Millicent Helm

Millicent Coggeshall was born March 20, 1852, to Nathan and Guly Coggeshall. In the 1850 U.S. Census, her parents and siblings were listed as follows, living in Mill, Grant, Indiana: Nathan , 37, Guly, 36, Mary, 18, Anna, 16, Hannah, 12, Eli, 9, Elizabeth, 6, Sarah, 3, and Lucy, 2 months old. Nathan was working as a farmer, and his real estate was valued at $1,300.

By 1860, Millicent's family was still living in Mill, Indiana, and were listed as: Nathan, 47, Guly, 46, (listed as Julia) ,Sarah, 14, Lucy, 11, Millicent, 8, and Rhoda, 4. Nathan was still working as a farmer, his real estate was valued at $7,000 and personal estate at $1,450. Next door was Millicent's brother, Eli, 19, and his wife, Anna, 19. Eli was also working as a farmer, with real estate valued at $100.

In 1873, Millicent married Benjamin Abbott Helm, who was born June 14, 1847, to Francis and Cinderella Helm. In the 1850 U.S. Federal Census for Washington, Grant, Indiana, Benjamin was 3 years old, living with his parents, Francis, 32, Cinderella, 32, and siblings: Victoria, 9, Melissa, 6, Albert, 4, and Bayles, 3 months old. Frances was working as a farmer and his real estate was valued at $425.

By 1860, Benjamin was 13 years old, and living with his parents in Washington, and they were listed as: Frances N., 42, Cinderella, 43, Malissa, 17, Albert, 14, Bayles, 11, John, 8, Ruth, 5, and Francis, 2. Francis was still working as a farmer with real estate valued at $2,000 and personal estate at $500.

By 1870, Benjamin had moved to Marion, Grant, Indiana, and was 23 years old, living with his married sister, Malissa, 26, and her husband, Thomas Culbertson, 28, and their daughter, Maggie, 2. Thomas was working as a carpenter and Benjamin as a clerk in a grocery store. Thomas valued his real estate at $800 and his personal estate at $200. While living in Marion, that is probably where Benjamin met and married Millicent Coggeshall in 1873.

By the 1880 U.S. Federal Census for Marion, Grant, Indiana, Millicent, 28, and Benjamin Helm, 32, had two children, Ferling, 5, and Wilbur, 1. Also living in their home was Nathan Coggeshall, Millicent's 67-year old widowed father. Benjamin was working as a merchant, Millicent was keeping house, and Nathan was a farmer. Benjamin was born in Ohio, his father in Virginia and his mother in Ohio. Millicent was born in Indiana, and her father in North Carolina, and mother in Indiana. Nathan's father was born in Massachusetts and his mother in South Carolina. Both Ferling and Wilburn were born in Indiana. The family was living at 83 Boots Street.

In the 1900 census, the family was living at 364 Front Street, Chester, Wabash, Indiana, and listed in the home were: Benjamin, 52, Millicent C., 48, and Wilbur, 20. They had been married 28 years and had two children. Benjamin was still working as a merchant and his son, Wilbur, was working as a professor. They owned their own home free from a mortgage. By 1900, Millicent's father, Nathan, had gone to live with his other daughter, Hannah, who was a widow and he passed away in 1902.

In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census for Chester, Wabash, Indiana, Benjamin, 72, and Millicent, 67, were living alone and Ben was working as a clerk in a store. They owned their own home free from a mortgage, which was located at 204 Third Street. Benjamin passed away August 23, 1924. In 1930, Milicent was a 78 year old widow living alone in North Manchester, Wabash, Indiana. She owned her own home valued at $3,500. Millicent passed away four years later in November, 1834, and was buried in Marion, Grant, Indiana.

When Benjamin and Millicent's son, Wilbur, completed his application for membership in the Illinois Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, he indicated the following ancestry:

Wilbur's parents were Benjamin Abbott Helm, born June 14, 1847, died August 23, 1924, and Millicent Coggeshall, born March 1, 1851, and was living at the time of his application in 1930. They were married September 18, 1873.

Benjamin was the son of Francis Marion Helm, born March 6, 1818, and died May 10, 1896, and Cinderella Bonnell, born August 14, 1814, died January 5, 1873. They were married January 8, 1840.

Francis Marion Helm was the son of Benjamin Helm, born January 2, 1787, and died in 1837, and his wife, Levina Oliver, born September 19, 1788, died November 4, 1870. They were married sometime before 1810.

Benjamin Helm (1787-1837) was the son of William Helm, born 1755, died sometime after March 27, 1806, and his wife, Margaret Rankin, born 1757. William Helm was born in Frederick County, Virginia, and died in Shelby County, Kentucky. William Helm was Wilbur's ancestor who assisted in establishing American Independence while acting in the capacity of Lieutenant and Captain 3rd Virginia Regiment, Continental Line. He participated in skirmish at Jamestown, later at Yorktown, and his term of service was from May, 1777 to 1782. His heirs were allowed a land bounty warrant. A certified copy showed Captain William Helm was the son of Thomas and Margaret Neill Helm, born in Frederick County, Virginia, in 1755, and died or was drowned after March 27, 1806 on the way from Kentucky to Virginia.

William's first wife was Margaret Rankin, daughter of Benjamin, and his second wife was Agnes Pickett, and they were married March 25, 1789 in Fauquier County, Virginia. William and Margaret's children were: Benjamin, born before January 2, 1787, Thomas, who married Elizabeth Mort January 8, 1806, Elizabeth, who married John Mort, John, William, Lucy, who married someone named Jennings, George, Ann, who married Jerry Peach Williams, and Erasmus, born in Kentucky before January 2, 1787, and died in Guernsey County, Ohio. He married Lavinia Oliver 1810 in Frederick County, Virginia.

Warrant No. 9153 for 444 and 4/9 acres issued on May 9, 1846, to George W., James M., Wm. Francis B. Baalis, Maria Jane, Benjamin & Thomas Helm, heirs at law of William Helm, late of the Continental Line. Military Certificates, Book #3, page 520, VA Land Office, Richmond.

Also cited was a Bible in possession of Mrs. June Boswell, 111 Cherry Street, Marion, Indiana, published in 1869, which contained births, marriages, and deaths as follows:

Francis Marion Helm, son of Benjamin, born March 6, 1818, in Frederick County, Virgnia, died May 10, 1896, married Cinderella Bonnell in Guernsey County, Ohio, January 8, 1840, and Cinderella died January 5, 1873, she was born August 14, 1814. Levina Helm, mother of Francis Marion died November 4, 1870. Their son Benjamin Abbott Helm was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, June 14, 1847, and he married Millicent Coggeshall in Marion, Grant County, Indiana, September 18, 1873.

The aforesaid parcels of data are contained in descriptive excerpts from Bibles, affidavits and family records, attested by Irene C. Murphy, Genealogist.

Benjamin Abbott Helm passed away on August 23, 1924.