Gene Sheldon Royal Don Gail Veral
These nine Uncles and my Dad were a huge influence on me in my younger years. They all had their faults, but if a Helle gave you his word or said he was going to do something you could go to the bank on it. All of these brothers became business-men in their own right. Some did better than others, but the people they dealt with knew their word was good. To this day this is how I judge all men .( by their word )
Now if you learn anything at all from your old ( not to ) Grand Dad, if you give your word, Keep It !
These ten brothers were part of a very close family, if one was in trouble they were all there to help. Pick a fight with one, you had a fight with the clan.
To give you a example : Back in the 1930s just when these brothers were starting their own sawmills, their was no such thing as labor unions except in the cities. Those were mostly crooked and were ran by gangsters. I was about 2-3 years old (1937-1938 ) when the brothers got word that a union out of Chicago was going to organize all the sawmill
workers in the State. Well the Helle's had the most & the biggest mills. The place to start or so the union thought. To make a long story a little shorter, word came down that on a certain day the union was coming to take over. Well the closest mill to Chicago was my Dads. On this day two cattle trucks full of men carrying pick handles stopped in front of my Dads Sawmill. They sat there for less than 10 minutes, turned around and went back to Chicago. Those TEN brothers were there in the mill yard having a little target shooting match. Back in those days being a better than average rifle shot was something to be proud about, and all of the brothers were much better than average.
How do I know this story is true? every family gathering the conversation always got around to the city slickers who were going to organize the sawmills and how they lit out for Chicago with their tails between their legs
Here are the Brothers and Sisters in order ( 15th Generation )
Llyod Charles Helle b 10 Jan 1903 / d 17 Feb 1984.
Lloyd was a farmer for forty years and held the job of road commissioner for thirty years. This was in the days of dirt roads. (narrow) (muddy or dusty) You would have to see a old old movie to even begin to picture in your mind what the roads were like. BAD ! One story about Uncle Lloyd that was told and retold at every family get together ever since I was a little boy. In Fulton county their was a long straight stretch of a one lane gravel-dirt road. There was a deep ditch on each side of the road.......One day Uncle Lloyd was grading the road and he was right in the middle of the long stretch when here came a local farmer in a Model A pickup. They came head to head in the middel of that road. Both demanded that the other back up, after some talk Llyod told the farmer "move your truck or I will move it for you" The farmer didn't but Uncle Llyod did, he used the grader and shoved the truck off the road into the ditch. When I was 12 years old I found myself in a situation somewhat similar. Uncle Lloyd's story flashed in my mind and when I told this old guy "if you won't move it I will" by the time I got that old Farmal tractor cranked up he had moved his big old Cadillac. The tractor wasn't big enough to move but that dumb kid was sure gona try
Royle George Helle b 23 Feb 1904 / d 30 Sept 1979
Royle was a farmer for all his life, but he made his mark in many ways, His musical talent made him famous before and after he was married. He formed a family band, I do not know how often this band took 1st place at the Illinois state
championships, but it was often. Royle could play a saw like no other. No that's not a misprint ( SAW ) if you never heard of saw playing, and would like to hear one played, If you ask around, for a old timers fiddle group. Sooner or later you will find a saw player. Don't pass up the chance to hear him.
Joseph Arlie Helle......b 8 Jan 1906/ Nov. 7, 2000
Joe also was and is devoted to Farming. Uncle Joe was the Thinker of the family This man has the ability to see through smoke and mirrors. He has always devoted his time to the betterment of the Helle Clan and mankind. Joe was one of the major forces behind the research, and development and printing of the Helle Genealogy. If you are ever passing through or near the Town of Cuba, Illinois, stop and enjoy the Helle Park. Joe still lives in his home in Cuba with his wife (Henrietta ) how ever he's getting up in his years and has stopped runing long foot races.Stop in and say hello.
Joe is with his family now
Delbert Vernon Helle....b 24 March 1907....d Aug 15 1990
Uncle Delbert was the Inventor of the family."The hydraulic sawmill ", log dogs & turners.Where ever you find a sawmill today it will have Helle equipment in it. But what I most remember about him is the man who would make a nephew feel like he was one of his own family. Uncle Delbert had a BIG family, with three sons close to my own age. In the summer months it was always a treat to spend a week at his home. The mischief we got into ( putting it mildly ) ( Another story for another day )
Donald Lee Helle.........b 30 Sept 1908.........d 18 July 1961
Dad was one of the harder workers in the family, Strong as a bull ox, built like a short fullback. Dad was one of the better rifle shots that I have ever known. A avid fox hound man, Spending half the night listening to his hounds running a fox was one of his favorite hobbies. Honest as the day was long, did not drink, never smoked, had no use for for any man who abused women or children. Would give the shirt off his back to anyone who was down on their luck. Dad was killed in a accident at work. Below is a link to a copy of a newspaper clipping that tells how this happened.
We used to say that some one looked like a distant relative, today we understand that this is the results of family genes. To date I have two grandsons that the Helle genes from my Dad are quite evident. Stocky build, fair complexion, bull headed :-),
Bertha Ethel Helle...............b 24 Feb 1910...d 15 April 1996
Ethel, I do not remember to much, as a young boy all my Uncles were all heroes to me. All females old enough to be married you did not pay much attention too, except perhaps if you were hungry. Ethel married Don Walton, who at one time had a Dairy farm in Wisconsin. Later a orange grove in Texas, then retired and back to Illinois. As a young boy I can remember family visits to their farm. We always came home with at least one big round of cheese.
Walter Helle...............b 20 June 1910
Walter at present lives in Savanna, Illinois, his health is not as good as it used to be. But he still lives at home . Walt was the Preacher ( not really ) ( but he talked like one ) of the family. As far as I know, no one has ever him heard use one cuss word.
A true story that has been passed down about Walt, is the time they using a small Cat to drag logs across part of a frozen river The cat broke through the ice and sunk out of sight. Walter was there standing beside this hole in the ice and he kept repeating these words ( Believe You, Me ) the closest anyone had ever heard him cuss.
Note: this was back in the early 30s, Cats that were used then, could to day be hauled in a 3/4 ton pickup. My uncles got that Cat out of the river, by dismantling it in the water and carrying it one piece at a time to shore. This is Winter Time !
but that Cat was their lively hood. I had Tough Uncles !
Sheldon Lyle Helle..............b 25 Nov 1913.........d Jan 1997
Uncle Sheldon was-------( hard to find the words to describe this man ) Even as an adult he still had that devilish glint in his eye from his boyhood days., thus making the tall tales him and his brothers told all the more believable. Sheldon and Walt operated a sawmill in Savanna, Illinois until they retired. If I had been forced to pick a favorite Uncle , Sheldon
would have been right up there at the top.
Verle Burdette Helle..........b 26 May 1917..............d 3 Sept 1980
Uncle Verle was the quite one in the family. He and Uncle Gene after WW 2 lived in Oregon, Illinois and ran a sawmill there. Verle was drafted into the army in 1941, he had training at Ft Lewis, Washington. He spent most of the war patrolling along the Pacific Coast. Sixteen years later I had training at Ft Lewis. I often wondered if by any chance we had slept in the same barracks.
Harley Eugene " Gene " Helle............b 18 July 1918
Uncle Gene was perhaps the court jester of the family in his younger years. Work hard all day and dance all night. When I was perhaps 10 or 12 I remember going with my dad to the annual Cuba Illinois celebration, complete with a carnival and side show. At one of these side shows was a boxing ring, where for a small fee the local suckers could try lasting
3 rounds with a so called boxer. I don't remember much about the details, me and some cousins of mine had crawled under the tent to watch the fun, uncle Gene had got into the ring but before the bell rang some one saw us and ran us kids out. I heard Dad and some of his brothers talking later , they said that Gene had almost killed this so called boxer. Uncle Gene was in the Navy in world war two, started and ran a sawmill for the Seabees as they moved from Island to another.
Gail Helle.............b 23 June 1920................d 10 June 1982
Gail was a copy of his older brother Gene, what ever Gene did, Gail would sure try it. The three youngest Helle Boys (Verle-Gene-Gail) were the best of friends, even double dating through out school. No stories to reflect it, but knowing how these three were, I would venture to guess that stealing a girl from a brother was big sport. During the war Gail was in the Air Force. As a young boy I used to delight in staying with Uncle Gail and his wife Bernice. They had no boys but they did have a tiny baby girl that I loved to push around in a baby buggy. That little girls name was Marigail, whom I have got to know again in these past few years.
Charlotte Florence Helle..........b20 Dec 1921.................d
Aunt Charlotte as I remember her from my childhood had that same quality as my grandmother " treating each nephew and niece as if they were special. As a young girl she had been known for her temper. With ten older brothers its no wonder. I best remember her from when I was four years old. She and her husband ( Harrison Osborn ) lived in the country and at times I would stay with them. Now they had this big rooster ( to me ) this darn chicken would chase me every time I went out in the yard. How I hated that chicken.
Nellie June Helle............b 4 June 1924.............d26 Aug 1932
Aunt June, this aunt of mine died three years before I was born. As a small boy the only memory of her that I have is when her name would be mentioned, a sadness would sweep across the faces of everyone there. I didn't understand death but the sadness I could feel.
Llyod Joe Delbert Walt
MARCH 2006
All of the 15th generation are gone now
gone but never forgotten
