James was born about 1816 to Michael and Nancy Helms.
He married Sarah A Clevenger on August 4, 1836 in Wayne County, Indiana[1]. They had eight children together[2][3]; five sons: Michael, Daniel, John Henry, Isaiah, and Samuel, and three daughters: Lucinda, Nancy, and Susan. A sixth son, David Martin, may have also come from their marriage.
It is unknown what ultimately happened to Sarah, but she disappears from the Helms family somewhere between 1856 and 1858. It is possible she died giving birth to either Samuel or David, but no source has been located to establish this for sure.
On August 12, 1858 he married Nancy Jane Williams.[4] Four more children were produced from this marriage[3]; three sons: David Martin, Emery L, and Wilbert Alvin, and one daughter, Catherine Ann. The first of these children, David Martin, was born in the year before they were married and may instead be a result of his previous marriage, records are unclear.
On January 26, 1864 he enlisted as a Private in Company F, 124th Regiment Indiana Volunteers[5][6] along with his son Michael[7].
Little is known about James and his family following the events of the American Civil War. It appears that his marriage to Nancy ended in the mid to late 1860s, after which she remarried to a William Russell.[8][9]
He passed away on October 11, 1885 at his residence in Centerville, Wayne County, Indiana.[10][11] He is buried at the Gentry Cemetery near Centerville.[5][12]
Research Notes
Census records for James seem to be missing for 1870 and 1880. Though there does appear to be an 1866 marriage record[13] that could be him.
Sources
↑ "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27VG-Q1V : accessed 13 August 2020), James Helms and Sarah Clevenger, 04 Aug 1836; citing Wayne, Indiana, United States, Marriage Registration, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 007030215.
↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHJJ-P5G : accessed 11 August 2020), James Helms, Jefferson, Henry, Indiana, United States; citing family 116, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
↑ "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27VG-RMN : accessed 11 August 2020), James F Helms and Nancy J Helms, 12 Aug 1858; citing Wayne, Indiana, United States, Marriage Registration, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 007030217.
↑ "United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F9PP-16K : accessed 13 August 2020), James F. Heelems, Private, Company F, 124th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Union; citing NARA microfilm publication M540 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 32; FHL microfilm 881,753.
↑ "United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSR4-VM9 : accessed 13 August 2020), Michael Helms, Private, Company F, 124th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Union; citing NARA microfilm publication M540 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 33; FHL microfilm 881,754.
↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH99-TDH : downloaded 12 August 2020), Wilson Russell, Fairmount, Grant, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district ED 177, sheet 586A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,280.
↑Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207269836 : accessed 11 August 2020), memorial page for PVT James Finley Helms (1816–11 Oct 1885), Find A Grave: Memorial #207269836, citing Gentry Cemetery, Wayne County, Indiana, USA ; Maintained by Dunwandrin 1 (contributor 46777593) .
↑ "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27VP-M46 : accessed 14 August 2020), James F Helms and Lucy Malone, 30 Sep 1866; citing Wayne, Indiana, United States, Marriage Registration, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 007030218.
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with James by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line.
It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with James: