Iron Mountain Baby
Encyclopedia
Iron Mountain Baby refers both to a folksong and the subject of that song, William Moses Gould Helms.
On August 14, 1902, William Helms (June 5, 1835-December 13, 1917), a 72-year old farmer and civil war
veteran, was walking along the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway
(later the Missouri Pacific Railroad
) where it crosses Big River outside of Irondale
(Washington County, Missouri
), collecting lumber for a barn he intended to build. He saw No. 4 speed northbound over the bridge. Then, hearing a strange noise, and following its source, he found what is described as "an old fashioned telescoping valise." The case turned out to contain a baby, whose age was later estimated at approximately five days. Having fallen about fifty feet, the child was badly bruised, with a pronounced dent in its head. Helms took the child home to his wife, Sarah Jane Knight Helms (July 10, 1850-April 15, 1925) and they nursed him back to health.
The child was named for his foster father, Bill Helms, and "Gould," the owner of the railroad, but also "Moses," because he was taken from the river. The story spread throughout the United States
, and gave rise to the folksong. Many women came forward, claiming to be the boy's mother. However, when the child was six years old, the elderly couple formally adopted him.
After the death of the elder Helms, William and his mother moved to Salem, Missouri
. He attended Braughton's University and Southwest Missouri State Teachers College (now Missouri State University
); his education was paid for by the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway. He became a printer
. On August 5, 1933 he married a woman named "Sally," (September 17, 1904, d. Racine, Wisconsin
, September 1987). They had one son, William (died at age 14, according to some sources). They moved to Texas
, where William died January 31, 1953, aged 51. When the corpse was carried by train back to Washington County, it was only the second time he had ridden a train. He was interred at Hopewell, Missouri
Cemetery. The funeral got no publicity; Helms did not enjoy his peculiar fame.
----
The Ballad of the Iron Mountain Baby (likely has changed from the original version, written by Rev. J.T. Barton in late 1902 or early 1903, which is said to have had 14 stanzas)
(the ballad mistakes certain key details—the number of the train, the names of the principals, etc.).
On August 14, 1902, William Helms (June 5, 1835-December 13, 1917), a 72-year old farmer and civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
veteran, was walking along the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway
St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway
The St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway was a historic railroad that operated in Missouri, and Arkansas during the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
(later the Missouri Pacific Railroad
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
) where it crosses Big River outside of Irondale
Port Hadlock-Irondale, Washington
Port Hadlock-Irondale is a census-designated place in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,476 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Port Hadlock-Irondale is located at...
(Washington County, Missouri
Washington County, Missouri
Washington County is a county located in East Central Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county's population was 25,195. The largest city and county seat is Potosi...
), collecting lumber for a barn he intended to build. He saw No. 4 speed northbound over the bridge. Then, hearing a strange noise, and following its source, he found what is described as "an old fashioned telescoping valise." The case turned out to contain a baby, whose age was later estimated at approximately five days. Having fallen about fifty feet, the child was badly bruised, with a pronounced dent in its head. Helms took the child home to his wife, Sarah Jane Knight Helms (July 10, 1850-April 15, 1925) and they nursed him back to health.
The child was named for his foster father, Bill Helms, and "Gould," the owner of the railroad, but also "Moses," because he was taken from the river. The story spread throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and gave rise to the folksong. Many women came forward, claiming to be the boy's mother. However, when the child was six years old, the elderly couple formally adopted him.
After the death of the elder Helms, William and his mother moved to Salem, Missouri
Salem, Missouri
-External links:* * Historic maps of Salem in the at the University of Missouri...
. He attended Braughton's University and Southwest Missouri State Teachers College (now Missouri State University
Missouri State University
Missouri State University is a public university located in Springfield, Missouri, United States and founded in 1905. It is the state's second largest university, with an official enrollment of 20,802 in fall 2011...
); his education was paid for by the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway. He became a printer
Printer (publisher)
In publishing, printers are both companies providing printing services and individuals who directly operate printing presses. With the invention of the moveable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1450, printing—and printers—proliferated throughout Europe.Today, printers are found...
. On August 5, 1933 he married a woman named "Sally," (September 17, 1904, d. Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
, September 1987). They had one son, William (died at age 14, according to some sources). They moved to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where William died January 31, 1953, aged 51. When the corpse was carried by train back to Washington County, it was only the second time he had ridden a train. He was interred at Hopewell, Missouri
Hopewell, Washington County, Missouri
Hopewell is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Missouri, United States. It lies at an elevation of 850 feet ....
Cemetery. The funeral got no publicity; Helms did not enjoy his peculiar fame.
----
The Ballad of the Iron Mountain Baby (likely has changed from the original version, written by Rev. J.T. Barton in late 1902 or early 1903, which is said to have had 14 stanzas)
(the ballad mistakes certain key details—the number of the train, the names of the principals, etc.).
- I have a song I'd like to sing
- It's awful but it's true
- About a baby, thrown from a train
- By a woman, I know not who.
- Th' train was running at full speed
- T'was northbound number nine (actually it was Northbound Number Four, and the rhyme scheme suggests that Barton knew this)
- An' as it crossed th' river's bridge
- She cast it from the door.
- A Mother unkind, a Father untrue
- And yet, I'm bound to say
- It must have grieved that Mother's heart
- To cast her baby away.
- The leaves (i.e., valise) in which this baby was found
- Was fourteen inches long
- Five inches wide, six inches deep
- An', O, so closely bound.
- It was Bill Williams who found this babe (actually was Bill Helms; it was probably corrupted to Williams due to phonetic similarity)
- He heard its helpless cry
- He took it to his loving wife;
- She would not let it die.
- She bathed and washed its little head
- An' soon, it hushed its cry
- God bless them both while they live
- God bless them when they die.
- We'll name him William Roscoe (he was actually given the name William Moses)
- Because he has no name
- Then, if he grows to be a man
- He'll wear it just th' same.
- This ends my song, my story I've told
- I'll say, goodbye to all
- Until we meet around the throne
- In that bright world above all.
See also
Boswell, Evault. The Iron Mountain Baby: A Novel. iUniverse, Inc. 2007. ISBN 9780595850983Sources
- Carrolscorner.net http://www.carrollscorner.net/IronMtnBaby.htm credits "All Aboard" newspaper, Jackson, Mo., 1998 edition;
- "Iron Mountain Baby," Sandra Braggs and Heather Click, re-edited from All Aboard vol 19, (St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway)http://www.slimrr.com/ironbaby.html
- Another version of the events http://209.85.215.104/search?q=cache:Bv4hlIvZZdwJ:www.trainweb.org/fecnrhs/The_EAST_COAST_CHAMPION_Sep05.doc+%22Iron+Mountain+Baby%22+Helms&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us
External links
- http://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/1483/index.htmllyrics to folksong, with recording collected by Max Hunter from Laura Arthur, Springfield, MissouriSpringfield, MissouriSpringfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
on November 2, 1972] - http://www.smsu.edu/folksong/maxhunter/0568/Another version, sung by Mrs. Haden Robinson, Fayetteville, ArkansasFayetteville, ArkansasFayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
, November 26, 1960] - Photographs related to the case
- Burial records (with tombstone photos) of Helms and his adoptive parents