Sullivan-Lackawanna-Tioga County PA Archives Biographies.....HELSMAN, Joseph A. 1857 - 
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  File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
  Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 17, 2007, 10:34 pm
  
  Author: Thomas J. Ingham (1899)
  
      JOSEPH A. HELSMAN, who for fifteen years has held the position of
  superintendent of barns for the Sullivan Railroad Coal Company, at Bernice, was
  born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, March 8, 1857. His father, Anthony Helsman, was
  born in Coblentz, Germany, in 1812, and was a miller by trade. He married Miss
  Anna Hymbredt, who was born in the same town as her husband, and they came to
  this country in 1854, settling in Scranton, and later in Bernice, where the
  father died in 1883, and the mother in 1880. Their children were Joseph,
  Benjamin, Mildred, Frank and Joshua, the two latter being deceased.
  
      The subject of this sketch attended school in Scranton and for a short time
  in Sullivan county. He, however, began life for himself at the early age of
  eleven years, when he went to work and has kept steadily at it ever since. His
  first labors were in a coal mine at Fallbrook, Pennsylvania. In 1872 he came to
  Bernice and commenced work in the breakers, and by careful attention to his
  duties he earned the esteem of his employers and was promoted to his present
  position. The barns of which he has charge contain forty-five mules and twelve
  horses, which require careful attention.
  
      Mr. Helsman was married in Bernice, July 1, 1878, to Miss Susan Mater, a
  native of Dushore and a daughter of Valentine and Susanna (Reeser) Mater. Mrs.
  Helsman is an intelligent woman who is a good help-meet to her worthy husband.
  They have eight children, as follows: Lucy; Walter, who has been night watchman
  at the engine house at Bernice for two years; Mary; Alfred and Albert, twins;
  Rowena, Charles and Raymond. Mr. Helsman was for many years a Democrat in his
  political belief but is now a stanch Republican, and has filled a number of
  responsible offices, having been a member of the school board, tax collector and
  township treasurer. Socially he is a member of the Order of the Red Men, Knights
  of Labor and Camp 481, P. O. S. of A., of which latter he has been head officer.
  He is a man of integrity, well informed, and is a prosperous and highly
  respected citizen of Bernice.
  
  
  Additional Comments:
          Extracted from: 
            
          History of Sullivan County Pennsylvania
          by Thomas J. Ingham
            
          Compendium of Biography
            
          The Lewis Publishing Company
          Chicago: 1899
    
    
  
  
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