Von Helfrich Family

The Helfrich Family

Downloadable map of SW Germany/ NW France. (Hover over “Rhine”, Hold down CTRL + left click to see map.) Rhine

About Us

{I’ve added a lot to a book report done by Jennifer Helfrich (George’s daughter) in 1989}

                 Johann HELFRICH was born in Wurzburg, Bavaria in 1799.  The borders of Bavaria varied considerably throughout its long history.  The region was inhabited by Celts when General Drusus conquered it in 15 BC for Rome.  The Baiveerii (Germans) invaded it in the 6th century and set up the Duchy to which they gave their name.  It was one of the five basic or stem Duchies of medieval Germany.  St. Boniface completed the conversion to Christianity in the 8th century.  Bavaria was ruled by various houses throughout its history.  During the time of the birth of Johann, Bavaria was ruled by the Wittelsbach Dynasty.

                 The agricultural wealth and strategic position of Bavaria made it a coveted prize and a favorite battleground.  Bavaria was overrun by foreign armies in the War of Spanish Succession, the Austrian Succession, the Bavarian Succession and the French Revolutionary Wars.  During the year of Johann's birth, Elector Maximilian I united Wittelsbach lands, allied himself with Napoleon I, joined the Confederation of the Rhine, and in 1806 was proclaimed king of Bavaria as Maximilian I.  In 1813 Maximilian abandoned Napoleon and joined the Allies, who at the Congress of Vienna left him in possession of virtually all present Bavaria.  A period of liberal government followed and lasted a century.

                 It was during this period in 1834 that Johann decided to come to America and made a trip over to America alone, leaving a wife (Barbara) and three children (Adam, Peter and Catherine) in Bavaria.  He chose eighty acres of farmland in German Township in Vanderburgh County (near what is now No.6 School Rd) and began clearing the land.  He returned to Bavaria in 1837 and brought his family to the farm.  He and his sons cleared the land and acquired more land that totaled 120 acres.  Johann and Barbara had two more children after arriving in the US.  When Johann Helfrich came to America to live near Evansville, the community was still very small.  In the mid 1830's a lot of people were drawn to Evansville because of  the prospect that a canal would be constructed to connect Evansville on the banks of the Ohio River with Toledo, Ohio at the western end of Lake Erie.  However, the canal became a financial disaster.  Poor construction methods and Indiana's financial difficulties following the Panic of 1837 combined to delay the finishing of the canal project until 1853.  This area also offered very fertile farmland and natural resources.  Wood became a mainstay of the local economy and the Helfrich's sons who were not farming became involved in the sawmill business.  In the year 1840, there were 2,727 residents in Evansville.  Johannes and Barbara’s daughters, Catherine (born in 1830) and Mary (born in 1840) also married farmers.  Catherine married Michael Weinzapfel and lived in Posey Co. raising a family of ten children, all producing large families of their own.  Their son Frank Weinzapfel and his wife Elizabeth Soellner had eleven children.  Another son (Joseph), married Josephine Soellner and they also had eleven children.  Mary married Joseph Hartlein of the Mathias Hartlein family who owned the farm right next to the Helfrich's farm.  The Hartlein’s owned and operated a general store in St. Joseph, IN and also a saloon.  The Hartlein’s had eight children.  Many of the Helfrich's married Hillenbrand’s who also had an adjoining farm to the Helfrich's in German Township.  Johann's son Adam left the farm and became a very successful businessman. Peter stayed on the farm and built a house on No. 6 School Rd. that is still standing.

                 Peter had two sons (Henry and John).  John kept the farm and Henry bought a farm in Armstrong that had 140 acres, next to his uncle Henry's who also, like Adam, left his father's German Township farm.  Peter's daughter Catherine married George Hoefling and raised a family in Armstrong Township.  Descendants of those Hoefling’s are still living in that area today.

                 Adam, Johann's son who left the farm was a very ambitious and prosperous businessman.  He founded a sawmill located just west of the Franklin St. bridge in 1863.  He also started the Evansville Pressed Brick Co. in West Heights and when Clay required for manufacturing bricks ran out there, Adam built the Helfrich Brick Co. on Upper Mt. Vernon Rd.  He also started the Bunker Hill Flouring Mill, the Helfrich Lumber and Manufacturing Co., the Helfrich Pottery Co., the Peerless Tank & Seat Works and the Peerless Selling Co.  Adam was one of the five founders of St. Boniface Church, the fourth Catholic Parrish in Evansville and the third of Evansville's German speaking Catholic congregations.  Many Helfrich were baptized at St. Boniface Church and remain members of the Parrish to this day.

                 Adam and his wife (Theresa Hillenbrand) had eleven children.  Adam died 26 Sep, 1911 just 18 months after his Wife.  He left an estate valued at seven million dollars tied up in a trust to be administered by his son Michael.  Michael was responsible for giving the city the land, after Adams death, for Helfrich Golf Course and the Helfrich Park School and also the Wesselman Park land. Michael served on City Council as a Democrat around 1890.  While Adam Helfrich wheeled and dealed in lumber and potteries, the Peter Helfrich branch stayed on the farm.  Peter had two sons (John and Henry).  John's children were Bill, Amelia, George, Henry, Clarence, Frank, Joe and Herben. Peter and his wife Apollonian also had daughters Catherine who married George Hoefling and Mary who married Henry Niehaus.  George founded People's Building and Loan at 2l3l W. Franklin St. The business later merged with Permanent Federal Savings and Loan Association.  George was also owner of Helfrich Realty and Insurance Co., which has continued to pass down through the family since around 1913.

                 The Helfrich's, like everybody else, experienced hard times during the depression.  A letter dated 1932 asked all employees of Helfrich Potteries and Peerless to accept half-time work.  These business' finally shut down and didn't reorganize and reopen until 1940.  During the depression any relatives who had fallen on hard times were welcome to the farmhouse until they got on their feet. But all who came made themselves useful.

                 Even though the Helfrich's were all law abiding citizens, the German in them made it hard for them to accept Prohibition.  Their daily rations of beer and spirits were as natural a part of life as breathing.  They could not accept that the US government seriously expected them to give up their beer drinking habits and traditions and so when the distilleries and brewers shut down, they began making their own.  Jim Helfrich remembered seeing barrels of whiskey lined up along the drive waiting to be picked up.  This beverage was called "White Mule" because it packed such a kick. Bill Helfrich was the still master and used at least a six barrel cooker.  Several times there were raids and occasionally the still had to be moved to the basement to hide it from the Sheriff.  Several Helfrich’s have served on the City Council.  Adam in 1885 as a Democrat and Jim in 1966 to name a couple. Also as a Democrat, Jim was President of the Evansville City Works Board and his son George served on the City Parks Board also as a Democrat.

                 Some things have changed drastically from the first Helfrich's arrival to the US. and some things have changed very little.  When Johann and his wife Barbara arrived in 1837, Martin Van Buren was president of the United States.  He was only the eighth President.  We are now approaching the 50th President. Technology is probably the most changed aspect of our lives.  We have certainly gone through numerous political and moral changes.  The family unit however is not that different.  We still spend Holiday with parents, grandparents, cousins and etc.  Kids running around still make the parents crazy.  Adults having a beer and discussing the current event topics, the weather or the family business (even having an occasional difference of opinion, as it was in days of old.  Some 15 generations later we see that some things will never change.

(SCROLL DOWN TO READ MORE OF THE STORY OF JOHANN)