BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 639-640.

PETER W. HELPBRINGER

Peter W. Helpbringer, a well-known and successful farmer of Richland township,
Belmont county, was born in 1846, the son of John and Tamazin (Wolf) Helpbringer.
His grandfather, Frederick, the first of the family in America, came to America
about the year 1800, from Germany, his native land. He settled in Virginia and
there raised a family, among whom was John, the father of the subject of this
mention. John, in about 1830, removed to Ohio, and made his home in Guernsey
county, afterward, however, in 1846, removing to Smith township, Belmont county.
He then settled on a farm, on which he remained until 1882, when he and wife
made their home with their son, Peter W. He was a successful farmer, and also
conducted a flouring and saw-mill. He lived to the age of seventy-eight years.
His wife was the daughter of Peter and Clarissa (Ridgeway) Wolf, of Scotch-
Irish descent. She and her husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal
church. Peter W. was reared on the farm, and has engaged much of his time in
the mills of his father. He received his education in the common schools and
at Duff's Commercial college, at Pittsburgh. In 1878 he bought of his father
what was known as the Helpbringer mill, and after thoroughly refitting it
continued to operate it. On April 22, 1880, was married to Jane L., daughter
of Henry and Matilda (Hall) Neff. He and wife commenced house-keeping on the
Helpbringer farm, and continued to operate the mill until the spring of 1882,
when he rented the mill to W. T. Minnameyer, and commenced to erect the build-
ings on the farm, where he now resides, in Richland township, near Glencoe, on
B. & O. R. R., finishing and occupying them in October, 1883. In the years that
have elapsed, however, he has been prosperous in his undertakings, and now has
310 acres of valuable land, well improved, and has a comfortable and pleasant
home, which has been blessed by the presence of five children, four of whom
survive: Albert S., Clara M., Ralph E. and an infant son, James Nelson. Mrs.
Helpbringer was born in 1880, in Smith township, and she is a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Helpbringer is a member.