch side—Marriage and naturalization records for Henry Helms and Henry Schmalgemeier.
FamilySearch.org—German birth, marriage, and death records.


HOME	SITE MAP	AMAZON STORE	INTRO	BUSCH

Please add me to your list if necessary so I can respond.

Updated 12/21/11