OVERMAN, James Roberts: Died 1938

OVERMAN, ROBERTS, HILL

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 8/5/2015 at 16:23:54

Keosauqua Boy Dies In Wreck Near Hillsboro
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Accident Occurs As Truck Leaves Payment On Curve

James Roberts Overman, 19, of Keosauqua was killed at about 5:30 Tuesday evening, when a panel truck he was driving left the road and turned completely over. The truck immediately burst into flames. The accident occurred on the Coleman road some two miles south of Hillsboro. The exact cause of the accident will never be known.

Jimmie Overman and Richard Swires left Keosauqua Tuesday afternoon for Oquawka, Ill., where the Overmans had purchared(sp) another truck. The two boys drove back to Burlington, where they picked up a load of catalogues, and started for home. At Denmark they decided to take different routes. Swires coming by way of Donnellson and Farmington, while Overman came in over the Coleman road, expecting to strike the stone road just south of Hillsboro. The accident occurred before Overman left the payment.

When Jimmie failed to arrive at the store according to schedule, his father, Roy Overman, became very much alarmed. He with Russell Carruthers started in search. Before they arrived at the scene of the accident, the body had been removed from the wreck.

According to the best information obtainable, the body was pinned under the wreck, and those arriving upon the scene almost immediately, were unable to remove it.

Those visiting the scene of the accident report that very little ice was to be found at the point where the truck left the pavement. However, ice farther back, and the load in the rear of the truck evidently caused the accident.

Jimmie Overman was born in Keosauqua, the son of Roy S. and Phyllis Roberts Overman. He attended the public school and graduated from high school with the class of 1936. In 1936-37 he attended Parsons College. In the early summer of 1937 he became associated with his father in the grocery business in Keosauqua.

Jimmie is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Overman, a sister, Mrs. Ronald Hill of Clarinda, his grandfather James Overman, and several aunts and uncles.

Funeral services will be held this (Thursday) afternoon at 2:00 at the M.E. church in Keosauqua in charge of Rev. C. Hugo Orf. Interment will be in the family lot at the Purdom cemetery.
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JAMES ROBERTS OVERMAN

James Roberts Overman, son of Roy and Phyllis Overman, was born in Keosauqua, Iowa, on March 11, 1919, and died in Feb. 1st, 1938, aged eighteen years, ten months and twenty days.

Besides his father and mother he is survived by the following relatives: Caroline Overman Hill, sister, and Ronald C. Hill, his brother-in-law, of Clarinda, Iowa; his grandfather, James M. Overman of Keosauqua; his aunt, Bess Overman of Keosauqua; his aunt, Mrs. F.M. McClurg, and uncle, Dr. F.M. McClurg, of Keosauqua; his only cousin, Dr. Haven McClurg and his wife of Fairfield, Iowa; and four uncles and their wives as follows: Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Smith Roberts of San Diego, Calif., Mr. and Mrs. Fred Roberts of Los Angeles, Calif., Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Roberts of Arcadia, Calif., Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Roberts of Riverside, Calif.

Practically all of his life was spent in Keosauqua. He attended the high school in Keosauqua from which he was graduated in 1936. The summer of 1936 he spent in California; returning to Iowa in the fall, he entered Parsons College and attended there the year 1936-37. Since last spring he has been assisting his father in his work in his store in Keosauqua and had planned to resume his work in college next fall. He was a member of Zeta Theta Gamma fraternity of Parsons college.

He was christened in and was a member of the Congregational church of Keosauqua, Iowa, and upon the discontinuance of the regular services of this church he became an attendant of the Methodist church of Keosauqua.

He was an active and energetic young man. During his school years in Keosauqua and from the time he was twelve until he was sixteen years of age he was carrier for the Des Moines Register and Tribune. He was never an idler, he was always, busy. He was of a constructive mind, doing something of a constructive nature. His idea of life was to build, rather than tear down.

He was a fine up-right young man, gentlemanly, pleasing courteous, thoughtful of the rights and comforts of others; of a cheery and happy disposition, he radiated good cheer and made friends everywhere, and was respected and loved by all who knew him.

Stunned beyond comprehension at the news of his tragic death taking, this whole community is now shrouded in appalling grief, as the realization dawns that this clean-cut young citizen, with so much of promise and hope before him, is cut off. While all deeply mourn, all are consoled and comforted in the consciousness of his sincere Christian character, the memory of which will always be sacredly cherished.

Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at the M.E. church in Keosauqua with the pastor, Rev. C.H. Orf in charge. Interment in Purdom cemetery. A group of about forty men students and members of the faculty from Parsons college joined the large congregation which paid their tribute of respect to James Roberts Overman.
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Accident Victim

Final rites for Jimmie Overman of Keosauqua, who lost his life in a highway wreck near Hillsboro on February 1, were conducted Thursday afternoon.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book E, Page 114, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA

Van Buren Obituaries maintained by Rich Lowe.
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