Israel Akesson Okeson HELM

                   Bio
Captain Israel Helm
by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig Fellow, American Society of Genealogists Fellow, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania Historian, Swedish Colonial Society originally published in Swedish Colonial News, Volume 1, Number 6 (Fall 1992)
One of the legendary leaders emerging from New Sweden was Israel Helm, originally known as Israel Åkesson.
In 1749, Israel Helm's youngest son told Peter Kalm that his father had come to New Sweden at the age of 12 with Governor Printz in 1642-43 and lived in the Governor's household. Records at the Swedish National Archives give a slightly different story: they show that Israel Åkesson came to New Sweden in 1641 on the Charitas, with his father, musketeer Åke Israelsson from Stockholm. His father died at sea, one month before the Charitas reached New Sweden, and young Israel was cared for by the Company as an orphan. Undoubtedly, he became a ward of Governor. Printz after his arrival in 1643.
On 1 March, 1648, after Israel became 18, he was named a soldier by Governor Printz and served in this capacity until he returned to Sweden with the governor in 1653. Two years later, Israel Akesson went to New Sweden a second time on the Mercurius and apparently resided on Tinicum Island. When Armegot Printz sold this island to Joost de la Grange in 1662, Israel returned to Europe in her company. Over the next twelve months he appears to have married and to have helped recruit more Finnish Swedes as settlers for the City of Amsterdam, which then controlled the Delaware River. Israel next appears in Delaware River records in the fall of 1663 when he arrived by a Dutch ship at present New Castle in the company of 32 new Finnish settlers. The Dutch governor rewarded him by granting him a monopoly on the fur trade in present Pennsylvania and by naming him a "High Councillor," qualifying him to sit on the Swedes' Upland court.
Israel, who adopted the surname Helm (from hjelm, meaning "helmet" in Swedish) served continuously as a justice on the Upland court from 1663 to 1681, and acquired the title of Captain, a rank usually reserved for those who served as captain in the Swedish militia.
Through his Indian trading, Israel Helm also became proficient in the Indian dialects and was in frequent demand to negotiate treaties with the Indians. As a reward, Governor Andros of New York granted him land near Burlington Island in 1677. Helm later surrendered this land to William Penn for his "Pennsbury" estate in exchange for other land on the Brandywine River.
After his return to America in 1663, Helm's principal residences were at Calcon Hook (Lower Darby) and Upland (Chester). By 1677, however, he had moved to Gloucester County, NJ, where he resided on Clonmell Creek until his death in the winter of 1701-02. He was buried next to his wife in the old Swedish graveyard on Tinicum Island.
Israel Helm had three sons and five daughters:
Israel, Jr., born c. 1663, went to sea around 1691 and was never heard from again.
Helene, born c. 1665, married Peter Cock, Jr., son of Peter Larsson Cock, in 1682 and had nine children. She died at Passyunk (South Philadelphia) after 1708.
Maria, born in 1666, married Andrew Robeson (of Scotch birth) c. 1690 and had I I children. She died 12 November 1716 and was buried at Gloria Dei. Her husband died 19 February 1720 and was the first person known to be buried at the Swedish church in Douglassville in Berks County.
Another daughter, name unknown, was probably the first wife of Anders Friend, son of Nils Larsson Frände, and father of Israel Friend, of later Indian trading fame in Maryland. She died before her father.
Ingeborg, born c. 1670, became the second wife of Eric Mullica after 1693 and moved with her husband and youngest stepchildren to the Mullica River. She was a widow by 1704 and had no known children of her own.
Elisabeth, born c. 1673, married George Lawrence (English) by 1695 and had eight children. This family resided in lower Gloucester County, where she died c. 1737.
Hermanus, born c. 1675, married Catharine (parents not identified) and had at least I I children. He remained on his father's plantation, known as "Helmstadt," adding other lands, and died in November 1740.
Åkenus, born c. 1677, had two wives, Catharine Rambo (daughter of John Rambo and Brigitta Cock) and Elisabeth Dalbo, (daughter of Olof Dalbo and Catharine Friend), and had at least 11 children. He served as a trustee of the Swedish church in Swedesboro, NJ and died in 1750 at his plantation on Raccoon Creek in Gloucester County.Came to New Sweden as a boy with his father in 1641. His father having died at sea. They were aboard the CHARITAS to New Sweden. He was listed as an orphan when he arrived and he lived in the household of Governor Printz until he has old enough to become a soldier in 1648, when he adopted his surname Hjelm ("helmet" in Swedish).
He returned to Sweden in 1653. He returned to New Sweden 2 years later on the Mercurius. He went to Europe one last time, in 1662-63, in the company of Armegot Printz. While there he helped Governor d'Hinojossa recruit new settlers for America, 32 of them Finns, whom he accompanied on the Purmelander Kerck, arriving 3 Dec 1663. The governor rewarded Israel's efforts by naming hima "high councillor" (justice of the Upland court) and granting him a monopoly on the Indian fur trade among the up-river Swedes> He continued as justice of the Upland court until 1681, having acquired (by 1668) the surname of Helm and the title of Captain. In 1668 Israel Helm was one of four patentees for Calcon Hook.
In 1671, now married and with at least 4 children (Israel Jr. Helena, Mariam and Ingeborg), he chose to sell his share of Calcon Hook on 29 Apr and moved to Upland. Later children were Hermanus, Akenus, and Elisabeth Helm. He was a justice on the Upland Court since 1665.    (1671 Census of the Delaware - Peter Stebbins Craig, 1999. Published by the Genealogical Society of PA,  pg 25.)

Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, 3406 Macomb St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016.

His property was at Calcon Hook. "Downstream along Mill (Darby) Creek, next came to Calcon (Turkey) Hook, on the west side of Mill (Darby) Creek stretching southwestward about a mile to Mokornippates Kill. A patent had been issued for this tract 18 Jun 1668, replacing an earlier Dutch grant of 4 Aug 1663. This area would later be known as Lower Darby Township.

Lived on the west bank of the Delaware River for many years, he moved to the mouth of Repaup Creek in the 1680s. Two of the 3 sons, Hermanus and Acke, had families to perpetuate the surname. (Membership of Swedish Lutheran Churches at Raccoon and Penns Neck, N.J. 1771.

Israel enticed Finns to cross the Atlantic. Helm, himself an emigrant, lived on the Delaware and had been in Sweden to recruit emigrants on the initiative of the Dutch governor of a portion of the fomrer New Sweden. Although attempts had been made by the Swedish administration to stop them, the emigrants Helm recruited traveled from Christina in Norway via Amsterdam, reaching their destination successfully. They travelled on the ship Mercurius. (New Swede in America, edited by Carol E. Hoffecker, et. al.  1995 by Associated University Presses, Inc.)

Decendants of Isreal Akeson Helm
escendants of Israel of Sweden
1 Israel .....2 Ake Israelson- 1642 Died on Voyage to Delaware Colony ..........3 Israel (Capt. Israel Helm) Akeson 1627 - 1701, d. in Gloucester Co, NJ ...............4 Israel Helm, Jr. 1663 - Left the country 1791, never heard from again ...............4 Helena Helm 1665 - ..................+Peter Peterson Cock, Jr. - 1708 ....................5 Maria 1683 - ....................5 Helena 1685 - ....................5 Peter III 1683 - ....................5 Margaret 1690 - ....................5 Israel 1693 - ....................5 Marcus (MAns) 1695 - ....................5 Catherine ....................5 Deborah ....................5 Susannah ...............4 Maria Helm 1666 - 1716 ..................+Anderew Robeson 1653 - 1719 ....................5 Andrew Robeson 1691 - ....................5 Israel Robeson 1693 - ....................5 Jonathan Robeson 1695 - ....................5 David Robeson 1697 - ....................5 Magdelena Robeson 1699 - ....................5 Thomas Robeson 1701 - ....................5 Samuel Robeson 1703 - ....................5 Mary Robeson 1705 - ....................5 Peter Robeson 1705 - ....................5 Elinor Robeson 1709 - ....................5 Margaret Robeson 1711 - ...............4 Ingeborg Helm 1670 - ..................+Eric Mullica 1636 - 1704 (Eric had a prior wife Ingeri Phillipsson and , .................... a number of children, not listed here.) ...............4 Elizabeth Helm 1673 - 1736 ..................+Geo Lawrence - 1721 ....................5 Richard .........................6 Israel ....................5 Israel .........................6 Sarah .........................6 Elizabeth .........................6 James (Israel James) ....................5 George ....................5 Edward .........................6 William .........................6 Elizabeth ....................5 Eme (Amy) .......................+John Justice .........................6 Lawrence .........................6 Amy .........................6 Lydia .........................6 Alice .........................6 Charles .......................*2nd Husband of Eme (Amy): ..........................+Andrew Martin .........................6 Lydia .........................6 George .........................6 Hannah .........................6 Elizabeth .........................6 Ann .........................6 Amy ....................5 Sarah ....................5 dau ....................5 dau ...............4 Hermanus Helm 1675 - 1740 d. in Gloucester Co NJ ....................*1st unproven partner of Hermanus Helm: ........................+Mary Lock ....................5 unknown unproven child ............................*2nd Wife of Hermanus Helm: ................................+Catherine- 1739 ....................5 Rebecca (Diana) Helm1704 - .......................+Israel Lock .........................6 Catherine .........................6 Hermanus .........................6 Israel .........................6 Christina .........................6 Sarah ....................5 Israel Helm 1705 - 1759 .......................+ Unknown unproven wife .........................6 William Helms 1728 - 1774 lived in Ridley/L.Darby TWP, Chester Co, Pa ............................+Catherine Martin(?) or Morton. Their children are not usually considered ..............................descendants of Captain Israel Akeson Alias Helm, but there has ..............................been considerable interest in them . ..............................7 Israel Helm 1761 - ..............................7 Job Helms 1762 - ..............................7 Elizabeth Helms 1764 - ..............................7 John Helms 1771 - ..............................7 Nancy Helms 1774 - ..............................7 Martha Helms 1776 - ..................................+Mary Peterson 1st legitimate wife of Israel Helm .........................6 Hermanus 1733 - died young .........................6 Catherine 1736 - .........................6 Mary 1739 - .............................+Jonas Hendrickson ..............................7 Israel ..........
 ....................7 Jonas ..............................7 Gabriel .........................6 Andrew Helm 1751-1780 d. Gloucester Co, NJ ....................5 Hermanus Helm 1711 - 1729 unmarried ....................5 John Helm 1712 - 1759 d. in Gloucester Co, NJ .........................6 James 1744 - 1768 unmarried .........................6 Haunce 1746 - 1787 d. Gloucester Co, NJ .........................6 John 748 - 1760 .........................6 Sarah 1750 - .........................6 Eleanor 1752 - .........................6 Susannah 1754 - ....................5 Ake Helm 1715 - 1758 .......................+Susannah .........................6 Enos1736 - .........................6 Aaron1738 - .........................6 Grace1740 - .........................6 Sarah1742 - ....................5 Elizabeth Helm 1717 - ....................5 Maria Helm 1717 - ....................5 Catherine Helm 1719 - ....................5 Joseph Helm 1721 - 1752 Ridley TWP Chester Co, Pa. .........................6 Catherine`1715 - .........................6 Mary 1717 - ....................5 Andrew Helm 1723 - 1750 Unmarried ....................5 Maria Helm 1728 - .......................+Jonas Hendrickson .........................6 Israel .........................6 Jonas .........................6 Gabriel ...............4 Akenus (Ocha) Helm 1715 - 1750 ..................+Catherine Rambo 1689- 1727 and 2ndly, Elizabeth Dalbo; m. 1728 ....................5 John Helm 1710 - 1791 Upper Penns Neck Salem Co, NJ .........................6 Anders Helm 1736 - 1784 Upper Penns Neck Salem Co. NJ .........................6 John Helm 1746 - 1793 Upper penns Neck Salem Co, NJ ....................5 Johannes Helm 1712 - 1717 died young ....................5 Magdelena Helm 1714 - ....................5 Catherina Helm 1716 - ....................5 Israel Helm 1718 - 1723 ....................5 Elizabeth Helm 1721 - .........................The following are Elizabeth's Children: ....................5 Brigitta Helm 1723 - ....................5 Anders Helm 1729 - 1758 Greenwich TWP, Gloucester co, NJ ....................5 Gabriel Helm 1731 - Unknown, no issue ....................5 Akenus Helm 1733 - 1763 never married Greenwich TWP, Glous Co NJ ....................5 Deborah Helm 1736 -

Wikipedia
Israel Helm
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Israel Helm (1630-1701/2) was a colonist and soldier in New Sweden in North America.
[ edit] Biography
He was born as Israel Åkesson, and later adopted the surname Helm. He came to New Sweden with his father, Åke Israelsson, in 1641. His father died during the trip, and he probably became a ward of Governor Printz when he arrived at New Sweden in 1643. He became a soldier in 1648, and accompanied Printz back to Sweden in this capacity in 1653.
Åkesson returned to New Sweden two years later and probably settled on Tinicum Island. The island was sold to Joost de la Grange in 1662, whom Åkesson accompanied back to Sweden where he recruited 32 settlers among the Swedes in Finland and returned with them to the Dutch colony at Amsterdam in the New World, in 1663. As a reward, he received from the Dutch governor a monopoly on the fur trade in Pennsylvania and was entitled to become a justice on the Swedes' Upland court where he served until 1681. By this time, his military rank had risen to captain, and he had adopted the surname Helm in place of Åkesson.
In his trading with the local American Indians, he learned their language, and was frequently employed as an interpreter. He acted as such in 1675 at the conference between Gov. Edmund Andros, the magistrates of New Castle, Delaware, and the Indian sachem of New Jersey, when their treaty of peace was renewed.
In 1677, he was living in Gloucester County, New Jersey, where he remained for the rest of his life. His remains were buried with his wife's in the Old Swedish Cemetery on Tinicum Island.
References
"Forefathers: Captain Israel Helm". Swedish Colonial Society. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Helm, Israel". Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. 1892.