First Generation

1. JACOB OVERMAN^1,2,3,4 was born in 1652 in England/Germany.¹ He died after September 1715 at the age of 63 in Perquimans County, North Carolina.¹

Some references state that Jacob was born in Saxony, Germany. I think it highly unlikely. Given the time frame of his arrival, he certainly traveled from England. That doesn't preclude that he or his ancestors could have gone from Germany to England in an earlier time. Jacob did not give his children typical German names - they seem to be much more English.

I found an LDS microfilm #1572053 which contains typewritten manuscripts from the Lilly Library at Earlham College in Richmond, IN. They were in a group called "Quakers Family Records" The manuscripts called "Overman Express" was prepared by Gwendolyn Fay Stewart Barber in memory of her grandmother, Florence Eveline Overman Terell. There is no date of publication. Ms. Barber did state that Jacob had come from Germany with his brothers prior to the year 1672 - she offered no source. She stated he was a bricklayer. This seems to be tradition rather than fact.

Wheeler-Manville-Williams-Draper. Suzanne W. Watt <[email protected]>
Sailed in 1667 to Maryland on the "Thomas and Mary", Captain Thomas Harwood, He was indentured for 6 years to Richard Gorsuch, Talbot Co MD. By 1677 he was in Wethersfield, Hartford Co. Connecticut - where he married Hannah. In 1679 he bought 4 acres in Wethersfield from Thos. Wickam Jr. Hannah died in 1692. In 1694 Jacob got a 400 acre grant in North Carolina and moved his new wife Dorothy and the children of Hannah's to Pasquotank Co. His children became Quakers.

I Thomas Harwood of London mariner do by these presents assign and sellover
unto the Honble Charles Calvert Esq all my right titles and interest of the
number of thirty rights of land due for transporting these persons following
this present year their names are as followeth vizt Edward Bell, Mathew
Fullmer, Robert White, Sarah Astell, John Steele, Thurston Collier, Cecella
Johnson, Theophilus Chervill, John Davis, Timothy Wyatt, Geffery Mallershey,
Oliver Millett, John Turner, John Harrison, Robert Howard, Samuel Randall,
Peter Bawcomb, Servant by name John Cliff, Stephen Wynne, John Youngman,
Thomas Sorrell Richard Jackmore, George Haze, (XX) John Gaine, Robert
Clarke, Wm Carrell, William Johnson William Knight, Wm Snellick and Jacob
Overman which said Rights of land I assign over to the said Charles Calvert
and his heirs from me the said Thomas Harwood and my heirs which are due to
me for transporting the said servants according to his Lopps Condition of
plantacon In wittnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale this
eleventh day of March in the xxxvith yeare of his Lopps Dominnion over the
province of Maryland Annoy Doln One thousand six hundred sixty seven. Signed
Sealed & delivered in the presence of Us Thomas Harwood seale Jerome White
Daniel Jenifer
Transcribed by Sam Overman, Box 52, Dahlgren, VA 22448. Permission to copy
is granted. Maryland State Archives designation for the original document:
LAND OFFICE (Patent Record), Original, p 250 Thomas Harwood, 11 March 1667
(MSA S920-23, MdHR 17,313, 1-28-4-29)

Talbot Co, MD, Court Proceedings
Liber BB, No. p.87 21 July 1668
Mr. Richard Gorsuch brought his Sarvt Jacob Overman to have Judgmt of Court for his time who is Ajudged to serve Six yeares.
I also found in The Maryland Archives, Vol. 0054, Preface 0025. Richard Gorsuch came from Virginia to Maryland in 1660. His father, a Loyalist Anglican clergyman, Rev. John Gorsuch, rector of Walkern, Hertfordshire, was killed by Puritans in England in 1647. Richard and three brothers emigrated with their mother to Virginia about 1652 and became converts to Quakerism. They were driven out of Lancaster Co by Gov. Berkeley in 1660. Perhaps Gorsuch introducted Jacob Overman to the Quaker church.

Joyce Overman Bowman <[email protected]> Jan 2002
First known document re Jacob Overman is the sale of Headrights by the mariner Thomas Harwood to Charles Calvert, 11 Mar 1667 as above from the Maryland Archives. Some of the children are in the Quaker records - Jacob Jr, Ephraim, & Charles. The names of six of his children were listed to get the NC grant.

The Wethersfield records have the births of the children of Jacob and Hannah. The birthdates as listed here are the Old Style dates as they were there.

The Carolina Colonial Records: 29 Nov. 1694. Jacob Overman proved his right [headright - 50 acres per person] to four hundred acres of land by the Importation of Jacob Overman [himself], Dorathy Overman [his new wife], Jacob Overman Junior, Thos. Overman, Ephrim Overman, Margery Overman, Charles Overman, and Anne Overman, and Warrant Given. Children missing from this list are John, Joseph and Hope, who would have all been quite young, Hope only two years old. Perhaps these are children that did not survive.
The Index to the North Carolina Colonial Records has several entries in Volumes 1 & 2 - these need to be examined.

Perquimans County, North Carolina 1681-1729 Book 1
Page 19
No. 95 1 Jany 1694. Charles Tailer, Cordwinder, Albemarle Co., Province of Carolina to Jacob Overman, brick Layer of same, 132 acres lying within the bounds of sd County, whose Ends abutt on John Tomlin North & on William Jacson South & on Little River East …
Witness: Henry White, Arnold White Charles (M) Tailer

CD "Genealogical Records: Early NC Settlers 1700s-1900s" Rent Rolls of Albemarle County prior to 1700: Jacob Overman, 468 acres.

Dorothea Porter, 2nd wife, was the daughter of Thomas Porter and Sarah Hart.

EARLY RECORDS OF NC, VOL. II; Dr. Stephen E. Bradley, Jr.
104/94 Will of John Tomlinson dated 14 Oct 1697; probate 2 Mar 1697. Wife Elizabeth, Children: John, Elizabeth, William & Mary. Wit: Jacob Overman, Dorothy Overman.
147/123 Will of Magdalen (X) Calley dated 22 Dec 1699. Wit: Henry White, Jacob Overman

Pasquotank Monthly Meeting in Pasquotank Co NC contain some records of this family. Jacob Overman is on an early membership list. The Pasquotank MM drew members from both Pasquotank & Perquimans Co.

Will of Jacob Overman of Pasquotank. Dated 12 Sep 1715. Wife Dorothy. Son Ephraim, daughter Margaret Mackey, son Charles, children of my son Jacob deceased. William Haig and William Mackey, Executors. Test: Robt Wheatley, Thos. Woodley.
CD "Genealogical Records: Early NC Settlers 1700s-1900s"
Barber states that the above date was the date of the Will found at the North Carolina Archives and that there was no probate date. She listed a third witness as James Bell; perhaps he was the clerk.
The will seems to have been written just a few days following the death of his son Jacob Jr.

JACOB OVERMAN--Pasquotank Co., NC--12 Sept 1715
In the name of God Amen, I Jacob Overman, Senr of North Carolina, Planter, Being very Sick & weake in body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be given unto God, theirfor Calling unto mind the mortality of my body & Knowing that: it is appointed for all men once to die Do make and publish this my Last will & Testamint in manner & form following (that is to say) Principally & first of all, I give & Recomnend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it & for my body I recommend it to the Earth to be decently buried at the Discretion of my Executors hereinafter named and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give devise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form ----- Imprimis, I will that all my Just Debts & Funerall Charges & Expenses shall be paid & discharged out of my Estate------- Item My will and mind is that all the Rest of my Personall Estate Goods & Chattels whatsoever (the mill excepted) be devided into three parts and one third their of I give & bequeath to my Loveing wife Dorothy Overman & that she shall have (if she pleases) in her third part the Best Bed & furnitur with her choice of the pewtter Brass printed Books etc. Item I give unto my Loveing Son Ephraim Overman one halfe of my Nigro man named Peter & the other halfe of the Sd Nigro to my Loveing Daughter Margary Macky & their heirs & assigns for Ever after the departure or decease of my Loveing Wife Dorothy Overman out of the aforsd Collony of North Carolina-------Item I give unto my Lov. son Chas Overman ten pounds. Item I give unto my Loveing Son Ephraime Overman the Mill after the departure or decease of my Loveing wife Dorothy Overman & his heirs and Assigns for Ever. Item I give unto my Loveing Son Jacob Overman, deceased, his Children Forty pounds to be devided Equally amongst them all & if any should die his or their shaire or part shall be given or devided Equally amongst the Rest. All the Rest of my Goods & Chattals I give & Bequeath unto my Loveing wife Dorothy Overman & her heirs or assigns for Ever-------- And of this my Last will & Testiment I make Constitue & Appoint my well Esteemed Friend William Haig and my Loveing Son Thos Macky Executors of this my Last will & Testament & I do hereby Revoke and make Null & void all & every former wills & Testaments by me heretofor made or published and appointing & declairing this only to be my Last will & Testament In wittness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand & Seal the Twelve Day of September & in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred & fifteen------------ Signed Sealled published & Declared by the above named Jacob Overman Senr the Testator the day & year last above written for and as his Last will & Testamt in the presence of the persons whose names are here underwritten who did Sett their names as wittnesses hereunto in the presence of the Sd Testator
/s/ Jacob Overman Seaner
------ James Bell Robeart Wheatley Thomas Woodey
Transcription of the will of Jacob Overman, Sr., which was never probated, but is in the Colonial Records of North Carolina.

JACOB OVERMAN and HANNAH [OVERMAN] were married on 25 October 1677 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut.^1,5 HANNAH [OVERMAN]^4,6,7,8 died on 22 February 1692/3 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut.^1,5

Joyce Overman Bowman <[email protected]> Jan 2002
Hannah's surname is also seen as Wiswall. There is no proof for either name.

A birthdate for Hannah is often seen, but that date is for Hannah Wolcott, daughter of Henry & Sarah (Newberry) Wolcott, who was b. 8 Mar 1654 in Windsor CT and died unmarried 4 Sep 1683. This could not be the same Hannah.

About 1670 in Boston there was a Thomas Overman, 3rd husband of Hannah Wiswall. When Hannah's father Elder John Wiswall died in 1687, his will named his daughter as Hannah Overman. At the time Thomas & Hannah Wiswall Overman were married in Boston, Jacob Overman was in Maryland serving a 6-year indenture to Richard Gorsuch. Jacob and wife Hannah were married in Wethersfield - that's two hours by car from Boston - it is unlikely a lady would be married that far from her home.

Hannah died two days after the birth of daughter Hope. The Barber mansucript states she was 38 years of age when she died - that would have been a birth year of 1654 [the same year as the daughter of Henry Wolcott, so it's easy to see how one could jump to the conclusion she was his daughter]

JACOB OVERMAN and HANNAH [OVERMAN] had the following children:

JACOB OVERMAN and Dorothea PORTER were married about 1695.¹ Dorothea PORTER⁹ was born in November 1654.¹

Dorothy's parents were Thomas and Sarah (Hart) Porter.