Catharine "Kitty" Heck

GRANDDAUGHTER OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR VETERAN JOHN ADAM EMERICK

MARRIED THREE TIMES AND OUTLIVED ALL OF HER HUSBANDS: GEORGE (IV) OVERMIRE, JOHN HENRY, AND FREDERICK HECK

MOTHER OF LEVI OVERMIRE

GRANDMOTHER OF SILAS OVERMIRE

A BIOGRAPHY OF CATHERINE EMERICK OVERMIRE HENRY HECK, by Larry Overmire (4G Grandson), Aug. 2008:

Catherine Emerick was born May 18, 1784, in Berks County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of John Casper Emerick. She married George (IV) Overmire about 1806 probably in Centre County, Pennsylvania. They had at least five children together: Sarah Salome, Nancy, Leah, Levi, and George. It is possible there was a sixth child Peter, but this has yet to be confirmed.

George died young at about the age of 29 during the period of the War of 1812, leaving Catherine to manage on her own with five children under the age of 7. The children needed a father, someone who could provide for the family. She solved this problem by marrying John Henry in 1815, a property owner of considerable means, who had five children of his own from a previous marriage. John and Catherine had a daughter Susan together in 1816. Sometime after that, John died.

Past the age of 40, realizing her children would soon all be married and pursuing lives of their own, Catharine married 68-year-old Frederick Heck on Mar. 25, 1828 in a ceremony performed by Justice of the Peace George Overmier, believed to be the son of Peter Obermeier, son of the immigrant Captain. Mr. Heck was another of the Perry County pioneers with large land holdings. He died at the age of 80 on Jan. 25, 1840.

After Frederick's death, Catherine went to live with her daughter Susan (Henry) and her husband George Kishler. All of Catherine's Overmire children moved to Illinois. One wonders if she ever saw them again. She is listed in the Kishler household in the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. Catherine died on October 6, 1870, at the age of 86 and was buried in the New Lebanon Evangelical Lutheran Church cemetery. Note: New Lebanon Evangelical Lutheran Church cemetery records show Catherine Heck buried there: "ROW 14 - Heck, Catharine, w/o Frederick d. October 6, 1870 aged about 86 y". On page 33, the records show several Emericks were buried in Row 12.

• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial via son George Overmier by SmartCopy: Dec 4 2015, 2:46:10 UTC