Philander T. Overman

OVERMAN, YOUNG, MICHAEL, HARROW

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 10/16/2015 at 00:03:29

Ottumwa Courier
"July-22-1927" (handwritten above)

PHILANDER T. OVERMAN.
Philander T. Overman, 93-year-old
pioneer of Wapello county, died sud-
dently at his home on Lorella street,
at 11:50 a. m. Friday. Mr. Overman
was said to be the oldest pioneer in Ot-
tumwa, having lived in what is now Ot-
tumwa or its outskirts for eighty-one
years. He was born in Indiana, March
21?, 1834, and came to this county
when he was thirteen years old.
Mr. Overman's work in this com-
munity dates back to the time when
Ottumwa occupied only a little area
on the north side of the Des Moines
river, which was unbridged, but con-
nected with a ferry, operated by Mr.
Overman's brother, John. The ferry
operated across the river at a point
near where Richmond avenue ends to-
day. On the other side of the river a
road ran along the bank through what
is now Central addition to Wapello
street, where there was another ferry
line.
Mr. Overman knew Chief Keokuk,
who he said, was somewhat different
in appearance from the other Indians.
Chief Wapello died four years before
the Overmans came to Iowa. He was
also in Ottumwa when the Mormon
migration settled here for the winter
and remembered the walnut homes
which they erected for themselves.
The flood of 1851 was always vivid
in Mr. Overman's memory. He spoke
of the hurried building of large plat-
forms, which the hogs were driven
upon and thus saved from the flood
waters. Charles F. Harrow owned a
large tract of land west of the city and
it was necessary to place all the live-
stock and valuables on these plat-
forms.
The pioneer attended school in the
first building erected for the Congrega-
tional church, on Third and Court
streets. There were about fifteen or
twenty students in the school, whose
parents maintained it by subscription.
The first court of justice was also
started when Mr. Overman was a
young man. He often spoke of the
times preceding the court, when law
and order was in the hands of the set-
tlers, who he said, possessed a keen
sense of moral right and who made
their decisions good.
The community which settled on the
south side of the river was indepen-
dent of Ottumwa and was called Rich-
mond. Practically all of the land west
of Wapello street was in corn at the
earliest recollection of Mr. Overman.
Mr. Overman was married to Miss
Mary M. Young in 1856 and four chil-
dren were born to them, three of them
preceding him in death, as did Mrs.
Overman. They were, Alfred B., who
died when 2 years old; Eva, who died
in 1881; and Reuben, in 1864; and Mrs.
Harriet Michael, who survives him.
Mr. Overman was a policeman here
for one year and later served as con-
stable. In the year of 1864 he made
an overland trip to California in quest
of success as a gold miner. Family
records say that he was "fairly suc-
cessful." He returned to Ottumwa in
1871.
Funeral services will be held Sunday.