The Wood Family of Middle Tennessee:Information about Peter Z. Overby
Peter Z. Overby (b. 1759, d. Jun 13, 1824)
Notes for Peter Z. Overby:The following are excerpts from Libby Overbay's book, "THE OVERBURY STORY: 500 YEARS IN ENGLAND AND AMERICA, " pp 108 - 111:
Peter Z. Overbey was the son of Zachariah Overbay.
He was born about 1760. During the Revolution, Peter Z. and
his brothers assisted their father in the manufacture of hand
cards to card cotton and wool. Toward the close of the war
Peter enlisted as a soldier. After the war Peter went into
farming, selling whiskey and entertaining travelers.
Evidently there were several Peter Overbeys in this area of Virginia;
Peter was for a time known as "Peter, Son of Zachariah" in order to identify him from others of the same name. Eventally this was shortened to "Peter Z."
In 1779, Peter, then about nineteen years old, built
his home. The house, located on route 602 south of Buffalo
Springs in Mecklenberg County is still standing. The house has
two tall double-breasted brick chimneys. There are three windows
on the first floow front and four on the second floor. There are
two rooms and hallway on the first floor; two large rooms on
the second floor and two rooms in the attic. The first floor
ceilings are high and the rooms were wainscoted as was the
custom. The enclosed stairway was common on the frontier;
the steps were narrow, especially where they formed the turn.
Peter used the prevailing carpentry procedures of that day with
pegs instead of nails. That structure is now 207 years old,
certainly a tribute to Peter's skill.
The house described above was later used as an ordinary or tavern.
It was dubbed "White House No. 1".
In the November Court 1819, the Commonwealth began
proceedings to bring peter Z. to the Grand Jury for selling "spirituous
liquors" at his home without a license. Peter Z. pleaded "not guilty"
but he was found guilty in March 1821 and fined #30.00. Peter had
been granted a license to keep the tavern in his home by the May
Court 1817, also may 1818; that evidently did not confer the right
to sell liquor. His request of 1820 was denied.
Peter Z. and Ann sold this "tavern house" to their son
R.Y. Overbay on February 7, 1824. It is likely that Peter Z.'s home
was not called the White House No. 1 until after Robert Y. built
his home - called White House No. 2.
The following is taken from an abstract of Peter Z.'s will which appears
on page 110 of Libby Overbay's book.
I, Peter Z. Overbay of the County of Mecklenberg...my beloved
wife Ann Overbay one negro man Buck and his haire for the present
year and her choice of two of the remaining negroes, and one third of the
remaining part of my estate...the remaining part of my estate...divide among all my children by name Frances Overbay, Robert Y. Overbay, Eggleston Overbay, Edmund P. Overbay, Hezekiah Overbay, Netty Overbay wife of John Culbreath, Henderson Overbay, Eliza Overbay and Luse (Louisiana)
Overbay...I ...appoint my son Robert Y. Overbay guardian for my
daughter Francis Overbay...manage her property as he thinks best; 13th
June 1824.
In 1825 Robert Y. Overbay, the executor of Peter's will, submitted a bill
for $3.00 for cutting letters and smoothing two tombstones. One must have been for Peter Z., perhaps the other one was for his widow, or possibly Peter's son,
Hezekiah, who died in October 1824. (Former statement copied from p 111 of the
Overbay book.)
REF:
1. "THE OVERBURY STORY: 500 YEARS in ENGLAND and AMERICA," compiled
by Libby Overbay, pub. by Gateway Press abt. 1988.
More About Peter Z. Overby:
Burial: 1824, Peter Overbey Cem, near Clarksville, VA.
Military service: Enlisted toward the end of the Revolutionary War.
Occupation: 1785, "Farming, selling whiskey and entertaining travelers".
Property: 1779, Built his house, "still standing", located Rte 602 south of Buffalo Springs, Mecklinberg Co., VA.
Residence: 1783, Buffalo Creek, Mecklinberg Co., VA.
More About Peter Z. Overby and Ann Yancey:
Marriage: Feb 25, 1795, Richmond County, VA.
Children of Peter Z. Overby and Ann Yancey are:
- +Rosetta Overby, b. Jun 09, 1805, Mecklenburg County, Virginia, d. Aug 06, 1890, Smith County, Tennessee.