My Dad's Thirty Something Helton cousins Plus Aunt Virginia and Fremont

      I was talking to Lloyd Ivey and his grand daughter Lilly of the internationally known Ivey family of Liberty Church in Henegar alabama of Sacred Harp fame, talking to them a couple years ago during the dinner on the grounds and it came out Lloyd has 45 first cousins just on the Ivey Side. I thought that was amazing and then a few days later at Jacks in Collinsville Doug Simpson said he had 45 first cousins. His Dad was Otis Jackson Simpson, or OJ, and his Uncle (Harding was Church of God) and had about six exceptionally pretty daughters so it's not hard to imagine how you get to 46 in a hurry. And I think there was nine children in the OJ generation.

   Doug son Pup, OJ's grandson was pretty decent HS baseball player, Doug said got a look from the Kansas City Royals.

   Then I got to thinking my own Dad had numbers comparable and a note from Uncle Prentice last week bore that out.

   My Dad's youngest brother Prentice, ten years younger who most in the family consider a mistake is the last of six children still living of Mary Alice Helton and WD Shorty Fox. He sent me a list of all his Helton cousins last week and I think they deserve to be named for posterity in a public platform. I may say a few things about some of them and maybe more later. 

    Nanny Helton Fox had one sister, Ina and nine brothers, Bill, Herman, Clyde, Jack, Bobby, Roy, Jim, E;mer and  Henry

     Nanny had the first child about 1917 my Dad's oldest sister Virginia, then Katharine and Daddy was born in 22, Billy D. Fox, Aunt Juanita 24, Fremont in 26 and then Prentice in 32

   Uncle Bill's Daughter Louise and then son Charles were born after Virginia and then charles after Aunt Katharine.

 

   Which brings us to the fifth Helton grandchild, my Dad Billy D Fox in 22 a preacher

   Six is Myrle Helton of Uncle Bill the lone Democrat on Waldens creek.

   Seven Aunt Juanita

 8.Howard Helton of Uncle Jim

  9.Betty Helson of Henry was 8

  Which gets us to Ten Laverne Helton of Uncle Jim

   Eleven, Uncle Fremont Fox, A grand fellow who punched the clock early every day and married a beauty from Wisconsin, a Lutheran

   12.Ray and Faye Helton of Uncle Bill

  14.Robert Woody

   15,Ralph Helton

    16Joan Helton, Of Uncle Henry, my Dad's double first cousin cause he married WD Fox Sister, Mary

   17Herbert Woody

  18 Wayman Helton of Uncle Roy. Wayman died in Russia in early 80s and had two outstading scholary grand daughters.

   19 Harold Helton of Uncle Jim

  20Kenneth Helton, Roys son, great quartet singer

   21Shirl Helton, Bill

22Prentice Fox, 1932 still living and voting Trump

23Charles Woody

24Ronald Helton, Roy

25Norma Helton, Clyde

26Iva Lou Helton, Uncle Jack

27lloyd Helton, Jack

28JD Helton, Jack, I think he's the one retired at Hilton Head

29jeanette Helton,Henry

30 Wanda Helton, Herman

31 Helen, Elmer's daughter

  32Sue Woody

33Henry Helton, Henry's son

34Gene Helton, Jack

35Bobby Helton, Elmer's son named for his Brother

36Phyllis, Bobby

37Max Helton, Herman's son. Max was chaplain for Nascar and on first name basis with some of the legends including Big and Little E and spoke at Davey Allison's funeral in Bham and made a column by my friend the novelist who I introduced to Daddy at the Bham CBF in 93, Vicki Covington.

38Judy Helton, Roys Daughter and one of my sister's favorite Great Aunts. I think she helped raised Waymon's children after his early exit

 39 Patsy Helton, Bobby

   40Joe Helton, Elmer

   41 Wilma Woody, She used to bring Aunt Ina down to Rome to visit Nanny

42 Joyce Helton Elmers and the last one born Feb 28. 1945 only eight years before me.

   My Grandmother was born in 1900

  So I guess everybody can't run up numbers like the Simpsons and Iveys of Dekalb County but this is pretty good fertility rate and all Grand American citizens. I claim em all even if maybe one or two have a little nudgin to claim me.  PS like the Iveys though we never made it to the Oscars for a soundtrack, Great Grandfather RP Helton, the father of Nanny's eleven was known as Singing Bob for his love of the Sacred Harp Tradition. There was a famous family singing for a good forty Years annually at the Helton Reunion that went strong to the early nineties, fourth Sunday in August every year at the Waldens Creek UMC outside Pigeon Forge. In 1983 it was my Dad's turn to preach the annual sermon, and Presidential Candidate George McGovern himself was in the audience and stayed for lunch.