Frederick Helle and Katharine Krauser
Maconb Bakery.
Having purcashed of Mr. Vogel the well known
Bakery on the south side of the square, one
door east of the Post Office, I am now prepared
to furnish the citizens McComb and vicinity with
Fresh Breaddaily, Biscuits, Cakes, Crackers,
Pies, candies, Nuts, Cigars, Tobacco, etc.
at as low prices as can be bought anywhere west
of Chicago
My articles are of the best quality
My articles are of the best quality and bought for cash from the best manufactors..
Call and examine my stock-satisfaction guaranted
Jan 21 1860 Friedrich Helle
My Dear Sirs,December 21, 1967
December 21, 1967I got this 108 year old advertisement from one of myfriends here in Ruethen -- his name is Franz (Josef)Henke from Ettingerhof -- a short while back and I have photocopied it and sent it along.
According to our Family tree, Friedrich Helle, then proprietor of the Macomb Bakery was born 21 June 1835. That would make him about 25 years old when he established his business. But then our family tree knows nothing more of him. This family tree is well known here in Ruethen and many relatives here in Ruethen, in Germany and elsewhere have a copy of it. It traces the name of Helle (which for the first nine generations was "in der Helle") back to the year 1485. Since sixty percent of the descendants have stayed in the baking business, they have kept the pretzel in the family coat of arms. This particular Friedrich Helle was a grandson of the brother of my great-grandfather.Gentlemen, my request to you is this; to have you find out whether this Friedrich Helle ever married in Macomb and whether any of his descendants live there. You see, I want to finish this family tree.
Gentlemen, my request to you is this; to have you find out whether this Friedrich Helle ever married in Macomb and whether any of his descendants live there. You see, I want to finish this family tree. One more thing, if there happens to be any descendants around Macomb, could they by any chance be connected to the Helle Family which moved to Dyersville, Iowa.. .?
I certainly do owe you my everlasting thanks for a courteous reply to this request, gentlemen. And also I should take this opportunity to wish you the very best in 1968. With kindest regards, I remain
Sincerely yours,
[signed] Fritz Helle
Thus, Fritz Helle of Ruethen, West Germany, "found" his cousin, Friedrichi Helle (1835-1907) of Fulton County, Illinois
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The life story and children of JOHANN THEODOR (DIETRICH) in der HELLE (1721-?) and of JOHANN JODOCUS HELLE, called KUCKETAU (1753-1811), are detailed later.
The narration below begins with Frederick's grandfather.
XI.JOHANN FRIEDRICH WILHELM "FRITZ" HELLE, called VOLLMER
JOHANN FRIEDRICH WILHELM "FRITZ" HELLE, called VOLLMER (Brother of JOSEPH ADAM HELLE)
b.Ruethen; 26 Oct. 1786
Ruethen; 26 Oct. 1786d.Ruethen; 14 Sept. 1840
Ruethen; 14 Sept. 1840m.Ruethen; 24 Nov. 1811
Ruethen; 24 Nov. 1811ANNA KATHARINA ELISABETH HILSMANN
b.Ruethen; 25 Oct. 1781
Ruethen; 25 Oct. 1781d.Ruethen; 23 June 1865
Ruethen; 23 June 1865JOHANN FRIEDRICH WILHELM "FRITZ" HELLE, called VOLLMER, owned and managed an inn. He was a distiller and also a mill lease holder in Ruethen. He lived in House Number 53; later Number 91. The children were:
1.ELISABETH BERNHARDINE "LISETTE" HELLE
ELISABETH BERNHARDINE "LISETTE" HELLEb.Ruethen; 4 May 1812
Ruethen; 4 May 1812d.Ruethen; 8 Mar. 1871
Ruethen; 8 Mar. 18712.THERESE WILHELMINA HELLE
THERESE WILHELMINA HELLEb.Ruethen; 4 Dec. 1813
Ruethen; 4 Dec. 1813d.Ruethen; 10 Mar. 1814
Ruethen; 10 Mar. 18143. HENRICH ANTON HELLE, called VOLLMER
b.Ruethen; 11 Dec. 1814
Ruethen; 11 Dec. 1814d.Ruethen; 6 Apr. 1852
Ruethen; 6 Apr. 18524.ELISABETH MARIA ANNA HELLE
ELISABETH MARIA ANNA HELLEb.Ruethen; 17 June 1816
Ruethen; 17 June 1816d.Ruethen; 2 Nov. 1818
Ruethen; 2 Nov. 18185.EWALD JOSEPH FERDINAND HELLE
EWALD JOSEPH FERDINAND HELLEb.Ruethen; 27 Aug. 1818
Ruethen; 27 Aug. 1818d.Ruethen; 27 Jan. 1820
Ruethen; 27 Jan. 18206.BERNHARDINE DOROTHEA HELLE
BERNHARDINE DOROTHEA HELLEb.Ruethen; 15 July 1820
Ruethen; 15 July 1820d.Ruethen; 19 Dec. 1834
Ruethen; 19 Dec. 18347.PAUL HELLE (Stillborn)
PAUL HELLE (Stillborn)b.Ruethen; 12 Apr. 1822
Ruethen; 12 Apr. 1822XII.HENRICH ANTON HELLE, called VOLLMER
HENRICH ANTON HELLE, called VOLLMERb.Ruethen; 11 Dec. 1814
Ruethen; 11 Dec. 1814d.Ruethen; 6 Apr. 1852
Ruethen; 6 Apr. 1852m.Ruethen; 10 Aug. 1833
Ruethen; 10 Aug. 1833MARIA BRIGITTE HENKE
b.Ettinger Hof; 7 Mar. 1810
Ettinger Hof; 7 Mar. 1810d.Ruethen; 8 Mar. 1860
Ruethen; 8 Mar. 1860HENRICH ANTON HELLE, called VOLLMER, was a baker and owned and managed an inn in Ruethen. The family lived in House Number 91. He married MARIA BRIGITITE HENKE from Ettinger Hof near Ruethen. The HENKE FAMILY has been established at Ettinger Hof since the late seventeenth century and on the maternal line -- Roeper --since the early sixteenth century.
The children of Anton and Brigitte were:
1.ANNA MARTHA BERNHARDINA HELLE
ANNA MARTHA BERNHARDINA HELLEb.Ruethen; 20 Nov. 1833
Ruethen; 20 Nov. 1833d.Ruethen; 23 Mar. 1850
Ruethen; 23 Mar. 18502. FRIEDRICH "FRITZ" HELLE (FREDERICK "FRED" HELLE)
b.Ruethen; 21 June 1835
Ruethen; 21 June 1835d.Smithfield, IL, U. S. A. ; 28 Mar. 1907
Smithfield, IL, U. S. A. ; 28 Mar. 19073.FRANZ ANTON HELLE
FRANZ ANTON HELLEb.Ruethen; 28 Feb. 1837
Ruethen; 28 Feb. 1837d.Nuttlar:18634.KATHARINA ELISABETH GERTRUD "LISETTE" HELLE
KATHARINA ELISABETH GERTRUD "LISETTE" HELLEb.Ruethen; 15 May 1839
Ruethen; 15 May 1839d.Ruethen; 25 Sept. 1848
Ruethen; 25 Sept. 18485.MARIA FRANZISKA HELLE
MARIA FRANZISKA HELLEb.Ruethen; 13 Dec. 1841
Ruethen; 13 Dec. 1841d.Mellrich; 17 Nov. 1896
Mellrich; 17 Nov. 18966.CHRISTINE HELLE
CHRISTINE HELLEb.Ruethen; 15 Oct. 1844
Ruethen; 15 Oct. 1844d.Unknown
Unknown7.WILHELMINA THERESE HELLE
WILHELMINA THERESE HELLEb.Ruethen; 4 Apr. 1847
Ruethen; 4 Apr. 1847d.Unknown
UnknownHENRICH ANTON HELLE died before he was 38. At least two children preceded him in death; Christine and Wilbelmina probably also died in infancy or childhood so may have died before 1852. Now widowed, Brigette had three children under 17. Frederick was not considered old enough to take over the family business. He had learned the baker's skills from his father, however, and those skills as well as managing an inn-tavern were to be useful to him in his adult life.
Frederick immigrated to the United States in 1857. His mother died three years later at age 50 and his only brother, FRANZ ANTON, died in 1863 at age 26. Apparently the only other sibling to survive to adulthood, MARIA FRANZISKA, married CASPAR WREDE, called SCHREWE, a farmhand in Mellrich. There is no notation on the scroll of children of this marriage. However, recently discovered letters to a granddaughter of Frederick, Alta Helle Fouts, have been translated.
