, pioneer of Whiteside county, veteran businessman and official of Sterling, organizer of the first Republican club in this community and leader of the party for many years, passed away at 12:55 a.m., Thursday [11/20/1924] at his home on Third avenue. Had he lived until Dec. 2 he would have been eighty three years of age. Mr. Overholser’s health began to fail several months ago and in August he consulted a specialist in another city, but his advanced age gave little encouragement for his recovery. Pernicious aenemia developed in spite of every effort to build up his strength. But he was able to go down town for his mail, as had always been his custom, until a week ago last Saturday, since which time he was unable to leave his home. Toward the end other complications developed and for several days his passing has been known to be inevitable.
Funeral services will be held at the family home, 408 Third avenue, on Franklin Park square, at 2;30 p.m. Sunday [11/23/1924] and at 3 p.m. in the Fourth Street M. E. church of which he had been a member practically all of his life. Rev. Fred W. Ingvoldstad, pastor of the church, and Rev. Harry K. Hostetter, a lifelong friend of the deceased, will be in charge of the services. Interment will be in Riverside cemetery.
While the death of Mr. Overholser was not unexpected, the sense of loss to the community comes as a shock nevertheless and it is hard for those who were associated with him, in the many phases of his long and active life, to realize that the city and community he has served so long will know him henceforth only as a memory of other days. Many have served well, but few have served in so many ways as this man whose life is now as a tale that is told.
It was as a leader of the Rebublican party that Mr. Overholser was most widely known. In his youth he espoused the cause of the new Republican party with zealous enthusiasm and he started the movement to organize the first Republican club in this vicinity. For the past thirty years or more he has been a recognized leader of the party in this section of the state and for a number of years he served as state central committeeman. Ex-Governor Lowden, Governor Small, Senators Deneen and McKinley, Congressman McKenzie and Judge Adam Cliffe were among his warm personal friends as well as political associates. Senator Deneen left his political engagements upon his recent visit here to call upon his old friend, then ill at his home.
While his political activities gave him a wide acquaintance over the state, probably more people in Whitside county knew Mr. Overholser on account of his unceasing work as a Sunday school official than on account of his political prominence. For 49 years, practically half a century, he was an active force in the work of the Whiteside County Sunday School association, which he stood by in the pioneer days when the unnumbered trips he made in order ot speak in many churches entailed long and hard hours on roads almost bottomless with mud or heaped high with drifted snow. He was president and secretary of the association for many years and remained active in the work to the end of his days. In addition to this work he was superintendent of the Fourth Street M. E. Sunday school and member of the church choir for many years and held various offices in the church, being a member of the official board at the time of his death.
In the city of Sterling Mr. Overholser was known to the entire community as president of the old Second ward board of education, as supervisor of Sterling township for a number of years, as alderman in the old city council, as commissioner of public health and safety during the administration of Mayor A. J. Platt, as mayor of the city from 1918 to 1922, and as postmaster of Sterling during the Roosevelt and Taft administrations, his tenure of office continuing nine years as postmaster. During the war he served as chairman of the exemption board.
Mr. Overholser’s business activities included the operation of a retail grocery and a retail shoe business in Sterling. His lodge connections were with the Masonic fraternity, of which he was one of the oldest local members, and with the Elks and the Moose.
It is only natural that the loss of one who was so long and so prominently identified with the religious, educational, political, business and social life of the community should be keenly felt, and the continual stream of visitors in the Overholser home during his sickness attested the concern of the community over his illness and indicates to some degree the esteem in which he was held and the universal sympathy felt for the family.
James P. Overholser was born in Stark couny, Ohio, Dec. 2, 1841. His parents, Martin and Barbara Arford Overholser, were natives of Pennsylvania, moved to Ohio and later came from there to Illinois in 1855[?], settling in Coleta. The elder Mr. Overholser purchased 410 acres of land in Genesee and the son remained on the farm until 23 years of age, receiving a district school education. In 1864 the son engaged in the boot and shoe business in Lanark, where he remained nearly two years. From 1866 to 1868 he conducted a mercantile business in Coleta and then went to Perry, Ia., where he bought 200 acres of land.
Returning to Sterling he served McCoy and Galt as a clerk for eight years and in 1875 engaged in the grocery business. In 1882 he established a shoe store, which he continued for a number of years, finally selling it and going into the gorcery business again, in which business he continued until his term as postmaster began.
On July 4, 1866, Mr. Overholser was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Wetzell, daughter of Jacob and Susannah Bidler Wetzell of Coleta, who also came to Whiteside county from Ohio. Mrs. Overholser passed away thirteen years ago. Of their twelve children, nine are living as follows: Nellie, wife of R. S. Hull, of Sterling; Mrs. Blanche Forbes, who made her home with her father; Leona, wife of Charles H. Sprinkle; Lena, wife of George Engle, and Mabel, wife of W. A. Weeks, all of Sterling; Myrtle, wife of S. W. Clark, of Seattle, Wash.; Arthur and Earl Overholser, both of Sterling, and Rev. Martin Overholser, of Schenectady, N. Y.
Cora, the oldest daughter, died at the age of eight years. Guy, the oldest son, died a year ago last August, and Ida, wife of G. W. Rodell, died twelve years ago. One brother and four sisters survive, as follows: John Overholser, of Coleta; Mrs. George Howe and Mrs. William Howe, both of Morrison; Mrs. Barnett Beers, of Coleta, and Mrs. Henry Wetzell, of Rock Falls. Eight grandchildren also survive.
Word has been received from Rev. Martin Overholser stating that he will arrive here Saturday night. Other relatives from out of town are expected to attend the funeral.
The funeral services over the remains of Uncle Martin Overholser, who died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. B.M. Beers, Wednesday morning, was held at the Radical United Brethren church Friday [12/22/1899] morning at 10 o’clock. The services were conducted by Rev. J. H. Grimm of this place and Rev. C. Bender of Leaf River. The church was filled to its fullest capacity with sorrowing friends to show their last tribute of respect to the deceased. Interment was at the Hazel Green cemetery. The pall bearers, all grand children of the deceased, were:
Rev. Sumner Crom, Rev. William Beers James Overholser, John Wetzel Henry Overholser, Abner Howe.
The friends from a distance were: Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wetzel, Hume. Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Howe, Morrison. Mr. and Mrs. William Howe, Malvern. Mr. and Mrs. James Overholser, Sterling. Rev. and Mrs. William Beers, Mt. Carroll. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Overholser, Sterling. Rev. Sumner Crom, Adeline. Rec. C. Bender, Leaf River.
Uncle Martin was a man loved by everyone, he not having an enemy in this world. He was a man who always attended to his own business and always had a kind word for every one. He always proved himself to be an upright Christian man and did a kind act whenever possible for him to do so. He will be greatly missed by his many friends, especially in the religious meetings, where he always took an active part.
The Sterling Daily Standard, December 27, 1899
RUTH V. (BANION) OLINGER
, 94, of Prophetstown, formerly of Erie, died Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the CGH Medical Center, Sterling. Memorial services will be at 11a.m. Saturday, February 23, at the Erie United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Erie Cemetery. Visitation will be on Saturday from 10 a.m. to service time. Memorials may be made to the Erie Public Library. The former Ruth V. Banion was born on March 21,1912, in Peoria, the daughter of Lafayette and Mary Ellen Hayes Banion. She married Howard C. Olinger on June 22, 1930, in Davenport, Iowa. He died on June 14, 1983. She had been a nurse’s aide at the Prophets Riverview Good Samaritan Center , Prophetstown. Mrs. Olinger was a member of the Erie United Methodist Church and the Women’s Society of the church. She enjoyed, playing cards and going to the boat.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Janice and Richard Hummel of Prophetstown: grandchildren, Claudia Michaels, JoEllen Morphew Paul Hummel and Daniel Hummel: great-grandchildren. Bobbie Ann Blumhoff, Mitchell Hummel, Randee Hummel , Nick Morphew, Sean Michaels, Shannon Michaels and Joshua Hummel: great-great grandchildren, Hanna Blumhoff and Isabelle Blumhoff.
