STAR VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

HISTORICAL BOOKS INVENTORY DETAILS

1. Overview

Title: Ernest Abraham Helm (Dick)

Author: (a grandchild)

Subject: Personal History

Publisher:

Publishing Date:

Number of Pages: 5

ID#: 835

Location: Website

Evaluation

Evaluator's Name(s): Polly and Kent EricksonDate of Evaluation: June 2017

Key Words: Smoot, Pearl Harbor, Army Air Force, Trinidad, Pinedale,Palisades Dam, Flaming Gorge Dam, Fontenelle Dam

Included Names: Heber Anderson, Ruby, Dale (Dell) Schwab, Spencer Taggart

SvnoDsis

Ernest Abraham Helm was known by most as Dick. He was born in 1920 inSmoot, Wyoming. In 1922, his father died leaving his wife with 6 children. Hegraduated from Star Valley High School in 1940, then was inducted into themilitary in 1941. He returned to Star Valley in 1945 and married lone Parsons in1946. He worked on his farm and also on several dam sites. He shared his love of

hunting and fishing with his children. On their 40 '' wedding anniversary, lone andDick were sealed to each other and to their children. He passed away in 1991 in thesame home he was born in.

4. Other

^Letter written by Dick, probably for a class reunion^Contributed by lone Helm

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Ernest Abraham Helm known to most as Dick, known to me as grandpa was bom in Smoot

Wyoming on December 1, 1920, He was the youngest of six children. He had two brothers and threesisters. His older sister died when she was an infant. When he was bom the doctor came to the house by

team and sleigh. Smoot was asmall town probably 12 to 15 houses, most of which were small 2room

log cabins.

His father died of the flu in 1922 when Gmndpa was only 16 months old. His mother was left

with five small children to keep the farm" going. As soon as the children were old enough they went to

work to help out.

His sister Ruby, who is just older than he, recalls that when they were little their Grandpa Schwab

tended them while their mother worked on the farm. Grandpa was arambunctious two year old and

Grandpa Schwab could not keep up with them. They remember spending many hours playing in the

bedroom.

Grandpa's best friend growing .ip was Hebcr Anderson. One time during grade school the} got to

laughing and couldn't stop. Grandpa was put in front of the class and every time he would look at Heberhe would start laugliing again.

Grandpa loved animals. Even as achild he was always collecting and taking in strays. He would

dug up the front yard to make ponds for ducks and geese and took care of stray dogs in unique wajs.

Ernest Abraham Helm

One time there was a dog that wouldn't leave. So he took a rag and dipped it in kerosene. He tied it to

the dog's tail with a rope and lit it. It scared the dog so bad that he took off running. Grandpa panicked

when he saying it running straight for a grain field just ready to harvest. Fortunately there was a stream

right before the field which put the rag out. What a close call!

Throughout his life his love for animals was demonstrated by giving care and refuge to all sorts

of creatures. At varies at times he brought home a sand hill crane that became the family pet. He also

rescued a baby bobcat. His tender care for these animals was shown when the female pet pheasant died

and Grandpa released the male because he didn't feel that it was right that the male was kept captive

without his mate. He always said that if you don't like animals you have no business being a farmer.

When he was young he had a dog that used to pull him on a hand sleigh. The dog was a large

boxer. Grandpa and Uncle Sam built a harness out of some leather that fit over his shoulders. They tied

the dog to the sleigh which pulled them all over, sometimes up to six miles a day over to their cousin's

on Salt River. Twice a day they would walk 2 1/2 miles to milk the cows both summer and winter. Theyt

were a very happy family even though they didn't have much.

Ruby and Grandpa were best friends. They loved to fish but only had one pole. Needless to say

Ruby never became a fisherman. Grandpa could always remember exactly where he caught which fish

and how big it was. He loved to catch fish but always shared with others who had less than he.

He had a keen mind and a talent for learning, he really appreciate the opportunity to attend high

school. He was the only member of his family that graduated. He attended the old rock school and was a

member of the graduating class of 1940. I-ast summer he attended his 50th class reunion. He was thrilled

that he was able to attend and renew those acquaintances.

Most of his childhood was working on the farm. At 19 his first job off the farm was working

construction on a crusher in the mouth of Dry Holler. He was paid $3.75 a day. Following graduation

from high school he worked on the railroad at Fossil, and lived with his sister Ruby and her husband

Virgil and their family.

Ernest Abraham Helm Page 2

He turned 21 on December 1, 1941 and Pearl Harbor was bombed on the 7th. Shortly thereafterhe was inducted into the military. He was very proud to serve his country. He was assigned to the ArmyAir Force and trained in Utah, California, New York and then New Jersey. He traveled by ship toUverpool, England where he was assigned to the 315th troop carrier group. He participated in theNormandy Invasion and the liberation of Europe.

Grandpa told of arriving in England about 1:00a.m. on afoggy night. It was so dark that youcould hardly see the man in front of you as they marched down the streets. To avoid bumping into eachother they put their hand on the shoulder of man in front of them. He remembered that it seems as theymarched about 3miles to atrain where they boarded and were transported inland to an air raid shelter

where they spent the night.

One of his jobs was with the 82nd Airborne Division, he tested, packed, and repaired parachutes.Although trained to do so he was never called upon to jump.

After the war his return trip look him tojhe Island of Trinidad in the Caribbean where he was an

acting supply sergeant for the air lift bringing troops back from Europe to go to the Pacific. On his wayhome he got into acar wreck. He hit asnow plow head on. Tlie top of his head had several scares due toit.

In the fall of 1945 he returned to Star Valley. One evening grandpa had taken grandmato amovie and grandma tagged along with them. By the end of the evening Grandma had got his eyeand he decided she was the one for him. After traveling the world on April 19, 1946 he married his

door neighbor lone Parsons in Idaho Falls, Idaho. One of their wedding presents was 12 chicken. It i

lot different than the toaster you receive today.

Their first home was in Afton where Grandpa worked for the State Experiment Farm. In thespring of 1948 he and several of his friends went to Pincdalc and homcstcadcd 160 acres each. He

cleared 40 acres of sage brush and planted grain. The winter there was tough and the wind blew

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Ernest Abraham HelmPoj^e 3

constantly. About DcccnilKr of that year Grandpa returned to Star Valley and bouglit the Parson Family

farm and their milk cows in Smoot. He never proved up on the homestead in Pinedale.

Grandpa and Grandma spent their life engaged in farming. They bought additional land including

Howell place which they live in today. To supplement their income grandpa worked construction buildin

the Palisade Dam, Flaming Gorge Dam and Fontinclle Dam. He was a skilled carpenter and also worked

as a rock driller and high sealer.

His children remember him bringing home the pics and fruits from the lunches that were providcc

to the workman at these projects. He brought them home as special treats to his children.

He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He and his brothers and brothers in law planned their

hunting trips with great vigor. He was an outstanding marksman and usually bagged his game with one

shot. He hunted to provide for his family, but always harvested the game according to the law. One

humorous incident that the family recalls occurred when grandpa, Dale Schwab and Spencer Taggart

were hunting deer. They came upon a head of a deer across the draw. Grandpa and Dale each shot and

downed a deer, when Spencer shot he got the telegraph wire. They laughed so hard that the rest of theV

deer ran away.

He shared with his children his love of animals and the outdoors. They always named their pets

such as Nanny and Billy the wallpaper eating goais, Herman the crane and Limpy the cow with the

frozen cars and feet. He taught his children to be kind to animals. On special days such as Christmas, he

would show the kids this love by giving the animals extra special care and feed.

He taught his children to hunt and fish showing them the way to catch fish with grasshoppers.

You have to bend the wings a special way and put them on the hook just right. The grasshoppers need to

have clear wings, not red or yellow, and they have to lay on the water just right.

He had a good sense a humor and loved to laugh. He had a way of telling a joke or pulling a gag

and keeping a straight face right up to the very end. He was always able to a make friends and

Ernest Abraham Helm

Iacquaintances easily. Striking aconversation with acomplete stranger, who, within afew minutes wouldI appear to be along lost buddy. He loved agood story and shared his love of life with those around him.

Once Grandpa found something he like he never changed. He always used Ivory soap, Colgate

I toothpaste and ate Kellogs com flakes for breakfast.I He was agenerous and giving man. He trusted everyone. Many times he would leave his own

work to go help his neighbor or work at the church fami. His attitude was always, "that I might need

some help myself one day." He was always willing to share what little he had with those who may haveI needed it. Friends and family never left their home without something in hand. Remember the colored3eggs, elk steak or produce from their garden.

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He was always honest in his dealings. And imparted that to his family. His good name was

I important.Grandpa and Grandma have six children, 25 grand children and five great grand children. Four of

the grand children are currently serving missions. For his 70th birthday, the quilt that you see here was

I given to him by his family.k

One of the highlights of his recent life was on their 45th wedding anniversary Grandpa and

grandma were able to be sealed for all eternity to each other and their families in the Logan temple

I On August 1st, 1991 Grandpa past away very peacefully surrounded by his family in the sameII home he was bom in. What an exciting reunion grandpa must of had with those members of his family

that preceded him. His father whom he never knew, his mother, a sister, 2 brothers, 2 brothers in law, a

I son in law, and 2grandchildren.

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IErnest Abraham Helm 5

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•our 40TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY'* APRIL 19, 1986

Dave, Jill,Dennay, J. Ann,Verda Nell, Van,

lone, Dick

Af^er i grrdLted I went to work for U.P. Railroad at Possil I wascalled into the Ar»y rtirLlan 'orxrinidld inLrrafibb^af' rs^t hre frrtre lr^ October 1st 1945. I -cried »y next doorneighbor (lone Parsons) in April yite'orou^cmrrL'rereal busy the first years of our marriage ^.na na;married and Van Is attending the University of Wyoming.We have 25 Grandchildren and four Great Grandchildren. g r-. jsuffered. Dennay our second daughter lost t^^r homethe dam broke. Later that summer her husband died. Theand a Granddaughter were great sorrows for us.lone and I purchased the Parson farm and then the Edwin HowelMother and Dad's homestead. We have been involved rnlife. We live in the house where I was bom 69 years ag ,died 67 years ago. The wife and I have worked numerous jobs to help paythe farm. Our greatest joy is our family.Looking forward the seeing my classmates at our Tenn^on. " ^Ernest (Dicky) and lone Helm, J. Ann, Dennay, Verda Nell, Dave, Jill

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