The Helmandollar Name

In this my first blog post concerning the Helmandollar ancestry and history, I would like to focus on the origin and timeline of the Helmandollar name.

The Helmandollar and like names are not found anywhere else in the world, only in the United States (unless an American Helmandollar has moved out of the U.S.).
With that said this post will explore the timeline of how the like names developed from our immigrant ancestor to today.

It is believed by many of our family historians that our immigrant ancestor, for all Helmandollar and like names, is one Johann Andoni Hellenthal.  This Johann Andoni Hellenthal traveled on the ship Snow Charlotta arriving in Philadelphia September 05, 1743 (https://www.immigrantships.net/v4/1700v4/charlotta17430905.html). 
It is now believed that this immigrant came with a family and that he had two sons and one daughter.  The passenger register does not show many children, only 3 or 4 of those listed on the ship were listed with a spouse and children.  That does not mean that our immigrant came alone. 

There are two documented Johann Andoni Hellenthals in the same area.  It is hard to see the separation between the two, however when you examine key documents closely you see that they are in fact separate, one Sr., and one Jr.

The first document is the ship list for Snow Charlotta.  Most, not all, who were listed were the adult that traveled.  Passengers paid their way in two ways, they either had someone in the colonies who would pay the passage beforehand with the expectation that that person would fulfill a contract upon arrival.  The second is that merchants would buy their passage at the port of arrival.  Often parents would sell their children into servitude for the passage. (eyewitnessestohistory.com). 

The second document is the Names of Foreigners Who Took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province And State of Pennsylvania.  Immigrant males sixteen years of age or older where required to take the oath of allegiance upon arrival (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ote/palatines/).  Johann Andoni Hellenthal took the oath of allegiance on September 05^th, 1743. (Names of Foreigners…, pg 240). 

Now to show that there are two separate “Anton” Hellenthals.  The second Anton Hellenthal joined a religious group known as the Ephrata.  He ended up living and traveling with a fellow member when both of them became disillusioned with the Eprhata.  Anton’s companion was a man named Ezekiel Sangmeister.  It is through Ezekiel’s two journals that we can document the second Anton Hellenthal, and why for a long time we thought that they were the same person.  Ezekiel Sangmeister was indentured to “a Master” that he does not mention by name.  He says the following of Anton’s arrival, “When I was in the mentioned house for one year, it happened that my present fellow-Brother, Anton Hellenthal, came to this same house as a servant.  I made it so that he had to serve for only three and one half years.  He had a rather quiet and honorable way about him.  From the time of his youth he had an assumed devoutness,” (Life’s Description, Ezekiel Sangmeister, pg 67).  He continued “Now the time grew nigh that I should be freed.  My associate, Anton, would have liked to have been freed with me.  He had to stay on one half year longer.  Therefore we were advised that I should help with the serving one quarter of a year for him on his time….After the time agreed upon had passed he could not get anyone and Anton had to complete his time in full and I received a meager wage for my kindness and effort, which both he and I regretted very much.” (Ibid., 68.)  At this point Ezekiel leaves and works as a carpenter in several jobs.  He gets depressed and wants to return to Germany.  “Therefore I went to my present companion, Anton, in Philadelphia and asked him for advice.  He told me to leave.  I went to the captain of the ship and agreed upon going with him in three weeks.  So I took my stay at Anton’s master place (a tailor).  I took up board there until the decided time.  Since I had no work and they were tailoring,” (Ibid., 69). 

This shows us a couple of things about Anton.  You must understand that in reading Ezekiel’s journal you learn that he was older, had already completed his apprenticeship in Germany, and ended up working for his passage.  In the above paragraph we learn that Anton came to that same house as a youth, that their master was a tailor, and at the end of Anton’s time he too was a tailor.  Further evidence of his occupational training as a tailor is found in Ezekiel’s other journal called Life and Behavior; he states, “Now to again mention a bit about our lost Brother Anton.  Brother S. brought the report home from his journey that he left Ephrata and he went to a saddler in Philadelphia to learn to make leather pants.” (Life & Behavior, Ezekiel Sangmeister, pg 114).  In another instance Ezekiel makes mention with Anton gone that Brother Haggai had to do the tailoring (Ibid., pg 121).  The best evidence is in the following statement “Now to get back to our new Brother (Vallentin) again.  So things went altogether differently from how Anton had imagined for he believed to be getting a good supporter not only in divine services, which we held every night, but also outwardly in tailoring…The two Brothers took up tailoring together…Soon one was damned and forlorn by the tailoring, then one fell into temptation when one had to measure women for their clothes, and sometimes he agreed to make the clothes and when the people had brought everything and were measured he brought it all back and said it was against his conscience to make them.” (Ibid, 55-56.)  Had Anton merely been doing the tailoring for their commune this journal would not have mentioned that local people came and hired them to make their clothing as well.  This shows that both Anton and Vallentin had training has tailors.

Now to trace the timeline of the last name Hellenthal and its changes. 

Johann Andoni Hellenthal Sr. We have the name as Hellenthal in 1743 with the arrival of Johann Andoni Hellenthal and the ship Snow Charlotta.  No known sources are known.  However, Ezekiel mentions that Anton visited his mother in Philadelphia between 1754-1764.  I assume that this Andoni passed away shortly after arrival.  As evidence the name seems only carried on by one son (Michael) had other men with the name Hellenthal or Helmedal been present this would be evidence of Andoni's continued life in Pennsylvania.

Johann Anton Hellenthal Jr.  Ezekiel Sangmeister refers to Anton as Anton Hellenthal from 1744 to 1762.  The Ephrata historian, Brother Lamech calls Anton “Hollenthal”.  Anton Hellenthal left Sangmeister and their group around 1763.  He is living in Dunmore County (now Shenandoah Co.,) at the time of the American Revolution.  He is listed on the Virginia Rent Rolls from 1774-1776 as Anthony Hillendal.  This is the last known record of Anton Hellenthal.

Sister of Johann Anton Hellenthal.  It is not known what she went by or whom she married; “When Brother Vallentin was fairly settled he and Antonius decided to take a trip to Pennsylvania.  The purpose was that Brother Anton wanted to bring his brother-in-law and sister up here.” And “On April 17 in the year 1763 it happened that Brother Anton again came to this area.  He sent for me to come to his sister and immediately explained to me that he intended never to live communally again and he asked me to help him make the break.” (Life & Behavior, Ezekiel Sangmeister, pg 123).  This is all that is known of Anton’s sister.  Based on where Anton and Ezekiel’s home was she could either be in the Strasburg area, or in Frederick Co., Maryland.

Michael Helmantoller.  Michael is the progenitor of all who descend from the last name Helmantoler, Helmandollar, or other spelling.  He is presumed to be the younger brother to Anton Hellenthal Jr.  The first known record of Michael is the baptism of his son Johan Jacob 1767 in Frederick Maryland.  His location is in close proximity to Anton.  On that record they list his last name as “Hellmedal”.  The next known record is his tithable in Loudon Co., VA in 1782 for Michael “Helmedollar”.  He served in the Rockingham local militia in 1788 and is listed as Michael “Helmontall”.  In that same year his daughter Ann was married.  Her marriage record is interesting in that it shows her brother Jacob “Halmadaly” and her father Michael “Halmentoler”.  In 1789 Michael was there for his daughter Catherine’s marriage as Michael “Halmental”.    He was on the titheable in 1792 as “Helmantall”.  In 1793 he owned property on Jackson River as Michael “Helmantoller”.  In 1795 he paid tax in Botetourt Co., VA as Michael “Halmontoller”.  In 1796 he listed again in the same county as Michael “Helmontauler”.  From 1799 to 1802 he is recorded in the tax record as Michael “Helmantoller”, in 1803 he is listed as Michael “Helmontoller”.  In 1804 and 1806 Botetourt County once again lists him as Michael “Helmondollar”.  On the 1810 US Census he is listed in Botetourt as Michl “Helmandollar”.  Here he moves to Smith Tennessee and in 1815 on his probate record it lists him as Michael “Helmantoller”. 

Catherine Halmental Menners.  Daughter of Michael Helmantoller was listed on her marriage record of Rockingham Co., 1789 as Catharine “Halmontal” with her father Michael “Halmental” as the one who paid the bond. She married Christian Menners.

Ann Halmaldty.  Daughter of Michael Helmantoller was listed in the Rockingham Co., marriage records 1788 as “Ann Halmaldty” with “Jacob Halmadaly” as the bondsman and “Michael Halmentoler” also as the bondsman.  I feel that this record was transcribed incorrectly and she probably was “Ann Halmadaly”.  She married Jacob Butcher. 

Jacob Helmantoler.  Son of Michael Helmantoller is with his father his entire life.  However, in those records he often is pronouncing his last name differently.  On his baptism with his mother, this record being separate from the one that lists his father as Michael Hellmedal”, he is baptized as Johann Jacob “Hellendhal”.  Notice the name is pronounced the same as Anton’s rent roll.  1788 at his sister’s marriage he is saying his name as Jacob “Halmadaly” and is taxed in that same year in Loudon as Jacob “Helmontall”.  In 1789 at his marriage his name is listed as Jacob “Halmantal”.  In 1795 he is listed with his father on the Botetourt tax lists as Jacob “Halmantoler”, his father’s name has two l’s in the toler part.  From 1799 to 1803 Jacob is on several Botetourt tax lists, not every year, but his name is consistently listed as Jacob “Helmantoller”.  Like his father he is listed as Jacob “Helmondollar” in 1804 and 1806 in Botetourt.  On the 1810 US Census he is listed by his father in Botetourt as Jacob “Helmandollar”.  On Michael’s probate his is listed as Jacob “Helmantoller” in 1815.  In 1820 on the US Census in Smith Tennessee he is listed as Jacob “Linn” “Helmantoler”.  I think the name “Linn” is important here, it is the first time being used, however, there is a Linn family that travels with the Helmandollar family through Rockingham & Botetourt V.A. and Smith Tennessee.  Jacob’s descendants typically use the last name Helmantoler or some close variant.

Palser Helmantoler.  Also the son of Michael follows his father and brother until Michael and Jacob move to Tennessee.  On Palser’s marriage record 1793 of Botetourt Co., they say that “Palser Helmantaller” is going to marry Margaret Brinnman.  The marriage bond was paid by his brother Jacob “Helm(e or i) ntaller” (notice the difference).  The a is clear in Palser’s name at the beginning.  Both Palser and Jacob sign this record as Palser “Hilmintaller”.  Notice he use “I” in Hil and min.  Jacob likewise is written the same.  The Annals of Southwest Virginia list his marriage as “Osler Helmentaller” to “Margaret Brennan”.  In 1795 Palser “Halmintoler” paid tax in Botetourt Co.  In 1796 he was listed as “Palzer Hilmentauler”.  In 1804 and 1810 he is likewise listed as “Polser Helmondollar” with Michael and Jacob.  On the 1810 US Census in Botetourt he is listed as “Paulson Helmendollar”.  He is still living in Botetourt in 1820 and on the US Census is listed as “Palser Hilmondollar”, this is his last know record.  Although Palser doesn’t leave Virginia some of his sons go to Tennessee with Jacob.  Palser’s descendants use the last name Helmantoler or variant.

Mary Helmintoller.  Daughter of Michael Helmantoller.  According to Annals of Southwest Virginia she married a John Tathum in 1796.  According to Virginia Marriage records John Tathum married “Mary Adkins” a widow whose previous spouse was John Adkins.

Elizabeth Helmontoler.  Daughter of Michael Helmantoller was married in Botetourt Co., in 1796 to Henry Tracelor.

William Helmandollar.  Son of Michael Helmantoller is the last known child of Michael.  The earliest record for William is the Botetourt County tax list for a Willm “Helmontaller”.  He is listed as William “Helmontaller” till 1802 in Botetourt.  In 1802 he was listed as William “Helmondollar”.  In 1803 he was listed as William “Helmontaller” again.  From 1804 to 1806he was always listed as William “Helmondollar”.  He is listed as William “Helmandollar” on the 1810 and 1820 US Census.  Anyone who has the last name “Helmandollar” or similar spelling with the focus as dollar is a descendant of his.

So there you have it.  In 1743 our name began as Hellenthal, by 1763 it had morphed into “Hellendal” by both Anton and Jacob.  By the 1780s the name was being used as Helmedall or Halmadaly, or Helmontal.  By the early 1800s the name had become Helmantoller, Helmintoller, Helmentoler, Helmintaller, or Helmandollar.  This is when the name becomes solid in pronunciation in America.

By Layne R. Carter
August 2017