Rev. Samuel P. Overholtz

10 Oct 1845 – 8 Jun 1927

When Samuel Peter Overholtz was born on October 10, 1845, in Shenandoah County, Virginia, his father, Samuel, was 45 and his mother, Catherine, was 37. He was the 8^th child born to the family.

In 1855, Samuel P., his siblings, and parents lost John William to bilious fever on January 31^st and Thornton F. to typhoid fever on August 22^nd.

On February 14, 1867, he married Cornelia Viola Rosenberger in his hometown. They had 11 children in 22 years.

Between Samuel’s marriage to Cornelia and the 1880 Census, they were blessed with six (6) daughters and one (1) son.

In 1883, Samuel is recorded in the Shenandoah Herald making three deed changes. On the same day, February 14, 1883, he acquired property from Amanda M.F. Moore with John F. Crider and then conveyed with John F. Crider to Charles Wellard. On August 15, 1883, he conveyed property to Mary E. Bushong. More research needs done to learn more about these transactions.

On June 5, 1885, The Virginian reported that the election done on May 28th for Constable went to Jac. H. Downey with 207 votes vs. S. P. Overholtz with 199 votes.

S.P. Overholtz appears in the 1885 Ashby, Shenandoah County, Virginia Ownership Map. The pin is located to the south of the Rinkerton P.O. It is noted that Mary E. Bushong is listed just to the left of the pin for S.P.’s property.

S.P. and Cornelia welcomed their last son, Dwight James on November 28, 1886. He was the last child born in Virginia. By the time their last child, a daughter named Verna Maude, was born they had relocated to Lima, Allen County, Ohio. She was born October 25, 1889. This is also where S.P.’s brother, David, is found to be living. The Times-Democrat posted a real estate transaction in the 17 Feb 1888 publication. This is possibly the first purchase of land in Lima, Allen County, Ohio by S.P..

Prior to 1890, S.P. and Cornelia had moved their family to Lima, Allen County, Ohio. Amanda Rosenberger Funkhouser and her daughter visited the family. It was the first meeting of Cornelia and Amanda in 16 years!

In the 1900 US Census, S.P. and Cornelia live at 228 North Cole Street, Lima, Allen County, Ohio. Next door to them live William Overholtz’s family at 232 North Cole Street. William is the first-born son to S.P.’s brother, David. He is the only child with David and Nancy Ann Brown, his first wife. He was also born in Virginia. Samuel and William are both listed as Carpenters. David and his family live at 1220 West Wayne Street. He is also listed as a Carpenter. This is the occupation of their father, Samuel, son of Peter Oberholzer.

Google Maps gives us an idea of how close the family was. David lived north of S.P. and William.

November 4, 1894, Catherine Hinkle Overholtz, mother and grandmother passed away at the home of William A. Overholtz, her grandson and the son of David Overholtz. The families posted an note of thanks in the newspaper on the 7th.

After January 1895, S.P. appears in several newspapers articles. Most are in Lima, Allen County, Ohio. It’s an interesting glimpse into what day-to-day life was like.

“Delightfully informal little social event” 45 Years Married! The presentation of a Tiffany wedding ring for Cornelia! How precious!

This newspaper article was published in 1941 and was looking back 29 years. It captures one of S.P.’s travels as a Reverend. Rev. G. F. Spyker was in Monticello, Ohio. The date would have been 9 October 1912.

In the Lima Daily News on Sunday, May 25, 1913, there was an article about S.P. Overholtz and his family. “This was a most unusual privilege owing to the fact of being a large family grown to maturity and every member living.”

S.H. Funkhouser wrote to the Shenandoah Herald in December 1914. The article speaks of several men he served with in the Civil War. At the end he pleads some of the men to go check on Lt. Basye, who can’t walk and whose wife is blind. At the time, Mr. Funkhouser was “past seventy-eight.”

Anna Overholtz Keys was born 7 Aug 1877 to S.P. and Cornelia. In the 1940 Census, William and Anna lived in Cranford, Union County, New Jersey.

Golden Wedding Anniversary

Again, the newspaper mentions that all 11 children are still living.

At the time of this article, S.P. was 73 years old. Cornelia was still alive but was an invalid. S.P. had lost his parents and most of his siblings. David and Lydia still lived. This is the last known act of S.P. as a Reverend. How kind and sweet of him.

On Friday, January 20, 1922 Cornelia passed.

His brother, David, passes on January 16, 1923

With David’s passing, S.P. and Mary Ellen are the only surviving of the 10 children that are known and who were born to Samuel and Catherine (Hinkle) Overholtz. David was shot in the First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the Battle of First Manassas. It is recognized as the first major battle of the civil war. He served his country and his fellow confederates by staying as a nurse in two different hospitals.

S.P. Overholtz was “beckoned to eternal reward” on June 8, 1927 at the age of 81

“The good that he did will long survive him.”