Marion County FlArchives Biographies.....Helvenston, Edward Thomas 1863 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/flfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 29, 2010, 1:00 pm

Source: See below
Author: See below

Edward Thomas Helvenston

    Edward Thomas Helvenston was born at Ocala, Marion county, Fla., May 14,
1863. He is, therefore, a young man in the prime of life, full of energy, and is
pushing successfully one of the best mercantile establishments in the city of
Ocala.

    He attended first the private and public schools of Ocala. and later the
celebrated King's Mountain Military School, at Yorkville, S. C., during the
session of 1880-81. He was unable to remain long enough to graduate owing to the
death of his brother, John P. Helvenston—who was then postmaster of Ocala—his
services being needed immediately at home to look after business interests.

    He commenced his active life work as a clerk in E. W. Agnew & Company's dry
goods store, where he mastered all the details of the mercantile business, in
which it was his ambition to succeed, looking forward to the time when he would
be at the head of a business of his own. Mr. Helvenston continued with Agnew &
Company from 1883 to 1896, when the business changed hands and became H. B.
Masters' Department Store. Under the new ownership he worked his way up to the
head of the dry goods department and visited New York and other markets twice a
year as buyer. In 1904 (after having been with E. W. Agnew k Company, and their
successors, for twenty-one years) he commenced business for himself under the
name of Helvenston-Pasteur Company. Upon the death of Gen. Robert Bullock, the
silent partner, in 1905, the interest of his heirs was bought by Messrs. Pasteur
and Helvenston, and the business is now owned solely by these gentlemen.

    The Helvenstons emigrated to this country from Germany in 1734, with the
Salzburgers, a colony of German (Lutheran) Protestants, and settled at Ebenezer,
Ga., twenty-five miles above the city of Savannah. No richer heritage in blood
and brain was ever given to America by the great nation of Germans than the
Salzburgers, whose romantic religious history helps to form one of the most
interesting and instructive chapters in the history of our country. From Rev. P.
A. Strobal's "History of the Salzburgers," the following extract is taken:

    "Among the Salzburgers was one who, from the romantic history connected with
his family, deserves special mention. This was Mr. Frederick Helfenstein, who
was a lineal descendant of the Count of Helfenstein, who, with his wife (a
daughter of the Emperor Maximilian) and their youngest child, were butchered
with seventy men under his command in the servile insurrection, which occurred
in the time of Luther, commonly known as the Rebellion of the Peasantry.

    "Mr. Frederick Helfenstein, perhaps the last of the Count's descendants,
married and settled at Goshen, about twelve miles below Ebenezer, and in the
course of time acquired a handsome competensy. It is known that he owned a large
tannery in successful operation, a good farm and valuable negroes. During the
Revolutionary War, he was dispossessed by the Tories, of all his property and
was left penniless to begin the world anew. Yet he never deserted the Whig
cause, and furnished, in the persons of his sons, several bold soldiers during
the war. Two of them joined a troop of cavalry under Colonel McCoy, and
subsequently served under General Wayne. When General Wayne, at the close of the
war, returned to Pennsylvania (his native State), these two brothers, Joshua and
Jacob Helfenstein, accompanied him, and it is from them the Helfensteins in
Pennsylvania are descended, several of whom are now distinguished preachers in
the German Reformed Church. In Georgia the name has been changed to Helvenston.
Mr. John G. Helvenston, of Macon county, Ga., and his brother residing in
Florida, belong to the same family."

    Mr. Frederick Helfenstein, great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch,
was one of those strong Christian characters who made a lasting impression in
his day and generation. Mr. Helvenston's father, John Helvenston, and two
brothers, settled in Florida in 1845. Here he met and married La Villa
Pinckston, of an old family who had, many years previously, established a
plantation near Jacksonville, which they called La Villa. On this site is now a
suburb of the city, which still retains the name of the old plantation.

    Through his mother, Mr. Helvenston is connected with the Bullock family, of
which two distinguished members are: General Robert Bullock, a gallant soldier
of the Confederate army, and afterwards a member of Congress from Florida., and
his son, Judge W. S. Bullock, who presides with dignity on the circuit bench.

    On November 2, 1905, Mr. Helvenston married Louella Victoria Gary, a
daughter of Col. S. M. G. Gary and Fannie Rosa Gary. She received her education
in Virginia, being a full graduate of Hollins Institute, one of the oldest and
best known colleges for women in the South. In 1897 she was appointed sponsor of
the Florida Division of Confederate Veterans, for the re-union held at
Nashville, Tenn. On both sides Mrs. Helvenston is descended from some of the
most prominent families of South Carolina. Three of her mother's family were
prominent in the Revolutionary War, and three others, Gen. John King Griffin,
Samuel Farrow and William Waters Boyce, represented South Carolina in the halls
of Congress.

    Her paternal ancestry dates back through the Witherspoon family and John
Knox, to Robert Bruce, of Scotland. John Witherspoon was a signer of the
Declaration of Independence and the founder of Princeton University, Princeton,
N. J.

    Her father. Col. S. M. G. Gary, was a graduate of South Carolina College,
and stood at the head of his profession as a lawyer in Ocala, Florida. He was a
signer of the Florida Ordinance of Secession, and raised a company of which he
was elected Captain, to join the Confederate Army. Five of his brother* were
also gallant soldiers. F. F. and T. P. Gary were surgeons ; Martin Witherspoon
Gary, who was well equipped to fight the battle of life because of excellent
home training and education, having graduated from Harvard University, rose from
private to Major-General, and after the war became prominent in South Carolina
as a lawyer and politician in the reconstruction period; John H. Gary was
elected Captain of the S. C. College Cadets, and was afterwards killed at
Battery Wagner, Charleston Harbor, while in command of regular artillery C. S.
A.; William T. Gary held the rank of Major at the close of the war, and settled
at Augusta, Ga., where he was appointed District Attorney during President
Cleveland's administration, and was later made Circuit Judge. Drs. F. F. and T.
P. Gary were both eminent physicians, the former of South Carolina, and the
latter of Florida. Each was several times elected president of the Medical
Association of his State, and Dr. T. P. Gary was president of the State Board of
Health. Of the present generation Dr. F. F. Gary's sons are Eugene B. Gary,
Justice of the supreme court of South Carolina; Ernest Gary, judge of the
circuit court, and Frank B. Gary, now representing South Carolina in the United
States Senate. Hon. John Gary Evans, ex-governor of South Carolina, is a cousin
of Mrs. Helvenston, his mother being a sister of Col. Gary. She is the widow of
Gen. N. G. Evans, a graduate of West Point, who was awarded by his State with a
handsome sword and a gold medal, the first for bravery in Indian warfare, the
second for heroic conduct in the war between the States.

    Mrs. Helvenston's mother, during fifty years' residence in Ocala, has been
called to the leadership of various organizations. In recognition of her
usefulness, the Confederate Veterans of Marion Camp presented her with a
handsome silver loving cup at a largely attended public demonstration in her
honor; and as a tribute to her Christian character, the missionary society of
her church was given the name of Fannie R. Gary Missionary Society.

    Besides devoting his energies to the success of his business, Mr. Helvenston
has used his time, talents and means to promote the interests of the community
in which he lives. He is now serving his second term as vice-president of the
city council of Ocala, is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Elks,
and for many years was a member of the Ocala Literary and Debating Society, and
served many times as president of this interesting organization; he has also
been honored more than once by being made president of the "Nine O'clock German
Club," a social organization representing the best society of the city. He is a
member of the Methodist Church. He assisted in the organization of the Ocala
Rifles, and held the rank of Lieutenant, though he has never seen active service
in the field. Mr. Helvenston writes occasionally for publication, several
articles having been printed in the "Ocala Banner" and "Evening Star." He is a
Democrat in politics and believes that the best interests of the State could be
promoted by requiring educational qualifications of all who enjoy the rights of
suffrage. He is also a strong believer in State Prohibition, and uses his best
efforts for that end. He thinks that one of the most helpful things that could
be done to advance the material prosperity of the State of Florida would be the
building of a canal across the peninsula, and hopes to live to see this
important undertaking an accomplished fact.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

FLORIDA EDITION
MAKERS OF AMERICA
AN HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WORK BY AN ABLE CORPS OF WRITERS
VOL. II.
Published under the patronage of
The Florida Historical Society, Jacksonville, Florida

ADVISORY BOARD:
HON. W. D. BLOXHAM          COL. FRANK HARRIS
HON. R. W. DAVIS            SEN. H. H. MCCREARY
HON. F. P. FLEMING          W. F. STOVALL
      C. A. CHOATE, SECRETARY
1909
A. B. CALDWELL
ATLANTA, GA.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/fl/marion/bios/helvenst125gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/flfiles/

File size: 10.4 Kb