Ralph Helfer

From the list of elephant persons Family: Helfer

Ralph Helfer
Profession	circus elephant owner
Personal details
Born
Dead	in United States
Country	United States

Locations
Title	owner -
Location	at Ralph Hefner Animal Ranchs elephants in United States

Relevant literature

Biography details

Ralph Helfer , circus elephant owner in United States

in United States .

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Records about Ralph Helfer from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog at http://www.bucklesw.blogspot.com/
In scanning over the past weeks items, I came across one I intended to respond to but forgot.
It regards Ralph Helfer's elephant "Wallace Show Modoc" that Anonymous cited as having lived longer than the 70 year old "Gentry Babe" that I wrote of, citing Mr. Helfer's book.
In 1939 the Ringling Show left Sarasota with 44 elephants that included three with the same name "Big Modoc", "Little Modoc" and "Wallace Modoc". The oldest was "Little Modoc" having gone back to Ringling Bros. Circus in Baraboo before the turn of the century and who died in Sarasota in the mid 1940's making her about 55 at the time of her death.
"Big Modoc" was a very famous elephant and featured with RBBB for many years. She started out with the Leon Washburn Show in 1905, joined the Ringling Show in 1931 and remained with that show throughout it's under canvas years and died in Sarasota in Jan. of 1957 at approximately 60.
The third "Modoc", the one that Mr. Helfer wound up with and wrote the book about was a rather non descript animal usually called "One Eyed Modoc" being blind in one eye. She was imported by the American Circus Corporation in 1922 and toured with such shows as Gollmar Bros., John Robinson, Hagenbeck-Wallace and Al G. Barnes before coming to the Ringling Show.
Afterward she was with Biller Bros., the Memphis Zoo, Africa USA in Saugus, Ca., Africa USA in Fillmore, Ca. and finally to the Anderson Animal Farm in Buellton, Ca.
Since she died in 1972, that would have made her 55 if that, at her time of death.
Helfer took the liberty of including Little Modoc's Baraboo years, Big Modoc's glory years with the Ringling Show and incorporating them into his elephants history for use in his book.
That he would do this, either thru ignorance or greed is Unknown, but that the mighty Guinness Book of World Records would simply take his word for her age is ridiculous.
In fact his "Modoc" probably had the shortest life span of the three.

William "Buckles" Woodcock

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2024). elephant owner Ralph Helfer in United States. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 4 December 2024 at https://www.elephant.se/person.php?id=1135. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

https://bucklesw.blogspot.com/2005/10/modoc.html

Selected publications

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Categories elephant owner | circus | Ralph Hefner Animal Ranch | Helfer family | People from United States

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