The Overman Family
It is a myth that Jacob Overman came from Germany--the earliest document we have that mentions Jacob Overman is the sale of "headrights" by (the mariner) Thomas Harwood to Charles Calvert, dated 11 March 1667. These headrights were given to him for bringing settlers to this country. A certain amount (varied with time & place) was given for each person imported--and the document lists each person (30 in all) by name to prove his claim. This document is in the Maryland Archives.
Jacob Overman came over on the ship "Thomas & Mary" which sailed from London. While I recognize the possibility that Jacob--or his parents or grandparents--could have come from Germany to England, I consider it most probable that Jacob at least grew up, and was probably born in England. Analyzing sailing routes and immigration patterns to this country tends to confirm this as well. A quick survey of English records shows that the name OVERMAN is in England at least as early as 1500, so I see no reason to think he could not have come from there. There have been (& are) Overmans in the Netherlands, Germany, & France. I have been in contact with some of them. There is nothing, however, to indicate a connection of our Jacob to any of these areas other than the persistent "family traditions". I hope someday to find documentation of Jacob in England--or wherever he came from--but in the meantime, I will assume Jacob came from there.
The most common family tradition says that Jacob Overman, and his son Ephraim were converted to the Quaker belief through the preaching of William Penn, when he had meetings in Emden, Germany, in 1672, and came to America where they could practice those principals. But this causes confusion, since his son Ephraim was not born until 1681. It may be that he had a brother Ephraim. Another says that Jacob Overman, with two brothers, came to the colonies, prior to 1672. But this causes confusion, because his oldest child is recorded as being born in Germany in 1678. It could be Jacob returned to Germany, married, fathered a son, and went again to America.
About this time, there was an exodus of many families of Palatines who were forced to leave Germany on account of the conditions brought on by the almost 100 years of warfare on central European soil, including The Thirty Years War. It is believed that Jacob got off a ship from London, and served his passage time in Maryland, before going to Connecticut. The earliest record of the Jacob Overman family in America is found in Wetherfield, Connecticut. No record of when he came over.
Jacob Overman, the emigrant 1667. I always tend to forget that Jacob Overman spent the first six or so years of his life in the colonies in Talbot County, Maryland. In case you aren't familiar with it, Talbot County is on the "Delmarva" peninsula, where I have a passel of other relatives. It comprises Accomac and Northampton Cos Virginia, several Delaware and Maryland counties. It is all the land east of the Chesapeake Bay, extending north to the Pennsylvania border latitude generally speaking. Like much of Virginia, its largest landowners were children of noble or wealthy merchant families (second sons, wastrels that families wanted out of their hair etc).
According to Talbot County records, Jacob Overman was indentured to Richard Gorsuch (for a period of six years beginning in July of 1668. Richard Gorsuch bought with Thomas Powell land around 1665 in the County:
Edward Overman, was born about 1625, in Saxony, Germany. He was married about 1640 in Weatherfield, Hartford County, Connecticut. He died there.
Jacob Overman, Sr., son of Edward Overman, was born about 1652, in Saxony, Germany.
He was married 26 October 1677 to Hannah Walcott, who died 22 February 1692, age 38, 2 days after the birth of her youngest child.
Jacob�s will was dated 12 September 1715, in Pasquotank County, North Carolina
Children:
The family next appears in the �Colonial Records of North Carolina.�
On 25 February 1694/5 Jacob Overman with second wife Dorothy, and children, (Jacob Jr., Thomas, Ephram, Margery, Charles, and Ann) proved �head right� and was granted a 400 acre tract of land. The old law was 50 acres for each head imported into the colony.
From this we know that the children John, Joseph, and Hope had died in Connecticut, or on the way to North Carolina. On 26 February 1694, probably 1 day later, Jacob Overman, bricklayer, of Cordwainer, North Carolina, bought 132 acres on the east side of Little River. Jacob Overman, planter, made his will in North Carolina, 12 September 1715, a copy of which is in the Historical Collection at Raleigh, North Carolina. It names �wife Dorothy, and children, Ephraim, Margaret Macky, Charles, and children of my deceased son Jacob Jr.� The executors were Friend William Haeg and son-in-law Thomas Macky.
Jacob Overman Jr., son of Jacob Overman and Hannah _______, was born 20 October 1678, in the vicinity of Emden, Germany.
He was married 11mo 1699 in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, to Rebecca Newby, daughter of John Newby and Magdalene. (See: Newby Family, Part II.)
Jacob died before 12 September 1715. His youngest child, born in July of that year, is not denoted as being born after his death, so it is likely that he died between June and Sep.
Rebeca was married/2 prior to February 1719, to Robert White, son of Henry White and Mary.
Children:
Ephraim Overman Sr., son of Jacob Overman and Hannah Walcott, was born 6 March 1681.
At the Pasquotank Monthly Meeting, North Carolina, (later called Symons Creek Monthly Meeting) on the 13day 3mo 1708 he was liberated to marry Sarah Belleman, who was born 28 August 1688; they were married in the 8th month of that year.
Her Parents:
John Belleman (born 1664, Perquimans County, North Carolina) and Sarah Wilson (born 28 June 1666, Isle of Wight Virginia.)
They were married 19 October 1687 in Perquimans County, North Carolina, in the home of Jonathan Phelps. John Belleman�s will was probated 7d January 1706, in Pasquotank County Sarah Wilson died later; her parents were Robert and Ann Wilson.
The following item copied from a Friend�s Meeting record seems to show that the children of Jacob Overman may have had early military training.
�At a monthly Meeting held in Pasquotank at Newbegun Creek, the 16th of 9th mo 1711, the friends appointed to visit Ephraim Overman have discoursed him concerning his forwardness in assisting the soldiers to defend himself and others with carnal weapons contrary to our known principles, the which after further consideration he acknowledged to be an error in him, and hoped for the future to take better care and walk more circumspectly.�
Walter V. Overman reports: �This refers to the time when the Tuscorora (?) Indians took up arms against the colonists. At that time the Carolinas were settled not more than some 50 miles from the coast and these Indians killed some 200 in a short time, those Palatines who were newly settled. History states that it required the combined forces of North and South Carolina and I believe Virginia, to subdue the redskins. They were finally taken to Pennsylvania and attached to another tribe.�
Ephraim died 9 April 1732 in Pasquotank County All the children were born in Pasquotank County, North Carolina.
Sarah was married/2 to Nathaniel Martin, and died in 1786
Children:
Charles Overman II, son of Jacob Overman, Jr. and Rebecca Newby, was born 12 12mo 1710, in Pasquotank County, North Carolina; died 1755/6; married Ann, 11 children.
Children:
Isaac Overman, son of Ephraim Overman and Sarah Belleman, was born 26 4mo 1727, in Pasquotank County, North Carolina.
Both Pasquotank Monthly Minutes and Perquimans state that Isaac Overman on 2 of 2nd mo 1747 was ltm (liberated to marry) to Mary Evans, of Perquimans Monthly Meeting. Other sources say that she was Mary Pike. Mary�s birthday (probably about 1730) and parentage has not been discovered. One possible explanation may be that Mary was a widow.
Family tradition says Mary was related to Col. Zebulon Montgomery Pike who discovered the Peak named after him. If Mary was born about 1730, she would be much older. Captain Zebulon Pike 1751-1834. His son Col. Pike, 1779-1813. Perhaps she was a sister to the Captain�s father. He was in New England, then for several generations in New Jersey, then to Pennsylvania. (See: Pike Family, Part VIII)
Isaac died 2 January in Pasquotank County, probably 1775. Hinshaw (p 157) states: �After 18 January 1775 when Mary, Nathan, and Beoni �Orphans of Isaac� be bound out.� Mary died in 1779, and may not have been able to care for her children. Daughter Mary died a short time later.
Children:
Ephraim Overman III, son of Isaac Overman and Mary Pike Evans, was born 21 January 1754 in Pasquotank County, North Carolina.
A millwright, he was married 6 July 1780 in Symons Creek Monthly Meeting, Pasquotank County, North Carolina, to A. Rachel Small, who was born 3 October 1759, daughter of Obediah Small and Lydia Bundy (See: Small and Bundy families, Part IV)
Ephraim and Rachel resided in Pasquotank County, until after the birth of their 4th child. The 5th child, Ephraim was born in Randolph County, North Carolina, where the family resided for a time.
They moved from North Carolina to Grayson County, Virginia, in 1798. In 1804 Elders of the Religious Society of Friends (or people called Quakers) of Grayson County, petitioned the Assembly on behalf of the Society. They expressed their distress at the consequence of being bound by militia law to muster and pay fines, as it was "repugnant to our religious principles to learn the military discipline." Their complaint was that a number of them would be reduced to abject poverty as the payment of fines for non-attending of muster could only be paid by seizing their property.
They asked to be relieved from militia duty and the payment of fines. They assured the legislature that their noncompliance with the law was not from "stubbornness or a seditious disposition of mind," but was "in obedience to the divine injunction of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ operating on our consciences." They felt it was a duty to refrain from mustering, or learning war in any manner, and that such a law would be offensive to their Creator, and would never have a tendency "to promote happiness, prosperity, welfare or safety of any people as a nation."
The document was signed by order of the Monthly Meeting in Grayson County, the 24th day of 11th Month (November) 1804, by Joshua Stoneman, Ephraim Overman, Benjamin Hiatt, William Bundy, John Green, Elders. The petition was rejected. (Grayson County, Legislative Petition, December 13, 1804, Virginia State Library, Archives).
Doubtless these sorts of experiences did make Friends more likely to leave Virginia. Quakers were doubly suspect in Virginia at this time. Not only were they pacifist, but they were also opposed to slavery, and in 1800 Virginia had experienced a major panic over a threatened slave revolt. One report had it that the rebels planned to spare only poor whites and Quakers.
On the other hand, harassment over militia fines also took place in Ohio and Indiana. Interestingly, Ephraim Overman (1754-1824), one of the signers of the above petition, by 1810 was in Wayne County, Indiana, and was elected by Friends there to the territorial legislature to try to obtain an exemption for Friends.
He succeeded, but the exemption was repealed a year later. The result was what one Friend called a "reign of terror" in parts of Indiana during the War of 1812. Friends who refused to drill with the militia were fined and had property seized. Young men with no property on which to levy were jailed. The local militia court martial even sentenced one elderly Friend named Jacob Elliott to be shot by a firing squad, although they didn't carry it out.
In April 1807 they moved to what was then called Indian Territory, (later Wayne County, Indiana). Ephraim was a member of the Territorial Legislature, and a member of the first State Assembly in 1816. The family was all charter members of White Water Meeting, established in 1809. All of their descendants are eligible to membership in the Society of Indiana Pioneers.
He died 27 September 1824 in Randolph County, Indiana, and was buried in the Arba Friends Cemetery. In 1829 the families moved to Grant County, Indiana. Rachel lived her later years with her daughter Rachel near Marian, Indiana, where a Soldier�s Home now stands. She had been stricken with blindness in a single night�s time. Her daughter Rachel also had a case of �sore eyes� after the Civil War. She died 6 November 1847 in Grant County, Indiana, and is buried at old Mississinewa Graveyard, IOOF Cemetery, Marion.
Children:
Jesse Overman, son of Ephraim Overman III and Rachel Small, was born 17 October 1782, near Cane Creek, Pasquotank Monthly Meeting, Randolph County, North Carolina.
He was married 14 June 1810, in Elk, Preble County, Ohio, to Keziah Stubbs, who was born 19 July 1790, in Chatham County, North Carolina. The Maris Family records her as born in Columbia County, Georgia
Keziah died 1 September 1835 at Arba, Indiana; Jessie died 21 September 1869, in Miami County, Indiana.
Children:
Eli Overman I, son of Ephraim Overman III and Rachel Small, was born 16 February 1785 in Randolph County, North Carolina. He moved to Wayne County, Indiana, in 1797. He was a school teacher, surveyor and farmer.
He married Mary (Polly) Thomas who was born 19 December 1793 in North Carolina, daughter of John Thomas, Jr. and Lydia Snead. (See: Thomas-Snead Family Part VIII).
Eli and Polly were married 4 November (or Oct) 1812 at Richmond, Indiana, at White Water Meeting House, shortly after her father John had migrated from Guilford County, North Carolina.
They first lived 6 miles west of Richmond; then in 1814, 12 miles north of Richmond. They settled in Grant County, in 1827. The first Quaker meeting was held in their home, and later a log house was erected where their meetings were held for several years.
Polly died 6 January 1880; he died 22 April 1855. They are buried at the old Quaker Cemetery, which is now known as the IOOF Cemetery, Marion, Indiana.
Children:
Ephraim Overman IV, son of Ephraim Overman III and Rachel Small, was born 11 June 1790, in Randolph County, North Carolina.
He was married 13 December 1819 in Wayne County, Indiana, to Miriam Draper, who was born 13 September 1799
He died 12 May 1852, in Grant County, Indiana; she died 19 March 1854, in Mississinewa, Grant County. Both were buried in Mississinewa Cemetery.
All of the children were born in Marion, Grant County, Indiana. There may be other children.
Children:
Nathan Overman II, son of Jesse Overman and Keziah Stubbs, was born 10 July 1822.
He was married to Anna Fulghum, who was born 25 July 1824 and died 19 April 1898, buried in Arba, Indiana.
Children:
Enoch Overman, (twin), son of Jesse Overman and Keziah Stubbs, was born 1 February 1824, in West Elkton, Preble County, Indiana.
He was married 20 March 1850, in Grant County, Indiana, to Hannah Jones, who was born 2 January 1834, in Grant County, the daughter of Richard Jones and Hannah Thomas.
Hannah died in 1916, in Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana
Children:
Elijah Overman, a twin, son of Jessie Overman and Keziah Stubbs, was born in 1 February 1824, in Randolph County, Indiana.
He was married to Susannah LaRue/Rue, who was born 15 December 1833, in Centerville, Wayne County, Indiana, the daughter of Henry LaRue/Rue, and Rebecca Talbot.
He moved to Dexter, Cowley County, Kansas, and died there on 23 September 1893.
For a more complete collection of their descendants, See: Overman Family
Children:
Stephen Overman, son of Eli Overman and Polly Thomas, was born 6 September 1814 in Mississinewa, Grant County, Indiana.
He was married 18 August 1836, Marion Monthly Meeting, in Grant County, Indiana, to Polly Moorman, who was born 23 August 1815 in Wayne County, Indiana, daughter of Uriah Moorman and Hannah Mendenhall. Polly died 10 January 1851. (See: Moorman Family)
He was married/2 24 March 1852, at Marion Monthly Meeting, to Sarah Small, who was born 11 May 1819, daughter of Jonathan and Miriam Small. (See: Small Family)
He died 30 October 1877, in Center township, Grant County, Indiana; Sarah died 25 February 1891. The children were probably all born in Grant County
Family records are taken directly from Stephen�s Family Bible, which was in the possession of Walter V. Overman, in 1927. In the Bible, only the last child had a middle name. Eli, Hiram, and John chose the initial for themselves.
Stephen and Sarah also raised Julia Huffman, born 1855, in Grant County, who married a Thompson. The record of her family is also in the Bible.
Children:
John Overman III, son of Eli Overman and Mary Thomas, was born 21 March 1816, in Wayne County, Indiana.
He was married/1 24 December 1836, Marion Monthly Meeting, Indiana, to Ann McCracken, was born 21 February 1820, North Carolina
John was married/2 1 April 1869, 3rd husband, to Arenna Jessup, who was born 10 September 1823, in Wayne County, Indiana, daughter of Isaac Jessup and Ann Gray.
John died 30 October 1875;
Children:
Joel Overman I, son of Eli Overman and Polly Thomas, was born 11 April 1822, in Grant County Indiana.
He was married 20 October 1841, at Marion Monthly Meeting, Grant County, Indiana to Mary Smith who was born 3 October 1826/7, daughter of Jesse and Martha Smith of Preble County, Ohio, and sister to Ephraim, above. Mary died 28 August 1900; Joel died 19 October 1901. The children were born in Grant County
Children:
Lydia Overman, daughter of Ephraim Overman IV and Miriam Draper, was born 9 March 1825, in Marion, Grant County, Indiana, and died 22 February 1867.
She was married to Jesse Harvey.
Children:
Rolla L. Overman, son of Nathan Overman and Anna Fulghum was born 17 January 1865, in Wayne County, Indiana. He was married to Olive Owen, who was born 20 October 1869, in Darke County, Ohio, daughter of William Owen and Amanda ___.
Children:
John Rue Overman, son of Elijah Overman and Susanna LaRue/Rue, was born 28 March 1855, in Wayne County, Indiana.
He was married on 9 March 1879, in Amboy, Miami County, Indiana, to Alice Anna Larrison, living in 1927, Amboy Indiana. She was the daughter of David and Jane Larrison.
The children were all born in Miami County, Indiana.
Children:
Eli H Overman, son of Stephen Overman and Polly Moorman, was born 27 December 1837 in Grant County, Indiana. He was married about 1874 to Rachel A. Hodson, who was born 23 August 1815(1845?) and died 10 January 1888. He died 8 April 1913. Both of them and their oldest child are buried in the Baker Cemetery, Burr Oak, Jewell County, Kansas. All children born in Jewell County
Children:
Hiram J. Overman, son of Stephen Overman and Polly Moorman, was born 29 April 1840, in Grant County, Indiana. He was married 23 September 1864,in Mississinewa, Grant County, Indiana to Rhoda Pearson, who was born 27 January 1846 in Miami, Ohio. He died 3 November 1916, in Center township, Grant County, Indiana
Rhoda was living in 1927, on the �homeplace.� Rosella and Andy lived with her. She died 25 June 1932, in Phoix, Howard County, Indiana
Children:
Joseph Overman, son of Jesse Overman and Keziah Stubbs, was born 6 September 1826, and died 29 January 1899. He was married 24 January 1849, in Miami County, Indiana, to Anna Jones, who died in 1900.
Children:
Allen J Overman, son of Joel Overman I and Mary Smith, was born about 1850-1852 in Grant County, Indiana. He was married to Arminta Chields.
Children:
Irving Adolph Overman, son of Eli Overman and Rachel A. Hodson, was born 6 October 1881, and died 17 August 1942. He was married 5 September 1906, to Minnie Jones, who was born 7 November 1885, daughter of William E. Jones and Mary Bullington. Irving died 17 August 1942; Minnie died 4 March 1969 in Hill Top, a nursing home in Bucklin, Kansas. They lived in Fowler, Kansas 1932-1966
Children:
Walter V. Overman, son of Hiram J. Overman and Rhoda Pearson, was born 13 February 1871.
He was married/1 in 1901 to Jennie Norris, who died in 1902, 11 days after the birth of her son, who died at the age of 22 months of diphtheria, both buried in Leonard Cemetery. He was married/2 in 1905 to Birdie A. Trowbridge, of Grant County, Indiana. An electrician, Walter died 1959 Kokomo, Indiana.
Children:
Bibliography
Overman Family by Ruth Roe, Friends U. Library, Wichita, Kansas
Overman Family in America by Mrs. J. E. McMullan, Huntington, Indiana 1946
Styles History of Ancient Wetherfield, Conn .- Vol.1, p 534
Colonial Records of North Carolina Vol 2, page 92, 93, 96
Historical Collection -Raleigh, North Carolina
Encyclopedia of Quaker Genealogy by Hinshaw�
History of Grant County, Indiana-1886 beg.p 671,
Kokomo Indiana March 8 1927
Mr. E. C. Overman
Dover Okla.
Dear Cousin Of course I am almost ashamed to �take my pen in hand to let you know� etc. at this late date in an attempt to answer your letter of September 26-1926 but �better late than never� (some say better never late)
I thought I would have sent you the essay on the family tree a long time ago, but I am continually �up against it.� My house is at Kokomo and no work there to be had so I have been since August 1925 working at Indianapolis and go home Saturday afternoon and return to my room here (Indianapolis) on Sunday Eve. Its a very hard way to have to do but I have got to do the best I can to make a living for the family.
I am employed at Fairbanks Morse County, in their factory building electric Motors. I have worked at the electrical trade since 1905 doing but little of anything else since that time My work with them is in the repair department and consists of what they call �change Voltage� that is they may have a motor in stock which some customer wants and the branch house will order they may want it 440 volts and the machine in question is 220 volts then it is my work to change the connections in the windings so it will run equally well on the Voltage desired some times that is only about 30 minutes work other times a machine of the larger size may take a day or more. I have changed 16 machines in one day though the usual days work will run 6 or 8. with occasionally none for a day or two, all governed by just how their orders for goods come in This refers to alternating current motors only -not to direct current machines.
In your letter you mention a Silas Overman a �first cousin of your father� in connection with a Prog. who taught school in Wakita. I have no doubt this is Silas son of Henry and grandson of Jesse who was the oldest brother of our great grandfather Eli. in that case Silas was second cousin to your father (see page 12 of the essay (which I expect to send soon) this Man Silas lived in Oklahoma at last account I had of him, suppose he is not living by this time. There was a Micajah Overman, brother to Silas, who lived at Chetopa, Kansas, RR2. I wrote him some time ago-no answer another brother Leander lived in TX was living yet a few months ago and still another Columbus Overman lived at Dexter, Kansas
Elijah Overman another son of Jesse moved to Kansas and died there, his son Albert J. Overman lived near Stillwater, Oklahoma he died about 1896
Elijah also has a son John R. Overman living at Aino (Arno (?)IND am some what acquainted with him. There is also a daughter of Eli S, Ludonna, who married Fred Spoken. now of Woodlake California. I suspect this is the parents of the Ralph Spoken whom you mention in your letter. If this is so he would be your 3rd cousin Would be glad to have you find out through the Stillwater address you say Carl gave you and learn if this is correct
Can you furnish present address of Cousin Etta Dick also of Arthur
I found out a few years ago that Uncle John�s widow and girls were living in Minneapolis, Minn. I had 2 or 3 letters from her (Ann Lamb Overman, daughter of Hezekiah and Hannah Lamb, Part I)
I notice a few questions at the close of your letter which I will answer now. I have not lived on the home place for about 22 years. Mother still lives and is on the place with Sister Rosella and her husband Mr. Stephen. Yes, I am married, my second time. First time in 1901 to Miss Jennie Norris of 10 miles north of Danville Ill. She was taken away from me by death within the year following, our son was eleven days old when she died and when the baby was 22 months old I lost him with Diphtheria. They are both buried at the Leonard Cemetery ??? .???.
I married again in 1905 to Birdie A Trowbridge of Grant County Indiana. We have seven children living, our third one died at about 13 months old. Practically no gas now in the Indiana gas belt the big greedy corporations robbed us of that several years ago so that now we have very little just occasionally a well that will supply a family or two is all.
I am sending some photographic prints which I thought might interest you. The post cards are Uncle Eli, Aunt Luzena and father. I made them when Uncle and Aunt were out here in the fall of 1912 They are from three different negatives but one of which has been retouched I picked these out very hurriedly just before leaving home Sunday evening and did not have time to Mount them. Should you wish the stereoscopic one mounted I will do so for you if you wish to return them. The one of the cemetery shows Uncle Eli standing between great grandfather (his left.) and great grand mothers graves; brother Ed in the distance is standing by Grandmother Polly (Moorman) Overman grave. the stone nearest in foreground is Grandfather Stephen O�s grave and the large shaft of grandfathers brother John and wife there are dozens and dozens of Overmans buried here.
Well, will close and hope to hear from you much sooner than you have heard from me, with best wishes I am sincerely your cousin Walter V. Overman