Overton of Yorkshire, England, and New Kent, Virginia
Christopher Overton b abt 1550, of Easington, Holdnerness, Yorkshire, England. He md Daughter Wright abt 1574. She was b abt 1555.
Child of Christopher Overton and Daughter Wright was:

John Overton b abt 1582, of Easington, Holdnerness, Yorkshire, England, d 1654, Yorkshire, England. He md Joane Snawsell 1606, daughter of Robert Snawsell and Anne Waters.
Child of John Overton and Joan Snawsell was:

Gen. Robert Overton [a], Governor of Hull, b abt 1609, of Easington, Holderness, Yorkshire, England, d 1678. He md Anne Gardiner 1632, daughter of Jeremy Gardiner. She was b abt 1610, of Stratford Bow, Middlesex, England.
Child of Robert Overton and Anne Gardiner was:

William Overton [b] b 3 Dec 1638, England, d 1697, James City, VA. He md Elizabeth Waters 24 Nov 1670, daughter of Samuel Waters and Ann. She was b 30 Dec 1654, of London, Middlesex, England.
Children of William Overton and Elizabeth Waters were:
  • Elizabeth Overton b 28 Jun 1673, New Kent, VA, d 1735; md Robert Anderson 1690.
  • William Overton b 14 Aug 1675, New Kent, VA, d 18 Jun 1759; md Margaret Garland.
  • Temperance Overton b 2 Mar 1678/79.
  • Samuel Overton b 14 Aug 1685, New Kent, VA, d Hanover, VA; md Anne Carr 1710, Hanover, VA.
  • James Overton b 14 Aug 1688, New Kent, VA, d 18 Jun 1749, Louisa, VA; md Elizabeth Garland.
  • Barbara Overton b 5 Feb 1689/90, New Kent, VA, d 30 Oct 1766, Hanover, VA; md James Winston.
Temperance Overton [c] b 2 Mar 1678/79, New Kent, VA, d 19 Feb 1716, Hanover, VA. She md Capt. William Harris abt 1695, son of Maj. Robert Harris and Elizabeth (Mary) Claiborne.


NOTES:
a. It is generally believed and stated, although without absolute proof, that Gen. Robert Overton was the father of the Virginia immigrant. He was one of Oliver Cromwell's chief officers, and distinguished himself at the battle of Marston Moor. He accompanied Cromwell to Scotland in 1650, and commanded a brigade of Ironsides at the battle of Dunbar. He was a soldier and scholar and an intimate friend of Milton. He ended his years as a political prisoner in the Tower of London. He married, in 1632, Anne, daughter of Jeremy Gardiner of Stratford Bow, Middlesex, England.

b. He is believed to have emigrated to Virginia shortly after his marriage in 1670 (another source states that they were married at Yorktown, on board the vessel in which Elizabeth Waters had come to Virginia). A book called Josephus, which was in the possession of their daughter, Barbara (Overton) Winston, and which she passed, in her will, to her son, John Winston, and through several generations after that, was destroyed in a fire, but not before several written copies of its entries had been made by several different descendants. These were entries of William Overton, his date of birth and marriage, and the names and dates of birth of his children. Some records call his wife Mary, others Elizabeth, which appears to be the case also with one of their daughters. But the will of Ann Waters, dated 7 Sep 1697, of St. Sepulchre, London, England, specifically calls her daughter Elizabeth Overton "now in Virginia". Also named as being in Virginia is her brother, John Waters. A deed is recorded in the Virginia land books for 4,600 acres of land on the south side of Pamunky River on Falling Creek, 23 April 1681, to William Overton, for transporting 92 persons to the colony, including Elizabeth Overton; this would appear to indicate that he had indeed married Elizabeth in England. An additional grant, dated 29 Oct 1690, was made to William Overton for 837 acres lying in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent Co. (now Hanover) for transporting 17 persons.

c. The grave marker of Temperance Overton Harris was discovered in the Old Harris graveyard at Cedar Hill, about two miles from Doswell in Hanover County. The year of her death has been widely reported as 1710, but this marker clearly showed that the year was 1716.

SOURCES:
GL: Anderson Family Records and Anderson-Overton, a continuation of Anderson Family Records and the Early Descendants of William Overton and Elizabeth Waters, by W. P. Anderson, 1938 and 1945, Histories and Genealogies, an account of the Miller families Including those who immigrated to Virginia, by W. H. Miller, 1907, Virginia Gleanings in
England
, by Lothrop Withington, p 38; Southern Genealogies, Historical Southern Families, Overton of Virginia,
Tennessee, and Louisiana
, Volume V, pp 124-128.

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