Field Notes

Researching Family History One Record at a Time

Ancestors / Helms

Esta Delia Helms

b. 29 Mar 1907 · Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma – d. 22 Dec 1997 · Payson, Gila County, Arizona

Active
Black-and-white photo of a young Esta Delia Helms standing beside a white clapboard house, wearing a cloche-style hat and a drop-waist coat over a pleated, patterned-hem skirt.
Esta Delia Helms, from the family photo collection of her son (Shannon's father); scanned by Shannon. Undated — she married in 1922, and the setting suggests a date sometime after that, but the exact year and location are not documented.

Vital Facts

Event Date Place Status Source
Birth 29 Mar 1907 Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma Proven 1a,1b,1c
Marriage 5 Oct 1922 Harmon County, Oklahoma Proven 2,1b
Death 22 Dec 1997 Payson, Gila County, Arizona Proven 1b,1a

Family

Parents

  • William Walter Helms — Father. Born 18 Aug 1874, Bradley County, Tennessee. Died 4 Jan 1948, Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma. Per his obituary, married Mary Elizabeth Robinson in 1899, and the couple moved to Jackson County in 1900. 3
  • Mary Elizabeth Robinson — Mother. Born 20 Jun 1880, Strawn, Palo Pinto County, Texas. Died 19 Jan 1967, Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma. 4

Spouse

  • Robert Webster Bates — m. 1922 , Harmon County, Oklahoma (Proven) — Shannon's grandfather. The 1922 marriage application and license record Esta's age as 19; her documented birth date of 29 Mar 1907 would have made her 15 at the time of the marriage. The marriage took place in Harmon County, roughly 136 miles from her family's home in Eldorado, Jackson County.

Children

  • Joe Ray Bates (b. 12 Jul 1923, Oklahoma; d. 9 Aug 1994, Bell, Texas) 5a,5b
  • Jesse Leslie Bates (b. 5 May 1925, Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma; d. 29 Feb 2008, Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas) 5a,5b
  • Effie Lee Bates (b. 9 Sep 1927, Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma; d. 26 Apr 2012, Clovis, Curry County, New Mexico) 5a,5b
  • Bobby Jean Bates (b. abt. 1929, conflicting: Oklahoma or New Mexico (see note); d. 2022, Arizona) — The 1930 census[[cite:esta-1930-census-childress]] (age 7 months) records her birthplace as Oklahoma. The 1940 census[[cite:bates-1940-census-portales]] (age 10) records it as New Mexico. Given the family's frequent relocation for agricultural labor during this period, both records are treated as credible; the conflict is left unresolved pending confirmation from family members. Her 2022 death and Arizona residence are corroborated by her mother Esta's Find a Grave memorial[[cite:esta-findagrave-memorial]]. 5a,5b,6
  • Jackie Lucille Bates (b. 28 Aug 1932, Sheridan, Nebraska; d. 20 Mar 2025, Greeley, Colorado) — Family accounts place her birth in Sheridan, Nebraska; the 1940 census5b gives New Mexico; her 2025 obituary7 gives Lincoln, Nebraska, stating her parents were there temporarily for the wheat harvest — unresolved across all three. Married name Brown (m. Arlin Brown), later Benham (m. Robert Benham). Obituary describes her as "of Mesa, AZ, formerly of Greeley, CO" at death, which may mean death_place above should read Mesa, Arizona rather than Greeley, Colorado — flagged, not changed pending confirmation.
  • Jimmy Owen Bates (b. 6 May 1934, Arch, Roosevelt County, New Mexico; d. 23 Jul 1978, Edmond, Oklahoma) 5b
  • Mary Frances Bates (b. 2 Nov 1936, Elida, Roosevelt County, New Mexico; d. 16 Jan 2021, Apache Junction, Pinal County, Arizona) 5b,8
  • Jerry Dean Bates — Living. Shannon's father. A full page is planned for the future; no vitals are shown for living people.
  • Living — No vitals are shown for living people.
  • Thomas Lloyd Bates (b. 5 Apr 1945, Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico; d. 30 Mar 1975, Powderhorn, Gunnison County, Colorado) 8
  • Elmer Floyd Bates (b. 5 Apr 1945, Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico; d. 6 Apr 1945, Portales, New Mexico) — Twin of Thomas Lloyd Bates; died one day after birth (age 1 day), per his Find a Grave memorial and gravestone. 9
  • Living — No vitals are shown for living people.

Timeline

  1. 29 Mar 1907 Born, Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma. 1c
  2. 1910 Age 3, in her father William W. Helms's household, Eldorado, Jackson County. 1c
  3. 1920 Age 12, still in her father's household, Eldorado, Jackson County — recorded there as 'Ester.' 10
  4. 5 Oct 1922 Marries Robert Webster Bates, Harmon County, Oklahoma. The marriage license2 records her age as 19; her documented birth date1c would have made her 15.
  5. 1923–1945 Twelve children born across Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado — see Children, above, for the full list.
  6. 1926–1930 Family account holds that while Robert served a prison term (see his page), Esta went to live with her parents in Eldorado, Jackson County, along with her young children. No document yet confirms this period independently.
  7. 1930 Enumerated with her husband and children, Childress County, Texas. 5a
  8. 1940 Enumerated with her family, Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico. 5b
  9. 4 Jan 1948 Father William Walter Helms dies, Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma. 3
  10. 1950 Enumerated with her family, Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico. 8
  11. 22 Dec 1997 Dies, Payson, Gila County, Arizona. 1b,1a

Open Research Questions

  1. Can a more precise birth date and place be established for Bobby Jean Bates? Currently reconstructed as 'abt. 1929' from Find A Grave and the 1930 census, with an unresolved conflict between Oklahoma (1930 census) and New Mexico (1940 census) for her birthplace.
  2. Jackie Lucille Bates's birthplace is unresolved across three sources: family accounts give Sheridan, Nebraska; the 1940 census gives New Mexico; her 2025 obituary gives Lincoln, Nebraska. No vital record has been located to adjudicate; Shannon is seeking documentation held by Jackie's children.
  3. Jackie Lucille Bates's death_place is recorded here as Greeley, Colorado, but her 2025 obituary describes her as 'of Mesa, AZ, formerly of Greeley, CO' at death. The funeral home used (Northern Colorado Crematory, Greeley) may reflect family arrangements rather than place of death — needs clarification.

References

  • 1a. ↩ "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936–2007," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KWN-71S1 : accessed 4 Jul 2026), entry for Esta D Helms and William W Helms.
  • 1b. ↩ Bates family headstone, Portales Cemetery, Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico; photographed by Joyce Gore Locke, in Find A Grave, memorial 14402047 (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14402047 : accessed 16 Jul 2026).
  • 1c. ↩ 1910 U.S. census, Jackson County, Oklahoma, Eldorado, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 139, sheet 4B, William W. Helms household, including daughter Estha, age 3; "1910 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 Jul 2026); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1255; FHL microfilm 1375268.
  • 2. ↩ Harmon County, Oklahoma, Marriage Records, book pages 588–589, R.W. Bates and Esta Helms, application filed 4 Oct 1922, license and certificate of marriage, married 5 Oct 1922 at Louis, Oklahoma, by Sidney C. Henderson; "Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995," database with images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 Jul 2026).
  • 3. ↩ "William W. Helms" (obituary), The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), 6 Jan 1948, p. 27, col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/449292729/ : accessed 15 Jul 2026).
  • 4. ↩ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26956785/mary_elizabeth-helms : accessed 9 Aug 2026), memorial page for Mary Elizabeth Robinson Helms (20 Jun 1880–1967), Find a Grave Memorial ID 26956785, citing Eldorado Cemetery, Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma, USA; originally created by Marianne Dial Deadmon, 20 May 2008, maintained by Cindy King. Shared headstone with husband William Walter Helms records marriage date as 26 May 1899.
  • 5a. ↩ 1930 U.S. census, Childress County, Texas, Precinct 2, population schedule, Robley W. [sic] Bates household; "1930 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1930usfedcen&h=64991546 : accessed 16 Jul 2026); citing NARA microfilm publication T626.
  • 5b. ↩ 1940 U.S. census, Roosevelt County, New Mexico, Portales, population schedule, Robert W. Bates household; "1940 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1940usfedcen&h=109132198 : accessed 16 Jul 2026); citing NARA microfilm publication T627.
  • 6. ↩ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14402047 : accessed 15 Jul 2026), memorial 14402047, Esta Delia Helms Bates (1907–1997), Portales Cemetery, Roosevelt County, New Mexico; maintained by Athanatos, originally created by Joyce Gore Locke.
  • 7. ↩ “Jackie Lucille (Brown) Benham” obituary, Northern Colorado Crematory (Altogether Funeral, Greeley, Colorado), published online 20 Mar 2025 (https://www.altogetherfuneral.com/obituaries/northern-colorado-crematory/greeley-colorado/jackie-brown-benham/march-2025 : accessed 9 Aug 2026); digital image shared by Sheila Hoopes-Greear (niece of Jackie Lucille Bates Brown Benham) on Ancestry.com, 25 May 2025.
  • 8. ↩ 1950 U.S. census, Roosevelt County, New Mexico, Portales, population schedule, Robert W. Bates household; "1950 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 Jul 2026); citing Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
  • 9. ↩ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14402053/elmer-floyd-bates : accessed 9 Aug 2026), memorial page for Elmer Floyd Bates (5 Apr 1945–6 Apr 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 14402053; citing Portales Cemetery, Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico, USA; maintained by Athanatos, originally created by Joyce Gore Locke.
  • 10. ↩ 1920 U.S. census, Jackson County, Oklahoma, Eldorado, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 111, sheet 4B, Will W. Helms household, including daughter Ester, age 12; "1920 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1920usfedcen&h=85401796 : accessed 16 Jul 2026); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1457.