William Overman

William Overman, a son of Jesse and Keziah (Stubbs) Overman, was born in Butler County, Ohio, on the 7th of January, 1816. When he was seven years of age his parents moved to Wayne County, Indiana, where Mr. Overman was raised on his father's farm, receiving an education sufficient to enable him to teach six winters in the public schools of the state. During his boyhood Mr. Overman stayd on his father's farm helping to clear it up, and was at home more or less until at the age of twenty-nine, when he was married to Nancy Overman, a daughter of Cornelius and Rebecca Overman, and a second cousin to Mr. Overman.

The young couple on the last day of 1845 came to Miami County and settled on 160 acres of land in Harrison Township which entered from the government. When they came here the land not been surveyed and the Indians were still thick in the forest. Here they began to clear the land, building a little log cabin with the usual stick chimney. Here all the family, with the exception of Martha Ann, a native of Wayne County, were born. Their names are Mary Jane, Elijah F., George, Irvin C., Nathan A. and Iuna. Elijah, Irvin, Nathan and Iuna are still living. On the 6th day of July, 1869, the wife was taken away.

Remaining a widower for two years he was, on the 8th of November, 1871, married to Mrs. Mary Annis, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Binford, with whom he lived on the farm until in 1885 when he moved to Amboy, where he now resides. Mr. and Mrs. O. are members of the Friends Church. Beginning life in poor circumstances, Mr. Overman has worked hard, and has, by dint of industry and perseverance, gained a fine and well cultivated farm. He is the oldest citizen of Amboy, and his family has grown to be one of the most respected in the community.

There is a tradition in the Overman family to the effect that several generations ago three brothers by the name of Overman came to the United States from Germany, and from these all the Overman's of the country are descended, at any rate they are a very old family of the Carolina's, the grandfather being Isaac and the father Ephraim, to whom on the 17th day of October, 1782, was born Jesse, the father of William, Elijah and Joseph, all old residents of Miami County.

Mr. Jesse Overman was a native of Pasquotank, North Carolina, being raised and educated on his father's farm at that place. The family left North Carolina for Virginia, and in 1807 emigrated to Indiana, then the far west and nothing but a howling wilderness, and settled in Wayne, where the city of Richmond now stands, and burned the stumps from the place where there are now large buildings.

In 1810 Mr. Overman went to Preble County, and there in the Friends' Church was united in wedlock with Kesiah Stubbs, a native of Georgia, a lady of German descent. Beginning his married life in Butler County, most of his family of thirteen children, by name, Henry, Eli, Elizabeth, William, Rachel, Rebecca, Ephraim, Nathan, Enoch and Elijah, Joseph, Hannah and Mary were born. Elizabeth, Rachel and Mary are dead. In 1823 he moved his family to Wayne County, where he raised and educated them.

In 1835 the mother died, and the children growing up have married and raised families. About 1847 or '48 he came to Miami County, where several of his children had preceded him, and lived around among them until his death, which occurred on the 21st of September, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Overman were both members of the Friends' Church, and remains of this sturdy pioneer now repose in the Amboy grave yard. Coming to this country when all was wilderness, Mr. Overman carved a home out of the forest and raised a family a credit to himself and the community, and at last sinking under the weight of years, sought the haven where so many of his friends had preceded him.

From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Jackson Township.

SOURCE: Find A Grave.com