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By: James E Overman
retnavjim@juno.com
He was born in Clark county, Indiana May 22, 1848, and emigrated with his parents
(James L. and Mary [Daily]) to Iowa in 1852. He enlisted in the 14th Kansas Cavalry on 14 July,
1863 at Elwood Kansas for a term of 3 years. He deserted on 29 December, 1863 at Ft Smith,
Arkansas and took with him a horse and equipment, 5 Remington revolvers, 1 Sharps Carbine and
sabre. His description is listed as 5 feet 6 inches, light complexion, black eyes, brown hair.
He reenlisted in the Union Army, the second time in the 48 Reg't Missouri Infantry
on 24 September, 1864 at St Joseph, Missouri for 1 year. His description is listed the same
except for height which is 5 feet 9 inches. In 1889 the War Department discovered the fact that
he was the same person that deserted in 1863.
His next escapade took place in Doniphan Co. Kansas sometime prior to 1 May,
1872 because on that day he was married to Mary E. Teufler (who already had 2 children,
Theodore and Annie with the third on the way). Research indicates her maiden name probably
was Mary E. Delzeit. Her first husband was John D Teufler (no known information of what
happened to him). Approximately 2 1/2 months after marrying Mary, Andrew abandoned her and
took with him a span of horses, harness and wagon belonging to Mary. On 20 August, 4 months
after getting married, our grandfather John George Overman was born. Mary got a divorce from
Andrew in 1874 and took back the name of Teufler. Apparently, Theodore Teufler who was quite
prominent in the Doniphan County area and our grandfather John had a close relationship
although they were only half brothers.
That's not the end of the story yet. He is listed on the territorial census of Oklahoma
in 1890 with a wife Marcella J. and two daughters Mary S. (he must like the name of Mary) and
Edna H. Both daughters were born in Kansas and by the amount of time they had been in
Oklahoma would indicate Andrew made the famous "Oklahoma Run" in April, 1889 and then his
family came out later. It would appear that he lived somewhere in Kansas from July 1872
(deserted Mary) until April 1889. Whatever happened to second wife Mary and the two girls is a
mystery. In 1894 he married his third wife Rosa Lee Harding (22 years old, he was 44). No one
seems to know anything about her or what may have happened to her. When he left in 1899, he
was listed as an unmarried man. He homesteaded 160 acres 2 miles NE of Guthrie. It is a nice
parcel of land and from the north end, you can see approximately 9-10 miles in the direction of
Guthrie. At the present time there are no farm buildings of any kind on it and there is no
indication where a homesight may have been. He sold the land in 1899 for $500 and paid off his
$250 mortgage.
He purchased 10 acres of land (Borrego Desert) from C.J. Hawkins at Sawtelle,
California on 1 February 1927. He sold or gave this same land to Andrew Nicholas Overman in
December, 1927 and A.N. Overman's address was also given as Sawtelle, California. A.M.
Overman
(Greatgrandfather) is listed as a widower on the deed and would have been 79 years old by then.
In 1928 he went back to Stella, Nebraska to visit his brother, J.H. Overman for a short time.
According to verbal information, he came back to see his son John but John would not have
anything to do with him so he went down to Stella. Finally, in April of 1930 he returned to Stella
to spend his last few months to live with his brother. He died on October 22, 1930 in Stella and is
buried in the Stella Cemetery, in the same area as his mother, father, brother, and two sisters. His
obituary indicates that he was a blacksmith (among other things).
WEBPAGE-SHARING
Webmaster of Footprints
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