Helfer - Helmar-Helman-Hellman

I am at the beginning of searching for Lydia Helman Helfer's ancestry.
The first spelling of Helman was Helmar.  I am suspecting it is more likely a version of Helman (Hellman, or some other spelling).

What we know so far about Lydia.

Her maiden name is Helmar or more probably Helman (Hellman, etc).  (Bio of son Geo, Summit OH)
She was born about 1793 in PA  (1850 census)
She married Christopher Helfer (probably about 1816 in PA but no proof yet)
Her first two children were born in Centre County PA in 1818 and 1820.
The family moved to Wayne Co, OH in 1820 (not there in 1819 OH census but are in the 1820 Census of Wayne Co OH, also states that in the George biography).
Further children of Christopher & Lydia were born in OH (many say Ashland Co)
I need to check when the counties were formed and how.
I believe Lydia died in Aug 1850 and is buried in Congress Cem, Wayne Co., O. There is a grave stone there but it was indexed as the wife of "G"  but It looks like a "wife of C", to me but difficult to tell. 

Possibilities:
From The History of Ashland Co., OH (1863)
John Hellman
John Hellman emigrated from Centre Co., PA, and settled in Perry Twp, 17 June 1818.  He purchased of Elijah Charles the SW quarter of section 3, which land he improved, and has up to the present date, made his home.  His family, at the time of emigration, consisted of his wife and three children, viz: David, Mary, and Catherine.  The first mentioned is now a resident of Jackson Twp; Mary is the wife of Daniel Eshelman, of Lafayette, and Catherine is the wife of George Walkey, of Perry Twp.

notes:  Could this be Lydia's brother, or other relative?  He & his family came from Centre Co., PA at abt the same time as Lydia & Christopher which makes me think there is some sort of a connection.

Helfer Part 2

From a book found online titled, Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio, by Wm Doyle.  Copyright in 1908, we have the following.

It confirms that Mary Maria Helfer Collins, was indeed the daughter of Christopher & Lydia Helman Helfer.

The biography of her brother:
George H.  Helfer, formerly a well known business man of Akron, was born January 25, 1820, at Bellefonte [Centre Co.], Pennsylvania, and was a son of Christopher and Lydia (Helman) Helfer.

The parents of Mr Helfer were born in PA, the mother being of Scotch, and the father of German ancestry.  In 1820 they moved to Ohio and settled in Congress Township, Wayne County, where Christopher Helfer followed the trade of shoemaker.  In 1840 he turned his attention to farming and bought property in Congress Twp, where he spent the rest of his life.  His children were:  Mrs Royce Summerton, George H., Mrs Stephen Collins, Mrs Parker Campbell, Daniel and Mrs Joseph Sharp.

George H. Helfer was an infant when the family made the overland journey from PA to OH in the winter of 1820.  He attended school pretty regularly until he was fourteen years of age, when he became a clerk in a dry goods store, in which capacity he worked for nine years.  In 1843 he entered into partnership with Mr Pancoast, and the firm of Pancoast and Helfer was engaged in a dry goods business in Congress Twp until 1847, when Mr Helfer bought Mr Pancoast's interest, and continued at the same place for two years more.  In 1849 he sold out and came to Akron, entering into general business in this city as senior member of the firm Helfer and Sechrist.  This firm continued until 1867, when Clinton Helfer bought the interest of Mr Sechrist and the firm style then became Helfer & Son, and no change was made until 1877, when the younger partner became sole proprietor.  Mr Helfer was one of the original stockholders in the Akron Iron Company and he now entered the office of this concern as a shipping clerk, a position he filled for twenty-one years.  He was one of the first druggists at Akron, and for many years was an extensive local dealer in coal.  He retired from business in 1898.

Mr Helfer was married (first) to Mary Elgin, who was born in Wayne County, a daughter of Walter and Elizabeth Elgin.  Of the five children of this marriage, the only survivor is Clinten E.  Mr Helfer was married (second) to Rebecca Luce, of Wayne County, who is the daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth Luce.  The four survivors of the five children born to this marriage are:  William A., Emma (Mrs Clarence Rudolph), Edwin W., and Minnie B. (Mrs Henry Adams).  Politically, Mr Helfer was affiliated with the Republican party from it's birth.

Helfer-Helpher

A bit of new information has surfaced about the Helfer family.
First - I am convinced that Mary Maria Helfer Collins is the daughter of Christopher and Lydia Helfer who were living in Wayne County, Ohio at the time of Mary's marriage there, to Stephen L.  Collins in 1840.  I have no absolute proof, but there is plenty of circumstantial evidence to support this theory. 

The new information is the maiden name of Lydia Helfer.  The marriage application of their son Daniel to his 2nd wife Ester Wood, lists Lydia's maiden name as Helmar.


I believe the Helfer family is as follows:

Christopher Helfer b: Abt. 1792 in PA d: Aft. 1850 Census: 1850 OH, Wayne co., Congress Twp. p.321
+Lydia Helmar b: Abt. 1793 in PA m: Abt. 1816 in Probably PA d: Aft. 1850
........... Martha A. Helfer b: 17 Jan 1818 in Center Co., PA d: 31 Jul 1881 in Wayne Co., OH Burial: Congress
Cem, Wayne Co., OH Census: 1880 OH, Wayne Co., Congress Twp
........... +Royce Summerton b: 14 Oct 1811 in NY m: 19 Jun 1834 in Wayne Co., OH d: 30 Aug 1885 in Wayne
Co., OH
........... George H. Helfer b: Abt. 1819 in PA d: Bef. 6 Jun 1900 in Akron, Summit Co., OH?
........... +Mary D. b: Abt. 1824 d: 12 Dec 1857 in Wayne Co OH
........... *2nd Wife of George H. Helfer:
........... +Rebecca Luce b: 12 Jan 1834 in OH m: 7 Sep 1858 in Wayne Co., OH d: 10 Jun 1911 in Massillion,
Stark Co., OH?
........... Melinda Helfer b: Bet. 1822 - 1824 in OH, Ashland Co., Redhaw d: 22 Nov 1908 in Wayne Co., OH
Burial: 1 Apr 1932 Congress Twp, Wayne Co., OH Census: 1880 Congress, Wayne Co., OH p. 144B
........... +Parker Duncan Campbell b: 1815 in OH or PA m: 1842 in Wayne Co OH d: 2 Apr 1899 in Wayne Co.,
OH
........... Mary Maria Helfer b: 18 Feb 1822 in OH, Ashland Co. d: 26 Dec 1902 in Lockwood, Dade Co., MO
Burial: Collins Cem., Dade Co., MO
........... +Stephen Loren Collins b: 4 May 1820 in Erie or Jefferson Co., NY m: 27 Feb 1840 in Wayne Co, OH
d: 31 Mar 1902 in Home near Lockwood, Dade Co., MO Burial: 1 Apr 1902 Collins Cem. Dade Co., MO
Census: 1860 NE, Nemaha Co., Brownville, p.61
........... Daniel M. Helfer b: 25 Feb 1826 in OH d: 6 Jan 1916 in Akron, Summit Co., OH Census: 1900 OH,
Akron Cause of death: senility & exhaustion plus glaucoma
........... +Sarah Ann Dulin b: 1828 in PA m: 16 Sep 1847 in Wayne Co., OH d: 29 Jun 1881 in Akron, Summit
Co., OH
........... *2nd Wife of Daniel M. Helfer:
........... +Ester Wood b: May 1848 in Champaign, Ohio m: 3 Apr 1883 in Cedar, IA d: 1942 in Clarence, Cedar
Co., IA
........... Sophia Helfer b: 2 May 1829 in OH, Ashland Co. d: 9 Sep 1910 in Ottumwa, Wappelo Co., IA Census:
1880 IA, Wapello Co., Ottumwa, #3rd p. 145A Cause of death: Died of burns suffered from burning trash
........... +William P. Sharp b: Dec 1826 in OH m: 1845 in Wayne Co OH d: 1909 in Possibly Wappelo Co., IA?
Census: 1860 IA, Wapello, Ottumwa p.
........... Margery Helfer b: 1834 in OH d: Aft. 1850
........... John R. Helfer b: 1836 in OH d: Aft. 1850

Mary Ellen Collins Update

I recently found Mary Ellen Collins death certificate.
Mary Ellen Collins was the daughter of Stephen L. & Mary Marie Helfer Collins.
From her death certificate.
Mary Ellen Boss (widow of Elisha Boss)
born: 12 Oct 1853 [note most sources say 1854], in Indiana.
died: 25 Nov 1938, at, Harrison Hospital, Lamar, Barton Co., MO
died of: Cardio, Renal Vascular disease.
burial: East Cemetery on 27 Nov 1938
Occupation: Practical Nurse
father: Stephen L. Collins b. NY     mother: Marie Helpher b. PA
Informant: Mrs A. Beeson of Lamar MO
[note: Mrs A. Beeson is Mary's daughter: Nellie Mae Morgan Upton Beeson]


In 1930 Mary E. Boss was living as a roomer with Luther E. Brown, at 601 S. Walnut St, Lamar, Barton Co., MO.
She is listed as age 75, widowed, first married at age 19 yrs, born in IN, Father born in NY, Mother born in OH.  No occupation listed.