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From: "" <>
Subject: [NYCHAUTA] Lewis Helka and Charlotte Yager
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:49:52 -0000

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.

Surnames: Helka, Yager, Crawford, Wells, Lock
Classification: queries

Message Board URL:

http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.chautauqua/20907/mb.ashx

Message Board Post:

Lewis Helka [Helkie, Helky] 1841 - 1889 [son of Frederick Helka and Dorotha Spies] married Charlotte Yager, [daughter of John Yager and Lydia Swarts]. They had children Dorotha b. 1868 married Melbourne Wells, lived Port Stanley then St. Thomas; Annabel b. 1872 married Gideon Crawford, lived Bayham Township, then Chautauqua, New York; Josephus b. 1873 married Mary McKenzie, lived St. Thomas, buried Union Cemetery, Yarmouth; Wellington b. 1875 married Rosa McKenzie, lived Port Stanley; Loramma b. 1877 m Charles Lock; William Owen b. 1880 m. Rosa Barry, lived Dearfield, Michigan; John Henry b. 1891 married Ethel Mae Martin, lived St. Thomas, buried Necropolis Cemetery, South Dorchester.

Dorotha married about 1890, Annabel married 1891, Josephus married 1898, Wellington married 1898, John married 1910, haven't been able to find marriages dates for Loramma and William Owen.

Lewis and Charlotte are on the 1881 Census of Walpole Township, Haldimand County. They must have moved shortly to the Clear Creek area of Houghton Township where Lewis was one of eight ill fated men working on the Erie Wave in the latter part of September, 1889. The ship filled and capsized, drowning Captain Stafford, Robert Marlatt, Edward Soper, George Bell of Port Burwell and Lewis Stephens, James Stephens, Charles Crawford and Lewis Hilkey (Helka) of Clear Creek. Three men only swam ashore and were saved - Thomas Baker, Azariah Vaughn Jr. of Port Burwell and Joseph Crawford of Clear Creek.

This statement appeared in a paper shortly after Lewis' death - "October 28, 1889 - Mr. Hulkey (Helka) of Clear Creek, one of the men who drowned off the 'Erie Wave' left a wife and family in rather destitute circumstances. A subscription was taken up in Port Rowan for the family and $50 was raised. One of the sportsmen of the Point sent over twenty dollars."

I would be interested to know if anyone has information on Charlotte [Yager] Helka after the death of Lewis. She may have married again, but I don't find her on a census again after 1881. I am looking for information on behalf of an elderly descendant.

Thanks,

Helen Bingleman

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