Second Generation

2. Johann Joachim Christian "Christ" HELMKE Sr.² was born on 12 December 1833 in Spornitz Amt Neustadt, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Province, Preussen (Prussia).^1,2,3,4,5 (According to Arlyn Bernhardt research, he was born in 1829.)

(His surname is spelled "Helmke" in the baptism record of his son Johannes in 1870.) He emigrated in 1856 from Germany.⁵ He appeared in the census in 1860 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁵ Christ was Lutheran in 1862 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶ He was listed in the Church Register as member number 10 of the first 100 members of the congregation of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He was one of the charter members. He appeared in the census in 1870 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷ He died on 6 February 1874 at the age of 40 in Monroe County, WI.^2,3,4,5 (He may have died in 1872.) Christ was buried on 9 February 1874 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^2,4 in the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery. (His surname is spelled "Helmke" in the parish register of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.)

Johann Joachim Christian "Christ" HELMKE Sr. and Dorthea "Elisabeth" MARTEN were married on 17 November 1856 in Germantown, Washington County, WI.^1,3,8 (His name was listed as "Johann Joachim Christian Helmcke" and hers was listed as "Elisabet Doratea Marten" on their Marriage Certificate.)
Dorthea "Elisabeth" MARTEN, daughter of Johann Joachim MARTEN and Anna Christina RUMPEL, was born on 24 June 1831 in Spornitz Amt Neustadt, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Province, Preussen (Prussia).^3,4,9 (Her marriage certificate lists her birth place as "Sponitz Ant Neustadt Province Meckeleburg.")

(The church death record lists her age as 75 years, 3 months and 22 days at her death; that would put her birth date at 24 June 1831. The cemetery records list the same date. However, her marriage certificate lists her birth date as "24th day of June A.D. 1834." Because her sister Johanna was born in 1834, it is believed that Elisabeth was born in 1831.)

. She emigrated in 1856 from Spornitz Amt Neustadt, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Province, Preussen (Prussia).⁵ She appeared in the census in 1860 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁵ Elisabeth appeared in the census in 1870 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷ She was listed as "Elizabeth." She appeared in the census in 1880 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁰ Her household consisted of herself and her children, Charles and Emma. She appeared in the census in 1900 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁵ She was living with her son Charles. Elisabeth died on 16 October 1906 at the age of 75 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^3,4,9 She was buried on 18 October 1906 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^3,4,9 in the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Johann Joachim Christian "Christ" HELMKE Sr. and Dorthea "Elisabeth" MARTEN had the following children:

+3	i.	Maria HELMKE.
4	ii.	Wilhelmine "Minnie" HELMKE was born on 26 July 1860 in Monroe County, WI.^3,4,5,7,8 She appeared in the census in 1870 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷ She was confirmed on 29 March 1874 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.² at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minnie died on 8 July 1897 at the age of 36 in Monroe County, WI.^4,5,11 She was buried on 10 July 1897 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^4,11 in the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery.
5	iii.	August Friedrich "Frederick" HELMKE was born on 20 March 1862 in Monroe County, WI.^2,3,5,7 (He may have been born 27 Mar 1872.) He was baptized on 9 August 1862 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.² in the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He appeared in the census in 1870 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷ Frederick died on 24 July 1872 at the age of 10 in Monroe County, WI.^2,4,5 He was buried on 25 July 1872 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^2,4 in the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery.
+6	iv.	Karl Christian "Charles" HELMKE.
7	v.	Heinrich "Henry" HELMKE died before 1870.⁵ He was born.⁷ He was not listed with his parents during the 1870 Census, and it is not known when he was born or died.
+8	vi.	Emma Margarethe Caroline HELMKE.
9	vii.	Johannes Christian HELMKE Jr. was born on 27 February 1870 in Monroe County, WI.^2,3,4,5,7 He was baptized on 8 March 1870 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.² at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He appeared in the census in June 1870 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷ Johannes died on 5 August 1870 at the age of 0 in Monroe County, WI.^2,4,5,7 He was buried on 7 August 1870 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^2,4 in the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery.