MRS. MARY OVERFELT
Surnames: PYLE, LAIRD, GORDON, GOODWIN, HARRISON, KIMBALL, AYERS,
McCRACKEN, LENZ, HATCH, LOCKE, HANNA, EASTERDAY, McKEE, WOOD
A splendid example of what a far-seeing, progressive and industrious
woman may accomplish, when thrown upon her own resources, is furnished
in the life and activities of Mrs. Mary Overfelt, the highly esteemed
pioneer, who was born in Illinois about thirty miles from Chicago, on
October 26, 1839. Her grandfather, Edward G. Pyle, was a native of
Virginia, and one of the Revolutionary patriots who also participated in
the War of 1812. He moved to Kentucky, where Thomas Pyle, the father of
our subject, was born in 1810. Later the family migrated to Indiana,
then to Illinois, and afterwards to Missouri, and in all their
adventures they were sturdy frontiersmen. In 1846 Edward Pyle brought
his wife, three sons and three daughters, with two sons-in-law, to
California, and they were members of what was known as the Pyle-Whiteman
party, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Whiteman, Mr. and Mrs. Laird, Mary
Pyle, who later became Mrs. Gordon, and Thomas, Edward and John Pyle.
Thomas Pyle had married Miss Elizabeth Goodwin, who was born in 1812,
and was a member of a family that came from Ohio, where her Grandfather
Goodwin was a magistrate in an early day. Thomas Pyle was accompanied
by his wife and family, which consisted of four children: Edward G. who
lived until February 10, 1915; Mary, Mrs. Overfelt; William Henry, who
died on February 28, 1912; John Francis, who passed away on July 8,
1921. Mary Pyle was then a girl of seven years, so that the events of
that memorable trip are stamped indelibly on her mind.
On October 26, the Pyle-Whiteman party arrived at Sacramento and
located at Sutter's Fort, one and a half miles from the old town, where
they remained over the winter, while Thomas Pyle went out to help subdue
the Spaniards under General Fremont. He returned to his family at
Sutter's Fort early in the spring of '47, and then the Pyle family went
to the Mokelumne River, thence to the Stanislaus River, where they
wintered in Stanislaus County. Two and a half years were spent on the
Tuolumne River and in the spring of 1850 they settled in Santa Clara
County. Thomas Pyle had come here in the fall of '49 and bought a ranch
of some 500 acres, but when it was surveyed, finally, it lacked ten
acres of that area. He devoted this land to raising garden truck, which
sold readily in the town, and stock raising. After the death of
Grandmother Pyle, Grandfather Pyle made his home with his son Thomas.
He had come to this county at an early day and had purchased some lots
when San Jose was plotted. He had spent a short time at the mines, but
preferred the life of a rancher, as a surer way to wealth.
Mary Pyle attended the Berryessa school, where she studied, first
under Mr. Harrison and then under Mr. Kimball, and later she attended
the Hammond private school in San Jose. She remained on the home ranch
until December 27, 1854, when she was married to William C. Overfelt, a
native of Virginia, where he was born in April, 1827. His father,
Michael Overfelt, was born September 25, 1780, and died on March 12,
1864, and his mother, before her marriage on October 10, 1805, was Miss
Polly Ayers. William Overfelt came to California from Missouri in 1849
and settled at first at Placerville, where he mined. He then came to
the Penetencia Creek district and bought 160 acres, where he raised
stock and grain, but sold this ranch, being afraid that he would lose it
through a dispute over the old Spanish title. About 1858 he moved to
the old Pyle ranch, his wife's part of the estate being about seventy
acres, and he also purchased the portion of his brother-in-law, Edward
Pyle, thereby coming to own over 100 acres. Later, with Mr. McCracken,
he purchased some 300 acres of land on which Los Gatos now stands.
Mr. Overfelt passed away May 26, 1876, the honored father of five
children, then living. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Overfelt are:
William Elijah died at the age of eighteen months; Charles Franklin
resides in San Jose with his wife, formerly Rose Lenz, and their two
children, Dorothy and Harold; John Thomas died at eight years, and
Christopher, while in infancy; Elizabeth has become Mrs. Wm. D. Hatch
and lives on North Thirteenth Street, San Jose; she is the mother of two
daughters--Veva B., Mrs. Frank S. Locke, and Leah, Mrs. Jay Hanna;
Edward Jackson lives on the home ranch; Martha E., Mrs. F. S. Easterday,
died on August 6, 1915; Mildred L., for a number of years a teacher in
the public schools of the state, is at home.
Directly after her husband's death, Mrs. Overfelt, carrying out the
plans made by herself and husband prior to his death, built the home in
which she now lives at the corner of Jackson and McKee roads, and moved
into it in 1877, dispensing there a generous Californian hospitality to
her many friends. William Overfelt, with Joseph McKee, were the three
men who first secured the first free public school in the county, east
of San Jose, and organized the Pala district, Mr. Overfelt being one of
the trustees for many years. During his lifetime he sought to do his
duty as a citizen under the banners of the Democratic party. Mrs.
Overfelt is independent in her views and votes for the best men and
measures, regardless of party lines. Her two sons, Charles F. and E.
Jackson Overfelt, are well known and successful ranchers of the valley,
where they also have achieved prominence as breeders of Percheron and
Belgian draft horses, and at one time they had five prize stallions.
Transcribed by Joseph Kral, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 387
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