HELEN WAS BORN IN BERLIN GERMANY AND CAME TO AMERICA IN 1893 AT THE AGE OF 7. HER FATHER GEORGE AND ONE OF HER BROTHERS HAD MOVED TO AMERICA THE PREVIOUS YEAR TO GET THINGS READY FOR THE FAMILY. HER MOTHER CLARA AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY FOLLOWED AFTER CLARA HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO HER FOURTH CHILD. HER TRIP TO AMERICA WAS IN STEERAGE CLASS ABOARD THE SHIP "THE MEIER". AT THE TIME THE FAMILY HAD BEEN LIVING IN RICESDORF, GERMANY. THOUGH HER FATHER HAD BEEN A CABINET MAKER IN GERMANY HE TOOK ON THE JOB AS A FARMER IN AMERICA.. HELEN WAS A TEENAGER WHEN SHE MET ANTHONY/ANTON CARUSO WHO WAS FIVE YEARS HER SENIOR AND ALREADY HAD A SON BY A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE. THE STORY GOES THAT HELEN DID NOT WANT TO RAISE A CHILD AT THE TIME THAT WAS NOT HERS. .

ANTHONY CARUSO WAS NOT EXACTLY THE MAN THAT GEORGE RICHNOW WOULD HAVE CHOSE AS HIS DAUGHTERS' HUSBAND AND FROM TALKING TO A FEW OF THE ELDER RICHNOW MEMBERS IT HAS BEEN SAID HE DID NOTHING TO CHANGE THAT OPINION. HELENS LIFE WAS A HARD ONE. SHE RAISED HER CHILDREN, WORKED ON THE SIDE AND WORKED WITH HIM IN HIS BAKERIES. ANTHONY HOWEVER, HAD AN EYE FOR THE LADIES AND CHEATED ON HER. LEAVING HER FOR PERIODS OF TIME WITH NO MONEY OR FOOD TO FEED HER CHILDREN. SHE AND ANTHONY MARRIED TWICE. WHEN ANTHONY AND SHE SPLIT UP FOR THE LAST TIME SHE CONTINUED TO RAISE HER CHILDREN. SHE NEVER REMARRIED.

THE GRANDKIDS THAT GREW UP CLOSE TO HELEN REMEMBER HER AS BEING A KIND, LOVING WOMAN. MY FATHER'S (WHO WAS ONE OF THE GRANDCHILDREN WHO DIDNT LIVE NEAR HER GROWING UP) MOST VIVID MEMORY WAS THAT SHE WAS THE ONE WHO GOT HIM TO EAT, "SCRAMBLED BRAINS AND EGGS."