Norfolk
Man Dies in West
The following
reference to the death of a young man, a member of a North Walsingham
family, well-known to many Reformer readers, is taken from a paper
published at Kerrobert, Sask.:
Kerrobert and
country-side were shocked to learn of the death of Henry Helmer on
Tuesday, March 7th, near Broadacres, where he has been farming for the
past three years.
Death was due to
heart trouble of long standing and by an attack of rheumatism about
four weeks ago.
Mr. Helmer was twenty-seven
years of age at the time, and was the son of Lorenzo and Mary Helmer
of Ambrose, Ontario.
His youth was
spent at home, but later he took up railroad engineering in the United
States and in the year 1906 he came to Western Canada, locating at
Medicine Hat.
In November 1908,
he took up his first homestead and pre-emption on the half-section
immediately west of Kerrobert townsite. At the time Mr. Helmer came
very few settlers had made their way into this district, and Kerrobert
was not even a name.
After taking one
patent for his homestead and pre-empting he later sold this property
and the purchasers sub-divided it and placed on the market, the
sub-division of Northview and Empire Park, Mr. Helmer buying the
section of land on which he has since resided.
In 1912 he
married Ethel M., daughter of the late William Sample of Kerrobert;
who, with one little daughter, mourn his loss. His mother, Mary
Helmer, two sisters and five brothers, all of whom now reside in
Ontario, and a brother Stanley, of Englewood, Sask., are also bereft.
The funeral
service, which were [sic] largely attended, were held in the Union
Church, at 2.30 p.m., Thursday, March 10.
All places of
business were closed during the services as a mark of respect to a
worthy citizen and neighbor of standing integrity, high moral beliefs
and kindly heart.
