Written
by K. R. Overholt Critchfield, © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002,
2003, 2004, 2005
The Overholt Family and West Overton, PA ~~ continued Without documentation to
suggest otherwise, I can only assume that the coal and
coke industries were to blame for the diaspora of the
Extended Overholt Family. When the coal mines and the
beehive ovens began to take over the surrounding region
at the onset of America's Industrial Revolution, the land
soon became unfit for farming and families. Additionally,
in 1881, just as a new Federal Trademark Law allowed
producers to register and protect brand names, a rising
Henry Clay Frick (one of the grandchildren of Abraham and
Maria Overholt) acquired the "temporary" right
to use the name A. Overholt and Company for the
unlikely sum of one dollar. Shortly thereafter, Frick
gained possession of the Broad Ford distillery, the land
it was built on, and the trademark rights to the Family
name. As a result, the heirs of Abraham Overholt were
prevented from benefiting from his legacy, for they could
not use the name Overholt on any other whiskey
product. In a very short period of time, Frick literally
owned everything -- lock, stock and barrel (whiskey
barrels) -- and it was from him that the ownership of the
Broad Ford distillery and the whiskey business passed out
of the Family. Little wonder then that the Overholts left
their homes, their town and their expectations, and went
looking for a better life elsewhere.
It appears a few families remained in the vicinity, in nearby small towns, like Mount Pleasant. In 1908, George Washington Overholt, my great grandfather, died unexpectedly and at a very early age. Subsequently, his son was forced carry the burden of supporting himself, his mother and sister. At age 16, George Frederick Overholt (1892-1966) organized a small orchestra and began a musical career that spanned the next 58 years. George Overholt was a virtuoso on a piano, and he became well-known in show business circles around Pittsburgh. He also married more than once, but it was his wife Esther Mae Willis (1896-c.1928) who gave birth to Frederic John Overholt (1924-1985), whom Esther called Arthur, and Ralph Edward Overholt (1927-1990). Esther was British and had been a showgirl who appeared in George White's Scandals. Sadly, her little Arthur was only three or four years old, and Ralph was just a baby, when she fell down a flight of stairs and was killed. Since George was constantly "on the road," he put the two small boys first into a Pittsburgh orphanage, and then into the care of a family named Gallagher, who lived somewhere around Pittsburgh, and possibly were the folks who owned Gallagher's, a famous pub that used to be located downtown, and a place where George often appeared as a jazz pianist. I have memories of three
small photographs. One was of Esther, which was taken
from a poster featuring her for some big show, which my
father always kept in his wallet. She was very beautiful.
One photo was of two small, sad-looking boys sitting on a
porch step, each holding onto an Easter basket that
seemed totally unappetizing to them. They were my father
and his brother in a picture taken not long after they
lost their mother. The other photo showed a group of Army
G.I. Joes -- all young, fresh faces -- taken during World
War II. The Overholt brothers were two of those young
soldiers. My dad ended up on the Burma Road shortly
thereafter, ultimately surviving the war to become the
father of five children. But that was just the beginning
of his military career in the Army, and then later, the
Air Force. As for our Uncle Ralph, to the best of my
knowledge, none of us kids ever met him. Only recently
have I learned more about Ralph, his own long military
career, and his family. [I have written more about my
family in articles that appear on my GeoCities web site.]
In 1922, Helen Clay Frick
began buying the buildings in West Overton, and it is she
who is acknowledged as the benefactor and the founder of
the organization that operates and maintains the site.
Their brochure proudly states, "In 1985, West
Overton Village was named to the National Register of
Historic Districts as an outstanding example of a 19th
century rural industrial village." In truth, West
Overton is not even considered a real town by the locals,
and it is hardly a shadow of what it once was. But should
the site ever be fully restored, it just may be known as
an excellent example of a late 19th century
industrialized agrarian community, which is what it was
in its finer days. It is my firm belief that members of
today's Extended Overholt Family need to be involved with
West Overton, actively helping to forge an agenda that
serves to recreate the best of its past, but also moves
the site forward toward its unexplored future.
West Overton is located
on PA 819, between Mount Pleasant and Scottdale, and is
about 1 ½ hours southeast I would be happy to hear from you! Send e-mail with just one click! Return to the first page of Background: The Overholt Family Tree ~~ Karen's Branches. Go to the first page of Karen's Branches for more
photos and articles. |
