Helbling Family – Page 16 – Heritage Ramblings

Talented Tuesday: The Skills of Franz X. Helbling

Helbling Family

Are you a Helbling descendant who is good with knives? Can you deftly carve a large turkey at Thanksgiving, debone a chicken breast in just a couple quick strokes, or gently filet a fish? Then you may have have some of the butchering talent passed down through the Helbling DNA.

Franz Xavier Helbling (1800-1876) and his brother Jacob (1813-1872) were butchers, and Jacob is credited with being one of the first butchers to have a stand at the Pittsburg market. (Yes, that is how they spelled Pittsburgh back in the day.) With both brothers being butchers, it is highly likely that their father, Franz Xavier Helbling, (1773-?), was also a butcher. Franz had a son who became a butcher, but the family trade ended there.

I have found 4 IRS Tax Lists for 1862-3 for this family, and they show that there were more Helbling butchers than just these two in Lawrenceville, a suburb of Pittsburgh.

(Tax rates are 30 cents per head of cattle, 5 cents for a calf, 10 cents for a hog, and 5 cents for sheep.)

#1- September 1862

Francis Helbling- 6 cattle + 1 calf + 1 hog= $1.95 in taxes.

Jacob Helbling- 6 cattle + 1 calf + 1 hog= $1.95 in taxes.

Jacob Helbling- 4 head of cattle= $1.20.

#2- October 1862

Francis Helbling- 6 head of cattle + 2 calves for a total of $1.90.

Jacob Helbling- 6 head of cattle + 1 calf = $1.85 in taxes

Francis Helbling- 10 head of cattle +2 calves + 3 hogs + 4 sheep= $3.60 in taxes.

John Knipschield- 12 cattle + 1 calf= $3.65 in taxes.

(We do not know Mary Theresa Knipschield’s siblings nor parents- maybe this is her brother and why she came to America?)

#3- November 1862

Francis Helbling- 3 head of cattle for a total of $0.90 in taxes.

Jacob Helbling- 5 head of cattle + 2 calves = $1.60 in taxes

Francis Helbling- 9 head of cattle + 5 calves + 1 hog for a total of $3.05.

Jacob Helbling- 6 head of cattle + 2 calves = $1.90 in taxes

#4- October 1863

Francis Helbling- 7 head of cattle + 1 calf for a total of $1.45.

Jacob Helbling- 6 head of cattle + 3 calves = $1.35 in taxes

John Knipschield- 13 cattle + 6 calf + 4 hogs= $3.14 in taxes.

Robert Helbling- 4 head of cattle= $0.80

(Not sure who Robert Helbling is…more research needed.)

Being a butcher in the 1800s was a lot different than today- no tractor trailer driving to the grocery store loading dock with cuts of meat that only need a little trimming for the expensive meat case. As can be seen from the tax lists, our ancestors had to grow their own meat, kill the animal, butcher the carcass, utilize and dispose of the offal (undesirable parts), and package it when the customer chose the perfect steak. Cattle back then were a bit smaller than today, about 1,100 pounds vs today’s 1,500 pound cattle; an animal that size was a lot to manage. A lot to feed, too, to get to that weight- they would have had to purchase hay and corn to grow those calves, or grow their own.

After dressing the animal, i.e. cutting off all the undesirable parts, the remaining meat cuts would be about half the weight of the live animal. Of course, back then they also ate parts we are not always inclined to eat, such as tripe, tongue, heart, etc. Being German, they probably made some amazing sausage out of the leftover parts, and head cheese too, so their yield would probably have been higher than today’s. (Of course, our industrialized livestock farming of today uses all those undesirable parts- they just don’t tell us what it is in. Often it is fed back to animals, one way mad-cow disease is spread.)

Our ancestors who farmed, which was a majority of those in the 1800s, had to do this too, but on a much smaller scale.

So, the next time you are wrestling a 24-kb Thanksgiving turkey as the whole table of guests watch, remember that culinary knife skills may be in your DNA, and you can do it!

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Obituary for Rosina Wiesert Helbling, wife of Jacob Helbling.

The Pittsburgh Press, Nov. 30, 1907, page three http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nhobAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CEkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4329,6709035 &dq=helbling+death&hl=en

2) September 1862 Tax List: U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918AuthorAncestry.comPublisherAncestry.com Operations IncPublisher Date2008Publisher LocationProvo, UT, USA

October 1862 Tax List: U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918AuthorAncestry.com. Online publication – Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.Original data – National Archives (NARA) microfilm series: M603, M754-M771, M773-M777, M779-M780, M782, M784, M787-M789, M791-M793, M795, M1631, M1775-M1776, T227, T1208-T1209

[Ancestry.com is in the midst of switching viewer styles and I cannot get to all of the sources for each of the IRS records. Please let me know if you need more information.]

3) A Century of Georgia Agriculture, 1850-1950 by Willard Range, 1954. https://books.google.com/books?id=s_GPG0k7XwUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:%22Willard+Range%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JusAVeOtHYuZNt3rg9AL&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false

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Matrilineal Monday: Mary Theresa Helbling McMurray

Helbling Family

Some would say that family historians/genealogists are obsessed with the dead, and that perspective is somewhat understandable.

Some would say that family historians/genealogists find it hard to stop researching the dead and spend more time on the living- occasionally that is true as well, especially at 2am.

Some would also say it is just weird that family historians/genealogists remember the special days of the dead, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or death dates; that assessment may have some element of truth as well.

It can be argued, however, that the yearning to know more about those who have gone before, to hold them close in one’s heart, is really what drives those who spend countless hours searching for the minutiae of a life. It can be the need to tell an ancestor’s story, so that they are not forgotten; it can be a way to hold on to them just a bit longer, to not let them go “to the other side” just yet, especially for those the family historian has known in this life and loved deeply. It can be a way to not say a final “good bye” so soon, to help a loved one linger in the hearts of others for just a bit longer, too.

Family historians/genealogists also want to understand their inner selves more, to know where this trait or that look came from, and connect themselves to those who have gone before through these commonalities. How can we know our place in the universe without the context of our being?

Mary Helbling McMurray on Lake Ozark, on their honeymoon, 05 June 1948. — *Mary Helbling McMurray on her wedding day, honeymooning on Lake Ozark, 05 June 1948.*

Sharing the lives of our ancestors is a gift that family historians/genealogists wish to give to their own descendants, their collateral kin, and even the world- history is the story of every life, truly, not just those who fought wars or those who started them.

Becoming a family historian/genealogist is not always a conscious choice- a muse, an inner drive, or even the voices of our ancestors move us to travel along their journeys. We want to leave a legacy of that knowledge for those we love now, and those we will love in the future, even after we are gone.

*Mary Helbling McMurray with her first grandson, 22 Feb 1987.*

Family historians/genealogists LOVE, and are a part of the chain of love that is family.

Today we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Mary Theresa Helbling McMurray, a woman full of love.

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Family treasure chest of photos.

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Sentimental Sunday: ‘At home’ with Robert Warson Beerbower and his wife, Josephine Reiffel Beerbower

➡ Beerbower Family, Helbling Family

'At Home' card of Robert Warson Beerbower and Anna Josephine Reiffel Beerbower, married 23 August 1898. — *‘At Home’ card of Robert Warson Beerbower and Anna Josephine Reiffel Beerbower, married 23 August 1898. (Click to enlarge and sharpen.)*

Transcription:

Mr. Robert W. Beerbower,

and

Miss Anna Josephine Reiffel,

Married,

Tuesday Evening August the 23rd, 1898.

Indianapolis, Ind.

At Home:

After September the First,

920 Fletcher Ave.

'At Home' card of Robert Warson Beerbower and Anna Josephine Reiffel Beerbower, married 23 August 1898- reverse. Age listed is Josephine's. — *‘At Home’ card of Robert Warson Beerbower and Anna Josephine Reiffel Beerbower, married 23 August 1898- reverse. Age listed is Josephine’s. (Click to enlarge and sharpen.)*

Reverse- transcription:

21 years& 9 mnth- 10 days. at date of mar

– riage

This age refers to Josephine, as she was 21, and Robert 24, when they married.

Josephine and Robert’s second anniversary was bittersweet. They anticipated the birth of their first child in 1900, but sadly, Robert had become ill. He went to Denver for his health, but died there of consumption on 12 September 1900. Their daughter Roberta Pearl Beerbower was born the next month.

Thanks so much to Cousin SA for passing on this beautiful little card that came down through Robert and Josephine’s daughter Roberta P. Beerbower and then her son with James Franklin Wertz, Robert Eldon Wertz, and Robert’s wife. Robert had no children so sadly this direct line has ended. SA was so thoughtful to send it to me- she was actually born into the Wertz line, and Robert Wertz was her cousin, as his father James Wertz was the brother of SA’s grandmother, Annette Wertz Kinsey. She thought it should belong in with Beerbower memorabilia. It will be cherished!

[Editor’s Note: I had one part of this post wrong. Cousin SA , was not a ‘married in’ as I originally wrote. The post has been corrected to show the true relationship. Thanks for keeping the blog accurate, SA!]

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) See other posts that include Robert Warson Beerbower:

Beerbower Family Bible Series, which starts here- http://heritageramblings.net/2014/12/31/beerbower-family-bible-dec-31st-1873/

Treasure chest Thursday: Roberta P. Beerbower Wertz-

http://heritageramblings.net/2015/02/12/treasure-chest-thursday-roberta-p-beerbower-wertz/

2) ‘At Home’ card currently in possession of author- thanks again, SA!

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Original content copyright 2013-2015 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

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All because two people fell in love…

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series All because two people fell in love…

Gerard William "G.W." Helbling and Anna May Beerbower- tintype, c1904. — *Gerard William “G.W.” Helbling and Anna May Beerbower- tintype, married 1904. Parents of Mary T. Helbling McMurray*

➡ Beerbower Family, Helbling Family, Lee Family, Cooper Family, McMurray Family, Whitener Family

My mother always told me that I was here on earth because two people fell in love, but Brad Paisley’s hit song said it in a slightly more catchy way:

“There ain’t nothin’ not affected
When two hearts get connected…

*Wedding Photo of Joseph and Helen Cooper, married 1901. Parents of Irving I. Cooper.*

Every one of us is here
All because two people fell in love.”

John Brandenberger and Christina Funke, married 1854. Great-great grandparents of Robert Eugene Lee. — *John Brandenberger and Christina Funke, married 1854. Great-great grandparents of Robert “Bob” Eugene Lee.*

The Brad Paisley song, “Two people fell in love” is delightfully sweet, whether one is a country fan or not.

*William Elmer McMurray and Lynette Payne, married 1899. Grandparents of Edward A. McMurray, Jr. c1950s?*

Brad Paisley goes on to sing:

“I’m glad your dad could not resist
Your mama’s charms and you exist
All because two people fell in love.”

*John Newton Whitener and Ethel Emily Adiline Underwood, married 1925.*

Take a look at the full lyrics here. They are very sweet- as are these pictures of ancestor couples.

Thank you, dear ancestors, for falling in love.

Have a love-ly Valentine’s Day!

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) “Two People fell in Love” by Tim Owens, John Lovelace, Copyright: Emi April Music Inc., Sea Gayle Music, Love Ranch Music- http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bradpaisley/twopeoplefellinlove.html

Portions of the lyrics posted for educational use only.

2) Photos from family treasure chests.

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Treasure Chest Thursday: Roberta P. Beerbower Wertz

Roberta Pearl Beerbower, c 1920? — *Roberta Pearl Beerbower, c1920? Posted with permission.*

➡ Beerbower Family, Helbling Family

Roberta Pearl Beerbower was the only child of Robert Warson Beerbower (1874-1900) and Anna Josephine Reiffel (1876-1965) who married 23 August 1898. Roberta was born 16 October 1900 in Indiana (likely Indianapolis) less than a month after her father died at age 26 in Colorado. Robert had gone to Denver for health reasons, and died of consumption there.

“Cousin Roberta” was a beloved older cousin of Mary Theresa Helbling. Mary looked up to her beautiful cousin and wanted to be like her. Roberta would have been 25 when Mary was born, which surprised me as I always thought they were closer in age, maybe just 5-10 years difference.

Recently I received a note from a Find A Grave member requesting I change Roberta’s middle name to Pauline on her memorial, as that was what Roberta’s daughter-in-law thought the name was. The family bible owned by her aunt, Anna May Beerbower Helbling, lists Roberta’s middle name as ‘Pearl’ so I am using that name here, but it needs further research. The new collaboration is wonderful though, as this researcher was able to provide the above beautiful portrait, and more information about Roberta and her marriage and family that I did not know.

Following are some photographs that Mary Helbling McMurray thought would be Roberta, or that were labeled with her name, and some of my notes. Please let us know if you have additional information or corrections.

May or Viola Helbling, possibly with Cousin Roberta Beerbower, Helbling home in St. Louis, Missouri, 06 June 1915. — *May (age 4) or Viola Helbling (age 2), possibly with Cousin Roberta Beerbower, Helbling home in St. Louis, Missouri, 06 June 1915.*

This is Roberta per Mary Helbling; Roberta would have been 15 in 1915 so this is likely correct. (Note ‘G.W. Helbling Undertaker’ sign in front of the Helbling home in St. Louis, Missouri.)

*Possibly Roberta Beerbower with her mother Josephine Reiffel Beerbower? October 1910*

*From left: Viola Helbling, Edgar Helbling, May Helbling, and possibly Roberta P. Beerbower? October 1910*

The above two photos could be Roberta, as she would have been 10 in 1910. Not sure about the date though, as Edgar was born in 1908 so 1910 for the photo cannot be correct if that is him with his younger sisters in the image. Will need to review photo album again. Maybe the girl on the right is another cousin? Maybe these are not Helbling children, though they do look like Edgar, May, and Vi, and were identified as such by their youngest sister Mary (but she wasn’t there as she was not yet born).

*Roberta P. Beerbower with her cousin Edgar Helbling. August 1920*

Edgar would have been 12 in 1920 and Roberta 20, plus these people were positively identified in photo album, so this identification should be accurate.

*Roberta P. Beerbower with her paternal uncle Edgar Springsteen Beerbower. August 1920.*

This photo was a game changer when I realized the date and the identification of the man with Roberta. The man was “Ed” per the caption in the album. Mary Helbling did not know if the man was her uncle, Edgar Springsteen Beerbower (1876-1940) or her grandfather, Edgar Peter “E. P.” Beerbower (1849-1916), both with the same nickname. Looking at the dates though, and the age of the man, lets us know it must be Edgar S. Beerbower, since his father (E.P.) died in 1916 and had been born 71 years before the photo was taken. So now we can use this positive identification for other images of this man. (Sadly, though, it means we do not have a picture of Edgar Peter Beerbower.)

*Roberta P. Beerbower with her paternal grandmother, Anna Missouri Springsteen. Summer 1927*

The photo album belonged to Anna May Beerbower Helbling, and her mother lived with Anna and her family in her later years. Love how cute ‘flapper girl’ Roberta is! No wonder that Mary Helbling, born in 1925, looked up to her glamorous cousin.

About 1930- May Helbling on left with her sister Mary Theresa Helbling in front. It was thought the girl in the picture was Roberta P. Beerbower but the age is not right- Roberta would have been 30 when this photo was taken. — *About 1930- May Helbling on left with her sister Mary Theresa Helbling in front. Unknown girl on right.*

It was thought the girl on the right in the picture was Roberta P. Beerbower but the age is not right- Roberta would have been 30 when this photo was taken because of the approximate age of Mary. Maybe it is the same girl as above that we are not sure about?

*Robert Eldon Wertz, son of Roberta P. Beerbower and James I. Wertz. August 1935, age 3 yrs 1 mo.*

Robert Eldon Wertz was born 30 July 1932 in Indiana to Roberta and James F. Wertz (1895-1979). He was their only son, and he had no children with his wife, Halina Ulrych. He is such a cutie with that smile!

A special thanks to Shelley for sharing what she has to help us extend our tree.

Please do let us know in the comment section if there are any correction or if you have more information about these folks.

➡ Beerbower Family, Helbling Family

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Family treasure chest of photos.

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Category: Helbling Family