Abel Helman
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Abel Helman (April 10, 1824 – 5 March 1910) was an American pioneer of Ashland, Oregon.
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[edit] Early Life
Helman was born in Wayne, Ashland County, Ohio, April 10, 1824, and was of German descent. He was the fourth of seven children. His youth was divided between work on the farm and education through a subscription school, which was common to that period. On October 23, 1849, he married Martha Jane Kanagy. They had eight children altogether.[1]
[edit] Travels
He learned the carpenter’s trade in Wooster, Ohio, worked in cabinet-making until he was twenty-six years old. He heard news of the gold discoveries in California from time to time until his desire for fortune led him to make his way to California. In January 1850, he sailed for Aspinwall as a passenger on the steamer Ohio. In April 1850, he arrived in San Francisco, California, where he made his way to Beaver Creek and eventually on to Sacramento. In 1851 he made a trip over the mountains to the Willamette Valley of Oregon, driving a mule team from Yreka, California, to Salem, Oregon, and while en route he crossed a part of the tract of land that he afterwards took up as a donation claim and upon which a large portion of Ashland, Oregon now resides.
[edit] Oregon
He returned to California, and made his home at Yreka until January, 1852, when he came to Jackson county with several others, all of whom secured donation claims. After making preparations for having a home there he returned to Ohio and brought his wife and children back with him to Oregon. Ashland, named after their old home county in Ohio, became their permanent place of residence. From that time on, Helman was closely associated with the growth of Ashland and the development of his part of the county. The boundaries of his farm extended north and south along what is now First Avenue above the Chautauqua grove and west on what is now Nutley Street, then north through what is now the old North School grounds almost to Bear Creek. As the town developed he sold off much of his original tract but at the time of his death was still occupying a portion of the northern part of the claim, about ten acres of land.
[edit] Business
Upon moving to Ashland, Helman joined with other settlers in many works of public improvement. They built the first sawmill on the banks of Ashland Creek[2] and the first flour mill which occupied a site near the center of the city that is now Lithia Park.[3] The work of development and progress was not accomplished without much labor on the part of the early settlers. They were forced to endure many hardships and privations incident to pioneer life and in the early days there was constant danger of Indian attack. Helman was with those who defended the interests of the pioneer in the Indian war of 1855 and 1856, being stationed at a fort on Wagner Creek. His commission as a first lieutenant of Company A, of the first Regiment, First Brigade, Oregon Militia, was dated December 20, 1865. He became the first postmaster of Ashland and continued in that position for twenty-seven years (1855-1882).
[edit] Career
Helman ranked high in Odd Fellow Circles, having a wide acquaintance among the order throughout the state. He was one of the first members of Ashland Lodge, No. 45, I. O. O. F., and for many years served as one of its officers, filling every position in the subordinate lodge. In 1892 he was grand master of the grand lodge of Oregon. He became a member and past patriarch of the Pilot Rock encampment and he was also grand patriarch of the grand encampment of Oregon. For two years he was grand representative from Oregon to the sovereign grand lodge sessions and he was also prominent in the Rebekah organization. He was interred with the honors of the order, having died on 5 March 1910, at the age of eighty five.
Helman Elementary school in Ashland, Oregon is named for him.[4]
[edit] Source
The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912, Vol. II: Biographical, Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912, pp. 619-20.
