According to Nan West, author of "The Overtons: 700 Years," William de Overton was the first of the Overton line who can be identified; he was named on the tax rolls of 1300/1301. His wife is unknown, and there were three children identified: Cecil Overton, John Overton and Thomas de Overton, whom we identify in our ancestral line. I (JPC) made the assumption regarding his birth date by acknowledging Mrs. West's statement that "...William Overton who flourished ca. 1300..." I assumed that the youngest one could "flourish" in those days would be around the age of 30 years, so this would put his birth date at circa 1270.

(Note as of March 26, 2005: For the last several years Joel Patrick Childress, the author of this website, has listed this line of Overtons, beginning with William de Overton (b. circa 1270) as the author's Overton ancestral line. However, evidence provided by the Overton DNA Project study which commenced in 2004 precludes Joel Patrick Childress' Overton line as being the same as that of the above Mrs. Nan Overton West. Specifically, there was not a significant match of the DNA string of J.P. Childress' proven male Overton cousin, Keith Andrew Overton, and that of the DNA string of Mrs. West's male Overton nephew, Dr. Marvin Cartmell Overton III. Consequently, the reader should understand that the Overton line documented on this family tree by Mrs. Nan West's publication cannot and should not be tied to the Overton family tree of J.P. Childress.)

This note appears on all Overton males identified by Mrs. West as being her Overton ancestors. Documentation is being provided merely as a courtesy to Overton researchers. The Overton DNA project study may be seen at this website:

Overton DNA Study

1. THOMAS de OVERTON b: ABT. 1312