Where to begin?
Actually, the question is, how much to include. There's so much. ;-)
If you go to the Georgia Property Tax Digests 1793 - 1893 at Ancestry.com and enter "Joseph Hel*" in the search fields, you'll get 17 responses. Since we know that Joseph was in GA from at least 1811 (1812 pension application) to 1836/1838 (birth of Nancy, last child born in GA), we can eliminate any digests after 1838. This leaves just six entries.
The earliest entry is for Joseph Hellen in Pike County in 1825. Going there:
http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=1729&path=Pike.1825.34&sid=&gskw=
we discover Joseph Hellen in Captain John Mays's District, with no acreage listed and only one poll, meaning one male over 21 in the household. Remember the tax was assessed per poll, or per head, of males 21 - 60. Joseph probably owned no land but worked on the farm of....
Wait—Could it be?
Yes! It is—
ALLEN McDANIEL right next door!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Other neighbors who may prove important are Burrell Green, Joseph Kirbo, Josiah McDaniel, Joiner, Millener, Nathan Vinson, Mary McDaniel, Charles McDaniel, and James Whatley.
Joseph's pattern is consistent over the next five entries: in either Pike or Washington County, one poll, no land, near the McDaniels each time.
1826: Captain Alexander Patterson's District, Pike County, one poll, no land. Neighbors: Nathan Vinson, James Whatley, John McDaniel, Mary McDaniel, Charles McDaniel, Millner, McGlawn, John Mays, Jiner, Elliot, Jinkins.
http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=1729&iid=40141_1020705384_0035-00061&fn=Joseph&ln=Helton&st=d&ssrc=&pid=3520857
1827: Captain Covington's Districts, Pike County, one poll, no land. Neighbors: Samuel McDaniel, Allen McDaniel, Burns, Milner, Fryer, Joshua McDaniel, Mary McDaniel, James Whatley, Brown, Matthews.
http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=1729&iid=40141_1220705227_0556-00108&fn=Joseph&ln=Helton&st=d&ssrc=&pid=4828857
1832; Joseph Heler in Captain Waggon's District, Carroll County. One of my correspondents has JH in Carroll County for the birth of his son James W., born 1834. This would seem to be the best proof of her claim, but I don't think the ID is as clear as the other entries.
http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=1729&iid=40141_1020705384_0052-00017&fn=Joseph&ln=Heler&st=d&ssrc=&pid=3511281
1834: Captain Elliott's District, Pike County, one poll, no land. Neighbors: Childres, Thompson, Jordan, Allen McDaniel, Brown, McEarchern, Joiner, John Mays, Nathan Vinson, Charles McDaniel, Joshua McDaniel, Willis, Mary McDaniel, Milner, Randolph Colbin (Colvin?).
http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=1729&path=Pike.1834.42&fn=Joseph&ln=Helton&st=d&pid=3400111&rc=&zp=50
1835: Captain Covington's District, one poll, no land. Neighbors: Jinkins, Covington, Brown, Nathan Vinson, John Mays, Joiner, Barnes, Matthew McDaniel, Allen McDaniel, Milner, Brown, Elliot, and so on.
http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/View.aspx?dbid=1729&path=Pike.1835.81
After 1835, Joseph's place is not clear until he shows up in Kimbrel's, Coosa County, AL, in the 1840 U.S. Census. Though I can't prove it, I'm betting he and Mattie probably gathered their family and joined Allen McDaniel and family heading towards Mississippi, where Allen died in Koskuisko, Attalla County, in 1846.
These entries prove to me that Joseph's folks were the McDaniels. There's no proof—yet—of his exact relationship to them. However, from Mattie's 1812 pension application, it would seem that Allen and crew are Joseph's step-brothers, and Mary McDaniels is Joseph's mother from a first marriage.
If that's the case, several fascinating new lines of investigation open up for my line. That is, Mary McDaniel was supposedly born in the Cherokee Nation, Crockett, TN. Several Helton families applied for aid based on their Cherokee heritage. Now, I've never heard of anyone in our family saying we're part Cherokee, but wouldn't it be cool if we were?? Can't wait to find out!!!!!!
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