Know Your Ancestor-Day 1

Ok, this is the first installment of what I want to call: Know Your Ancestor. See, my Uncle John was kind enough to send me some genealogy stuff in my Christmas card this year. It came on a disk, and there's so much info, I spent a lot of time last night reading about my ancestors. So, I decided to share a little with you all, whether you are interested or not :)

Ancestor number 1: Joseph Helm (and no, not my father)

This Joseph Helm, or rather the Reverend Joseph Helm, was a farmer and also a Methodist preacher of the "shouting order." He traveled in a caravan from Kentucky/Tennessee to Marion County, Illinois, in 1827, along with a William T. Donoho (this is important later). Although uneducated, Joseph had mental capabilities and oratorical skills that surpassed most men of his surroundings. Joseph would travel around and hold revivalist meetings, within a 40-mile radius of Xenia, Illinois. Joseph had many children, among them James Guinn Helm, Sr. (who my dad was named after) and John Nelson Helm (of whom I am descended).

This information was contributed by B.J. Lawrence, of Amarillo, TX. The original document, as scanned in, is below. After that is a (very crude) depiction of my family tree, at least the direct line that leads to Joseph. :) Thanks for reading, and I hope to add many more installments. Stay tuned!