Elizabeth Ann "Lydia" (Turner) Heltebran Colosino was born in 1877 near Ohio Pyle, Fayette County, PA, the daughter of George Washington and Mary Frances (White) Turner. Her name also has been spelled "Lida."

At the age of 19, on June 19, 1897, Lydia married 26-year-old Samuel Heltebran (July 27, 1872-1911), also spelled "Helderbrand" -- the son of Jacob and Delilah (Rhodes) Heltebran of Belle Vernon, Westmoreland County, PA. Because she was legally underage, her father had to provide his consent to the union.

Lydia and Samuel produced three sons -- Clarence Thomas Heltebran, George Dewey Heltebran and Earl J. Heltebran. 

They resided in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County circa 1896, and she later belonged to the First Methodist Church of Charleroi. 

Sadly, Samuel began to suffer from hepatic (liver) congestion and heart failure in early February 1911. When he contracted typhoid fever, his health plummeted, and he passed away in Charleroi, Washington County, at the age of 39 on Feb. 11, 1911. Burial was in Hoffman Cemetery in Smithton, Westmoreland County. 

Lydia survived her husband by four decades. Initially she supported herself as a housemaid in Charleroi. 

On Feb. 9, 1915, after four years as a widow, she married again, to 32-year-old Italian immigrant and coal miner Antonio Colosino (1883- ? ), son of Charlie and Mary Colosino. Their wedding was held in Monongahela, Washington County. The name may have become Americanized to "Close."

That marriage must have fallen apart, as Lydia eventually took back her first married name. She spent her final years living at 1002 McKean Avenue in Charleroi.

In March 1951, Lydia contracted a case of acute hepatitis. Her health declined rapidly, and she died four weeks later at the age of 74 on April 18, 1951 in Charleroi-Monessen Hospital. A newspaper reported that she was survived by five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 

~ Son Clarence Thomas Heltebran Sr. ~

He married twice, first to Ruth Heron (1900- ? ), daughter of Robert and Rachel Pringle (Williams) Heron. Their wedding was held in Washington, Washington County on Aug. 26, 1922. At the time of marriage, Clarence was a mill worker and made his home at Lock 4 along the Monongahela River. They divorced in about 1929. 

His second spouse was Beulah Jane Williams (1915-1978), the daughter of Isaac N. and Elizabeth (Wilburn) Williams of Mill Run, Fayette County, PA. 

Clarence and Beulah produced four children -- Clarence Heltebran Jr., Thomas Heltebran, Georgette Heltebran and Thelma Mae Kyle. They also took in a niece, Earlene Heltebran. 

Clarence worked at Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel in Allenport, PA until retirement. Despite having a "crippled right foot," he was a veteran of World War I, serving in Company D of the 17th Cavalry, and received a Purple Heart for wounds. During the Great Depression, he was employed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of the federal government, and was a laborer on the work crew that reconstructed historic Fort Necessity. He also was a member of the Charleroi Fishing Club. Beulah belonged to the Hiller Free Methodist Church. 

Sadly, Beulah and her sister in law Frances (Sechez) Heltebran died one day apart. The viewings for both were held at the same funeral home, with Beulah in one room and Frances in the other.

Clarence Sr. passed away in Charleroi-Monessen Hospital in 1978, with burial at Monongahela Cemetery. At his death, a newspaper reported that he was survived by 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Daughter Thelma Mae Heltebran (1935-1987) was born on Aug. 31, 1935 in North Charleroi. On March 18, 1953, when she was 17 years of age, Thelma married Ronald Albert "Sparky" Kyle ( ? - ? ), son of Lewis Carmen and Margaret Frieda (Young) Kyle. They had six children, among them Timothy Kyle, Patrick Randall "Bush" Kyle Sr., Paul David Kyle, Ronald Kyle Jr., Patricia Spalding and Susan Miller. Later, Thelma and Jerry Lucas had two more children of their own, SherriLynn Davis and David Lucas. Thelma passed away at the age of 52 on Aug. 1, 1987 in Washington Adventist Hospital in Silver Spring, MD. Her remains were returned home for burial in Monongahela Cemetery.

• Grandson Patrick Randall "Bush" Kyle Sr. (1956-2014) was born on July 3, 1956 in Charleroi. He resided in Vanderbilt, Fayette County and was the father of Patrick Randall Kyle II. Later, in about 2004, he married Rebekiah J. "Becky" Lyda (Dec. 30, 1963-2019), daughter of Earl Gordon and Sylvia (Lyda) Nygren. Becky brought two sons to the marriage -- Brandon Lyda and Tory Wefler. They dwelled in Monessen, Westmoreland County. Said the Valley Independent, "While Pat was in high school, he was a manager at the Arco Station in Brownsville. He graduated in 1974 from Brownsville High School and was a U.S. Army veteran, having served during the Vietnam era. He was very proud that his family members had served our country in every war from the Revolutionary to Iraq Freedom. Pat was an electrician and had designed and built many homes all over the Mon Valley area. His last place of employment, prior to his illness, was at Jimmy G's Remodeling in Carroll Township. He enjoyed fishing, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers, watching the military channel, cemetery walking with his brother, and searching for genealogy." Sadly, Patrick died at age 57, in Latrobe Hospital, on May 6, 2014. Becky survived her husband by more than five years and maintained a home in Monongahela. Sadly, as her health failed, she was admitted to Havencrest Nursing Center in Carroll Township. There, at the age of 55, she was cut away by the Grim Reaper of Death on Oct. 10, 2019. Funeral services were private, and burial was in the Monongahela Cemetery.

Great-grandson Patrick Randall Kyle II married Lindsey. They live in Johnstown, Cambria County, PA and are the parents of Adam Kyle, Patrick R. Kyle III, Julia Kyle and Xavier Teets.

Step-great-grandson Brandon Lyda has resided in Charleroi.

Step-great-grandson Tory Welfler has made a home in Donora.

• Grandson Timothy Lewis Kyle (1959-2016) was born on Oct. 29, 1959 in Charleroi. He was was wedded to Carol Marie Dunseath ( ? -living), daughter of George and Lilliian (Murilla) Dunseath. They had two children -- Jason Timothy Kyle and Charlene M. Kyle. Timothy was employed with Sebastian Enterprises in Belle Vernon, a company run by his friend Drew Rainey. Said the Uniontown Herald Standard, "Tim never drank a beer he didn't like." Tragically, both of their adult children died less than a month apart in 2015 -- Jason at age 34 on Sept. 13 and Charlene at the age of 32 on Oct. 7, 2015. Jason was survived by three sons -- Dezmier Major, Jayden and Clayton Kyle, and Charlene left behind four sons -- Mitchell, Jonathon, Timothy and Noah. Then, just a month and a half into the new year 2016, Timothy died in UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh at the age of 56 on Feb. 15, 2016.

• Grandson Paul David Kyle married Debbie. He is deeply interested in his family roots and has generously shared his findings for this website.

• Granddaughter Patricia Kyle was twice married. Her first spouse was Leslie Wayne Hunt. They had four children -- Johanna Elaine Hunt, Michelle Elisabeth Hunt, Peter Wayne Hunt and Christopher Martin Hunt. Later, Patricia was joined in marriage with Joseph Spalding and resided in Old Town, MD.

• Granddaughter Susan Renee Kyle was wedded to Jerry Miller and lived in Front Royal, VA. Their three children are Joseph Dale Kyle, Erica Renee Kyle and Jerri Lee Miller.

• Grandson Ronald Albert Kyle Jr. was joined in wedlock with Myra Lee Davis. They dwelled in Charleroi.

• Granddaughter SherriLynn Lucas (1972-2016) was born on Jan. 11, 1972 in Brownsville, Fayette County. She was married to Keith Allan Davis ( ? - ? ). Over the years, they lived in Erie and Dale Boro near Johnstown, PA. The couple had two children -- Keith Allan Davis II and Stephen Michael Davis. SherriLynn earned a living as a server at Nino's Restaurant and was a member of Turners Hall in Johnstown. Sadness has blanketed this branch of the family. Keith passed away followed by SherriLynn at age 44 on March 14, 2016. Less than a year later, their son Stephen at age 22 died at home in Dale Boro on Jan. 13, 2017.

• Grandson David Lucas married Kathy and lived in Flintstone, MD.

~ Son George Dewey Helterbran Sr. ~

Son George Dewey Helterbran (1898-1983) was born on May 2, 1898.

As an adult, he was of medium height and build, with grey eyes and brown hair. At the age of 20, he was employed as a glass gatherer for Imperial Glass Company of Charleroi. He was a veteran of World War I. 

On Sept. 19, 1920, he married Sylvia Joseph ( ? - ? ) of Ohiopyle, Fayette County and the daughter of Ella Joseph.

They made a home in Charleroi, Washington County and bore two known children, among them Betty June Hall and James W. Helterbran.

George left his family on Feb. 10, 1925, claiming he was going to obtain a paycheck, but never returned. The news was reported in the Connellsville Daily Courier. Now a single mother, Sylvia and her children moved back to Ohiopyle. Over the years, her name often was printed in the gossip columns of the Daily Courier for visits she made with family and friends in the region. Her address in 1944 was 324 North Cottage Avenue.

He appears to have been in Charleroi in 1955 when he paid a fine plus restitution in connection with racketeering and an illegal lottery.

George later resided in Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ, where he died in April 1983.

Daughter Betty June Helterbran married Harry Hall. They lived in Mill Run. Harry was in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II and stationed at Camp Haan, CA and in Mississippi.

Son James W. Helterbran as a young man was employed by Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation in South Connellsville. He joined in the U.S. Armed Forces on Dec. 9, 1943, during World War II, and trained as a rifle marksman. He was shipped overseas as a member of the 12th Armored Division. While in action in France on Jan. 15, 1945, he was wounded slightly and treated in a hospital. He wrote to his mother, stating "Am back in the hospital again but you don't need to worry. I have frostbitten feet and they will be all right in a couple of days." He returned home on Oct. 1, 1948. He remained in the Army and was stationed in Berlin, Germany in 1951.

~ Son Earl J. Heltebran Sr. ~

Son Earl J. Heltebran (1899-1970) was born in 1899.

He married Frances Sechez ( ? - ? ), a native of Belgium.

They did not reproduce.

The couple lived at 817 Rear Washington Avenue in Charleroi. Earl was employed by Allenport plant of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel. Frances belonged to the St. Jerome Catholic Church in Charleroi.

He died at the age of 70 in February 1970, with burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery near Monongahela. She outlived him by some years and died at the age of 76.