Family pictures are such an incredible treasure. I still am in such awe that we have any images of our ancestors, and that we even know who some of them are. 😉 I feel like a rich woman every time I see these delightful photos, and being able to put a name and place and activity with my ancestors has truly enriched my life.

My mother thought that the above picture was of Francis X. Helbling (her grandfather), his wife Lena Gertrude (O’Brien) Helbling, and their sons. She never met these grandparents, as he died in 1919, and she in 1920, years before my mother was born. Looking at the adults in this image, however, they appeared much too old to have children that young. After doing many years of genealogical research (so much of it done pre-computer), and happening upon some old family photo albums, we began to think the youngsters might be grandchildren, and my mother’s siblings.

Another photo find confirmed the hypothesis:

This is a picture of Gerard William Helbling holding his young son Edgar, who was born 17 July 1908, and G.W.’s father Francis. This photo of three generations of Helbling men was taken in front of the family home in St. Louis. We know that because we can see the edge of the sign on the wall, which reads “G. W. Helbling, Undertaker.” We found another such house picture in the photo albums that had been packed away so long, and the family was living in St. Louis at that time.

I just love how my mother’s father looks- so handsome, so dapper- even with a cigar in his mouth.

 

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Family oral history.

2) Family photographs.

3) Gerard William is also known as G.W., William Gerard, W. G., etc.- the Germans could never decide whether to use their first or middle name.

 

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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

 

Please contact us if you would like a higher resolution image.

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.