A STUDY OF THOMAS HELM(S)(E)(ES) (DRAFT)

File: Thomas_2.txt, revised Feb., 2001
Sometime ago we did a study of the various Thomases who we had found or knew about in Colonial times. This is a revisit to that study to see what had been learned in the meantime.
At the start, we focused on Census data, even though the earliest census was 1790, which were 40 or more years too ,late.
That focus has been expanded.
PRE-1790 CENSUS and 1809 CENSUS:
(Plus other information in italics)

RHODE ISLAND Marriages:

Christopher Helme was supposed to have emigrated to America in 1632 (Boston),and moved to RI in 1647. Thomas Helme, son of Christopher, was born there about 1700. Joseph, Nathan, and Byron Helme and Reisitae (Helme) Williams were thought to have moved from Mass Col. to RI with Roger Williams about 1639.
Thomas Helme-Newport, 1774 Not available
Thomas Helms-Newport, 1782
Thomas Helme-Newport, 1790
These Thomas's are too late. There were other Helme's in RI prior to Tilman Helms trip South but are not thought to have been the forerunners of the NC Helms.
(Niles, Rouse, Nathaniel, Sarah, Benedict, James, Robert, Simeon in 1774, and Rouse and Wm in 1776.) The above Thomas's were contemporary,not before. [In addition, Don Strahe, has indicated that he does not think the Thomas at Hackettstown was a descendant of Christopher Helme of RI.]

NEW JERSEY

There was no Thomas or Isaac Helms census listing in NJ on a timely basis; but, Samuel(1631) and Eliz. Helms(1713) were timely. Samuel could have had a son Thomas(or Isaac as some think) to be the father of Tillman Helms, and Elizabeth was probably a widow and could have been the mother of Tillman. Elizabeth was probably a dau. of Samuel.(or a Widow of a Samuel Son.) [We now have deed and will data in NJ for another Thomas Helms who was supposed to have back-migrated to NJ from NC, about the time the Thomas in NC had left NC. He had a mill at Hackettstown, NJ. We need to know if Thomas and the other NC Helms were in NJ earlier, and where they were at in NJ. Perhaps they had been in Bethlehem Township, NJ rather than in Bethlehem, Pa, as previously assumed from family tales about the wagon trip from Bethlehem, PA. This is considered a very significant development—similar in importance to finding a George Helm, associated with the Falkenburgs(sp),in Shanandoah Co., VA.]

PENNSYLVANIA

None of the following are timely:
Thomas Helms-Wash Co.,MD. 1790 Not available
Thomas Helm-York Co, 1790

VIRGINIA

The following Virginia Thomas Helms are not thought to have been directly connected to Tillman Helms; but Thomas Helms in Stafford Co would have been timely. Since a Census listing tends to be a "Head of Household", it is conceivable that this Thomas could have been the father of Tillman.
His census data should be checked, as well as subsequent information on him. Note: The 1790 US Census was incomplete for Virginia, and, similarly, the 1800 Census was not complete.
Thomas Helms-Stafford, 1723 Franklin Co.
Thomas Helms-1795,
Thomas Helmes-Pr. Wm, 1751 1808,1812,1832
Thomas Helm-Frederick, 1759 Thomas Helm-1795,1832
Thomas Helms-Northumb. 1760
Thomas Helm-Frederick, 1764 Fauquir
Thomas Helm-Fauquir, 1770 Thomas Helms-1779
Thomas Helm-Fauquir, 1777 Mont. Co.
Thomas Hellem-Fauquir, 1779 Thomas Helms-1812,1884
Fred. Co.
Thomas Helm-1806
All of those Thomases don’t seem to fit, timewise.

MARYLAND-NEW YORK

Major Thomas Helme and Capt. Thomas (and John) Helme, of Barbados, previously thought by some to have been sons of Thomas Helme of Gosnargh, Eng., but who are now associated with the Helmes/Elmes of Gillingham, Dorsetshire, England where John was thought to have emigrated to MD and one Thomas to NY, in 1679 from Barbados. There is a passenger record for Thomas in 1675.
It is also possible that they were in Bergen Co NJ. But are not thought to have been connected with the Helme Snuff operations in Helmetta, NJ; but, might have been associated with the Barbados Warehouse in PA, which was also associated with the Pennypack Baptist Church activities and with a Rev. John Helme/Holme, on a timely basis, or with Moses Helm at Piscattaway, NJ. Now discounted.
[A Thomas Helm appeared as a witness at a court in Cecil Co, MD to testify to a signature of Ann Drennan’s POA, 1740. Moses Helm had signed as another witness in Belfast. Coming in 1740, the same year as Moses Piscattaway, NJ Smock deed, links Thomas, Moses, and Ireland. It should be assumed that particular Thomas was with Moses at Piscattaway. We do not have a disposition of that Thomas.]
[There was a Thomas Helme at Brookhaven, Long Island, NY in the right time period. He was a JP there. He may have been the Thomas from Barbados.]

MARYLAND, continued

This Thomas Helms could have been related to. Tilman, on a date basis:
Anne Arund. Co.
Thomas Helms, 1708

[Thomas Helmes-Tavern owner, Wash. Co, 1795, 1809 has been linked to Leonard’s line in VA.]

NORTH CAROLINA

About 1750 Thomas Helms was supposed to have been a neighbor of Tilman Helms in NC--probably not his father.(He was not there in 1763.) [See the NJ discussion above.]

SOUTH CAROLINA

All too late to be timely.
Thomas Helms, 1815,1884

KENTUCKY

All too late to be timely.
Barron Co.
Thomas Helm,1804,1828
Campbell Co.
Thomas Helm, 1841
Lincoln Co.
Thomas Helm, 1818
Montgomery Co.
Thomas Helm, 1828

Spencer CO., KY
Thomas Helm,1847,1850
Marriages, Cont.:

TENNESSE

All too late to be timely.
Marshall
Thomas Helm,1844
Williamson
Thomas Helm,1825
Conclusions:
1) The two Thomas Helme's coming from Barbados in 1679, were not listed in any Census data so far found, and the Thomas Helms in Stafford County, VA (1723), the Thomas who was an associate of Moses Helm 1740, and the Thomas of NJ 1760‘s are the only Thomas Helms found who could be the forerunner of Tilman Helms. The best fit to available theories is the Thomas found in NJ, but the Barbados Thomas's and Moses associate in NJ are possibles. The passenger listings are the source of the information on the Barbados Thomas's. Previously, there had been only one such Barbados Thomas. The Helmes in Barbados have been found to have been in the militia Further study of the Helms in NJ is needed.
Studies in Barbados have been done by John Medford and Susan Grimshaw. At the present time, the Thomas in NC seems most likely to have been a relative such as an uncle, as he seems to have been older than the “Brothers”; and, present thinking is that, in any case, Thomas was not a likely father. John or possibly William are better assumptions; as Thomas was not a often-used name in the descendants, whereas John was. All three brothers had sons named John.

2) The available Census records do not show an Isaac Helms to be the parent of Tilman Helms, nor has a Tilghman girl to be the mother been identified. The Maryland Gydeon Tillman(1681), being the only timely source. I had previously indicated his daughter, Elizabeth (b. 1694), as a possible mother, but have no proof other than being about the right age, and being one of a few Tilghman girls who was not married . Further study of the Tilghman genealogies continues, as previously indicated. Francis Tilghman(b.1641) continues to be of interest. There was a Sarah Tilghman in London c. 1700, and a John Helme, at the same time.
Interestingly, she is not shown in existing Tilghman genealogies here. We now have a Nicholas Tillman in NJ, in the times of the Thomas Helms, there, but have not found a source for him.

3) Sarah and William Smith of Philadelphia continue to be of interest for further tracking, because of their connection with the Baptist churches in the Phil. Area, and those churches were instrumental in the spread of the Baptist faith southwards.

4) John and James Craig in NJ continue to be of interest as do John Fortinbury(sp) in NJ, and the Falkinburgs(sp) in Virginia, NJ, and in Anson County, NC.

5) NJ, PA, NC and SC all continue to be possible places for the Helms and their wives' families to get together. At this moment, the Helms’Brothers marriages could have been in any of these 4 colonies, with NC the more likely, in my opinion; but, George Helms may have married Mary Margaret Falkenburg(sp) in Virginia-at least I believe they met there.
Their parents marriage (about 1720) had to be prior to NC.

Continuing search needs:

A)Actual Census data is needed in several cases.

B)The Tilghman, Craig, and Smith genealogies in Philadelphia need further study.

C)An approach is needed for NJ studies-focussed on Thomas Helms 1760's, Samuel(1631) and Elizabeth(1713) Helme, John Craig(1739), John Smith(1643), and possibly others, and John Fortenbury(1739). The relevant Tilghmans in NJ need identification. We have found a Nicholas Tilghman/Tillman in NJ, of whom it was said came there from NC.

D)At the time of the previous study, we had not found any Tilghmans connected with Barbados. Now, we know there was Ann Tilman there who married David Carmichael in 1715. She had a 15 yr.-old girl with her, possibly a Tilman, who might have been the Helms brothers’ mother. We have found Carmichael property on the Eastern Shore of Md., where some Tilghman property was, also. We have not found a David Carmichael here.

E) Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia could have been a source for the NC Helms families.
(a), We had found two John Helmes in Charles County MD. in the late 1660's to 1700, and some Elmes in MD/DE. Just recently, we have found later data for a Penelope Helme. (One Penelope was the wife of John Helms, a Charles Co, MD settler.) We have not closed out the possibility of Maryland/Delaware/Virginia Helms connection. Also, see item 5) above.

(b) And, since we had found Tillman and Helmes in adjacent places in Prince Georges Co, VA, and the fact that the Tillman family there spread southwards, even to Anson Co, NC, we cannot close out that area as a source area for the NC Helms.

(c) In Virginia, we had data for a very early John Helme in Virginia Colony who, together with a wife and small child, was listed as surviving the Indian attacks there.