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From COTTONWOOD NEWSLETTER, February 2004:
Not more than two miles from Cottonwood, just east off the Walpole-Rainham townline and a few hundred yards south of the Third Concession Road of Rainham Township stands a lonely sentinel, a monument to the Helka family and their contribution to a long forgotten industry of the mid and late 1800s and early 1900s. An unpolished diamond in our chain of Historical Jewels.
The following is an article written twenty years ago for the Haldimand Press by Bob Hall. The facts remain the same and luckily the Lime Kiln has survived another twenty years. A secret to the longevity is possibly because the structure stands on private property, accessible only with permission.
KILN'S REMAINS PROVIDE 'SOLID' REMINDER OF PIONEER LIME INDUSTRY
It is highly unlikely that the Erie shore pioneers of Haldimand knew the scientific name for the commodity was "CaO" (Calcium oxide), but they did know if they were going to successfully bind the stone they were quarrying from their newly settled land into permanent houses for their families they would need mortar. One of the primary ingredients of that mortar would be lime.
Back then though - in the mid 1800s - one could not simply pick up the phone and order materials for a job as we would to-day…..they had to improvise and 'make-do' with what was at hand. Thus, from necessity, was born the idea of establishing an early draw kiln and producing powdered lime in Haldimand County. Not only was this product used locally, but as well, it was supplied to the market at large on a commercial basis.
Of the kilns known to have been in use in this part of Ontario from the period dating back more than one hundred years up until the World War I era and perhaps beyond, only the stonework of one remains. It is located on the former Helka homestead, situated on the Third Concession in Rainham, which is now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. John Roussel.
The following outline of the history of lime kilns in Haldimand is taken from notes of a narrative given to a meeting of North Erie Shore Historical Society by Mr. Elmo Helka of Hagersville. "Mo" is a grandson of the late August Helka who established the lime industry near Selkirk and a son of the late Fred Helka who, in partnership with his brother Henry Helka, continued in the production of that material well into the second decade of this century.
The first kiln was built on a sidehill in the north-west corner of the bush on the farm sometime between 1860 and 1880. It was fired with wood and lime from that kiln was used to build the stone house which still stands on the property. That was prior to the erection of the still-remaining kiln which was built sometime around the turn of the century.
The second kiln was fitted with metal hoppers which were brought from Port Colborne and the four-foot-thick walls are lined with firebrick, a carload of which was purchased in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. The latter kiln was fired by two natural gas burners which blasted flames in from either side for 24 hours-a-day when in operation. The quarried lime-stone was hoisted up and dropped into the hoppers from the top with the finished lime being drawn-off once every day - hence the term 'draw kiln'.
From the beginning, until about 1910, all stone drilling in the quarrying operation was done by hand with two men wielding sledges while a third man (who must have been a brave and trusting soul) hand-held the drill bit. Loose explosive powder was used for the blasting.
Among the innovations introduced into the operation when the Sr. Helka's sons assumed management of the kiln in 1910 were the installation of a power hoist and powered rock drill both of which drew their energy from a steam engine owned and operated by Ernest Smelser who custom-threshed in season and worked with the Helkas during the Spring and Summer months along with the four or five other men who were employed in the production of powdered lime. As well, around that time, they began to use dynamite for the blasting operation.
In the kiln's 'heyday', there was a warehouse located at Nelles Corners from which the lime was shipped to market in carload lots. The volume of production continued to expand in those years to the point where just prior to WWI land surveying was done for a planned rail line to the site of the kiln, but the outbreak of overseas hostilities and the call-to-war of many of the country's young men saw that plan abandoned. The kiln was permanently closed down in 1917 due to the continuing shortage of help caused by the war.
According to the 75-year-old grandson of the founder of this long closed lime kiln there was at one time an operating kiln at Springvale along with three similar kilns located on the Hamilton 'mountain', but they fell victim of progress and were torn-down in the early 1950s as the expansion of the city in that area began to accelerate. As far as is known, the Helka kiln is the only remaining vestige of what was once a thriving industry providing a necessary commodity to those craftsmen whose hands fashioned the very foundations on which much of the early life of the pioneers in this region of Ontario was built.
By Bob Hall - The Haldimand Press, April 7, 1983
As of December 2003 the Helka property on Lot 2, Concession 2, Rainham is owned by the son of Bill and Joan Fletcher. The Fletcher family rescued and reconstructed the Hoover Cabin after the 1994 fire that destroyed the house it was enclosed in. This cabin stands on a section of the Fletcher farm on Lot 1, Concession 4, Rainham. An historic barn from the Stengel farm has also been moved to the Fletcher farm and sits adjacent to the cabin. We can be assured that the limestone house, built by August Helka from limestone quarried on the farm, and the Lime Kiln also on the property will be loved and cared for by people interested in preservation.
Haldimand Marriages - August Helkie, aged 24, born Rainham, Resides Rainham, son of Frederick & Dorothea, married Frances Sherk, aged 28, born Rainham, Resides Rainham, daughter of Christian & Catherine, witnesses, Christian & Rosannah Helkie of Rainham, 26 Aug 1870 at Rainham
Haldimand Marriages - August Helka, aged 53, Widower, Farmer, born Markham, Resides Rainham, son of Frederick Helka & Dorasia Spies, married Maggie Jane Davis , aged 53, Widow, daughter of James Soper & Jane Davis, witnesses, Myron Gee of Rainham & Dora Lounsbury of Gainsboro, 5 June 1901 in Rainham Centre
Norfolk Marriages, Simcoe - Helke, August, Farmer, Widower, aged 63, Evangelical, Walpole, Haldimand, Helka, Frederick, Farmer, Spice, Dorothy, Whitman, Jennie, Widow, aged 49, Anglican, Charlotteville, Gamble, William, Farmer, Riches, Maria, 9th January, 1911, Simcoe, Norfolk County, License, Witnesses McKnight, Alonzo, Simcoe, McKnight, Florence, Simcoe, 17th January, 1911, Solemnized by Gee A. L., Simcoe, M McFall.
On the 1881 Census of Rainham, Haldimand, Ontario are:
Augustus Helky, Married, Male, German, aged 33, born Ontario, Farmer, Evangelical Methodist
Fanny Helky, Married, Female, German, aged 37, born Ontario, Evangelical Methodist
Johanna Helky, Female, German, aged 10, born Ontario, Evangelical Methodist
George Helky, Male, German, aged 7, born Ontario, Evangelical Methodist
Aremiseta Helky, Female, German, aged 5, born Ontario, Evangelical Methodist
Elias Helky, Male, German, aged 3, born Ontario, Evangelical Methodist
Rosa Helky, Female, German, aged 1, born Ontario, Evangelical Methodist
Elias Bingleman, Male, German, aged 22, born Ontario, Farm Labourer
On the 1901 Census of Rainham, Haldimand, Ontario are:
Helkey, Augustine, Male, Head of Household, Widowed, born March 20, 1846, aged 54
Helkey, George, Male, Son, Single, born March 18, 1872, aged 28
Helkey, Nora, Female, Daughter, Single, born January 10, 1870, aged 21(Rosa 1879)
Helkey, Mary C., Female, Daughter, Single, born June 5, 1883, aged 18
Helkey, Fredrick, Male, Son, Single, born May 24, 1885, aged 16
Helkey, Hary, Male, Son, Single, born May 18, 1887, aged 14 (Henry)
On the 1911 Census of Walpole, Haldimand, Ontario are:
Helka August, Male, Head of Household, Married, born March 1847, aged 64
Helka Jennie, Female, Wife, born May 1859, aged 52
Haldimand Deaths, Walpole - Helka, Maggie Soper, Female, Caucasion, June 12, 1910, born Unknown, about 62 Years, Rainham, died Village of Selkirk, Housewife, Married, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, A. M. Johnstone, Augusta Helka, Selkirk, June 13, 1910
Haldimand Deaths, Walpole - Helka, August, Male, German, Married, 80 Years, 1 Month, 9 Days, born Markham, April 18, 1849, Farmer, 21 Years at place of death, Lifetime in Ontario, Father Frederick Helka, born Germany, Mother Dorothy Joana Spiese, born Gemany, J. D. Tyrrell, Fisherville, Frederick Helka, Hagersville, Son, Selkirk Cemetery, April 18, 1927, Munro Hoover, Selkirk, April 26th, 1927, From March 4 to April 26, Taxaemia 10 Days, Auricular Fibrillation, J. D Tyrrell, Fistherville, April 26, 1927, April 27, 1927
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Rainham Builders
1846 - 1927 (81 years)