Hi Alice, I have not researched information regarding Phineas Helme, but I have researched information regarding Floyd S. Helme b. 30 Mar 1815 son of Phineas Helme and Betsy Smith. Floyd S. Helme and his family resided in Wells Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania just over the state line from Southport and hence my interest. I have consulted two noted resources regarding Revolutionary Soldiers in Chemung County. One is the C. B. Payne NSDAR list of 1925 and the other is the 1975 list by Miss Isabel Ridall. Neither cite Phineas Helme as a Revolutionary Soldier buried in Fitzsimmons. In 1968 Miss Edith Carpenter made a notation that Mrs. Hugh Staver indicated that Phineas was a Revolutionary Soldier and buried at Fitzsimmons. However, not to discredit Mrs. Staver, but the credibilty of her work and that of her husband is in question, which I will not go into detail here. I copied the markers in Fitzsimmons Cemetery in 1979 and the wife of Phineas Helme is buried there and her marker reads: Mary wife of Phineas Helme died Aug 27, 1827 81y 7m 14d. The Helme name does not appear on the 1788 survey, which may indicate they came after that date. I would suggest seeing where family members were in the 1790 and 1800 census. I would also suggest seeing if Mary Helme filed for a widow's pension which would give you valuable information. The National Archives is notoriously slow in responding to these requests and a letter to the Onondaga Public Library at the Galleries on Salina Street in Syracuse will produce quicker results as they have all Revolutionary pension records on microfilm and will make a copy and forward to you. Have you checked for a Helme family file at the Chemung County Historical Society? Below is the information I have on the Floyd S. Helme family and a George Helme family. Floyd S. Helme b. 30 Mar 1815 son of Phineas Helme and Betsey Smith of Southport, Chemung County, New York m. Betsey C. Jones daughter of Philo Jones and Jane H. Carpenter of Seeley Creek, town of Southport. Resided Seeley Creek Valley on west side of main road between Mosherville and state line. Floyd d. 29 Mar 1874 59y (ts) and Betsey d. 21 Apr 1877 60y (ts) Webb Mills Cemetery, Southport, Chemung County, New York. 1. Samuel Helme b. Apr 1842 New York d. 4 Apr 1871 28y 11m 24d (ts) Webb Mills Cemetery. 2. Finla J. Helme b. Aug 1843 d. 10 July 1845 1y 10m 11d (ts) Fitzsimmons Cemetery, town of Southport. 3. Jane E. Helme b. 27 June 1845 New York d. 12 Dec 1905 (ts) Webb Mills Cemetery. 4. Finla J. Helme b. Feb 1848 Wells township d. 20 Mar 1852 4y 1m 16d (ts) Mosherville Cemetery. 5. Fanny E. Helme b. June 1849 d. 20 Sept 1849 3m 18d (ts) Mosherville Cemetery. 1850 mortality schedule relates she d. Nov 1849 age 3 months. 6. Rosa Helme b. Sept/Oct 1850 d. young. 7. Emma H. Helme b. 29 Sept 1854 m. T. J. Garrison and she d. 17 May 1919 (ts) Webb Mills Cemetery. 8. Grant Helme b. Nov 1860 d. 14 Jan 1863 2y 1m 17d (ts) Webb Mills Cemetery. George Helm b. May 1855 m. Martha Davey b. Mar 1856 daughter of Norman S. and Jeanette Davey of Wells and they resided at Seeley Creek, town of Southport, Chemung County, New York. George d. 19 Jan 1917 61y near Pine City, New York survived by widow and brother, Wilson of Webb Mills, New York, buried Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira, New York (obituary). Martha d. 1931 buried Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira, New York. No children. 1851 Southport military roll included Samuel M. Helme. Good luck! J. Kelsey Jones ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alice Hartford" <ahartfor@stny.rr.com> To: <PABRADFO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, June 05, 2000 6:44 PM Subject: [PABRADFO] Helme lineage... > I am researching the lineage of Christopher Helme. I am decendend from him > through his son William and his great-grandson Phineas Helme. My Phineas > of Cornwall, (the first, as I call him); was born in 1723, in Brookhaven, > Orange County, N.Y. He married Mary Weisner. Then Mary Moffat. Some > records indicate that he died June 25, 1798, in Blooming Grove, Orange > County, N.Y. The records further state that he is buried in Cove Church, > Bloomington Grove there. > > Now here is my problem. It also states that Phineas is buried in the > Fitzsimmons Cemetery, in Southport, in Chemung County, N.Y. (I live in that > County). It lists him as a Revolutionary War Patriot also. Now in the > cemetery are other Helme members, but not one there that is identifiable at > all for my Phineas Helme. There is no marker in that cemetery for him > either. But there is a book in print called: Abstracts of Graves of > Revolutionary War Patriots, Vol. 2, that states that he IS buried there > definitely. There is a slate headstone a few feet away from the main > family plot that has lost its front. It might or might not be my grave in > question. > > Man has been cruel to the cemetery over the years. A nearby intersection at > Maple Ave. and Ceder Streets, have led to various motor vehicle accidents > ending up in the middle of the cemetery. This I see has led to the > destruction of even more stones than Mother Nature. At least one-third of > the stones in the cemetery are gone or totally unreadable. Don't get me > wrong, the cemetery is beautiful and wonderfully kept up!!! A great job > done by the Town of Southport, N.Y. > > There is Phineas Helme,(the 2nd) who is also in Fitzsimmons Cemetery. That > was his son, along with various other family members. His Birth: Jan. 24, > 1785, Death: Nov. 29, 1858. And I have even found my 3rd Phineas Helme, > if you can believe that! He is the grandson of my 1st Phineas of course!! > He is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery, on Walnut Street, Elmira, Chemung > Co., N.Y. > > Has anyone out there done research on this Helme line? Can someone help > find out for sure where my Rev. War Patriot is at? > > I have tremendously enjoyed reading every "letter" that the list has passed > along. You all have great interests, stories, and heart to doggedly do all > the research that is still new to me. With all your unknown help, I am > learning something new every day! > > My best to all, and I apologize for the length of this first letter! It > won't happen again. > > With Regards, > Alice M. Hartford > (technically, the little ole town of "Big Flats"!!) > Elmira, N.Y. > > > > >