The spirit of progress is manifest in the life record of W. C. Helmer of Mechanicsville, who has for many years been closely associated with farming and stock-raising interests in Cedar county, where he owns five hundred and sixty acres of rich and valuable land. Honored and respected by all, there is no man who occupies a more enviable position in business circles, this being due not alone to the success which he has achieved but also to the straight-forward honorable methods which he has ever followed.
A native son of Cedar county, he was born in Pioneer township, March 19, 1868. His father, William Helmer, was born in Springville, Indiana, spent his youth in his native state and pursued his education in Greencastle, Indiana. When a young man he came west to Iowa, settling in Pioneer township, Cedar county. Four brothers made the trip and bought land together, becoming the owners of extensive holdings and opening up a large farm. It was in this county that William Helmer was united in marriage to Miss Matilda Cameron, who was born and reared near Carleton, Ohio, and was a daughter of William Cameron, also one of the early settlers of Iowa, who bought and operated a farm in Pioneer township. After being identified with general agricultural pursuits in this state for a long period and contributing in large measure to the material progress of the county along that line, William Helmer removed to Mechanicville, where he engaged in merchandising. He later extended his efforts by establishing the first bank of the town in connection with a Mr. Gortner. Subsequently he disposed of his store in order to give his entire time and attention to the bank and was recognized as one of the foremost financiers of the county. He was known as a very kind, lenient man, a friend to the poor and the adviser of all who sought his opinions regarding business transactions. Substantial aid was never withheld when needed and his kindly spirit and good qualities won him the loving regard of all who knew him. As the years passed on he dealt largely in real estate, becoming the owner of several hundred acres of land. In connection with the banking company in which he was interested—Helmer, Elliott & Gortner—the firm owned over ten thousand acres. He also owned good business property and residences in Mechanicsville and was one of the best known men of the county, the extent of his business activities, his cooperation in public affairs and his genuine personal worth gaining him a firm hold upon the esteem and friendship of the people throughout this section of the state. He died in 1906 and is still survived by his widow who now resides in Mechanicsville.
W. C. Helmer spent his youthful days under the parental roof and pursued his education in the public schools, completing the course in the Mechanicsville high school, after which he attended the Cedar Rapids Commercial College. He was afterward engaged in buying, feeding and shipping horses for two years and at the end of that time took up his abode upon a farm of five hundred and sixty acres near Mechanicsville which he now owns. He engaged in raising and feeding stock upon this place as well as cultivating the fields and he made a specialty of handling horses there for five years. Everything about the farm was kept in good condition. He repaired and rebuilt the fences, tiled the land and put the farm in good shape. It is today a valuable property and returns to him a gratifying annual income. In 1907 he removed to the town and bought a lot and one acre of land. He erected a good residence which he now occupies and from this point he manages his farming interests and live-stock business and also looks after his mother’s farms. His interests are extensive and he is regarded a one of the leading business men of this part of Cedar county. The extensive holdings of the father were inherited by the mother and her two children, the sister of our subject being Mrs. Bessie Culver, a widow who resided with her mother until she passed away in September, 1910, leaving a daughter, Lillian Culver.
W. C. Helmer was married July 3, 1904, to Miss Maude Everhart, who was born and reared in Iowa, a daughter of Nicholas Everhart, one of the early settlers from Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Helmer have one son, Leonard. The family is socially prominent in the community and the success of Mr. Helmer in business affairs enables them to enjoy the privileges and opportunities which prosperity provides. Mr. Helmer has been a resident of Cedar county throughout his entire life and the family is numbered among the most honored of the pioneer settlers. He seems to have inherited his father’s excellent business ability and is proving in his own record that success is not a matter of genius, as held by some, but is the outcome of enterprise, clear judgment and experience. While he is meeting with success in his undertakings, his labors, too, are proving an element in the general growth and progress of the county in which he is deeply interested.
