John Helmick, farming; P. O. Pleasant Hill; was born in Miami Co., Monroe Township, in 1840, and comes of the early settlers of this county be is the son of Jacob and Catherine (Younce) Helmick; Jacob Helmick was born in Montgomery Co., near Salem, July 30, 1817; his parents were John Helmick and Susannah Knife, both of Fayette Co., Penn.; his father was a tanner by trade, and an early settler of this county. He had a family of five sons and two daughters. Jacob Helmick was raised a farmer and has made farming his life occupation, which he followed till 1858, in Monroe and Concord Townships; at this latter date, he, moved to Newton Township, where he still resides. His marriage with Catherine Younce was in 1837. By this union they have had fourteen children, eight sons and six daughters; one son and three daughters have died. Catherine Younce is the daughter of Philip Younce, one of the pioneer ministers in the German Baptist Church; he was born in South Carolina in 1793, and died in Miami Co. in 1865-7 he came to this county when about 25 years old, and located in the woods in Union Township. He had a family of ten children, two sons and two daughters still survive; four of his sons became ministers; three of the German Baptist Church, and one of the Disciples. The subject of this sketch is the oldest son of the family, reared a farmer, he has made the pursuit of agriculture his life vocation, and by his industry and good management has been successful; he received only a limited common-school education, as he was the oldest of the family, and was much detained at home on the farm; he made his first start on his own resources and responsibilities, in the vicinity of his nativity ; he related for about five years, when he purchased 75 acres east of Pleasant Hill, in Newton Township; nine years ago he purchased his present place, consisting of 80 acres, where he has since lived, with the exception of eighteen months, when he was engaged in tanning. He finds expression for his religious creed in the German Baptist Church, of which he and wife are faithful members. He was married in 1861 to Mary Seighman, of this township; her ancestors were from Pennsylvania. Three children, one son and two daughters, have been the issue of this union.