Helbling Family (Click for Family Tree)

Actually, this mystery has been solved, even before it was published.

Here is what was written last week:

This image was shared by a cousin, but I do not have a record of who the man in the center might be. I checked my emails, because that is where I would have received the image, but many of the emails I exchanged with this cousin have disappeared from my mail service. (WHY??) It reinforces the fact that one needs to document well, and save to their hard drive, the cloud, or even such an archaic thing as paper. We can no longer expect these companies to keep things available to us forever, and WE are the losers if we do not ‘back-up’ information in a format that cannot be easily eliminated by a computer. And don’t forget to share– LOCKSS— Lots Of Copies Keep Stuff Safe.

Back to the photo- do you know this mystery man? He looks to be younger than Edgar, who would have been about 26 when this picture was taken; as a guess, perhaps our Mystery Man was born around 1915?

Edgar did the driving on some family trips to Illinois and other places. Note the car to his right- does that belong to the Helblings? Or to the Mystery Man?

It is hard to tell where the photo may have been taken- was it St. Louis and they were being visited, or were they off visiting somewhere? Checking the old Helbling photo albums to see if there is another picture of this young man or the background might give us more information.

Please do let us know if you can tell us the identity of our ‘Mystery Man!’

An email to what I thought might be an old, defunct address of the cousin actually worked! It has been a number of years since we corresponded, but she did answer the above questions. I still thought it might be helpful to list some of the thought process that one can go through in trying to identify a photo. Posting information about LOCKSS is important, I think, as well.

So back to our photo. Our dear cousin Mary Lou, who so generously shared her detailed research on the Helbling family (all done the hard way- before the internet!), explained that the man in the center was Robert Albert “Bob” Geier. He was the son of Laurelda Colette Helbling and her husband Bernard Adam Geier. Laurelda was the daughter of William Helbling, brother to our Francis Xavier Helbling (Jr.). So Bob’s mother and G.W. Helbling were first cousins. That makes their children, Bob Geier and Edgar Helbling, second cousins.

Mary Lou went on to explain that Bob drove across the country in 1935, so that is probably his car in the photo. He likely started in his hometown of Avalon, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh), and one of his next stops was St. Louis to visit his Helbling cousins. Remember, the interstate highway system as we know it today was not built until Dwight D. Eisenhower was President, authorized in 1956 but not completed until 35 years later. So no four- or six-lane I-80 for Bob! He may have taken the Lincoln Highway west to the Chicago area and then south to St. Louis, or possibly just taken smaller roads that were more direct. (The Lincoln “Highway” was only two narrow lanes in some places back then, and just a dirt road in others, as paving was not completed until 1935. So there might not have been much difference in quality of the road back then between the two routes.) The St. Louis Helblings had travelled to Pittsburgh by car (as well as train), so they probably knew the best route.

From St. Louis Bob could have taken the famous Route 66 west to California.

What an adventure that trip must have been for a young man of 23!

Bob’s adventures continued, as he learned to fly small planes and started a flying school with his younger brother Bernard Geier. There was a story in a 1940 Pittsburgh newspaper about Bob’s plans to fly from Santa Ana, California, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in a biplane that was 15 years old and only cost him $300. The story stated he was a superintendent at a fruit canning plant, but also held a commercial pilot’s license. He had been an aeronautical student at the University of Pittsburgh prior to his move to California.

Bob married and had children, and ran for Congress in Orange County, California.

Bob passed away 19 September 1990 in San Diego, California.

If you are a grandchild of G.W. Helbling, you are a second cousin once removed to Bob. It was nice to get to know one of our distant cousins!

Thanks, Mary Lou!

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. Family treasure chest of photos.
2. Robert Albert “Bob” Geier (1912-1990); Laurelda Colette Helbling (1888-1961); Bernard Adam Geier (1887-1961); William Helbling (1841-1896); Francis Xavier Helbling (1840-1919); Bernard Geier (1924-2007)
3. Highways– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route_of_the_Lincoln_Highway

 

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Francis X. Helbling was one of the 11 Helbling children who attended school in the family home in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, as described in a recent series of posts. He was baptized in St. Philomena’s Church in Allegheny County, PA. He and his wife Lena Gertrude O’Brien lived in Pittsburgh for most of their life, but they were found in the 1880 census in St. Louis, with Lena’s brother Harry O’Brien and her sisters Louisa and Celia O’Brien living with them. Francis was working as a merchant in 1880, and as a butcher, the family trade, in the 1900 census. Lena’s sister Ada O’Brien was living with them in 1900.

The children of Francis and Lena Helbling were all born in St. Louis, Missouri: Charles F. Helbling in 1878, Gerard W. Helbling in 1882, Joseph W. Helbling in 1883, and Harvey N. Helbling in 1891.

Their oldest son Charles Helbling lived in St. Louis, and had died there in 1903 at the young age of 25 of valvular disease of the heart. (He had been in the hospital for 32 months per his death certificate.) Their son Joseph lived in St. Louis with his wife Birdie Kirkland and their son Frank K. Helbling, and then moved to South Pasadena, California by 1926. G. W. Helbling lived in St. Louis his whole life, but brother Harvey Neel Helbling had moved to Pittsburgh, PA, by 1917, and resided in Pittsburgh the remainder of his life.

Francis and Lena moved back to Pennsylvania sometime after 1900. We have been unable to find them in the 1910 census in either St. Louis or Pittsburgh/Allegheny County, PA. Francis died 10 Nov 1919 in Pittsburgh (or Beechview), PA. Lena only lived 5 months longer, and passed away on 5 Apr 1920 in Pittsburgh. They are buried together in St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Lot E58, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Photograph posted with permission from photographer.

2) Family oral history.

3) The Helbling Family Home and School series starts here.

4) 1880 US Federal census for Francis Helbling, head of household- Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Saint Louis, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Roll: 734; Family History Film: 1254734; Page: 427C; Enumeration District: 370; Image: 0387.

5) 1900 US Federal census for Francis Helbling, head of household- Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: St Louis Ward 21, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Roll: 897; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0315; FHL microfilm: 1240897.

6) Charles Helbling death certificate- Ancestry.com. Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008. Original data: Missouri Death Records. Jefferson City, MO, USA: Missouri State Archives. Microfilm.

7) Francis Helbling obituary transcription: On Thursday, Nov. 6, 1919, Francis HELBLING, husband of Lena G. HELBLING (nee O’BRIEN), in his 79th year. Funeral from his late home, 209 Pennant Avenue, Beechview, Monday, Nov. 10. Mass at St. Catherine’s R.C. Church, Beechview. Interment private. –  From Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Sat., Nov. 8, 1919Contributor: Janice C.; http://freepages.genealogy.rootswweb.com/~njm1/nov50.htm

 

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Copyright 2013-2015 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

 

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post, and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.

 

 

The remaining portions of chapter 1 as well as 2 in the St. Augustine’s Parish History are interesting to read. I have extracted a few of the more interesting sections, including those pertaining to this Helbling family and the founding of the school and church.

By 1860 there were at least 70  houses built in the district and Butler St. had been paved. It was obvious with the growth rate of the community and the problems at the school that an organized effort by the German Catholics to build a school and church was warranted, and competent leadership was required to raise funds and procure land.

The German Gemeinde (congregation) of Lawrenceville was formed about 1859-60 but had no priest or official standing. They raised money in three ways: loans; a purchase of land with the loaned funds that was divided for the church, school, and pastor’s residence, with the remaining in lots to be sold (eventually mortgaged); and they held a fund-raising picnic on July 4, 1860.

Xavier Helbling was among those pledging money for the church and school, and loaned the group $500 on 25 Jul 1862.

The following is a partial portion of the minutes of 3 meetings held to prepare for the fund-raising picnic:

“FIRST MEETING, JUNE 7, 1860
The  committee  for the  German Roman Catholic picnic has decided that:
…
4. The dinner and supper tickets be each twenty-five cents.
5. Everybody pay ten cents at the entrance.
6. Dancing be permitted July 4-.
7. For three dances, everybody, be they German or English, pay ten cents.
8. The president engage from four to six musicians.
9. The secretary advertize this picnic in all German papers and send out invitations to all German Catholic societies.
10. Two constables be engaged.
11. The following men be appointed to keep order: A. Hoeveler, Louis  Unverzagt, Aug. Sterer, Anthon Barth, Alex Wirth, and Matthew Bader.
…
14. The following men attend the bar: John Wirth, John Fleckenstein, Xaver Helbling, Heinrich Engel, Xaver Burkhart, Jos. Brentner, Joseph Bischof, Jacob
Helbling, Alex Ouoczalla, Michael Helbling, Xaver Loeffler and Frank Hawk.
…
16. Messrs. Engel. T. Wirth. and Engelking arrange with the women for the fortune-wheels (Glückschafen)…”

I find the  “… everybody, be they German or English, pay ten cents” to be an interesting insight into the exclusiveness of the German Catholic community and long-held attitudes between those of other countries. It is obvious that “the old country” was not far in memory.

“The third meeting was  held on July 1, 1860 and passed the following resolutions:

Decreed that:
1. Mr. Aug. Hoeveler have the right to appoint the men who are to keep order on the dancing floor.
2. Xaver Burkhart serve as butler and retail the beverages to the bartenders for cash payment.
3. Xaver Burkhart distribute the Deidesheimer wine to the bartenders for twenty-five cents and the Markgrãfler wine for twenty cents.
4. The teacher shall examine every article delivered and give a receipt for same.
5. Xaver Burkhart and J. Helbling collect all things for the picnic and haul them with their own teams  to the grounds. Frank Helbling, Johann Kalchthaler, Fred Kalb cut meat for the tables.
6. Anton Bischof provide lemonade.”

Many of the Helbling family members were butchers.

Keeping a school going was still a struggle for the community, especially without official support of the church. They withdrew the pupils from Robinson Hall, and moved to the “Alley School.” It was actually in a busy alley, though the building was situated lower than the alley and a significant precipice caused by a previous washout ran along all the lots of the alley. (Parents probably feared for the safety of their children at recess and going to school, or during rainy seasons when another washout might occur.) The school was greatly in need of repair, and small.  There was a bit of consistency as their teacher from Robinson Hall continued for a short while, but then another teacher was hired. This successor was fired- reason unknown today- and the school had to close until a new teacher could be found. After reopening with Mr. John Kraus as teacher, the school continued in session at the “Alley School.”

Father Kircher had taken over as head of the Gemeinde and wanted to build a new school, which the community made happen.

“The children probably moved into their new school in January, 1862. Eighty pupils were enrolled in four grades taught by Mr. John Kraus. The school hours lasted from 8:30 to 11:00, and from 1:00 to 4:00. The curriculum consisted of catechism, Bible history, reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling, singing, grammar and letter-writing. These branches were taught in German, but English reading and writing were also taught. Each child was taxed fifty cents monthly for the support of the school. With the new building and with Father Kircher’s supervison the school entered upon a new era. Not only did the number of pupils increase steadily, but the academic standard kept pace with its growth.”

Mass was celebrated at the new school which doubled as a place of worship. A letter from Mrs. Lisetta Besselman in 1921 related the following:

“I moved to Lawrenceville in 1862, or the month following the explosion (Sept. 17) at the arsenal. I went to St. Augustine’s school which was church and school combined. Folding doors separated the altar from the room during school hours. It was very small and located on a hill. Our teacher was Mr. Kraus whom we all liked.”

St. Augustine’s officially became a parish in 1863, and was consolidated with three other parishes in 1993 to become Our Lady of the Angels Church.

Would you like to hear the bells that may have called our ancestors to worship at St. Augustine’s? See/hear at  “Our Lady of the Angels’ St. Augustine Church Bells- Lawrenceville, PA.”

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) St. Augustine’s Parish History 1863-1938. Personal copy from a cousin, but the entire history may be found online at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njm1/StAugJub-TC.html. Accessed 1-22-2014. Please see this history for detailed references to specific items in the narrative.

2) Helbling Family Home & School, Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, Part 1:  http://heritageramblings.net/2014/01/24/helbling-famil…e-pennsylvania/

3) Helbling Family Home & School, Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, Part 2: http://heritageramblings.net/2014/04/03/helbling-famil…vania-part-2-2/ 

4) Helbling Family Home & School, Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, Part 3: http://heritageramblings.net/2014/03/06/helbling-famil…ylvania-part-3/ ‎

5) Letter of Mrs. Lisetta Besselman in St. Aug., Feb., 1922, p. 6.

6) Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh: http://www.diopitt.org/parishes/saint-augustine-lawrenceville

7) You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfS_cK9w_9s. Accessed 3/2/14.

8) Our Lady of the Angels Paris: http://www.oloa.org/ Accessed 3/2/14.

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Copyright 2013-2014 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

 

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post, and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.

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