Posted on: Lee Co. Ia Obituaries Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ia/LeeObits/164 Surname: HELLING, SHOEMAKER, SCHUHMACHER, PLESSER, DETTMER ------------------------- >From Fort Madison, Lee co., Iowa newspaper dated March 18, 1903: Obituary. Died at home 1131 5th Street Monday, March 16, 1903 at 12:02 a.m. Mrs. Mary Theresa HELLING aged 77 years, 1 month, and 21 days. Mary T. SCHOEMAKER born Delbruch, Germany January 25, 1826. Married Theodore HELLING at the same place Sept. 11, 1852, on Nov. 9 following they sailded for America on the steamer, EVA, landing New Orleans. Then by river to St. Louis then Keokuk. There, the ice in the river was so heavy they had to abandon river travel and came to Fort Madison on foot arriving in Fort Madison the first Sunday in Dec. where they have lived ever since. Celebrated golden anniversary Sept. 11, 1902. Member St. Mary's Church. Leaves husband and 6 children, 27 grandchildren. Children are Barney, Anton, Henry, and Miss Kate of Fort Madison and Mrs. Theodore PLESSER of Dubuque and Mrs. M. F. DETTMER of Dallas City, Illinois. Funeral at St. Mary's church 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Rev. Kern officating. Catholic cemetery. >From "Evening Democrat" dated Sept. 11 [1902]: Celebrating Their Golden Wedding Golden wedding anniversaries are of such infrequent occurrence that they are really a novelty in the social world and become a subject of general interest, and the principals are entitled to no small amount of attention. Sharing the shadows and sunshine of life a half century is a thing but few people experience, and when they look back over the long expanse of time their recollection is flooded with scenes of tears and joys and their minds lost to things of the present. Such probably would be the case today with Mr.and Mrs. Theodore HELLING of 1181 Fifth street, were it not for many happy children and grandchildren merrily playing about their doors. This is their golden wedding anniversary and if there are two happy old people in town on this occasion it must be them. Mr. HELLING was born in Delbruch, Germany, December 10, 1828, and the good wife was born in the same place January 25, 1825. There they were married September 11, 1852. On the 14th of the same month they started for Bremen and on the following day sailed for America on the steamship EVA, landing on the 9th of November at New Orleans. At New Orleans they took a steamer for St. Louis and from there came to Keokuk, where the ice was so heavy that they had to abandon the river trip and came to Fort Madison on foot, arriving here Sunday morning at 11 o'clock, the first Sunday in December. From that time they have been residents of this city. They have six children living and three dead. Those living are: Barney HELLING, Anton HELLING, Mrs. M. F. DETMER, Henry HELLING and Miss Kate HELLING, all of this city and Mrs. Theodore PLESSER of Dubuque. Those dead are Stephen HELLING and two daughters. The only ones present at the celebration are the children and grandchildren and a merry crowd it is. The grandchildren number twenty-seven and are as follows: Mr. and Mrs. Barney HELLING--Margaret, Mamie, Andrew, Louis, Harry, Katherine and Helen. Mr. and Mrs. Anton HELLING--Katherine, Theodore, Margaret and Freddie. Mr. and Mrs. Henry HELLING--Eveline, Henry, Herman, Walter, Celia and Vincent. Mr. and Mrs. Martin DETMER--Agnes, Lizzie, Theodore, Katie and Caroline. Mr. and Mrs. Theo. PLESSER of Dubuque--Theodore, Benjamin, Lizzie, Theressa and Minnie. Theodore PLESSER of the above is the only one of the grandchildren married. In honor of the event high mass was sung by Rev. Father KERN at St. Mary's church this morning at 8 o'clock, attended by the families and a large congregation. The acolytes were Louis, Harry, Henry and Herman HELLING. The choir sang St. Louis mass by Zangl.