Benjamin Helmuth
Benjamin Helmuth, one of the well and favorably known farmers of German Township, was born in that township April 2, 1836. His father, Frederick Helmuth, was born in Germany in 1794, and immigrating to America in 1817 first began life in this country by engaging on a farm, as laborer, in Somerset County, Penn. He afterward married Miss Annie Yoder, who was born in that county in 1798. In 1836 they migrated to Holmes County, where they purchased a farm in German Township, and here the wife died, January 15, 1841. Their four children are still living: John, in Marshall County, Ind.; Benjamin; Joseph, in Moultrie County, Ill.; and Solomon, in Howard County, Ind. Mr. Helmuth was married in 1842 to Miss Elizabeth Miller, a native of Holmes County, who born him five children: Daniel, in Newton County, Ind.; Noah, in Reno County, Kan.; Samuel, in Tuscarawas County, Ohio; Frederick, in Geauga County, Ohio, and David, in Walnut Creek Township. Mr. Helmuth was a supporter of the Democratic party, and a member of the Amish Mennonite Church. He made a success of life financially, and was one of the representative men of his day. He died in 1873; his second wife in 1878.
Benjamin Helmuth was reared on the homestead farm and received a common school education. He engaged in teaching for nine years after finishing his education. March 20, 1859, he married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Garver, of Berlin Township, and located on their present farm of 160 acres. Mr. Helmuth has always taken an active part in Democratic politics. In 1875 he was infirmary director, in which capacity he served nine years; he has been a member of the board of education eighteen years, and township trustee six years. He also served on some important committees, of which one of the most notable was in 1884, when the most prominent men of Holmes County, being desirous of building a new court-house for that county, found it necessary to have a special act passed by the Legislature of Ohio to make appropriations for the same. Petitions were presented to the people of the county for same, and signed by them; it also became necessary to have a committee appointed to present said petitions to the Legislature, and Benjamin Helmuth, our subject, was appointed a member of said committee, and succeeded in having said act passed, so that the people of Holmes County now have a court-house that they may be proud of. He also served on committees to investigate the financial condition of Holmes County, made by the county commissioners. In 1878 he was appointed notary public, which office he still holds. He is a prominent member of the Holmes County Agricultural Society; is a member of the Amish Mennonite Church. Mr. and Mrs. Helmuth are the parents of eleven children: Mary, wife of Christian Yoder, of Berlin Township (has five children: Barbara, Moses, Elizabeth, Gideon and Amanda); Lydia, wife of E. D. Oswalt, of Paint Township (has five children: Albert, Harry, Martin, Benjamin and Priscilla); Amanda, wife of John Burkey, of Walnut Creek Township (has four children: William, Allen, Nora, Benjamin and Oscar); Amos, Seth, William, Gideon, Susannah, Isaiah, Melinda and Fanny are at home.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889