Charles Helmer was born on August 30, 1880. He married Lydia Ellen Hole, the sister of Walt’s grandfather William Henry Hoel.

Charles Helmer was the son of George and Martha Freeman Helmer. He was born in Liberty, Ohio. The family were farmers there. They had at least 3 children, and possibly several more.

In 1900, Charles Helmer married Lydia Hole in Darke County, Ohio, where her family lived. Their first three children, Gladys, Hazel and Edna, were born in Mercer County, where the family farmed.

Sometime between Edna’s birth in 1907 and the 1910 census, the family moved to Missaukee County, Michigan. There they continued to farm. Their 4th child, Jessie was born in 1910. Charles and Lydia had a son, Donald, in 1914.

By the 1920 census, Charles was working in a saw mill. Lydia (who went by Ellen or Ella) died of cancer in 1924. You can see a bit more about Lydia’s family in this post.

Charles remarried in 1928. His second wife was Minerva Anderson, who was 18 years old at the time of their marriage. They lived in Reeder, Michigan later in their marriage.

Charles Helmer died on April 29, 1941 in Reeder, Michigan. He was buried in Jennings.

I did find an interesting fact about his daughter Edna. She married one of Walt’s father’s siblings – Charles Aaron Hoel. So Walt is both nephew and 1st cousin once removed of Edna.