Jacob "Joab" Helvey

Jacob "Joab" Helvey (c1775-1839). He was in Wythe County, Virginia 1794-1803. He was appointed Constable of Capt. Montgomery's Company in Wythe County on 14 February 1798.

John Hutsell, assignee of Robert Adams, on a treasury warrant assigned to him by James Newell, enters 10 acres adjoining the lands of John Davis Sr, and Jacob Helvey on Reed Creek and Annbrister's to include his house and improvements (Wythe Co. Deed Bk. 1:190, November 21, 1794).

John Hutsell, on part of a treasury warrant dated December 11, 1799, enters 18 acres on the waters of Reed Creek joining Helvey's and Armbrister's lands and to be laid off agreeable to lines formerly run by James Newell; also 8 acres on the above warrant on the waters of Reed Creek joining John Davis, Armbrister and Helvey, agreeable to lines formerly run by James Newell (Wythe Co. Deed Bk. 2:168, 18 November 1802).

Hutsell, John, 18 acres on the waters of Reed Creek adjoining land of Helvey and Davis (Virginia Land Office Grants No. 50, 1802-1803, p 606, 12 October 1803).

He was sued for debt with his brother Henry Helvy in White County, Tennessee by Stephen Copeland. The jury found him guilty on 16 August 1810, and he was ordered to pay $106, plus $8.50 damages, plus court costs (White County Court Minute Book 1806-1811, pp. 193-96, 214-20). On 12 November 1810 he made a deed of gift to (his oldest son) Joel Helvy (White County Deed Book C, p. 94).

A story

 Old Helvey

Lived on the school section (No. 16), west of Eagle Creek, and near what was called the "big raspberry patch." His house was the headquarters for dances and sprees of all kinds. He made it a point to invite all the "new comers," on first sight, to visit him.

He made the acquaintance of the late Colonel A. W. Russell soon after the arrival of the letter to the "new settlement." He invited him to come over and become acquainted with his family. Said he, "Thar's no such gals in the settlement as Old Helvey's; thar's Bash, and Vine, and Tantrabogus, and the like o' that.

"I'll tell ye, stranger, that Bash is a hoss. I would like you to come over and take a rassell with her. She throwed Ole 'Likum Harding, best two in three' 'tother was a dog fall, but Bash soon turned him and got on top of him.

"Vine ain't slow for ten steps, as Ole Jim McCoy sez. She flirted Cader Carter every lick. Cader wanted to spark her, but the gal though she seed nigger in his eye. It wouldn't do, stranger. Vine's clear grit, as Jerry Johnson sez.

"Now, you are from Kaintuck; you watch Cader's eye' see if thar ain't nigger thar.

"I'll tell you, stranger, that gal Bash killed the biggest buck that's been killed in the new purchase. She shot offhand, seventy-five yards. He was a real three-specker, no mistake.

"There's a lame schoolmaster, from Jarsey, arter Bash, and the gal, I b'leve, has a kind of hankering arter him. He can't dance much, but he's an awful sight of book larnin'. He used to keep school in Jarsey. He's might nice kin folks; he's kin to them new comers, Johnsons and Cools. You know that Doctor Cool; he degraded in college. The school teacher aint far ahind him. So, stranger, come over and see what kind of gals Old Helvey's are, anyhow."

Mr. Russell accepted Mr. Helvey's invitation, and was frequently a guest at his house, and when he came all had to stand back, even the lame schoolmaster. He became a great favorite with the family generally. The old lady said "he was the only man in the new purchase that could play Yankee Doodle or Leather Breeches right on the fiddle," and after that dancing never commenced until "Young Kaintuck" had arrived.

The lame schoolmaster was successful, and won the hand as well as the heart of Miss Bashaby. Young Kaintuck was master of ceremonies on the occasion of the wedding. There are many of the guests yet living, among whom is Jacob Landis.

After the bride and groom had retired, the whisky gave out. There was no way of getting more of it except at Mr. Landis' grocery. He was present, but there was no pen, pencil or paper with which an order could be sent to his clerk. Old Helvey suggested that Mr. Landis should send his knife, which would be recognized by the young man, and would certainly bring the whisky. This was done, and the whisky came, to the great joy of all present.

Mr. Helvey thought the bride and groom must be dry by this time, so he took the jug to them and made them drink to the health of the guests.

Miss Viney soon followed her sister, and became the wife of Champion Helvey, her cousin. At this wedding there was a grand serenade by Nathaniel Cox's minstrels, which was under his direction. The principal musical instrument was a horse fiddle.

Old Helvey distinguished himself in many hotly-contested battles at Jerry Collins' grocery, and never failed to vanquish his adversary, and fairly won the trophies of war, which were, generally, an eye, a piece of an ear, a part of a finger, or a slice of flesh from some exposed part of his antagonist's person. In Mr. Helvey's house could be found a great variety of munitions of war, such as rifles, shot-guns, muskets, tomahawks, scalping and butcher-knives. In his yard were all kinds of dogs, from the surly bull-dog to the half-wolf or "ingin dog." In his pound or stable was a variety of Indian ponies. In his second cabin, used for a kitchen,

"Dried pumpkins over head were strung,
Where venison hams in plenty hung."

After the treaty with the Miamis of the Wabash, at the mouth of Little River, in the year 1832, Mr. Helvey moved to the treaty ground, and there died.

His only son and right bower, Tantrabogus, was drowned in Eel River. The last the writer ever saw of Bashaby she was a dashing widow, and could out dance the world.

• Nowland, John H. B., Early Reminiscences of Indianapolis, with Short Biographical Sketches of Its Early Citizens, and of a Few of the Prominent Business Men of the Present Day, 1870, pp. 115-118.