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This is a space to collect information on William Overton of Virginia who is proposed as a gateway ancestor through his (proposed) father Robert Overton.


SGM: Temperance Overton 1679-1716 [1] "The will of Robert Overton does not mention a son named William. There is also no baptismal record for this supposed William son of Robert Overton. In this case, the descendants have told themselves that the connection is correct."


Contents

William Overton

West, Nan Overton. The Overtons: 700 Years with Allied Families from England to Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas. (1997). Google snippet view.


Virginia.1

Mary Elizabeth WATERS was the daughter of Mrs. Anne WATERS of St. Sepulcher’s Parish, London. “The will of Anne WATERS of St. Sepulcher’s Parish, London, dated September 29, 1697, probated July, 1700, by her son Thomas WATERS and filed in the Prerogative Courts of Canterbury County Kent, England states: ‘I give to my daughter Elizabeth OVERTON, now in Virginia the sum of ten shillings and to my son-in-law William OVERTON, her husband, ten shillings.’”

The early descendants of Wm. Overton & Elizabeth Waters of Virginia and allied families.


Robert Overton

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Overton,_Robert

Wikipedia: Robert Overton.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60857920/robert-overton Find A Grave Memorial #60857920].
Geni.com - very good information.
[Overton Y-DNA Project Overton Y-DNA Project].
West, Nan Overton. The Overtons: 700 Years with Allied Families from England to Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas. (1997).

- discussion on lack of evidence for William on page 517

-Will of Robert Overton of Seaton, Rutland.[2]

- Will on pages 64 and 104.
- Dated 23 June 1678; proved on 29 January 1678/9.
- Note buried 2 July 1678, nine days after his will was written.
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ROBERT OVERTON
(Note: For the purpose of ease of reading, conventional spelling is used herein)
I, Robert Overton esquire being sick in body but of sound and perfect memory do make, publish and declare my last will and testament as followeth. First and above all things I commit my spirits into the hands of the great God my Creator in hope of eternal life by the merits of Jesus Christ my Redeemer. Next, for my body I desire it may be decently buried if it may be near the body of my dearest deceased wife in the burying place called the New Church Yard in Moorefields, London. And out of that just a principle I have for the satisfaction of all such moneys as I have borrowed and which I am indebted unto any person or persons whatsoever I do will direct and appoint all and singular my goods and chattels, debts and personal estate whatsoever (except as hereafter excepted) to be sold and disposed for the payment of my said debts. Except nevertheless such wearing apparel, linen, books, manuscripts and other things whatsoever now in the house of my son Broughton which I will and give to my daughter Mrs. Anne Broughton desiring that my son and daughter Johnson may take and choose such of my books and manuscripts as they shall desire to have. My mind and will farther is that such of my wearing apparel and linen as is before excepted be disposed of as my said daughter Broughton shall think fitting among the servants of my son Broughton particular regard being had to Frances, the wife of John Mole, for her care and a good attendance upon me in my long sickness. And I do constitute and appoint my son Mr. Ebenezer Overton sole executor of this my last will and testament and after the satisfaction of my debts as aforesaid I do bequeath and give the remaining part of my personal estate to be divided equally between my two sons Ebenezer and Fairfaxe Overton and do lastly nominate and appoint my two sons-in-law Andrew Broughton and Nathaniell Johnson to be overseers of this my will and that they be assisting to the performance thereof.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this three and twentieth day of June in the year of our Lord 1678.
Robert Overton, signed and sealed
Published and declared to be the last will of said Robert Overton in the presence of Edm. Shepherd, William Sanderson, W. Angell
PROBATUM apud London 29 January 1678


Grandfather John Overton

https://archive.org/details/YASRS009/page/68/mode/2up

England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858. (Ancestry.com online database, original images). PROB 11: Will Registers, 1644-1654, Piece 242: Alchin, Quire Numbers 463-516 (1654). Probate of Johannis Overton, 1654. Image 432 of 863.

86.—The Will of John Overton of Easington.

July 20, 1648. John Overton of Easington in Holderness* Esq.

“ Having had my person taken and captivated 22 weekes in prison and my whole personall estate violently taken from Sir Hugh Cholmeley and Michaell Constable, enemyes to the present Parlyament and their country ” to be buried in the church of Easington. “ If the tymes will permitt, of my worldly goods saved from the enemy I doe give and bequeath as followeth unto my dear son Collonell Robert Overton my best horse. To my dear and loving daughter Grissell Williamson, the now wife of Mr Thomas Williamson, Esq., ^ioo in gold, and an annuity of £ 20. To Joane Appleyard, my grandchild, £400 at 21 or marriage, and if she die, to any child God shall bless her mother Grissell Williamson, and if none it shall remain to such children as my son Robert Overton shall have. To Robert, Ebenezer, Anne, and Alicia Overton, grandchildren, £200 each at full age. To my loving uncle Mr Gabrieli Catherall, my brother Wm Overton, Capt. John Overton, my godson, and my nephew Ralph Elliotson a 20 s. piece of gold each. To the children of Edward Ingleton of Hull £$. To the children of Hellen Gofton, the wife of William Gofton of Withernsey AS- To Ralph Elliotson, my godson, 40 s. To my sister Elliotson £$. To my daughter Anne Overton 40jr. in old gold to make her a ring. To each of the children of Christopher Overton, my brother, ^10 at full age. To Thomas Eckersall, my kins¬ man, £5, and to Thomas Kennington, minister of Easington, a 21 s. piece of gold. Residue to John and Robert Overton, grandchildren, executors. Codicil, Sep. 20, 1650. The legacy to Rob 1 Overton, grand¬ son, son of Col. Overton, to be void, and remain to Joane, daughter of son Col. Overton, born since the making of this will. [Pr. May 25, 1654, by Robert Overton, father of John and Rob. Overton.]

Problems

William Overton of Virginia is generally believed and often found in print and on the internet as the son of Robert Overton of Seaton, Rutland. The most recent study of the Overtons challenges and refutes this identification.[3]
  • There is no actual evidence to connect William Overton and Robert Overton. This is the most important as in order to prove the English origins of an immigrant we need to have something in the way of wills, land records, correspondence, baptism records, court cases, etc. to show or even suggest that the immigrant could be the son of the proposed father. In this case, no such document exists. Robert Overton did have a son named William baptized in 1538, however, this William certainly died young.
  • The will of his grandfather John Overton in 1648 names many relatives including his grandchildren; however, he does not name a grandson William Overton.[4] The will includes his son Col. Robert Overton and grandchildren Robert, Ebenezer, Anne, Alicia and Joane Overton - no William.
  • The will of the proposed father Col. Robert Overton in 1678 does not name a son William. In fact, the will reads as if Col. Overton had exactly two living sons, Ebenezer and Fairfax, who shared equally in his estate.
  • Col. Robert Overton, while in captivity on the Isle of Jersey, wrote a 372 manuscript from 1665-1669 touching on a wide range of matters including his family, love for his wife, politics, poetry. This document was discovered 1992 and is written in his own hand. It is currently held in the Special Collections and Rare Books Department at Princeton University. Despite discussing his family in detail, he never names a son William.
  • There is no evidence that Col. Robert Overton even had a son William. As noted, no William is named in any of the documents where he should occur. Robert Overton is frequently said to have had a son William baptized on 3 December 1638; the original source has not been found to confirm this baptism. Also, there is no room for this supposed William if Col Overton's son Jeremie on 29 September 1637 and son Robert on 2 May 1639.



Sources

  1. SGM Discussion Group. "Temperance Overton 1679-1716". (First post by Will Johnson 8 July 2021).Google Groups link
  2. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, (Ancestry.com online database, original images). PROB 11: Will Registers, 1674-1687, Piece 359: King, Quire Numbers 1-65 (1679), for Roberti Overton. Image 138 of 1037.
  3. West, Nan Overton. The Overtons: 700 Years with Allied Families from England to Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas. (1997). Google snippet view.
  4. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858. (Ancestry.com online database, original images). PROB 11: Will Registers, 1644-1654, Piece 242: Alchin, Quire Numbers 463-516 (1654). Probate of Johannis Overton, 1654. Image 432 of 863.
  • Norfolk, England, Transcripts of Church of England Baptism, Marriage and Burial Registers, 1600-1935, (Ancestry.com online database, original images). Archdeacon Transcripts 1600-1812, East Bilney, for Willm Overton. Image 15 of 122. (Image Lynn sent me).
  • Library of Congress: Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers website. Richmond Times-Dispatch Newspaper, September 05, 1915, page five, column two. Genealogical Notes Queries and Answers: The Overton Family, by Wison Miles Cary. Image 31 of 52.
  • Library of Congress: Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers website. Richmond Times-Dispatch Newspaper, September 12, 1915, page five, column three. Genealogical Notes Queries and Answers: Overton (continued), by Wison Miles Cary. Image 31 of 52.




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