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The Helton Community
Helton has often been considered two communities, Upper Helton on the east side of Highway 70 and Lower Helton on the west side of the Highway.
UPPER HELTON
The first settler of Upper Helton was very likely Thomas West of Maryland, a Revolutionary War veteran whose wife, Tabitha Dale, was a first cousin of Adam Dale, DeKalb County’s first settler. They arrived about 1804 and built a two-story log house which stood until it burned in 1969. They and some of their children are buried nearby in the West Cemetery.
In 1904, the Upper Helton School is listed in District One. After it closed in the 1920’s, it was used as a nondenominational church until 1950.
The Upper Helton Baptist Church was established in 1950 with a large new building built a few years later. It has been and still is a very active congregation.
Upper Helton had a small store at one point, but has never had a post office. The residents used the Alexandria post office, which was established in 1821.
LOWER HELTON
Lower Helton Creek had several early settlers; Abraham Hass was living there in 1815. By 1816, James Malone and William Malone lived there. James Goodner bought a farm there in 1817 which had two log houses with floors, doors and cut stone chimneys. It already had 16 acres cleared and fenced, with 80 apple trees planted. He established a tanyard on Helton Creek, but after a few years, moved to Alexandria.
In 1839 a Primitive Baptist Church was organized on Dry Branch of Helton Creek by members who had left New Hope Church. David Griffith was the church clerk in the 1850’s. A new building may have been constructed in 1886 when John Willoughby donated land to this church. At that time, Jimmy Snow of Dry Creek was the preacher. This church never had a large congregation and died out in the 1920’s.
On the lower end of Helton Creek, the group known as The Baptists built the Helton Creek Church in 1871 on land donated by Samuel Wauford. It is still an active church today. A school was established near the church; in 1904 it was listed as New Helton. The teacher there in 1952 was Jo Nell Amonett Curtis. The school closed a few years later.
A store was operated for many years near where Helton Creek runs into Smith Fork. The Foutch Post Office was located there from 1891 to 1903. In 1920 Isaac T. Prichard was the merchant. Among the several families that lived on Lower Helton, probably the most numerous were the Foutch and Willoughby families.
UPPER HELTON
The first settler of Upper Helton was very likely Thomas West of Maryland, a Revolutionary War veteran whose wife, Tabitha Dale, was a first cousin of Adam Dale, DeKalb County’s first settler. They arrived about 1804 and built a two-story log house which stood until it burned in 1969. They and some of their children are buried nearby in the West Cemetery.
In 1904, the Upper Helton School is listed in District One. After it closed in the 1920’s, it was used as a nondenominational church until 1950.
The Upper Helton Baptist Church was established in 1950 with a large new building built a few years later. It has been and still is a very active congregation.
Upper Helton had a small store at one point, but has never had a post office. The residents used the Alexandria post office, which was established in 1821.
LOWER HELTON
Lower Helton Creek had several early settlers; Abraham Hass was living there in 1815. By 1816, James Malone and William Malone lived there. James Goodner bought a farm there in 1817 which had two log houses with floors, doors and cut stone chimneys. It already had 16 acres cleared and fenced, with 80 apple trees planted. He established a tanyard on Helton Creek, but after a few years, moved to Alexandria.
In 1839 a Primitive Baptist Church was organized on Dry Branch of Helton Creek by members who had left New Hope Church. David Griffith was the church clerk in the 1850’s. A new building may have been constructed in 1886 when John Willoughby donated land to this church. At that time, Jimmy Snow of Dry Creek was the preacher. This church never had a large congregation and died out in the 1920’s.
On the lower end of Helton Creek, the group known as The Baptists built the Helton Creek Church in 1871 on land donated by Samuel Wauford. It is still an active church today. A school was established near the church; in 1904 it was listed as New Helton. The teacher there in 1952 was Jo Nell Amonett Curtis. The school closed a few years later.
A store was operated for many years near where Helton Creek runs into Smith Fork. The Foutch Post Office was located there from 1891 to 1903. In 1920 Isaac T. Prichard was the merchant. Among the several families that lived on Lower Helton, probably the most numerous were the Foutch and Willoughby families.