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Main Index to the Overton
Surname Database
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Index Pages By Surname
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z OTHER
Surnames Frequent Surnames
The Long
Island Overton family
Isaac
Overton, was the first known ancestor of the Overton family to settle on Long
Island, NY. He is the progenitor of all the Long Island Overtons.
He was born, about 1638 or 1640, no doubt in England. He is said to
have been the son of Maj. General Robert Overton by his second wife, Hannah
Elton. Hannah and her son Isaac were among the erarliset settlers
of Southold, NY, which was settled in 1640. The first records of Southold
between 1640 and 1651 are missing, but the records beginning with 1651 include
entries regarding John Elton who was Hannah Overton's brother and Isaac's
uncle with whom they lived. There is no record that Isaac's supposed
father, Robert, was ever at Southold. John Elton was one of the original
home lot owners of the town. In 1881 Rev. Epher Whitaker compared all
of the known town and church records, deeds, wills, tombstones and other documents
and compiled an accurate list of the first settlers of Southold. This
lists 138 inhabitants of the town during the pastorate of the Rev. John Youngs,
1640 to 1672. John Elton and Isaac Overton are on the list.
Isaac Overton (DOB
abt 1683-1744?), "The Giant," second generation
Isaac
Overton was distinguished for his great physical strength; he was much
known in this country, and through this then colony, from 1725 to 1744 at
which last date his great-grandson, Mr. Jonathan Overton was quoted as saying
he died, aged near sixty. As a man he was mild, well disposed, and
respected. Very many amusing stories of his feats of strength are told
of him. The following was told by Jaded Griffin; who had from his father,
Samuel Griffin; who was a neighbor of Mr. Overton, and an eye witness to
the fact.
The
incident took place, at the house of Mr. Robert Griffin, who at the time,
1725, kept an inn at Southold. At, or near the date noticed, an athletic
bull or boxer, as he styled himself, came to Boston, from England.
He gave out that he had never met his equal for strength; or one that he
could not easily whip. Hearing of Overton's powers, he immediately
repaired to Southold, to show Overton a "thing ot two," as he said on arriving
at Mr. Griffin's. After partaking of refreshments, he requested Mr.
Griffin to send his boy after Mr. Overton; Mr. Griffin did so, but told the
stranger that Overton was of retiring habits and rather bashful; and would
not notice nor pay any attention to testing his strength in wrestling, or
other sports, which he viewed degrading. Not knowing for what intent
he was sent for, Mr. Overton came with the boy. On being introduced
to the stranger, and learning of his errand, he utterly refused to have anything
to do with him. Mr. Overton, the stranger soon learned, eas fond of
flip, a beverage in those days made of beer, spirits and sugar. He
was liberally supplied with this stimulus, yet not till a blow with the flat
of the hand from the stranger could he be aroused to defend himself.
Then with the quickness of thought, he seized the bully by the seat of the
trousers, and the collar of his coat, with his arms at full length, he held
him as high as his chin, then walking around the room, crying at the top
of his voice, "Mr. Griffin, what shall I do with him? Mr. Griffin,
what shall I do with him?" And amidst the contortions, and writhings
of the stranger, who was held as in a vise, and the roars of laughter of
those present, let him fall heavily upon the floor. The stranger did
not trouble Mr. Overton again. On another occasion, he lifted
and put on a wheel of a loaded cart, which wheel had come off by reason of
a loss of a linch pin. He also shouldered a cannon in New York, which
four men ordinarily could not easily handle. There is not any doubt,
but Isaac Overton was one of the most powerful men, as to the bodily strength,
this country has ever known.
Many
tales are told of the "Giant's" strength. At a town meeting he offered
to lie on his back and allow any six men to hold him down by his hands and
feet. When all were ready, the Giant gave one spring and brushed them
off like so many flies. He was of so great stature that a large iron
bed had been provided for him. Shortly before his death, he was involved
in a discussion with a man of ordinary size. It was at meal time.
The man spat upon the Giant's plate. He was enraged at the insult; and
reaching across the table, picked up his opponent and threw him out of the
window with such force that the frame was broken. A short time after
this, the Giant suddenly died. It was supposed that he had been poisoned
by the man whom he threw out of the window. In his death struggle, he
grasped the top posts of his iron bed and crushed, or broke, them in pieces,
saying "I've been a strong man, but death is stronger than I."
Most of the information
contained in this file, as well as the paragraphs above, came from the publication
by Alvin R. L. Smith entitled "The Overton Genealogy," The Overton family
of Long Island, New York 1966.
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