Yolo-Humboldt-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Overhouse, William 1823 - before 1913 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 23, 2006, 10:02 pm Author: Tom Gregory (1913) WILLIAM OVERHOUSE Among Yolo county's modern and prosperous farmers was William Overhouse, who recently passed away leaving a name which will always rank high in the community where he lived and labored for thirty years. Mr. Overhouse was born in Prussia May 5, 1823, and was bereft of his father at the age of six months. When twenty-two years old he joined his fortunes with many other people bound for America and upon landing at New Orleans, made his way to St. Louis, Mo., where for four years he worked at the trade of ship caulker. In 1850, having heard many tales of the opportunities to be secured in the far west, he bought a mule team and with a party of eager emigrants started overland for California. After six months of vicissitudes sleeping on the ground beneath the stars at the close of each weary day, the travelers arrived at last in the promised land. Mr. Overhouse was among the first to go upon the south side of the Humboldt, where plenty of food was to be found for stock. At Sacramento the company disbanded and Mr. Overhouse followed the example set by many new arrivals, for the next two months devoting his energies to mining. Illness fell upon him, however, and he was obliged to return to Sacramento, thence to San Francisco, where he took passage for Humboldt. With the aid of a faithful mule he visited Scott valley, stopping a fortnight at Shasta on Whiskey creek, where one night the camp was raided by a band of Indians, who, with their accustomed abandon, committed theft and murder. Mr. Overhouse escaped unscathed, however, and returned to Sacramento, where he secured work as a driver in the employ of the city. Homesick for the east and its more encouraging aspect of life, he yielded in 1853 to the impulse to again visit Missouri, going by way of the Isthmus. The next two years he spent in St. Louis, returning in 1855 to California via Panama. Passing through Sacramento which held for him many memories of his first visit there, he rented a piece of land in Yolo county, later purchasing a squatter's claim of four hundred and eighty acres three miles from Winters, which he devoted to grain and stock raising, erecting a ten-room comfortable dwelling, which at the present time is modern and in fine condition. On this property are several large fig trees three and one-half feet through and fifty feet high, which were planted by Mrs. Overhouse thirty years ago. Mrs. Overhouse was formerly Miss Fredricka Bearnbum, also a native of Prussia, and married Mr. Overhouse in 1854. They were blessed with three sons and four daughters, two of whom are deceased The others are: Emma L., now Mrs. George Sims; Ella O.; George; W. D.; and Louis E. Mr. Overhouse was a firm Democrat and an active and efficient member of the Lutheran Church. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/overhous889nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb