Jesse Helsel Biography
(father of Odebolt attorney, W.A. Helsell)
From Google Books: Oberlin Alumni Magazine, By Oberlin College Alumni Association, Published by Oberlin College for the Alumni Association., 1905 Item notes: v. 2, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized Jan 12, 2009
Page 72: Jesse Helsel [also Helsell] , A. B. 1846; O.T.S.
died at his home in Odebolt, Iowa, July 12, 1905.
Mr. Helsel was graduated from Oberlin College in 1846, and from the Theological
Seminary with the class of 1849. He entered at once upon the ministry and became
a member of the Evangelical Synod of Ohio. After several years of preaching it
became necessary for him to give up accepting a definite pastorate, but
continued to preach as opportunity offered. He was elected mayor of Odebolt, and
after serving one term refused to allow his name to be placed among the
candidates for office on account of the strong opposition to him caused by his
execution of the liquor laws. He was afterward appointed Justice of the Peace,
which office he held seven years. Two sons and his wife, Eliza Smith Helsel,
whom he married August 23, 1849, survive him.
Biographies and portraits of the progressive men of Iowa: leaders ...
Volume 2 By Benjamin F. Gue, Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh, 1899
(From Google Books - Publisher Conaway & Shaw, 1899, Original from Harvard
University , Digitized Jan 26, 2008 )
Page 273 .. HELSELL, Rev. Jesse, is a son of Captain John Helsell, a well-known farmer of York County, Pennsylvania. He was generally known as Captain Helsell, as he was a captain of the militia, which included all the able-bodied men of the state between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, and who were required to enroll and train under regular officers. His mother's maiden name was Miss Mary Lou. Jesse was born on the farm in York County December 31, 1813. There were no public schools in Pennsylvania at that early day and Jesse had a poor chance to get a good education.
He was sent to such schools as the neighborhood afforded a few months in the year, and as soon as he became old enough to help on the farm he could only be spared to go to school in the winter months. When he grew to manhood he had permission from his father to start out for himself. He went to Ohio and stopped with an uncle, finding work in the summer at good wages, doing chores in the winter for his board, and attending school. He managed in this way to get education enough to teach a winter school, working as a farm hand summers.
Teaching inspired him to try to been a student in the college. They went to Millersburg, the county seat of Holmes County, Ohio, where there was a Lutheran Church without a minister, and as Mr. Helsell had been ordained as a minister in that get a better education. He went to Oberlin, took a preparatory course and was then admitted to the freshman class, and remained in the college until 1846, when he graduated. He was one of the students chosen to deliver an oration on Commencement Day. He determined to prepare for the ministry, and took a course in the Theological department to qualify himself for that profession.
Soon after he was united in marriage with Eliza A. Smith, who had denomination, he there began to preach. The church building had been sold for debt, and Mr Helsell purchased it, raising the money among the people to pay for it, and began to hold regular services in it. He remained there ten years, making many warm friends. He was a strong anti-slavery man, and his outspoken denunciation of the institution made enemies among the politicians. He was always an advocate of a prohibitory liquor law, and at a mass convention of temperance men, was placed in nomination for State Senator. It was a strong democratic district, and Mr. Helsell was, of course, defeated, but reduced the usual majority of from 1,500 to 1,000 to less than 500.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Helsell while living in Ohio, one of whom died at the age of fourteen months. They were anxious to find better facilities for educating their boys, and with this purpose in view they went "to Iowa and purchased 200 acres of prairie land. They moved to Iowa City, and there, finding a church without a minister, Mr. Helsell supplied the pulpit there and at other places in the vicinity. Times being hard at the beginning of the war, they moved onto the farm, but Mr. Helsell continued to preach to congregations at Lisbon and Oxford Junction, running the farm by the assistance of hired men. Some years later they moved to Clarence, where Mr. Helsell helped to complete a church building, in which he preached regularly. His two sons entered college, one at Ames, and the other at Carthage, Illinois, where they graduated with honor and chose the law for their profession, in which they are meeting with very fair success. The younger son, F. H. Helsell, was elected Judge of the Fourteenth Judicial District by the republican party in 1898.
In 1878 the family moved to Sac County, where Mr. Helsell purchased a half section of land and began to improve it. He built a residence in Odebolt and, on account of bronchial troubles, retired from active ministry. He was elected mayor of the town and served one term.
During his ministerial life Mr. Helsell represented the synod several times as a delegate to the general synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the United States. He has also served as president, secretary and treasurer of the synod at various times. He also served on the board of directors of Wittenberg College at Springfield, Ohio, and also of Carthage College in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Helsell are now spending their declining years at Odebolt, occupying the residence designed for that purpose.