Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Helm, Israel

HELM, Israel, colonist, b. in Sweden; d. after 1693. He was one of the early emigrants from Sweden to the Delaware. In 1659 he resided at Passyunk, now in Philadelphia, and was employed there as collector of customs. In 1668 he, with others, obtained from Gov. Nicolls a grant of land embracing nearly the whole of Calken Hook, and in the same year was appointed a member of Capt. Carr's council. In 1674 he was commissioned as one of the justices “for the river,” and doubtless assisted in holding a court at Upland some years before the “Upland court,” of which the records have been preserved, and of which he was also one of the justices. Having learned the language of the Indians, he was frequently employed as an interpreter, and acted as such in 1675 at the conference between Gov. Andros, the magistrates of New Castle, Del., and the Indian sachem of New Jersey, when the treaty of peace was renewed. He had acquired the title of captain, and, as the Swedish government sent a considerable number of Swedish soldiers to the colony, it may reasonably be supposed that he first came in a military capacity. During his residence on the Delaware he made a visit to his native country.