My Genealogy Hound

ALBERT HELFFENSTEIN, one of the best-known residents of Norristown, who held the office of register of wills for three years, is the son of Jonathan and Emeline (Bush) Helffenstein. He was born near North Wales, February 10, 1840.

The Helffenstein family is very prominent in the history of the German Reformed church, of Pennsylvania, as its members for many generations have been ministers in this church.

Rev. John Conrad Helffenstein (great-grandfather) was born February 16, 1748; in the Palatinate, Germany, and emigrated to America in 1772. During the remainder of his life he was pastor of the German Reformed church at Germantown, Pennsylvania, except for a short time spent as a minister at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, He died May 17, 1790. Three of his sons, Samuel, Charles and Jonathan, were ministers of the Reformed church.

Rev. Samuel Helflenstein (grandfather) was the son of Rev. John C. and Mrs. (Kircher) Helffenstein, his mother having been a resident of Philadelphia. His health was very poor, especially during the early part of his life, and he was not sent to school. He was educated in the synod and was ordained a minister in 1797. He first served as pastor of Boehm’s and Wentz’s congregations in Montgomery county, and afterwards preached at the Race Street church in Philadelphia for thirty-four years, until 1832. He then removed to a country home in Gwynedd township, near North Wales, where he died October 17, 1866, aged ninety-one years. He was one of the most eminent ministers of the Reformed church that has ever lived in America. He was the author of “The Doctrines of Divine Revelation as Taught in the Holy Scripture,” which he wrote at the age of seventy-one years.

Rev. Samuel Helffenstein married Christina Steitle when he was a young man, and they had twelve children. Of these Samuel, Albert and Jacob became ministers. Another son was Dr. B. W. Helffenstein, long a resident of Norristown, and a practicing physician. He was also an accomplished musician.

Jonathan Helffenstein (father) was born in Philadelphia in 1814, was a farmer by occupation and died in March, 1847. His mother survived him until 1860, being eighty-one years of age at the time of her death. He married Ameline Bush, daughter of Henry Bush, and she is enjoying good health at the age of ninety-two years. They had five children, as follows: Samuel B., Albert, Annie, Emanuel and Emily. Samuel B., born November 24, 1838, married, in 1873, Hannah R., daughter of Peter Streeper, of Whitemarsh. Samuel B. Helffenstein was the editor of the Norristown Defender until his death. Annie, married Thomas B. Evans, of Norristown. They have two daughters, Addie and Winnie.

Albert Helffenstein lived at North Wales until he was fourteen years of age, when he removed to Norristown, and was employed as a clerk until his eighteenth year. He learned the trade of printing in the office of the Norristown Defender, then under the control of Colonel William P. Seymour, and in 1864, he and his brother, Samuel B. Helffenstein, purchased the paper from its owner, General Schall, and managed it successfully for a number of years. In 1872, after selling out his interest in the paper to his brother, he became foreman on the Norristown Times, where he remained until 1890. Until 1894 he served as register of wills of Montgomery county, and has since been engaged in the printing business. After the death of Samuel B. Helffenstein, Thomas B. Evans managed the Norristown Defender for the widow of Samuel and it afterwards came under the management of I. R. Cassel. At the sheriff’s sale after Mr. Cassel’s ownership, Mr. Albert Helffenstein purchased the paper, with its stock and good will.

In 1861 Albert Helffenstein married Matilda Earl, daughter of Lawson Earl, of Norristown. They have three children: Emily, who married Charles Howe, of Norristown; Mary, who married Thomas T. Stiles, of Norristown; and Katie, wife of Thomas M. Williams, of Philadelphia.

Mr. Helffenstein has always been an active member of the Democratic party, working earnestly for the success of its principles and candidates. He is a member of the Humane Fire Company. He served for two months as an emergency soldier in Company H, Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania Militia, being stationed successively at Harrisburg, Reading and Philadelphia. As an official Mr. Helffenstein was courteous and obliging to all with whom he came in contact, performing faithfully all the duties entrusted to him. As a citizen he fulfills every requirement, taking an active interest in elections and endeavoring to secure what he believes to be best calculated to promote the progress and prosperity of the community. Few men are more worthy of respect of are so highly esteemed by their fellow-citizens generally.