San Diego County Biographies
 
NELSON OVERMIER

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


a rancher of El Cajon Valley, was born at Somerset, Perry County, Ohio, April 
19, 1830, the fifth child of Adam Overmier, a farmer. He was educated in 
Marshall County, Illinois. In April, 1853, he went from St. Louis up to St. 
Joseph, Missouri, whence he started for California, in company with Isaac 
Lankershim, Capt. W. E. Wild, Messrs. Marshall and McCoy, and arrived at the old 
Buckeye House, twenty miles from Sacramento, in November. They wintered their 
stock in 1853�'54 at the Cosummes ranch, below the wire bridge on the Daly grant 
and about sixteen miles below Sacramento. The party had bought about a thousand 
head of cattle, and, ferrying them across the river at Sacramento, drove them 
around into Napa valley. Overmier left the party at Napa, went to the mines, 
traveled around the camps, visited Marysville, worked for three years at 
Downieville, and spent two years at China Flat, Sierra County, above 
Downieville, where he was blown up by a premature explosion of powder. The eyes 
of his partner were blown out and one of his arms torn from his body. Overmier's 
face was badly burned, but it was not a serious injury and he soon recovered. In 
1858 the great excitement on Fraser river began to rage, and he started for a 
gold mine there, and during a period of over five years he was there he became 
prosperous. He was one of the 500 men who cut the road through the Cascade 
mountains to the Upper Fraser river, the only direct road to the mines. He mined 
on that river for over three hundred miles, until they struck Canal river, and 
worked up to the forks of the river for over 150 miles. Provisions were so 
scarce that they sold at $1.50 to$5 a pound. Mr. Overmier went into the Cariboo 
country in British Columbia, where he found a large lake, which he called the 
Cariboo lake. It is fifteen miles long by about two miles in width. He 
prospected the country on both sides of the lake as far up as Little Cariboo 
lake and Swamp river, which empties into Cariboo lake. At the head of the lake 
they discovered a stream which they named Harvey creek, after a member of the 
party. He found plenty of gold, both in nugget form and in small particles; but 
he was destitute of food and provisions, and altogether had a very rough and 
unpleasant experience.
        He left the country in 1865, bought a team at Dalles, loaded with 
provisions and went to Bannock City and wintered in Grand Round valley in 
eastern Oregon. He traveled over the Owyhee country, and opened a livery, sale 
and stock yard in Silver City. He bought and sold stock, and by close attention 
built up a good, substantial business. In 1866�'67 the Indians raided the 
country and drove off eighty-five head of stock belonging to Mr. Overmier, which 
loss represented over $5,000. This misfortune affected him so that he settled 
his affairs and traveled down through the Goose lake country and sold his stock 
at Oroville, and took the railroad for San Francisco, arriving about three days 
before the great earthquake of October, 1868. He was so badly shaken up that he 
became frightened, packed his things and took the steamer Orizaba for San Diego, 
and has never visited San Francisco since !
        Mr. Overmier has devoted himself to farming and fruit-raising. He spent 
about fifteen years farming in Alpine, but concluded to move nearer 
civilization, sold his ranch and purchased a farm in El Cajon valley, about 
eighteen miles from San Diego; there he has an orange orchard, a well assorted 
variety of choice deciduous fruits, and a neat and comfortable home in one of 
the prettiest spots in San Diego County.
        In 1875 he married Miss Lucy Fields, of Mississippi. Mr. Overmier is an 
old pioneer and has a large fund of interesting and exciting stories to relate 
about his companions of " long, long ago." He knew most of the pioneers, who are 
now quietly fading away, with their frosty hair and hoary age, into the silent 
realms which enfolds them in a strange, quiet solitude of peace. He is a 
sunny-hearted, cheerful man, with a kind and pleasing disposition.
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California� Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  375-376