Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2022
Helen M. Taisey was born in Michigan in 1839. Her parents were Mathias Taisey, who was born May 29, 1812, in Vermont, and Sophronia Heath Taisey, who was born on March 8, 1829, also in Vermont.
Mathias and Sophronia had four children, including Albert, Helen, Elizabeth, and Milton. In 1849, they moved to Stillwater, Minnesota Territory.
Taisey’s father, Mathas Taisey, used to keep the Lake House, a boarding house, in Stillwater, but moved to Shakapee City and had a claim about three miles from downtown Shakapee City, Minnesota Territory, according to the diary by Daniel M. Storer. By mid-February, Taisey’s parents, Mathias and Sophronia Heath Taisey, were having problems, and eventually divorced.
Her father traded his claim to John Boswell Allen and his wife, Jane Dillard Allen’s house in town, according to Storer’s diary. Later, Mathias sold the house to Spier Spencer for $1300. Mathias ended up in Greenwood, at the fork of the Crow River, about twenty miles north of Shakopee in a forest of timber in 1856. He had a public house there and later was trading in groceries. A year later, he married again, and according to Daniel Storer’s diary, appeared to be doing well. “He has a small appearing woman” said Daniel M. Storer, pp. 71, 83.
Private Mathias Taisey ended up in the Civil War, where he joined the Second Battery Light Artillery on Jan. 4, 1862. He was discharged for disability on Oct. 29, 1863.
Helen met Thomas A. Holmes while in Shakopee and was probably excited about marrying a millionaire.
Thomas married Helen on Aug. 24, 1854, at the Episcopal Church in Shakopee, according to Daniel M. Storer in The Diary of Daniel M. Storer from 1849 to 1905: A Pioneer Builder and Merchant-His Personal History of Shakopee, Minnesota from August 1853 to January 1905. This was the third marriage of Thomas Andrew Holmes.
Helen was 35 years younger than Thomas. He was 50 years old, and she was 15 years old.
After three years, Thomas, age 53, asked for the marriage contract between him and Helen to be dissolved.
According to lawyer papers, Helen refused to cohabitate with Thomas, which she was duty bound to do, according to the State Archives-Scott County District Court, Civil and Criminal Case Files, 1854-1932. Box 1, Minnesota Historical Society. Territory of Minnesota District Court, Scott County: Thomas A. Holmes against Helen M. Holmes.
Helen was given to extravagant habits and practices, including large and unnecessary debts at various stores and mercantile houses in Shakopee. The incompatibility between the two people, which continually created dissensions, disputes, bickering and strife, caused the devolvement of the marriage, according to the case.
Helen had “a furious and ungovernable temper wholly unsuitable to domestic peace or enjoyment, that she frequently used abusive and vituperative language and would frequently with profane oaths and other improper language for a lady.”
Then again, having a 35-year difference in age probably did not help!
The marriage was dissolved on March 24, 1858.
Helen Taisey Holmes left the Shakopee area. Her father, Mathias died on April 24, 1881, in Missouri. Sophronia died on Nov. 23, 1891.
Helen died in 1889 in Minnesota.
As for Thomas Andrew Holmes? Within five months, Thomas married again, again at the Episcopal Church. The fourth wife was Harriet Richards Woodbury, who was just 24 years younger than Thomas Holmes!