Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-05
Genealogical Notes
Queries and ANSWERS
Addrcsr nil communications t.
Genealogical Editor. The Timer
Dispatch.
The Ovcrton Family.

From several remotely related de-
sccndants OF the Virginia immigrant
William Overton. and from different
parts OF the United States, ! have re-
ceived some form of tradition OF dc
scent from General Ovcrtor, VINO served
, unGcr oliver Cromwell. From almost
under the caves of the old home OF
the original settler came this state
ment of direct descendant. Captain
William Overton. a Confederate officer
and n resident of Louisa County, Va:
Il have heard my father say repeatedly
that his father always claimed direct
descent from, the Rebel General Over
ton, who served under Cromwell"
| Many years ago the Hon. william, Che
nault. an able and prominent attor-
OF ono branch OF this family. in which
he stated that William Overton was a
son Of that Colonel Overton. who com
manded brigade OF Ironsides at Dun
bar and rendered many other distin-
gulshed services to the cause OF the
Comm onwealth."
In our branch of the family we had
lost knowledge of the ancestry hacl; OF
the immigrant. William Overton. When
came to Morgantown nearly ten years
ago. to accept n professorship in West
Virginia University. mot descendant
OF William Overton, retired profess
sor, Robert Carter Berkeley, Of prom
inent old Virginia family, himself born
in Hanover County. near where the
Overtons originally settled. From this
Intelligent old >Yirginia gentleman
first received tho Information that the
Overtons descended from that officer OF
Cromwelrs army, of whom Walter
Scott wrote in his Woodstock and Old
Mortality" From this time I became
interested In tho history of this fam
lily and began to compile data, much
OF which I shall publish in this article
n
The Dictionary OF National Bios-
raphy" states that the illustrious
Major General Overton. one Of Oliver
Cromwelrs chief officers, was born
about 1909. married in 1852. and was
imprisoned on the Isle of Jersey until
1865. after which all trace OF him vas
lost. Considering these dates and other
facts to be stated later, I am satisfied
that the tradition descent of the Vir-
Ginia family from this man is sub
stantial For there are we'll preserved
records in nearly all branches of the
family showing that the Virginia immi-
grant, William Overton, was born In
England on December 3. 1888. and that
he caEne to Virginia shortly before 1870
Moreover, the Dictionary of National
BIOGRAPHY states that NIajor-Ccneral
Robert Cverton is said to have been OF
the same family as the famous Bisl,op
William Ovorton, of Coventry and Litch
field, who. was born in London between
100 md ,h.o. So 1t is more than prob
able that Robert Overton named one
Of his sons William.
In Colonial days many English po-
ltical prisoners were transported TO
Virginia and the Barbados II oc
CURED to me. therefore. that when
General Robert Overton disappeared
from prison in 1865 that he had been
sent beyond the seas" have no
doubt that the knowledge Of this trans
portation OF his father led William
Overton to go in search for him evil
IDENTIFY vain search. For William
Overton came to Virginia about 1868
or 1869 and finally decided to settle
there; for. In 1870. he brought over his
flancee, as family records show. GEN
oral Overton, however. must have been
sent to tho Barbados, forl Hatton's
list OF the inhabitants Of the Parish
of Christ Church, Barbados, % Decem-
Der, 1870" includes one Robert Over
ton. living there alone. without family
and without servants, either black or
white. possessing but i've acres OF land
One can but pity the proud old man OF
character beyond reproach. then sew