Home |
John F. Overfield was born in 1862 in Preston County, WV, the son of John Edgar and Sarah (Hanshaw) Overfield. He also grew up in parts of nearby Taylor County. In 1886, when John was 22, he married 16-year-old Bridget Virginia "Berdie" Mann (1870-1939). She was a native of Illinois, the daughter of Milton and Elizabeth (Johnson) Hawkins of Preston County. The Overfields had four children -- Harry W. Overfield and Walter M. Overfield, and two others who died young. Circa 1893, when their son was born, they lived in Ohio. Details are not known. They resided in Grafton, Taylor County, WV, when the federal census was taken in 1900, John was employed as a brakeman on the railroad. John's unmarried, 33-year-old sister Lilly Overfield resided in their home. That year, the Overfields' neighbors included their cousins David A. Fawcett and William Henry Harrison Fawcett, who operated a local dry goods mercantile store. By 1903, John and Berdie had migrated back to their home state, settling for good in Morgantown, Monongalia County, WV. Their home was on Front Street.
Harry
Overfield was drowned ... while returning from Brownsville on the steamer Isaac
Mason, with the excursion party given by the Lady Maccabees. The accident
occurred about a quarter of a mile below Maidsville landing, and nearly opposite
Van Voorhis. It case a deep gloom over the whole party, and the news received
here caused general sorrow. The boy was known to nearly everybody in town
through his connection with Dawson's store, and his handling of the city
newspapers. Every body liked him, and his death causes deep regret. At the death of his uncle Dr. Guy Hanshaw in 1908, John was entitled to 1/48 of the estate. He received an immediate payout from the estate of $38.54 in 1909.
Sadly, John passed away sometime before the end of 1916, and most likely died on Nov. 12, 1914, of "inflammation of brain." At the time, they were living on Bridge Street in Morgantown. Surviving son Walter inherited the full right to his father’s share of the royalty payments. At intervals over the years, through 1942, he received royalty payments from the oil and gas wells. The high point was in 1918, when he received $16.36. In total, father and son received $171.74 in inheritance.
She died in her sleep at the age of 71 on Jan. 4, 1939. She was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery, following a funeral led by Rev. W. Sproule Boyd. Her son Walter was the informant for her death certificate. Her obituary was published in the Morgantown Dominion News. ~ Son Walter M. Overfield ~ Son Walter M. Overfield (1893- ? ) was born in 1893 Ohio. He was employed by the City of Morgantown circa 1939. He is believed to be the same "Walter McClelland Overfield" who was married twice in Monongalia County -- first to Jessie M. Billetter in 1915, and second to Viola May Pastorius in 1920. The 1920 census shows him at age 27 living with his mother and working as a mechanic in a local glass factory. By 1930, he was single again and lived with his widowed mother in Morgantown, where he worked as a driver/sweeper for the city. Copyright © 2004, 2006, 2010, 2015 Mark A. Miner |