Dr. Samuel Egbert Overton (1821-1897)
Son of Jesse Overton

Dr. Sam Overton received his medical training at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, graduating in 1850.  He moved to East Texas a short time after his older brother, Col. John F. Overton, migrated.  Dr. Sam practiced medicine for the ensuing 40+ years, working until his death in 1897.  He left a legacy of medical records in the form of ledgers, with all 12,500 entries therein having been transcribed by this author and made available for online viewing, including a comprehensive list of all patients treated during Dr. Overton's career in the community of Omen, Smith County, Texas.

The next row of photos below were furnished to this writer by his third cousin, Keith "Andy" Overton, who descends from Dr. Overton's son Knox Overton (1868-1948).  Andy is the present owner of this Confederate States of America pistol once owned by Dr. Sam Overton, issued to him during his service as a surgeon during the War between the States.  The photos below are self-explanatory; however, it should be noted that Dr. Sam (or one of the successive owners) apparently used the butt of the pistol as a hammer.  Maybe Dr. Overton had his own way of enforcing collections!  Andy mentioned that at one time, his dad recalled there being a "CSA" belt buckle that was a part of the ensemble.

The first photo below features a typical page from Dr. Overton's medical ledgers and is dated 1888.  This particular page partially covers the account of James Green, one of many freed slaves who were the good doctor's patients.  Omen, Texas, the home of Dr. Overton and many of his relatives, is featured in the second photo below, taken around the turn of the century.

Dr. Jesse Thomas Overton (1870-1933), son of Dr. Samuel E. Overton and grandson of Jesse Overton
The stately looking gentleman on the porch in the photo below is Dr. Jesse Thomas Overton, grandson of Jesse Overton and son of Dr. Samuel Overton and wife Sarah.  I found this photo in a small leather pouch once belonging to Dr. Sam Overton.

(Click on the thumbnail sketches below to see enlarged views.)

(The second photograph above courtesy of the Stephen F. Austin Library.)

Note to the above:  In August 2006, I received an e-mail from Bill Elliot, whose mother (Clidel Wornick Elliott, born 1915) was a patient of Dr. Jesse Overton in the early 20th century.  Bill wrote:  "My mom lives here with me and I was telling her about sending you the e-mail and why.  She told me that Jesse Overton was her doctor when she was little.  She remembers one time when he prescribed Quinine capsules for some ailment she had.  Her mother tried to explain to him that she couldn't take the capsules, but he thought it was bunk and gave her three empty capsules to try out first.  They went out to the front and after all three came back up they gave up.  Doc Overton wasn't happy, and still couldn't believe she couldn't swallow the capsules.

She also told me that Doc Overton's daughter Lillian was her first school teacher, but it was really the last half of the school year and mom was so anxious to start school Lillian let her sit in class.  But, mom still had to start in first grade the next year."

I asked Bill to have his mother look at the below photograph and his response was:  "Mom says that is definitely Jesse Overton.  He looks just like she remembers him.  She also said that the photo was probably taken on the front porch of his house at the corner of Athena and Duval in Troup, because it had a large porch across the front of it, like in the photo (below)."

Knox Overton (1868-1948), son of Dr. Samuel E. Overton and grandson of Jesse Overton
Cherry Solly, a direct descendent of Knox Overton, forwarded a copy of the following group photograph, believed to have been taken circa 1926 at the family farm in Reklaw, Texas.  A few of the names were supplied by Andy Overton, also a direct descendent of Knox Overton.  If anyone can furnish the names of the numbers not noted below, please forward same to Patrick Childress.

Back Row:
1 William Clarence Smith
2 Alma Leona (Smith) Overton (1872-1969) - daughter-in-law of Dr. Samuel E. Overton
3 James Walter Smith
4 Lula Mae (Smith) Overton
5 Edgar Boone Smith
6 Georgie Inee (Smith) Cherry
7 Arthur Winfield Smith
8 Joyce L. Smith
9 Mary Etta (Smith) Cawthon

Third Row:
10 Frank Overton (1906-1992) - son of Knox and Alma Leona Overton
11 Oliver Overton (1902-1985) - son of Knox and Alma Leona Overton
12 Knox Overton (1868-1948), son of Dr. Samuel E. Overton
13 Zo Lela Smith
14 Ethel (Thompson) Smith
15 William Steve Cherry
16 Lena Elizabeth (Holtman) Smith
17 John W. Cawthon

Others:
18 James W. Pearson
19 Ila (Overton) Pearson; (born 1896; later married a Cole) - daughter of Knox and Alma Leona Overton
26 James Knox Pearson, son of James and Ila Pearson

Sarah Cleveland (Weaver) Overton (1832-1920), wife of Dr. Samuel E. Overton
Dr. Overton's wife of 45 years, Sarah,  is shown in the following photographs.  Sarah lived for more than twenty years after her husband's death, most of the time with her granddaughter Mary Elizabeth Childress, who lived out her life as a spinster.

The second photo is of the Samuel Overton home in Omen, Texas, one of the very earliest homes constructed in "Old Canton," as Omen was called in its infancy.  Standing on the porch with Sarah and her dog is a young couple who possibly are boarders and school teachers at the nearby Summer Hill Select School.  Sarah rented out rooms in her home in order to make financial ends meet after her husband, Dr. Overton, passed away.

The third photo below is of Sarah and her daughter, Cornelia (Overton) Shaw (b. 1867).  I am unsure which of the two middle ladies is Cornelia and, likewise, the child is unidentified.  The next photograph reportedly was taken on the Overton porch at Christmas 1914 and was sent to me by Andy Overton.  I do not know the names of the people standing around Sarah Overton, but I assume they are the family of Knox Overton, Andy's ancestor.  The last photograph below is of Sarah Overton and her brother Joshua Hagerty Weaver (1830-1907), taken somewhere near the town of Bascom, in East Texas.

The following couple is Mr. and Mrs. Mell P. Alexander (b. 1870).  Mrs. Alexander is the former Bernice Lewis (b. 1876) who is shown on the 1880 Smith County census as living with her grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Overton.  The Alexanders lived most of their adult lives in Jacksonville, Texas where Mell and his brothers established the Jacksonville Crate and Basket Factory on West Larissa Street.

Click here to go to the Childress/Mathis Family Tree data on Roots Web for notes on the above individuals.

More Overton Ancestor Photos:

For additions, corrections or comments, please send an e-mail to Patrick Childress