1940s 4th Generation

1940s 4th Generation

In last month's blog, I wrote about white settlers pushing the Indians West.  Here is another side by John Wayne in 1971, "Our so-called stealing of the country from the Indians was just a question of survival.  There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians selfishly tried to keep it for themselves."  We will let the Duke have the last word about our Native American Heritage from the Evans side.  Now I will take you back to the 1940s when my parents (Albert and June) started a family by creating me, their first born.

I (Martin Wayne Overhiser 7-11-40) was named after Martin Evans, June's youngest brother.  The Wayne may have been  borrowed from John Wayne because it sounded good.  Yes, good for calling out, "Martin WAYNE you get out of there".   Albert and June rented a house from Ray Adkin across the street from the Bill and Edna's 60 acre farm. That would be the farm Henry settled in 1863 and passed along to William Albert, Bill's dad.  Albert and June were the 4th generation farmers but did not take over the original farm site until after Bill and Edna retired.   My brother Charles Edward was born 14 months later (9-26-41).  June took off 3 years from teaching in one-room schools to train us in potty and other life long skills.  (Note - Brother Allan, 5th generation farmer, arrives in 1960.)

Albert continued to drive truck and helped Bill and Edna with the farming when ever possible.  It was War time, but Albert was rejected because he had double jointed ankles.  He was always proud to show them off.  The ankles never bothered him.  He was always very fit and skilled at baseball in High School.  As an adult he played softball for Casco.  The whole community turned out for games behind Riley's Store.  Some times Riley would show a movie on his north wall after the games.  The Casco team played against all the teams in the area including the famous House of David in Benton Harbor.  The Casco Band (formed in 1928) was also very popular and still performs in parades and concerts today.

When June lined up a teaching job for the fall of 1943 mom and dad bought the 20 acre Blanchard farm and house 1/2 mile east and 1/2 mile north of Bill and Edna.  T. C. Blanchard and family moved closer to Pullman where they owned the hardware store.  By going through Harry Adkin's farm to the south you could connect with the original farm, however, we just did not do that.  Gas was cheap and the dusty gravel road was a much better ride traveling between farms.

Before Chuck and I attended the Iddles one-room school, Mrs. Kuney took care of us boys while June taught.  I started school in 1945 and Chuck in '46.  Mother June was our teacher until we both started attending South Haven in 1953 (MO 8th grade and CO 7th grade).  Mom then taught at McDowell School (53-54) and later joined the South Haven system at Lincoln School.

At The Farm June 2, 2011

Spring 2011 has been very wet and cool.  The fruit blossoms have survived nicely and should produce delicious and juicy fruit July, through October.  Allan is predicting sweet cherries will be ripe by the 4th of July but fruit will be later then last year  

Next year Aaron will be in 9th grade and the quadruples will be in 8th grade at Fennville.  One of the kid's first summer farm chores will be planting pumpkins and squash.  By the end of the summer they may be looking forward to returning to school.

White Invaders - Early 1800s

White Invaders - Early 1800s
Overhiser Fruit Farm dwellers (5 generations) have much in common with our Native American ancestors. If you work the land and depend on the forces of nature you appreciate how Indians felt about Mother Earth. We now know that Albert and June Overhiser's 30 descendants have a small percentage of Native American blood. This blog will give you a better understanding of our ancestor, The Prophet.

The Ohio and Kentucky Valley conquest was the greatest hurdle for national expansion in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Tensquatawa the Prophet (our ancestor) and his brother Chief Tecumseh led the defense against the invaders.  They forged a coalition of many tribes dedicated to protecting Indian lands and cultures.  Tribal communities were based on clan and kinship with deference paid to age, not wealth or station.  Women farmed, men hunted.  They valued sharing and reciprocity as a way of living.  Tribal homelands were hallowed ground held in common.  One package - earth, sky, rivers, lakes, mountains, meadows and all living creatures.  Euro-Americans viewed the land as wild, chaotic, and godless.  Each side thought the other to be savages. 

Tensquatawa's preachings grew more militant and political from 1808–1811, as more young warriors from nearby tribes joined his movement. By 1811, both white settlers and the U.S. Army had become quite concerned about what was happening at Prophetstown on the Wabash.  Late in 1811, Tecumseh journeyed south to meet with other tribes in hopes of building a larger alliance.  According to legend, he left Tensquatawa in command and ordered him to avoid any confrontation with whites.

On November 7, 1811, while Tecumseh was still away, Tensquatawa saw a vision and told the other Indians to attack the coming white people. The Americans were under the command of future President William Harrison. Tensquatawa's forces were soundly defeated. (See the Battle of Tippecanoe.) It was a two hour battle that left many Indians dead or wounded. The Indians buried their men in the night, and stripped The Prophet of his powers. The village at Prophetstown was burned and the defeat put an end to Tecumseh's hope of a broad Native alliance.

The notion of "land exchange" was proposed as early as 1803, by President Jefferson (1801-1809).  The 1817 treaty with the Cherokee was the first that included Indians ceding land in the east for equal amounts in present-day Arkansas. Many other treaties of this nature quickly followed.  The earlier Indian relocations were done by purchase, force and coercion. The notion that Pioneers were heroes and Indians inhuman needs more balance by hearing more Indian voices.

Tensquatawa and Tecumseh participated in the defense of the Canadian colonies during the War of 1812. In 1813 The Prophet was present at the Battle of the Thames, but fled with the British forces and was absent when Tecumseh was killed. In the following decade he unsuccessfully tried to regain a position of leadership. He had married Priscilla Perkins in 1795 and Marsha Bates (our ancestor) was born in 1814.  In 1825 he returned to the United States and assisted in removing many of the Shawnees west of the Mississippi. In 1826 he established a village at the site of modern Kansas City, Kansas. He died in 1836 at his village in Kansas City (located in the Argentine area; the White Feather Spring marker notes the location).

Sources: Colin G. Calloway, The Shawnees and the War For America, 2007; wikipedia; and other Internet sites

At the Farm May 2, 2011 - Blossoms
Allan reports that this year is a "normal" old fashion spring with cool wet weather.  Fruit should be coming on at normal times rather than two weeks "early" as it was last year.  The fields are muddy but they were still able to plant 1000 new peach trees and 200 apple trees. If you drive to the farm between May 6 and 16 you will see fruit trees blooming: sweet cherries, peaches, tart cherries, pears, plums and apples.

The Farm Family traveled to Hersey PA for spring break.  Aaron and Kim went on the 8th Grade trip to DC. Kelsy and Kortny are in soccer and softball.  Alex and Adam are playing baseball. Aaron is playing baseball and is on a travel basketball team.  Makes me tired just thinking about all the activities.