BIO:  Frederick Helb, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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Part II, Biographical Sketches, Shrewsbury Township, Pg 175

FREDERICK HELB, a native of Wittenberg, Germany, and only son of Ulrich and Mary (Keim) Helb, 
was born March 9, 1825, and immigrated to America in 1847, landing at Baltimore, where, for two 
years, he was engaged at tanning, which trade he had learned in his native country.  His German 
education was good, and he soon mastered the English language.  In 1849 he came to Shrewsbury, 
where he established a small tannery, on a very primitive style, using hogsheads for vats, but 
increasing the capacity until he was able to handle 7,000 hides a year.  In 1867 he built a 
beer brewery at Shrewsbury Station, with a capacity of 800 barrels per year, and three years 
later started a fruit distillery, manufacturing 500 barrels of apple brandy in a season.  He 
also owns an extensive flour-mill (steam and water), the Jackson House (the only hotel in the 
borough), and a number of first-class tenement houses.  He also owns about 450 acres of fine 
farming land in York County, and about 1,300 acres of valuable timber and farming land in 
Maryland, with saw and stave-mills.  He is president of the Rail Road and Shrewsbury Turnpike 
Company, and a director in the Shrewsbury Savings Bank; was one of the incorporators of Rail 
Road Borough, and its first chief burgess.  In 1849 he was married to Miss Rebecca Henry, of 
York County, who has been a true and faithful helpmate to him.  They have six children:  
Theodore R. (brewer), Edward, J. P., Julius, Frederick, Lydia and Mary, all of them highly 
educated and accomplished.  The family belong to the Lutheran Church.