Biography of J. W. Helmer, page 734.  History of De Kalb County, Indiana.  
Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

J.W. Helmer, dealer in general merchandise, grain and produce, Corunna, Ind., 
was born in Allegany County, N.Y., Jan. 12, 1824, a son of Godfrey and 
Barbara Helmer, natives of New York, of German descent.  He was reared on a 
farm, attending the district schools till sixteen years of age, when his 
parents moved to Ashtabula, Ohio, where he began to work at the cabinet-
makers’ trade, and served an apprenticeship of three years, receiving as a 
remuneration $30 a year, and was also to have privilege of attending school 
eleven months, which was not given to him.  After completing his time he 
went to Buffalo and worked as a journeyman two years.  He then came west to 
Conneaut, Ohio, and bought the shop that he formerly learned his trade in 
and employed his old boss, and continued in business at that place for 
himself for the next three years, during which time he married Miss A.Z. 
Spalding, and bought a home.  He rented his property and moved to Pierrepont, 
where he built a saw-mill; after running it one year he sold it and built 
another, three miles from the first, running that one year and sold it, 
making $3,500 in two years.  At that time his health failed and he went to 
Sheboygan, Wis., where he engaged in the livery business till 1852, when 
he went to California, remaining there ten years (till 1864) when he sold 
and moved to Goshen, Ind., and engaged in the livery business and a stage 
route from there to Warsaw, which he sold a month later, making $1,200.  
In 1864 he moved to Kendallville, and the following fall to Corunna, where 
he has since resided.  Mr. Helmer was married in April, 1847, to Anna, 
daughter of D. Spalding.  They have two children---Guilford S. and 
Hattie.  Mr. Helmer is a member of the Presbyterian and his wife of the 
United Brethren church.  In politics he is a Republican.  Mr. Helmer’s 
life is a strong incentive to our young men, as by hard labor and close 
economy and strict honesty in business he has succeeded in accumulation a 
handsome fortune.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com