HELMS-Alfred - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Alfred Helms, farmer, Fountain, (Portland). His Grandfather Helms immigrated with his family from South Carolina, and settled in VanBuren township about the time that John Colvert and Jonathon Burch came. These last arrived early in 1823. It is said that Mr. Helms cleared the first farm in Fountain County. The Grandfather of our subject on his mother's side was Mathew Hawkins. He removed from Tennessee also very early and stopping on Honey Creek prairie, died there. His family settled at Chambersburg, where his grandmother died in a few years. Mr. Helms was born in VanBuren township, December 22 1831. The Christian name of his parents were Thompson and Rhoda. He was married to Mary Houts, March 7 1858. They are the parents of seven children; Melissa Ann wife of John Marquess, George William, Sarah, Katie, Mandana, Jacob, and Frances Isabelle. Mr. Helms was enrolled August 9 1862 in Co. E 63rd Ind. Vols. Immediately this regiment went into the service companies F,I,E and G were detached and remained at Indianapolis on provost duty, remaining in that city seventeen months. In February 1864, the companies of this regiment were united at Camp Nelson, Kentucky, and marched across the Cumberland mountains to Knoxville, Tennessee, and joined Sherman at Dalton Georgia. The command was attached to the 23rd Corps. Mr. Helms was detailed into the Pioneer Corps at Camp Nelson, but by permission of his officers took part in some of the earlier fighting on the Atlanta Campaign. He was in action at Buzzard Roost and Resaca, and in the last battle was wounded in the left shoulder. He was in the hospital two months, when this place having become irksome, he and six other restless spirits clandestinely boarded a train going to the front, where they rejoined their commands. He found his at Decatur, just east of Atlanta, where he arrived but a day of two before the battle of July 22 in which the lamented McPherson was killed. He did no further duty but kept along with the army. He was at Nashville during the siege and battle, but his regiment was not engaged, only acting as support to the cavalry on the flank. He went with his corps to North Carolina and on arrival at Kingston was sent to the hospital. From there he was transported to Albany New York, where he was discharged June 2 1865. Mr. Helms owns eighty acres of land within two miles of Portland. He is a greenbacker.