Helms Family Genealogy Pages

Bringing the Helms, Pile, Monago and Monti families together in one place.

1894 - 1987 (93 years)

Personal Information | Notes | Event Map | All

Name	William Ettweine Helms
Birth	27 Dec 1894	Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
Christening	2 Aug 1896	St. James Church of Kingsessing, 6838 Woodland Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
Christening		St. James Church of Kingsessing baptism records, p. 216. St. James Church of Kingsessing baptism records, p. 216.
Gender	Male
Census	11 Jun 1900	7121 Greenway Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
Census		1900 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, City of Philadelphia, Supervisor's District No. 1, Enumeration District No. 1020, Sheet 10a. 1900 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, City of Philadelphia, Supervisor's District No. 1, Enumeration District No. 1020, Sheet 10a.
Census	15 Apr 1910	5536 Chancellor St., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
Census		1910 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, City of Philadelphia, Ward 46, Supervisor's District No. 1, Enumeration District No. 1171, Sheet 2B. 1910 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, City of Philadelphia, Ward 46, Supervisor's District No. 1, Enumeration District No. 1171, Sheet 2B.
Address	5 Jun 1917	5326 Delancey, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
Address		William Helms' WW1 Registration Card William Helms' WW1 Registration Card
Census	26 Jan 1920	1913 Redfield Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
Census		1920 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, City of Philadelphia, Ward 40, Supervisor's District No. 1, Enumeration District No. 1496, Sheet 22B. 1920 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, City of Philadelphia, Ward 40, Supervisor's District No. 1, Enumeration District No. 1496, Sheet 22B.
Address	1 Feb 1923	North 34th St. & Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
Census	12 Apr 1930	250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA
		1930 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Lansdowne Borough, 5th Precinct, Enumeration District 23-81, Sheet 11B. 1930 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Lansdowne Borough, 5th Precinct, Enumeration District 23-81, Sheet 11B.
		250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA 250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA
Census	15 Apr 1940	250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA
Census		1940 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Lansdowne, Enumeration District 23-101, Sheet 10A. 1940 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Lansdowne, Enumeration District 23-101, Sheet 10A.
Address	25 Apr 1942	250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA
Address		William Helms' WW2 Registration Card William Helms' WW2 Registration Card
Census	26 Apr 1950	250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA
Census		1950 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Lansdowne, Enumeration District 23-137, Sheet 20. 1950 Federal Census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Lansdowne, Enumeration District 23-137, Sheet 20.
Death	31 Dec 1987	Secane, Delaware County, PA, USA
Death	Philadelphia Daily News (PA) - January 4, 1988 Deceased Name: WILLIAM HELMS, FORMER MAYOR OF LANSDOWNE William E. Helms, a retired Bell Telephone executive and former mayor of Lansdowne who was active in numerous civic organizations throughout his life, died Thursday. He was 93 and lived in Secane, Delaware County. Helms was mayor of Lansdowne from 1962 to 1978 and enjoyed immense popularity. Though he was a registered Republican, the second time he ran his name appeared on both the Republican and Democratic tickets. Before running for mayor he had served one term on borough council. When he left the mayor's office, Democratic chairman Dennis Leeper called him "a model for all public servants." For more than 50 years he lived on West Plumstead Avenue in Lansdowne. Born in Southwest Philadelphia, Helms moved to Delaware County while still a youngster. He went to work for Bell in 1910 as a teen-ager, delivering messages. He worked more than 50 hours a week for a weekly wage of $3.24. When he retired 49 1/2 years later, he was manager of the Medical and Safety Division of the Pennsylvania-Delaware region. During World War I, Helms served in six major battles, including Chateau Thierry, the Marne and Argonne Forest, with the Army's 103rd Engineers of the 28th Division. Discharged with the rank of corporal, he retained a lifelong interest in veterans' affairs and organizations. He helped organize Bell Telephone's American Legion Post 69 and was commander of Legion Post 65 in Lansdowne from 1947 to 1948. For 10 consecutive years he directed the Post 65 benefit minstrel show. He also belonged to Post 7 of the 28th Division Association. From 1951 to 1960, he served on the Philadelphia Safety Council. He was a past president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers and past president of the Delaware County Highway Safety Council. He served on various committees of the National American Society of Safety Engineers during the 1950s. A sports enthusiast, Helms officiated at high school and college track meets for many years. For nine years, he ran the Delaware County Track and Field Championships. He was a past president of the Officials Club of Philadelphia and the Union Athletic Association of Lansdowne. He also was a member of the PIAA Track Officials. Helms was a strong supporter of Scouting and had served as a Cubmaster, Scoutmaster and merit badge counselor. A longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne, Helms was a past president of the Men's Bible Class. He was a trustee and an elder in the church. From 1957 to 1965, he was chairman of the board of the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra. He also was a member of the speaker's bureau of the Salvation Army, and belonged to the Lansdowne Republican Club, the Telephone Pioneers of America and the Lansdowne Fire Company. For a time he served as a Red Cross first-aid instructor. His late wife, the former Pansy May Pickard, died in 1977. Survivors include three sons, Jacob G., William E. Jr. and Robert P., 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Services will be held 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Johnston Funeral Home, 66-77 E. Baltimore Ave., Lansdowne, where friends may call from 7 to 9 tonight. Burial will be in Arlington Cemetery, Lansdowne Avenue and School Lane, Drexel Hill, Delaware County. Contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice. Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) - January 2, 1988 Deceased Name: WILLIAM E. HELMS William E. Helms, 93, mayor of Lansdowne from 1962 to 1978, died Thursday at Haskins Nursing Home in Secane, Delaware County. Before he became mayor, Mr. Helms served as a Lansdowne Borough councilman from 1958 to 1962. He entered politics shortly before he retired as manager of the medical department and safety at Bell Telephone for Pennsylvania and Delaware. He worked at Bell from 1910 to 1959. He also served a one-year term as vice president of the Delaware County Association of Mayors in the late 1960s. Mr. Helms held several leadership posts in service organizations during his lifetime, including president of the Track Officials Club of Philadelphia, chairman of the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra and commander of American Legion Post 65. He also belonged to the Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America, Lansdowne Fire Company, Salvation Army and Lansdowne Republican Club. Mr. Helms was an Army veteran of World War I. He was an elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Lansdowne. He is survived by three sons, Jacob G., William E. and Robert P.; 11 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. A viewing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at Johnston Funeral Home, 67-77 E. Baltimore Ave. in Lansdowne. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Arlington Cemetery in Drexel Hill.
Burial	5 Jan 1988	Arlington Cemetery, Drexel Hill, Delaware County, PA, USA
	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6710843
		William Helms' Veterans Burial Card William Helms' Veterans Burial Card
		Headstone of William Helms and Pansy May Pickard. Headstone of William Helms and Pansy May Pickard.
Person ID	I22	Helms Family
Last Modified	3 Apr 2022

Father	George Edmond Helms, b. 5 Aug 1859, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA d. 18 Oct 1940, 230 S 49th St., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA (Age 81 years)
Mother	Emily Gaul Colflesh, b. 24 Mar 1864, PA, USA d. 8 Aug 1936, 5609 Whitby Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA (Age 72 years)
Marriage	16 Mar 1887	St. James Church of Kingsessing, 6838 Woodland Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
		Colflesh / Helms Marriage License Index, Philadelphia. Colflesh / Helms Marriage License Index, Philadelphia.
		Helms / Colflesh Marriage License Index, Philadelphia. Helms / Colflesh Marriage License Index, Philadelphia.
		St. James Church of Kingsessing marriage records. St. James Church of Kingsessing marriage records.
Family ID	F17	Group Sheet \| Family Chart

Family 1 Lillian Marie Schick, b. 14 Aug 1897, Bordentown, Burlington County, NJ, USA d. 1 Nov 1926, Beachwood, Ocean County, NJ, USA (Age 29 years)

Marriage 1922

Children

+	1. Jacob George Helms, b. 1 Feb 1923, North 34th St. & Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA d. 21 Feb 2003, 14943 Senator Way, Carmel, Hamilton County, IN, USA (Age 80 years)

Family ID F8 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Last Modified 2 Dec 2011

Family 2 Pansy May Pickard, b. 8 Dec 1898, NY, USA d. 15 Mar 1977 (Age 78 years)

Marriage 14 Dec 1927

Children

+	1. William Ettweine Helms, Jr., b. 28 Nov 1928, PA, USA d. 21 Aug 2020, PA, USA (Age 91 years)
+	2. Robert Pickard Helms, b. 6 Oct 1930, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA d. 9 Feb 2017, Swarthmore, Delaware County, PA, USA (Age 86 years)

Family ID F10 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Last Modified 3 Nov 2013

Event Map

	Birth - 27 Dec 1894 - Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
	Christening - 2 Aug 1896 - St. James Church of Kingsessing, 6838 Woodland Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
	Census - 11 Jun 1900 - 7121 Greenway Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
	Census - 15 Apr 1910 - 5536 Chancellor St., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
	Address - 5 Jun 1917 - 5326 Delancey, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
	Census - 26 Jan 1920 - 1913 Redfield Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
	Address - 1 Feb 1923 - North 34th St. & Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA
	Census - 12 Apr 1930 - 250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA
	Census - 15 Apr 1940 - 250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA
	Address - 25 Apr 1942 - 250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA
	Census - 26 Apr 1950 - 250 West Plumstead, Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, USA
	Death - 31 Dec 1987 - Secane, Delaware County, PA, USA
	Burial - 5 Jan 1988 - Arlington Cemetery, Drexel Hill, Delaware County, PA, USA

= Link to Google Earth

Pin Legend : Address : Location : City/Town : County/Shire : State/Province : Country : Not Set

Notes

From Martha Bates Helms, p. 176: "342A. WILLIAM E. HELMS; (284-240-200-163-81-17-4-2-1); son of George Edmund Helms and Emily Gaul Colflesh Helms; b. December 27, 1895; m. Panse Pickard. They had three children as follows: Jacob George Helms, William E. Helms, Jr., and Robert Pickard Helms. These were not further traced."
William E. Helms
by Theodore Maisch

William E. Helms, Lansdowne's present Mayor, has been in office since 1961, capping years of public spirited activity.

Public figures usually have an "image" . . . to borrow a Madison Avenue expression. Lansdowne's Mayor runs true to form but his "image" is one of wholehearted participation in community affairs.

The lists of his interests is impressive and highly diversified.

He was born in Southwest Philadelphia and graduated from the Barry School, 59th and Race Sts. From school he entered the employ of the Bell Telephone Company but continued his schooling, with the Alexander Hamilton Institute and others.

During World War I the Mayor served with the 103rd U.S. Combat Engineers of the 28th Division (Co. E) from May 23, 1917 to May 16, 1919.

Mr. Helms is an active member of the American Legion Post #65. He served as commander in 1947-78. He also belongs to Post #7 of the Society of the 28th Division, AEF, the Pennsylvania National Guard Veterans' Association and the Veterans' Association of Companies B and E of the 103rd Engineers.

He served that group as president in 1966.

In his church affiliation, he served the First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne as Trustee for eight years. and was president of the Early Christian Men's Bible Class in 1941.

<b>Helps Youth</b>

Mr. Helms has long been interested in youth and sports. He is a member of the Union Athletic Association and served as its president during 1942-43.

He is also a member of the Track Officials Club of Philadelphia and was president in 1967.

Mr. Helms is widely known as an accredited First Aid Instructor and has been a member of the American Red Cross, being especially active in its safety services. He came by those skills naturally.

He entered Bell Telephone employ in 1910 and for 12 years before retiring in 1959 he was the manager of the company's Medical Department and Safety.

His interest in safety naturally led to membership in the Philadelphia Safety Council, the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers of which he was president in 1951. He is now a life member.

He has the distinction of being "Member Emeritus" of the Veterans of Safety and also is a member and past president of the Delaware County Highway Safety Council.

Serves Borough

Mayor Helms has held many offices in Lansdowne Borough, was a member of the Parking Authority from 1956 to 1958; serves as a councilman from 1959 to 1961 when he became Mayor.

The office of Mayor was formerly known as "Burgess". As Mayor he is entitled to a salary but has accepted no remuneration. He belongs to the Mayors' Association of Delaware County (President, 1968) and also of the Association of Mayors of Pennsylvania.

Other memberships include Lansdowne Republican Club, Lansdowne Fire Company, The Community "Y" of Eastern Delaware County, Northwest Civic Association, Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra and Lansdowne Republican Club.

Mr. And Mrs. Helms (the former May Pickard of Jamestown, N.Y.) were married on Dec. 14, 1927 and settled in Lansdowne the following summer of 1928. Mrs. Helms has been active in the Twentieth Century Club, Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra Auxiliary, Delaware County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary and other Womens organizations.

There are three sons and nine grandchildren. Sons the Jacob, employed by the Post Office in Pittsburgh; William, Jr. with the Bell Telephone Company and living in Westtown and Robert and engineer of Ridley Township employed in flight testing for Boeing.
Martha Helms Bates No. 342A

William Ettweine Helms