In retrospect, President Lincoln is revered, but there was a time he was not so beloved during the Civil War. In Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Democratic opposition to Lincoln and his war was mounting, and the tension grew as the state's gubernatorial election approached. Even Reverend Helffrich was not immune to the jeers of locals whose politics differed from his own, and whose treatment of him bordered on harassment.

Opposition to Republican Gov. Andrew Gregg Curtin was on the rise and his re-election seemed unlikely. The local Dems were glorying in his apparent upcoming defeat and jeering outside the good reverends' home.

Surprisingly the following day, Curtin won, and finally the rowdy Democrats quietened.

The Reverend wrote: "The large majority won by Curtin really "stuck it" to those jackasses... I could again walk the streets without being pestered."

Though related, my mom's Helfrich family is not directly descended from this gent. I felt compelled to include him; you have to love a pastor who could speak so frankly.

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In addition to being a pastor (and thus creating a huge local history through the records he made) Rev. Helffrich was also author of "Lebensbild Aus Dem Pennsylvanisch-Deutschen Predgerstand: Oder, Wahrheit in Licht Und Schatten" which roughly means "A Picture of Life of the Pennsylvania-Dutch: Or, Truth in Light and Shadow" (1906) which is also his autobiography. In 1891 he also published "Geschichte verschiedener Gemeinden in Lecha und Berks Counties" or "History of different church municipalities in Berks and Lehigh Counties" and extensive family history as well.

Reverend Helffrich also had a number of his ancestors reinterred at the Ziegels Union church cemetery.

There is an excellent bio of the Reverend here.