Notebook of Martha Helme Miller - March 26, 1912

This is copied from the little notebook of family history complied by Miss MARTHA HELME MILLER, dated March 26, 1912 and appears here through the courtesy of Margaret Davis, Gass, Miller Place historian.

"My Mother's Mother, Martha Helme, was born and lived until her marriage upon the property now in the possession of the Helme family. Not in the same house, for that was all rebuilt, the frame of the older one having been used, it was said, in the present one. The first one stood facing the south with the end toward the road.

The Helme's lived in Setauket, but probably did not come there when the place was first settled as the name of Thomas Helme is not found in the Town Records until about 1680. It was supposed that he came from Massachusetts. He was one of the Patentees of Brookhaven and held many important offices in the town, such as Justice of Peace, Town Clerk, County Clerk and Supervisor.

He was a friend of Col. William Smith and his family. He had seven children, four daughters and three sons. To his oldest son, Thomas, he gave land at Millers Place and to his sons Anselm and William he gave his homestead at Setauket. They sold their property and removed to Orange County. Thomas married Joanna Miller, daughter of Andrew 2nd and probably bought more land here as they owned a great deal of land in the family and he built the first Helme house. He was killed while driving down a hill just East of the Middle Island Post Office.

It was said that a squaw who was sitting by the road side rose up and frighten his team and they ran away. His only child, a son named Thomas, was brought up, it is said, by his Uncle and Guardian, Andrew Miller. His mother has been mentioned, married John Roe, and had quitea family of children, but of them we know very little.

I have a copy of the family record taken from the old Helme Bible, which I think I had better write here, or a portion of it."