PART FIVE
Section A: ENGLISH/BARBADOS STUDIES
Section B: WILLS PROBATED AT THE LONDON AND YORK, PROROGATIVE COURTS
PART FIVE
Section A: ENGLISH/BARBADOS STUDIES
Section B: WILLS PROBATED AT THE LONDON AND YORK, PROROGATIVE COURTS
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Click below to go direct to the modification July 2006 Mod 6 Sept 2006 Mod 7 |
Section A: ENGLISH/BARBADOS STUDIES During 1997, a more comprehensive search has been made of Helmes records in England and the West Indies. This work has been headed by Susan (Helm) Grimshaw. It has been determined that, by Colonial times, Helme families had spread to a number of English Counties and to the West Indies in substantial numbers. However, a preponderance of them were at Lancashire, early on. There, those of Goosnargh and Chipping Parishes are a particular focus. This work has pointed to other related Helmes in Worcestershire, Yorkshire, and Dorsetshire. Those at Dorsetshire have been shown to have been heavily involved in the English colonization and development of the West Indies. Significantly, a number of Helmes have been shown to have come to the American Colonies from there. A particularly helpful informational source of data is the work of Vere Langford Oliver in the series of "CARIBBEANA" publications in the Barbados Historical Society Journal magazines. Hardback books exist for this data, and are available on film at the U. S. Library of Congress. There are a number of Helmes references and references of families into which they were intermarried. Also, these same families are prominent in American Colonial history. The most notable Helme records of having come here are those of John and Thomas Helme which are discussed elsewhere in this paper. These data are being assembled and assessed as to their significance for American Helmes genealogies. Tracing the West Indies Helme and allied families to the American Colonies is a major thrust of the present effort, as well as is attempts to connect them with the known Helmes here, such as the Helms brothers who were in North Carolina beginning in the 1750's. Tracing the West Indies Helmes back to England is also a major thrust. In England, the major objective is to tie the several English Helmes groups together and to attempt to identify their earlier beginnings. In one Lancashire History, the result is anticipated by a statement that the Helmes originated at a place called Helme, now called Elmridge, in Chipping Parish, Lancashire, which is just North of Preston. It is presumptive to expect to establish this grand linear descent path of the Lancashire Helmes to SW England , to the West Indies , and thence to the American Colonies, and, specifically, by some path, to the Helms families who were in North Carolina, beginning in 1747. Nevertheless, that is the long range goal of this work in this English option. In a recent visit to England. a visit was made to the exact place which is reported to have been the earliest "seat" of the Helmes in England at a place called Helme, now Elmridge, it is literally a cross roads of ancient roads and pack animal paths. Four road posts still stand, and the ancient pack road still exists as depicted in this pictorial montage. Click here to view photo graphs in a new window. There is a present-day dairy farm there, with an old stone house, now stuccoed, and a barn with a 13XX date on it. That was about the time the area was seized by Scots in one of the border skirmishes The Gillingham (Dorset) Helmes were descendants of the Worcestershire Helmes because they bore the Worcestershire armorial crest on their headstones in the Caribbean. The Goosnargh Helmes have been found related to the Helmes of Chipping, Ribchester, Hollowforth and Lea (Lancashire), the Yorkshire Helmes and Berkshire Helmes.
The Library of Congress
was researched and 215 references were found that deal with genealogy
in Scotland. To view this reference listing click
here.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ENGLISH STUDIES Since 1997, a more comprehensive search has been continued of Helmes records in England and the West Indies. This work has been headed-up by Susan (nee Helm) Grimshaw. It has been determined that, by Colonial times, Helme families had spread to a number of English Counties and to the West Indies in substantial numbers. However, a preponderance of them were at Lancashire, early on. There, those of Goosnargh and Chipping Parishes are a particular focus. This work has pointed to other related Helmes in Worcestershire, Yorkshire, and Dorsetshire. Those at Dorsetshire have been shown to have been heavily involved in the English colonization and development of the West Indies. Significantly, a number of Helmes have been shown to have come to the American Colonies from there. A particularly helpful informational source of data is the work of Vere Langford Oliver in the "CARIBBEANA" publications in the Barbados Historical Society Journal magazines. Hardback books exist for this data, and are available on film at the U. S. Library of Congress. There are a number of Helmes references and references of families into which they were intermarried. Also, these same families are prominent in American Colonial history. Tracing the West Indies Helme and allied families to the American Colonies is a major thrust of the present effort, as well as is attempts to connect them with the known Helmes here, such as the Helms brothers who were in North Carolina beginning in the 1750's, and other Helm/Helms having English origins. (Recognizing that some American Helm families were not of English origin.) Tracing the West Indies Helmes back to England is also a major thrust. In England, the major objective is to tie the several English Helmes groups together and to attempt to identify their earlier beginnings. In one Lancashire History, the result is anticipated by a statement that the Helmes originated at a place called Helme, now called Elmridge, in Chipping Parish, Lancashire, which is just North of Preston. It is presumptive to expect to establish this grand linear descent path of the Lancashire Helmes to SW England , to the West Indies , and thence to the American Colonies, etc., but that is the long range objective of these efforts. The Gillingham (Dorset) Helmes were descendants of the Worcestershire Helmes because they bore the Worcestershire armorial crest on their headstones in the Caribbean. The Goosnargh Helmes have been found related to the Helmes of Chipping, Ribchester, Hollowforth and Lea (Lancashire), and the Yorkshire Helmes and Berkshire Helmes Some of the Gillingham Helmes must have gone on to the American Colonies from the Caribbean- some American Helmes have got to be their descendants. What is meant here is that, besides John and Thomas of Barbados, who we do have ships passenger lists for, as examples, other Helmes in the West Indies also probably spawned settlers here. PRELIMINARY CONKWRIGHT MANUSCRIPT REVIEW Since many have focused on the possibility that the Helm families of Frederick Co., VA originated in Goosnargh, Lancashire England, a review of the paper by the first such writer has been made. A review of the Conkwright Manuscript ("Shenandoah Families" by Bessie Taul Conkwright) was furnished by Susan Grimshaw, who is our principal source person on the English studies. Susan brings a knowledge of Helm/Helme/Elme, etc. data from England and the Caribbean, and has here indicated some cross-talk of Conkwright and other information. Bessie had strongly focused on the possibility that the Helm family of Frederick Co., Virginia (Leonard and Meredith Helm etc) had stemmed from the family of Thomas Helme of Goosnargh, Lancashire. Bessie stopped short of proving that thesis, however. The problem was that the sons of Thomas had disappeared. Where did they go? Susan wrote: I took a quick look in the Harris Library in Preston, where I read that Thomas Helme's wife (Church House, Goosnargh) was fined for being a recusant in the early 1660s. This is proof positive that the family was definitely Catholic. Shortly afterwards, Thomas died and the boys disappeared - possibly to America. I think things must have been getting a little too hot for them and they had to leave, certainly out of the county. In addition, some data shows that the name Leonard was used a lot in that Lancashire Helme family. Leonard may be an allied name by marriage. Susan wrote: "My
initial observations on Conkwright are as follows: P69 1768 Thomas Helme was deeded 295 acres on Opecion by Richard Chapman, the land having been granted to Chapman 8/26/1766. (Christiana Helme married Aaron Chapman - this one could be a relative). Also my Barbados map shows a Chapman as a neighbor to a Helme on Barbados. Probably one of the Thomas Helmes. P74 ..... Witnesses:.... Thomas Blakemore (Blakemore is a Dorsetshire surname) P82.... Gen. George Clark (the Clarks intermarried with the Gillingham Helmes - George Clark was probably a cousin). P 84 .... Clarke immediately sought Helm as an aid ... 1778 -"found my old friend L. Helms at Mr Floyds" (The Floyds were on Barbados). P96.... Clarke, Helm, Col. William Pope (the Popes were on Barbados). P99.... Case of Helm and Reed vs Crawford (The Reeds/Reads/Reids were Gillingham Helm relatives through marriage and were scattered throughout the Caribbean). P121.... Helm, George's heirs vs John T Sparke (the Sparkes were on Barbados). P145.... mentions Sarah Wooley Vaughan (According to Vere Olivers writings - the Vaughans, the Popes, Alleynes, Willoughbys, Clintons and Walkers were all related through marriage). Also mentions John Calmes Smith (Smiths were on Barbados).And, the Calmes tie into the Va. Helm family story by marriage. Willoughby, the Gov., was from Shropshire. P176.... mentions Frances Sandford Fowler (Sanford is a Dorset name - it is a town just outside of Poole - the Sanfords/Sandfords and the Fowlers were also on Barbados in large numbers). P182.... mentions Hutchinson (they were on Barbados in large numbers). P 191 mentions the Pickets (they were also on Barbados and were related to the Thornhills). P 205 mentions the
Hathaways - (again a Barbados connection). Betty Vinski has written: "Names associated with Leonard Helm in Virginia are: Tidwell, Calmes, Copperidge, Madden, and Moffett. The Madden line connects to Leonard's daughter Bridget and her husband, John Madden." "The names in the Parish Family History in Maryland are also interesting. The Dallas Public Library had a copy when she was there. This is the line connected to Leonard's son Mayberry. These families appear to have moved in and out of Pennsylvania and Virginia, some settled in Ohio; a few went through Kentucky: Parish, Lemon, Bosley, Cole, Price, etc. Some of these families intermarried with the Gorsuch and Meredith families in Pennsylvania. Apparently, the majority of them were Quakers. Betty thinks that some of Leonard's family were in Pennsylvania at one time or another. She also thinks the various Helm branches may have been more in contact with one another than we are aware of. There is a record that a son of Christopher Helme of RI, James Helme, a justice there, was a personal friend of Benjamin Franklin. Also, Benjamin Franklin's first business partner was Hugh Meredith." In separate reading, but along the line of the above, Susan has written: "While reading my latest library book I noted that Richard Dutton was Governor of Barbados in 1681 - is this the family from whom Dutton Helmes got his name, I wonder?" Since Susan's studies in the Caribbean and in England show that many of the Helmes and Elmes in the Caribbean stemmed from Gillingham, Dorsetshire, she thinks that there is a more provable connection with the Gillingham Helmes that with the Goosnargh Helmes, but there is some evidence to the contrary. Betty Vinski has written about Leonard Helm of the Shenandoah Valley of Va.: "Some think that Leonard HELM was born about 1660 in Goosnargh, Lancashire, England. He died about 1745 in Frederick County, VA. Leonard Helm is said to have immigrated to Virginia from England before 5 May 1720, when land was granted to him for 4,000 acres in Essex County. In 1724, he was residing in Spotsylvania, which was cut from Essex in 1721. From 1724 until his death in 1745, he has been traced in Spotsylvania, Caroline, Prince William, Stafford and Frederick Counties of Virginia. In his oath on 2 March 1724, he proved his right to take up land, stating that he had entered this country with his wife Elizabeth, and children: Joseph, Maybrie [Mayberry], Leonard, Ann, and Mary. On that same day, he served on a jury, indicating that he was not a newcomer in the county. On 3 November 1724, the grand jury in the Spotsylvania court presented Captain Leonard Helms and Elizabeth, his wife, MEREDITH HELMS and Ann, his wife, and others for absenting themselves from divine services. Susan Grimshaw has
written that the MEREDITH families came from the following English counties: Therefore calling to mind ye Mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament, viz: princiaplly and first of all, I Recommend my Soul to God and my body to ye Earth to be Buried at ye Discretion of my Executors; and as touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, Demise and Depose of ye Same in ye following manner and form. Item, I Give and Bequeath to my Son MABRY HELM ye first Colt of my young black Mare. Item, I Give and Bequeath to my son JOSEPH HELM Forty Shillings Current Money of Virginia. Item, I give to CHRISTOPHER HELMS forty Shillings Current money. (We don't have much on that Christopher. but interestingly, The Gillingham Helmes, the Goosnargh Helmes and the Long Sutton Helmes/Elmes all had Christopher's.) [Note: There was a Christopher HELM b.c. 1684 - in Somerset County, NJ d. 12-Aug-1771 age 87 Wife, Eleanor. He is buried in the Basking Ridge PRESBYTERIAN churchyard in Somerset Co NJ. His headstone shows: died, age 87. There was an unclaimed letter at the Trenton post office involving Moses and Christopher Helm. Just who those two Christopher's were is not known. Remember that Moses Helm established a Presbyterian Church in Bedford Co., Va. In either case Christopher probably came from Britain-whether England or Ireland is in question.] Susan found a Leonard Helme at Cartmel which is at the top of the Lake district. CARTMEL
PRIORY 1660 - 1723 Now it looks as though Jane (wife of Leonard) died two days after her son Thomas was baptized - childbirth must have killed her. Did this same Leonard then remarry Eliz. Greenwood on 23 Nov 1687 - if he did. then, he didn't waste much time, though he obviously needed to find another wife to look after his baby. NOW, from the above we know that Leonard's son, Thomas, was baptized up at Cartmel in the Lake District and it says that Leonard is from Churchtown. The only Churchtown on the UK atlas is the one in Lancashire and that is near Garstang (nearly at Goosnargh). Cartmel may have been Jane's home place. Thus, maybe this Leonard could be described as a Goosnargh Leonard Helme. If so,the link with Leonard of Virginia is in prospect. BUTLER/HARRISON/NEILS/WORRELLS The majority of the surnames associated with Helmes were also on Barbados and Nevis. Starting with the Butler family of Barbados which we know the Gillingham Helmes were related to them and also with The Butler families of Nevis of which the more prominent member was Captain Gregory Butler, a commissioner under General Venables c1645. He bore arms recorded by Caribbean ...... "Duval records" this crest belonged to the families of the Irish nobility and gives several other crests used by other Butler families. Among these the crest of Butler families of London, Durham and Scotland is that of a covered cup. The Harrison family of Barbados was connected by marriage with both the Worrell and the Butler family. The Butlers were
also on Jamaica. The above Worrell family was from Clifton, Bristol,
England and was intermarried with the Neils-who had intermarried with
the Leonard Helm family of Virginia. SKINNERS These were
London merchants. LEE Too numerous to mention (Pages 381 - 387) WHITEHALL HARRISON To numerous to mention Pages 287 - 305 - these also throw up other allied names. Harrison is a prominent name in present day Eastern Va. KENDAL Now the Kendal family was connected with the HOTHERSALL family of Barbados. The Hothersall were more than likely related to the Goosnargh Helmes. At the end of their pages it said see Baines History of Lancashire. These are none other than the Hothersalls of Hothersall Hall which is situated on the banks of the Rible river just outside of Longridge, Lancashire-near Dutton where Susan's James Helm came from in 1730). The Hothersalls were an extremely wealthy gentry family who, like the Goosnargh Helmes had to leave the country because of the heavy fines imposed on the Catholics-sums like $50,000 equiv./yr) LEE The Lee family of Barbados - too numerous to mention - pedigree on pages 381 - 387. THOROGOOD OR THOROWGOOD BASKERVILE BASKERVILLE Jacobi (latin for James) 264 SEWELL (Note; John
Helme of Charles Co., MD. Had a portion of the Sewell grant.) TURNERS There is an absolutely superb write up on the Turners Pages 559 - 569 it says where they were in New England and Barbados in great detail. This is definitely worth further study. PORTERS To whom the Gillingham Helmes were related Pages 476 - 478. There is a standing Porter Mansion, on Barbados. We have a photo. WASHINGTONS Too numerous too mention - were related to the Washington's of Virginia -also related to the Tyrell. The first Virginian Washington settler married a Pope. POPE This family was also on Barbados. The SOMERSETS were not listed. Note: In 1608, Edward Somerset was the 3rd Earl of Worcester and lived at Badmington in Avon. No Calverts either - in one of the books it said that George Calvert, Baron Baltimore, planted a colony at Avalon, Newfoundland and his son founded Baltimore. The Kerrs owned Floors Castle. The Gibsons were on Barbados. Some of the above families also had Rous connections. (See also Christopher's son Rouse of RI.) The Parkers are very important to eventually prove a Lancashire connection. George Helm(e) is
a Goosnargh name and he would be related to the Browsholme Parkers.
A = Amounderness Admon: this is the
brief summary Now, Over Kellet, Lancaster, Wyresdale and Forton are over 10 miles away from Goosnargh. All the other place are within a few miles. Susan's 4x Gt Grandfather was Robert Helme of Dutton, whose will was proved in 1797. He was born around 1730 and married Grace Walmsley. Dutton is an area of Ribchester. Note the spelling of Chipping ie Chepin. The will of John Helme, Linen Draper, of Lancaster proved 1768 is of interest because he was probably the John Helme, Linen Draper, who belonged to a group of Lancashire slavers and partly owned a slaving ship which went out regularly to Africa, the West Indies and American Colonies. His will is in the index for Richmond, PRO. All the other wills, above are kept at Lancashire Record Office. All they say is that John's will was among a batch that was "destroyed" over a hundred years ago. All the above wills are the copyright of Lancashire Record Office. Quite a few have been read without finding any mention of Merediths, Mayberrys or Lynaughs or any of surnames associated with Leonard Helm's line in Virginia. There might be wills which were proved at a higher Church Court such as the Parochial Court of Canterbury. It is possible that several Helmes were mega rich and had to go to Canterbury. Those would be listed in London. Note also that none of the above persons use those surnames as their given name. Note: LANCASHIRE
MARRIAGES (1572-1724) 1572 Richard = Mgt
Warthman Warton All the Helm/Helme marriages have extracted from Boyd's Marriage Index. It is more comprehensive than the IGI. Some of the spellings leave very much to be desired eg Hathornthwait should read Haythornthwaite, Nuesame should read Newsham, I think. Again I believe Grason should read Grayson, Grayston or Graceton. You will note that again, no males use a surname as a Christian name. We must also remember that in those days, the groom always married in the parish of the bride. Therefore it does not show any marriages which took place out of county. A map which shows the parishes in Lancashire which are close around Goosnargh are shown in a map of the area, click here to view map. Some of the locations mentioned in the lists above are shown. The question is: Do any of the above maiden names appear in any connection with the Helmes who emigrated to the US? eg did they own the farm next door? Or did they use the wives surnames as first names for the males? THE CATHOLIC QUESTION The following is from page 167 of the "Convicted Recusants, Chas II - Lancashire" Lea (Preston) "The will of Elizabeth Helme (Holme and Holmes were common corruptions of the name) was proved in 1690. The Helmes of Lea were a junior branch of the very old family of the name seated at Church House in Goosnargh, of whom John Helme, a priest, was living there in 1478, and another of the same name was curate of Goosnargh in 1583, whilst a third priest, says Col. Fishwick in his Hist. of Goosnargh, Nicholas Helm, was vicar of Kirkham in 1594, Dom Hugh Bede Helme alias Tapin, O.S.B., a native of Lancashire, whom Abbot Snow in his Benedictine Necrology confuses with Thomas Tunstall, alias Helmes, the martyr, in 1600 was admitted into the English College at Valladolid (Spain), which he left to join the Benedictines in 1603, and died in Durham in 1629; Dom Gregory Helme, O.S.B., died in 1696; Dom. Richard Helme or Holmes O.S.B. died at Sefton in 1717; and Dom. Thomas Wilfrid Helme O.S.B. of the CHURCH HOUSE family, professed in 1699, died in 1742. There were several Franciscans of the family - Fr Thomas Willibrord Helme or Holmes was serving in the neighborhood of Goosnargh, probably at White Hill, in 1728 and died in 1772 or 1773; Fr Germans Helme or Holmes succeeded to White Hill in 1738 and from thence served Lee House till 1745, when he was thrown into Lancaster Castle, where he died a confessor of the faith in 1746; and Edward Helme or Holme, a novice at Douay in 1757 was assistant chaplain to the English nuns at Acre in Artois, subsequently came to the mission, and finally conformed, and as a reward, for his apostasy received a living in Essex, but died the day he preached his first sermon,about 1773. And lastly may be named a direct descendant of the lady of the test, the Rev. Edward Helme or Holmes, son of Thomas Helme of Lea, tanner, a Catholic non-juror in 1717, and his wife Elizabeth Barton, born in January 1725, who after studying at Fernyhalgh and the Rev. Simon George Borley's school at Salwick Hall, was admitted to Douay College, Sept 25, 1737, ordained priest Sept 21, 1748, after teaching syntax, poetry and philosophy, came to the mission in 1753 and was appointed to Manchester, which he served till his death Oct 16, 1773. His brother's daughter became the wife of John Turner, an attorney in Preston and was mother of the Rt. Rev. William Turner, first Bishop of Salford, born 1799, died 1872, whose brother, John succeeded to the small estate of the Helmes in Lea, which is now held by his son and namesake." John Medford wrote that the Catholics had been concentrated at Speighstown, Barbados, where one Thomas Helme had property. There was some disturbance relative to the Catholics, but no details are available. Susan has found the
following baptisms for possible Thomas Helmes born in Gillingham, Dorsetshire: "8 July 1705 Mr Thomas Helme of Gillingham, co Dorset England, gent, only brother and heir at law of Robert Helme late of Nevis. Letter of attorney to Mr Philip Brome (Christiana Helme's husband) of Nevis, gent and Mr. Robert Helme of Nevis, merchant to recover all sums owing at the Leeward Islands." "Robert Helme was a merchant in Nevis in 1676, and was aged 30 in 1680, and agent for the Royal African Company till 1685. Mr Thomas Helme of Gillingham was described in 1705 as only brother and heir-at-law of Robert Helme. Major William Helme of Antigua 1691 apparently was the brother of Thomas and Robert Helme and died about 1703 leaving a daughter, an heiress, Mary, who in 1708 married JOHN PINNEY of Nevis etc." Pinney's Beach is in the midway of the West side of Nevis, close to the Alexander Hamilton Museum. The faith of the Dorset Helmes is not certain. Sarah Helmes, 1690, will, perhaps the Sarah who is also listed in Barbados,,as married to Maj. Thomas Helme. He predeceased her and their son, Col. Thomas predeceased her. His rank of Col. was in the militia and may have been posthumously awarded. That family's data is recorded in the C of E records on Barbados. Elizabeth Helme, 1792, will Philip Brome, 1708, will, . He was the second husband of Christiana Helme. There may be a connection of Philip, through the Broome's of Maryland and Delaware, with marriage with the North Carolina Helms. A pedigree of the Butlers of Nevis has been found by Susan Grimshaw. One of the Daughters of the Maj. Thomas and Sarah Helme of Barbados was married to a Butler. That pedigree requires further study. St. Kits (St. Christopher): John Porter, 1687, will. His relation to the Helmes is uncertain. The Porter Helme connection was through Judith Porter. "Will of Judith Porter, made 22 November 1665 proved 1668 (PCC) my husband Capt. Wm Porter my estate until my son, William Pinney, is 21. Will mentions Capt. Thomas Helme. etc" Besides those entries, there were Helmes related items found on other Caribbean Islands, as follows: Monserratt: John Elmes, 1654, debt for Tobacco 100. Barbados: Sarah Baxter, 1771, will. She was a relative of the Gillingham Helmes, which is thought to have been a "root" Helmes family in the Caribbean. Whether Helmes from other English sources are involved is not known. The Helme and Elme spellings seem to have been interchangeable, in England. This data is from "Caribbeana" Vol II. These volumes are still being studied. (There are a number of such volumes.) The above data indicates a need for more interest in the other islands, possibly including Jamaica. More information on this will be placed in this page, as it is developed.
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Above a certain estate value the English wills were probated at two courts. Those South of the river Trent were probated at London, and those North of that river were probated at York. So, these wills will have been for the more prominent people. if a person had possessions in several places they were probated at London and so were the military wills. In our English studies we obtained and transcribed the wills we found in those records for persons with HELME. ELME, or similar spellings. Unfortunately, these original records are restricted against publication, so we are not permitted to pass them along to others. However, since we do have a number of such wills, we can serve as a place for inquiries about those which we studied. To facilitate such work, we have extracted the pertinent information and made tables for each Prerogative court. If a reader wishes to see the actual documents, the authorities will download them for modest fees. In this study, we have only worked on the HELMES and similar wills. The more complete listings of available wills can be obtained from the English authorities. To view a compilation of the revel ant will information for the London wills click here. To view a compilation of the relevant will information for the York wills click here. |
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| Rev 6, Jul 2006 Scotland Rev 7, Oct 2006 added will table |
HELME'S IN SCOTLAND