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Facts and Events
John Helm was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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- American Revolutionary War Veteran
Revolutionary War Pension Information
Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 2, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
- Helm, John - born 1761*; Botetourt [then Augusta] County, Virginia, where entered service 1774/5 for father Jacob; moved in 1780 in Rowan County, North Carolina where entered service; returned to Botetourt County, Virginia, where entered service 1781; moved after Revolutionary War to Lincoln County, North Carolina; granted Pension there in 1833; died there 5/31/1838; married 5/1782-3 to Anna Ockerman, Rowan County, North Carolina; widow granted Pension age 80 in Cleveland County, North Carolina in 1844; resided 1848 in Burke County, North Carolina; children's births: John 3/1/1788, Jacob 8/1/1793, Peter 5/29/1798, Any 2/15/1800, Eliza 8/25/1803, & Barbary 10/20/1810; son Jacob resided 1845 in Catawba County, North Carolina; surname spelled Helums in family bible; surname also spelled Helms; query letter in file 19-- from descendant Mrs. S.G. Scholtin, Gouverneur, New York, who also descendant of Virginia Revolutionary War Soldiers Leonard Helm & Abraham Barriger. F-W3811, R1248.
- - date of birth listed as "1781" in this book, but this is a typo, as it is clearly listed as "1761" in Revolutionary War Pension Application Declaration transcript on "Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements". In addition, since he entered service in 1774/75, and married in 1782/83, he clearly could not have been born in 1781.
References
- Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of John Helm (John Helms) W3811 fn58NC
Transcribed by Will Graves
North Carolina, Lincoln County
On this 16th day of July personally appeared in open Court before the County
Court of Lincoln now sitting, John Helm, a resident Lincoln County and State of North Carolina, aged 72 years who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth make the following declaration upon oath in order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress passed June 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named
officers and served as herein stated: he first entered the American Army as a substitute for his father, Jacob Helms, in the year 1774 or 1775 in the County of Bottertot [sic, Botetourt] State of Virginia, where he then lived, but does not remember the month, he being illiterate and very old, but thinks it was in the month of October of that year. That he was commanded by Captain William Briant & Colonel John Lewis. That he marched from there to the boels [? bowels?] of Greenbrier in Virginia and from [there] through the wilderness to Fort Pitt. That he was in no engagement during this tour, that he was about 16 years of age when he entered the army at this time and he served six months in this tour. Was discharged by Captain Briant according to his present recollection & has lost said discharge, if he ever had one in writing. That he does not know that he has any documentary evidence to prove this term of his service & that he does not know of any person now in this state who can prove this term of his service.
That he moved from Botetourt County State of Virginia into Rowan County North
Carolina in the year 1780 and that he volunteered in August or September of said year and joined the American army at the Six Mile Creek in Rowan County North Carolina under Captain Smith, marched from there to Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, N. Carolina from thence to Rocky River, from thence he was marched to near the place now called Cheraw Hills, South Carolina, from thence he was marched towards the place where the Battle of the Cowpens (S. Carolina) was fought to join Genl. Morgan's army. But the
battle was over before he arrived or met General Morgan & that he meet the prisoners
who were taken at that battle between Charlotte N. Carolina and the battle ground. That he was then marched back to Salisbury, N. Carolina to build a stockade & to guard the prisoners, that he was then discharged. That this term of service lasted three months.
Was discharged he thinks by Captain Smith but has lost his discharge. That he knew
Generals Morgan & Green [sic, Nathanael Greene].
John Helms [sic] further states that he returned to the State of Virginia in the
month of July or August in the year 1781 to Botetourt County. That he again volunteered in said county as an American Soldier in the U.S. Army in the month, he thinks, of August or July 1781, under Captain John Swift & Col. Samuel Lewis. That he knew
General Washington during this time & was under his command. That he was first
marched to Richmond, State of Virginia & from thence to Williamsburg & from thence
to Little York, was in several light engagements at that place or in its vicinity, that he served in this campaign three months, took sick, was put in the hospital & believes he was discharged by the Surgeon who attended him, whose name he does not now recollect & he lost his discharge & has no documentary evidence to prove this or any other part of his services in the Revolution & knows of no person in this state who can prove this term of his service. John Helm states further that he was born, he thinks, about the year 1761 -- in the County of Botetourt State of Virginia, as he has been informed, but has no record of his age. Lived in Botetourt County Virginia where he first entered the Army of the U. States. Has lived in the County of Lincoln, North Carolina ever since the close of the Revolution and still lives in said County.
He states that he is known to John Wacoster and George Wacoster who reside in
his immediate neighborhood & who have known him for many years & know that he is
generally reputed in his neighborhood to have been a soldier in the Revolution & that the Reverend Hugh Quin has known him for several years & knows that it is generally reputed in his neighborhood that he was a soldier in the Revolution & these men can also testify to his character & veracity & that they believe he was a soldier in the American army during the Revolution & served as herein stated. He the said Helms [sic] does hereby relinquish all & every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State.
S/ John Helms, X his mark
Sworn to in Open Court
S/ V. McBee, C. C.
[May 1, 1844, Anna Helm filed for widow's pension stating, that she is 80 years old, the widow of John Helm, that they were married Rowan County, NC in 1782 or 1783; that her husband died May 31, 1838.][maiden name Ann Ockerman]
[May 3, 1845, Jacob Helm, son of John and his wife, Anna, filed an affidavit in Catawba County, NC, on behalf of his mother, Anna Helm, widow of John, saying that he now possesses the old papers of the family in which the ages of the children of John and Anna are recorded as follows:
John Helms was born March the 1st day 1788
Jacob Helms was born August 1 day 1793
Peter Helms was born May 29th day 1798
Amy Helms was born February 15th day 1800
Eliza Helms was born August 25th day 1803
Barbary Helms was born October 20th 1810.]
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