The Mary Helms Farm and the Turn of the Century

Century farms are in abundance in Iowa. Numerous century farms have been occupied by families that founded them as early as the Civil War era. The Helms farm dates back to the Spanish-American War period. Charles C. Helms hoarded his pay earned as a medical steward of the US Navy during the war with Spain in the late eighteen hundreds. Upon return from Naval service he enrolled in business administration at Des Moines University. At the same time he courted and married Mary Ellen Albright, whose family home was the old Twenty Mile House, a former haven on the Civil War Underground Railroad, located about 5 mi SE of Madrid.In 1900, Charles and Mary Ellen started up as tenant farmers on a farm that borders the current Helms farm, along its east line. That farm later became known as the Adolf Peterson place. During 1900 and 1901 they looked for a future lifetime location and in 1901 they were able to negotiate the purchase of their choice location with the Reinertson family. Savings from Naval service helped to make this transaction possible for the young couple.
When they started construction on their new farmstead in 1902, there were two children to be cared for, William Keene and Gladys Marie Helms. It was on this 86-acre parcel that the Helms farming venture began. Because of the intense energy that Charles and Mary Helms invested it is only proper to put these acres into a farm conservancy project--to memorialize their efforts through providing a lasting source of historical and educational experience. This will educate and benefit the many children and adults who have little knowledge of farming before the internal combustion engine became the motive power in soil preparation, planting, tending, harvesting and marketing.