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Charles C. Helmer, L.L.B., was born in Cedar County, Iowa on August 25, 1876. He obtained his common school education in the public schools of Tipton and Mechanicsville. He attended the State College (Iowa State University). During his senior year in 1898, he enlisted in the Forty-ninth Iowa volunteer Infantry during the Spanish American War. He obtained his law degree from the law department of the State University of Iowa (University of Iowa) in Iowa City in 1901. He commenced the practice of law in Manning, Iowa in the same year. He moved the practice to Carroll, Iowa, in 1904. He served as county attorney commencing in 1904 for one term. He spent eight years as city attorney for the City of Carroll. He also served as State Senator from 1915 to 1917 in the 36th General Assembly.
History of Carroll County 1912
One of the competent and successful lawyers of the
Carroll County bar is Charles C. Helmer, who has actively engaged in practice
at Carroll for seven years past. He is a native of Iowa, born in Cedar County,
August 25, 1876, a son of Orlando H. and Letitia (Briggs) Helmer, the former of
whom is of German parentage. The mother was born in
Ohio and is of English descent. Mr. Helmer, Sr., was educated as a physician
and at the time of the Civil War entered the Union army as a hospital steward.
Later he was appointed assistant surgeon of the Forty-fifth Indiana Volunteer
Infantry, with the rank of first lieutenant, continuing in the service until
honorably discharged at the close of the war. His brother, Melchert
F. Helmer, was a member of the same regiment. He enlisted as a private and was
mustered out as quartermaster-sergeant. In 1865 Orlando H. Helmer came to Iowa
and located on a farm in Cedar County, devoting his attention to agriculture
and stock-raising rather than to the practice of medicine. He is now living
retired with his wife at Mechanicsville, having arrived at the age of
seventy-four years, while Mrs. Helmer is sixty-one years of age. They are both
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and fraternally Mr. Helmer is
connected with the Masonic order and with the Grand Army of the Republic.
Politically he votes the republican ticket which he has supported ever since he
reached manhood. He has served as county treasurer and also for a number of
years as a member of the board of county supervisors, being one of the most
respected citizens of the county.
Charles C. Helmer, the fourth in order of birth in a family of five children, received his early education in the public schools of Tipton and Mechanicsville. He attended Iowa State College at Ames and while securing his college education taught school two winters. In the spring of 1898, at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war, moved by the same patriotic spirit that had stirred the heart of his father nearly forty years before, he enlisted in Company F, Forty-ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. The company went into camp at Des Moines, Iowa, proceeding thence to Jacksonville, Florida, where the regiment was made a part of the Seventh Army Corps under General Fitzhugh Lee. The regiment was ordered to Savannah, Georgia, and on the 19th of December, 1898, embarked for Cuba. After arriving on the island the command went into camp near Havana and there remained about four months. Private Helmer was mustered out at Savannah, Georgia, in May, 1899. He returned home and in the following fall entered the law department of the Iowa State University at Iowa City, graduating with the degree of LL.B. in June, 1901. A few months later he began practice at Manning where he continued until January, 1904, when he moved to Carroll and has since given his attention with highly satisfactory results to the general practice of law. In 1904 he was elected county attorney of Carroll County and served one term, discharging his duties in such a way as to meet the approval of the best citizens of the county, irrespective of party. In 1908 he was appointed city attorney and has since served in that office. On the 15th of May, 1905, Mr. Helmer was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Willey, who was born at St. Louis, October 7, 1880. Three children have come to brighten their home: Jane Esther, who was born March 7, 1906; Charles B., born September 15, 1907; and Orlando, born September 12, 1909.
Mr. Helmer has been an adherent of the Republican Party ever since he reached his majority and is an effective campaign speaker whose services are often called into requisition in advancing the interests of the organization. He is not identified with any religious denomination, but his wife is a consistent member of the Episcopal Church. Socially he is connected with the Masonic order. He is thoroughly in earnest in anything he undertakes and is recognized as a man of comprehensive and discriminating mind who is in complete sympathy with the advancing spirit of the times. On the 10th of May, 1910, he was elected captain of Company D, Fifty-sixth Infantry, I.N.G., a position for which he is thoroughly fitted by natural qualifications and by experience and which he is now filling to the satisfaction of all concerned.
Obituary
Charles was the son of Orlando Helmer and Letitia Briggs. He married
Jennie W Willey on May 15, 1905, at Keokuk, Iowa. They were the parents of six
children: Charles, Gertrude, Jane, Orlando, James, and Paul.
Charles C. Helmer, senior member of the law firm of Helmer and Minnich and former state senator, died at his home, 905 North Main Street, at 11 o'clock last night, October 27, 1946. He was 70 years old.
Mr. Helmer succumbed to a heart ailment after a six weeks illness. The body is at the Huffman Funeral home. Funeral arrangements have not been made, awaiting arrival of his children. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Helmer of Iowa City are here now and all of the other children are expected to arrive today.
Mr. Helmer was a veteran of two wars - the Spanish-American war and World War I. In the spring of 1898 he enlisted in Company F, Forty-ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, for service in the Spanish-American war. The company went into camp at Des Moines, proceeding thence to Jacksonville, Florida, where the regiment was made a part of the Seventh Army Corps under General Fitzhugh Lee. The regiment was ordered to Savannah, Georgia, and on December 19, 1898, embarked for Cuba. The command went into camp near Havana and remained there about four months. Private Helmer was mustered out at Savannah, Georgia, in May 1899.
Mr. Helmer resigned as state senator in 1917 to enter service in World War I, in which he held the rank of captain in the infantry. He was released from duty early in 1919.
Mr. Helmer, a native Iowan, was born at Mechanicsville August 25, 1876, a son of Orlando H. and Letitia (Briggs) Helmer. His father, educated as a physician, was assistant surgeon with the rank of first lieutenant in the Civil War.
Mr. Helmer was the fourth in order of birth in a family of five children. He received his early education in the public schools of Tipton and Mechanicsville. He attended Iowa State College at Ames and while securing his college education, taught school two winters. After serving in the Spanish-American war he entered the law department of the State University of Iowa in the fall of 1899.
He was graduated with the degree of L.L.B. in June 1901. A few months later he began the practice of law at Manning where he continued until January 1904. At that time he came to Carroll, where he has been in the legal profession ever since. For several years he was associated with the late Judge F.M. Powers, who left Carroll to reside in California. In 1919 he formed the partnership with B.A. Minnich which continued until his death.
Mr. Helmer served as city attorney for ten years, from 1904 to 1914, and as county attorney during 1905 and 1906. He was state senator from 1914 until his resignation in 1917.
Mr. Helmer, an adherent of the Republican Party ever since he reached his majority, was a member of the public state central committee in 1930. Appointed to the spring of that year to fill a vacancy, he completed the term but was not a candidate for re-election.
Mr. Helmer was a member of the Methodist Church. Interested in civic affairs, he had served on the original park commission here. He was a charter member and a past president of the Carroll Rotary club. He had served on the board of education of the Carroll public schools. Mr. Helmer held memberships in several Masonic organizations - Signet Lodge No 264 A.F. and A.M., which he had served as worshipful master; Copestone chapter which he had headed as high priest. He was a member of the board of trustees of the Masonic temple, a post he had held for many years.
Mr. Helmer was married to Miss Jennie W Willey May 15, 1905, at Keokuk, Iowa. They were the parents of six children, two of whom preceded the father in death.
Surviving with his wife are one daughter and three sons: Mrs. John Scheer (Jane) Lacrosse, Washington; Orlando Helmer, Grayslake, Illinois; James B Helmer, Chicago; and Paul W. Helmer, Iowa City.
He also leaves three grandchildren: Sally Jo Gauderman, Vancouver, Washington; Adell Helmer, Grayslake, Illinois; and Paul Helmer, Jr, Iowa City; and one brother A.C. Helmer, Washington D.C.
A son, Charles, died August 3, 1924, and a daughter, Mrs. Joe Gauderman (Gertrude) July 31, 1935.