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Thursday, June 10, 1915 Idaho County Free Press PASSING OF CYRUS OVERMAN PROMINENT IDAHO COUNTY PIONEER STRICKEN SUDDENLY SATURDAY WITH HEART FAILURE - FUNERAL SERVICES FROM I.O.O.F. HALL MONDAY AFTERNOON The sudden death of Cyrus Overman, Saturday, June 5 came as a surprise and a shock to his many friends and acquaintances in Idaho county where he has spent the efforts of a successful life building up a home for himself and family and ever interesting himself in the needs of the community and his fellow men, and whose efforts have contributed materially to the great welfare and prosperity of this section. No greater worker and booster for this community could be found anywhere. Mr. Overman has been in very poor health for some time and has been subject to heart trouble. Saturday morning he was out of the house and down town and in the same jovial, good-natured mood which was a characteristic with him. He had just left the dinner table and sat down in a chair when he pitched forward and was dead before members of his family could reach his side. The funeral was conducted from the Odd Fellow's hall Monday. Mr. Overman being a member of that order, and was under the auspices of his brother Odd Fellows. The Reverend A.E. Cook, Baptist minister, read from the scripture and Rev. W.A. Hall lead in prayer. Reverend Gornall of the Federated church preached the funeral sermon. The services at the grave were conducted by members of the I.O.O.F. order. The funeral was one of the largest ever held in Grangeville and citizens from all over the county came to pay their last respects to the dead and to sympathize with the relatives. Mr. Overman was 64 years, 2 months and 3 days old and leaves surviving him, two daughters and five sons all of whom have contributed materially in bringing honor and credit to the family name. His daughters are Mrs. James White of Nezperce and Mrs. H.R. Hilbourne of Grangeville. His sons are Cyrus Overman Jr. and R.W. Overman both of whom resided at Grangeville, J.I. Overman, who is engaged in business in Seattle, Art Overman who resides in Spokane and Owen Overman of Airdrie, Alberta, Canada. In Memoriam The following is contributed by one intimate with Cyrus Overman: With the death of Cyrus Overman, passes another of Idaho County's sterling pioneers. From the time of his coming to this country, a boy of 20, until death closed his eyes in the last sleep, he watched and took part in the development of Idaho, and particularly the Camas Prairie country, where for forty-four years, he made his home. Cyrus Overman was born April 2, 1851, at Ottuwa, Iowa, then a cluster of houses at one of the main crossings of the Des Moines river. His father, John Overman, felt the call of the West, and in 1849 discovered the Overman mine at Gold Hill, Nevada. The son was soon to follow to the West, and in 1871, came to Idaho on the farm 8 miles west of Grangeville, which he still owned at the time of his death. Here, in 1874, he was married to Malinda A. Watson, a daughter of A.I. and M.E. Watson, an early Idaho county family, who survives him. Together they began the task of building a home and rearing and educating a family. Miles from a railway, where to have schools, or churches of even comforts meant first to create them; and to this task they together devoted a life time of devotion. Cyrus Overman was always active in the public life of the state and county continually devoting time and money to the up building of the community. No worthy cause failed to receive his generous support and help. He went to great trouble and expense to improve the live stock and better the farming condition of the prairie. Mr. Overman, with his partner, E.S. Sweet, were instrumental in bringing many head of registered stock to the county, for breeding purposes. They were also among the first to ship in registered cows for dairy purposed. Communities are not built in a day, or year, and it is due to the continued and patient effort of such men as Cyrus Overman, through the long years, that advancement and improvement come. Cyrus Overman belonged to that class of men of staunch character, unalterable determination and unfailing energy, who alone can pave the way for modern civilization. At the time he came to Idaho county, it took men of his stamp to live and succeed here, and as one by one they are gathered to the Fathers, there is closed another chapter of early history of toil and hardship. On Saturday, June 5th, Mr. Overman passed to the great beyond. He died as he had lived, energetic, filled with life and ambition, with a vital interest in everything about him and with a spirit of kindness and charity toward his fellow men. In his death; his family has lost a faithful and devoted husband and father, and the community, one of its foremost citizens. All honor and laurels to such men as Cyrus Overman. They have made of the old West a land of happy homes. |
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