There have been several histories written about the HELMICK FAMILY but none of them describes our ancestor ABRAHAM HELMICK.
For the past three years I have been researching our HELMICK family and now have been able to give our ancestor ABRAHAM HELMICK the recognition that he so rightly deserves.
Abraham HELMICK was b. abt 1787 somewhere in Virginia. He died 16 Apr 1861 in Calhoun Co. (W)VA at the age of 74. He and his wife are buried in Minnora Cemetery in Calhoun Co. He was the s/o of Jacob Helmick, Sr. and wife Barbara (surname unknown). There was some speculation that her name was HINKEL but the HINKEL family strongly rejects this theory.
In the Last Will of Jacob HELMICK, SR. Executed 13 June 1815 in Randolph Co., (W)VA, Abraham was appointed Executor of this Will. Abraham and his brother, Adam, inherited most of the land left by Jacob HELMICK, SR. Other children named in this Last Will were: Hannah (married Daniel Hardway in 1816); Elizabeth WESTFALL, w/o Cornelius Westfall; Sarah BORER, w/o Jacob Borer; Mollie BUFFINGTON, w/o Jonathan Buffington; Barbara CLARK, w/o William Clark; and Jacob Helmick to whom he left the sum of one dollar. Also named in the Will was Jesse Wilson, son of his deceased daughter, Mary, w/o Jacob WILSON. (Most of the above marriages are recorded in the Randolph Co. Marriage Books.)
Randolph Co. Index to Deeds lists the sale of a parcel of land by Abraham HELMICK to Edwin S. Duncan in 1816. The Deed specifically states "being the land on which Jacob HELMICK, deceased, resided at the time of his death and was devised to the said Abraham HELMICK, by the Last Will and Testament of his father, the said Jacob HELMICK, deceased."
Abraham HELMICK m. Fair Sabra CONNOLLY d/o Dr. George CONNOLLY and Sally MORRIS 20 Nov. 1817 in Lewis Co. (W)VA. Sabra CONNOLLY was b. 17 Jan 1800 in Richmond Co., VA. She died 24 Dec. 1866 in Calhoun Co. Abraham and Sabra had the following children:
Sarah b. 1819; Johanna b. 1820 m. Samuel BENNETT 12 Jul 1840 in Lewis Co., John b. abt 1821 m. Cassie ALLEN 05 Sept 1842 In Lewis Co.; Abraham White b. abt 1822 m. Mathana SKIDMORE 07 Apr 1845; Anna B. b 1823 m. Daniel SHARP 02 May 1861 in Calhoun Co.; Jacob b. 1825; Bethany Tanner b. 1831 m. Solomon MCCUNE 06 Apr 1861 In Kanawha Co.; Betsy b. 1831; Henry b. 1833; Hudson b. 1834 m. Minerva DOUGLAS 30 Mar 1854 in Gilmer Co.; Margaret b. 1835; Mary Jane b. 19 Nov 1842 m. 1) George WIBLIN, 2 children, 2) John Harris JARVIS, 1 child and 3] Samuel J. Moore 9 children; Elizabeth b. 1839 m. Wm. A. BAILEY 13 Sep 1856 in Calhoun Co.; and John Riley Newton b. 1845.
There has been some question whether all of the above children belonged to Abraham and Sabra but until proven otherwise they shall remain as their children.
Mary Jane HELMICK who is our ancestor married George WIBLIN 27 Jul 1857 and produced two children: Amy b. 18 Nov 1858 In Calhoun Co. and Elihue b. 08 July 1859. George who we believe died in the Civil War was the s/o William and Sabra Wiblin. Amy m. Broad BURTON of Harvey's Creek. There were no children. Elihue m. Alice BURTON. They had a large family but they separated and Elihue m. Lottie WELCH. Elihue separated from Lottie and remaITied Alice.
Mary Jane's second marriage to John Harris JARVIS on 05 May 1865 ended in divorce. They had a son, Thomas Floyd b. 12 Jan 1867 In Calhoun Co. He sued her on the grounds of adultery and was granted the divorce on 20 May 1867 in Calhoun Co. It Is interesting to note that the Ink was hardly dry on the divorce decree when John Jarvis married Mary E, HALL on 22 May 1867. The child, Thomas Floyd, was raised by his paternal grandmother Debra Jarvis.
Abraham and Sabra HELMICK are mentioned In Col. Deweese "Recollections of a Life Time" along with Hannah Helmick, sister of Abraham, who married Daniel HARDWAY. Col. Deweese described Abraham as "a man in his day that was a great sport, and kept things lively. He lived to be an old man leaving a large family.
Sources:
Last Will of Jacob Helmick, Sr. recorded in Book 2, p. 2, Randolph Co. Records.
Sale of land by Abraham Helmick to Edwin S. Duncan recorded in Randolph Co. Index to Deeds, Book 7, p. 5.
Children of Abraham and Sabra listed In Calhoun Co. Marriage Books.
Comments regarding this page to: Deborah Johnson.