John
F. Overfield
(1862-1916?)
John F. Overfield was born in 1862 in Preston County, WV, the son of John Edgar and Sarah (Hanshaw) Overfield.
In 1886, when John was 22, he married Berdie Virginia Hawkins (1866-1939), who had been born in Iowa, but whose parents were Milton and Elizabeth (Johnson) Hawkins of Preston County.
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.
Circa 1908, John and Berdie resided in Morgantown, Monongalia County, WV.
The Overfields had four children -- Harry W. Overfield and Walter M. Overfield, and two others who died young. Son Harry also is believed to have died at a young age.
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.
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| Cheat River Bridge near Morgantown |
Sadly, John passed away sometime before the end of 1916, and 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.
Berdie resided at 862 University
Avenue in Morgantown in her later years. 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.
Walter was employed by the City of Morgantown circa 1939. His fate is unknown.
Copyright © 2004, 2006 Mark A. Miner