Author: George Geoffrey Baggett
Submitted by the Benjamin Franklin Chapter, Ohio Society May 25, 2015: John George Overmyer Jr P-264009

John George Overmeier served as Captain of the 5th Company. of the Fourth Battalion of Northumberland County Pennsylvania Militia, Colonel Phillip Cole, commanding. On Dec. 5, 1776, the Battalion went into active service and in October 1777 participated in the victory of the Battle of Saratoga.

John George Obermayer, Junior, was born Oct 27, 1727 in Blankenloch, Baden, present-day Germany, baptized on Oct 28, 1727, and died Sep 22, 1805 in Northumberland County, (later Limestone Township, Union County, Pennsylvania) at the age of 77.

He married Eva Maria Magdalena Rosenbaum (Rosenbach) on Jun 3, 1754 at Paxton Township, now Dauphin County, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Antonius Conradus "Anthony" Rosenbaum and Barbara Baumann. She was born Sep 17, 1735 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and died in Dec, 1759 in Paxtang Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His second wife was Anna Barbara Vogt (Foucht), whom he married on Jun 2, 1760. They were married by the Reverend John Casper Stower in HooverTownship, Berks County, Pennsylvania, or in Hanover, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Anna Barbara Vogt was the daughter of Jonas Vogt. She was born on Dec 3, 1741 and died in 1806 about the age of 64.
John George and Anna Vogt had the following children—
John George (June 3, 1755-Aug. 14, 1835) married Maria Rearick
Catherine (Sept. 12, 1756-Aug. 7, 1813) married Jacob Parkinson
John Peter (Feb. 5, 1761-Sept. 8, 1813) married Mary Eva Henning
Mary Magdalene (Aug. 25, 1767-Nov. 28, 1839) married Peter Whitmore
Phillip (Sept. 1769-March 24, 1843) married Rosanna Bishoff
John Michael (Jan. 12, 1773-Oct. 19, 1847) married Catherine Long
David (Nov. 12, 1774-Sept. 28-1866) married Barbara Hockhocker
Jacob (March 27, 1778-May 14, 1835) married May Guin

CAPTAIN OF SIXTH COMPANY, COL. PHILIP COLE’S 4TH BATTALION, PA MILITIA, 1776-77

CAPTAIN OF 3RD COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION, NORTHUMBERLAND CO. PENNSYLVANIA MILITIA UNDER COLONEL KELLEY, 1778

Johann Georg Overmyer was baptized Nov. 28, 1727, in the Evangelische Kirche (Protestant church) in Blankenloch, Baden, Germany. He was probably born the day before, Nov. 27, but his exact birth date is unknown. He came to America in 1751 on the ship “Brothers.”

The spelling of the immigrant’s name became anglicized in America to John George Overmire. The Captain spelled his name “George Overmire” in his will. Other variations of the family name include Overmier, Overmyer, Overmoyer, and Overmeyer. Overmyer is the most common spelling today, but it did not come into use until about 1800.

Overmyer served in the French and Indian War and later was a Colonial Militia Captain in the Revolutionary War. Assigned to Colonel Philip Cole’s 4th Battalion of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania formed in 1776. – His Sixth Company was attached to Colonel James Potter’s 2nd Battalion under Lt. Col. James Murray. Captain Overmyer discharged varied and arduous duties at times at the head of a company of men as Captain, leading them to battle and pursuit of the enemy, at other times marching in the ranks and doing battle under other officers. He was commissioned for local frontier defense, sometimes for special campaigns, and at other times for periods in support of the Continental Army and General John Sullivan. By May, 1778, the militia was re-organized and Captain Overmyer is leading the 3rd Ranger Co. in the 1st Battalion under Col. John Kelly. The Rangers were known for the stealth, night-time attacks.


Captain Overmyer had 4 children with Eva (Maria Magdalena) Rosenbaum who died at the sixth year of there marriage. He had then married (Anna) Barbara Vogt (Foucht) and had 11 more by the time of the Revolutionary War. His two eldest sons also served in the Revolutionary War while his youngest sons later served in the War of 1812. Sons were: John George Jr., John Peter, Jonas, Phillip (named after his Uncle), John Michael, David, and Jacob. Daughters were: Catherine, Twins Margaretha and Susanna, Elizabeth, Anna Eve and Esther, Mary Magdalene, and Barbara.

Tradition says Capt. Overmyer died on September 22, 1805, in Northumberland County and was buried at Dry Run Cemetery on the banks of Penn’s Creek, but according to E.S. Colburn’s History of Fairfield and Perry Counties (1883), the Captain died at the home of his son Jacob in Thorn Township, Ohio.

_________________________Added by David Joseph Overmyer, Fort Vancouver Chapter, WA - 7 Jun 17__________________________________________

Capt. John George Overmire (1727-1805)

John George Overmire (in German, Johann Georg Obermeyer), the son of Johann Georg Sr. and Anna Catherina Obermeyer, was baptized Nov. 28, 1727, in Blankenloch, Baden, Germany.

He must have received a fairly good education. He could read and write and kept a diary. In 1751, at the age of 23, he boarded the ship Brothers and embarked on a difficult voyage across the ocean to Philadelphia. He signed his name "Georg Obermeyer" on the passenger list, but the name would become anglicized in America in various ways: Overmire, Overmier, Overmyer, etc. His will is signed "George Overmire."

On June 3, 1754, George married Eva Rosenbaum. They had 4 children, but Eva died in 1759. George took a second wife in 1760, Anna Barbara Vogt, who bore him another 11 children. The family settled on a farm in Buffalo Twp., Northumberland Co., PA, near present-day New Berlin.

According to family tradition, Overmire served in the French & Indian War, so when the Revolution broke out, he was already a seasoned soldier. On Oct. 8, 1776, George was commissioned captain of the 6th company of Col. Philip Cole's 4th Battalion of Northumberland County Pennsylvania Militia. On Feb. 3, 1777, as a leader in his community, he was selected to serve on the Committee of Safety for Buffalo Twp., which was tasked with providing protection for the settlers, organizing the men into companies, practicing military drills and securing arms and ammunition.

In Nov. and Dec. of 1777, Capt. Overmire's company was under the command of Gen. James Potter. They were involved in scouting and skirmishing near Valley Forge as Washington prepared to make his winter camp there. At one point, Overmire and his men engaged and were pursued by a superior British force for about five miles. They crossed the Schuylkill River and were relieved by reinforcements under Gen. Anthony Wayne, then ordered to retreat by a French general, presumably Marquis de Lafayette.

In May 1778, the Northumberland militias were reorganized and Capt. Overmire was assigned command of the 3rd Ranger Company, 1st Battalion, under Col. John Kelly. Conditions were desperate on the Pennsylvania frontier at that time as the threat of Indian attack was an ever-present danger. The Overmire homestead, with its thick walls, provided the best protection for the locals and was known affectionately as the Overmire Fort. The Pennsylvania Rangers were a hardy bunch. They wore their own makeshift clothing and were known for their excellent marksmanship.

Capt. Overmire and his men continued to perform valiant service defending the frontier until the end of the war. In 1938, in a ceremony honoring Overmire's company, C. Marlyn Steese of the Northumberland Co. Historical Society remarked, "The service rendered by this ranger company can never be measured. The bravery of these men saved the inhabitants of Buffalo Valley from extinction... Had it not been for their sacrifice we would not be here today."

Capt. Overmire died on Sept. 22, 1805, at the age of 77.

Author: Lance Overmyer

John George Overmyer, born on November 27, 1727, baptized November 28, 1727, Evangelische Kirche (Lutheran) in Blankenloch, Baden, Germany.

On May 14, 1751, aged 23, John boarded the ship “Brothers” and immigrated to the British Colonies of North America.  He made his way to Philadelphia on September 16, 1751.  He signed his name of the passenger manifest as “Georg Obermeyer”.

He married Eva Maria Magdalena Rosenbaum, June 3, 1754 in Pennsylvania.  She was born in 1738 in Pennsylvania and died in December 1759; her burial location is unknown.

 They had four children:

•  John George (III) Overmire – b. 3 June 1755, Revolutionary War veteran
•  Catherine Overmire – b. 12 September 1756
•  Margaretha Overmire – b. 6 November 1758, twin sister to Susannah
•  Susannah Overmire –  b. 6 November 1758, twin sister to Margaretha

His 2^nd marriage was to Anna Barbara_____, on June 2, 1760.  She was born December 3, 1741 in Lanwill, Canton of Baselland, Switzerland.  Her death and burial location are unknown. 

They had eleven children:

• John Peter Obermeier – b. 5 February 1761, veteran of the Revolutionary War
• Elizabeth Overmire – b. 27 February 1763
• Anna Eve Overmire – b. about 1764-1765, twin sister to Ester
• Ester Overmire – b. about 1764-1765, twin sister to Anna
• Jonas Overmire – b.
• Mary Magdalene Overmire – b. 2 August 1767
• Philip Obermeyer – b. 23 September 1769
• John Michael Obermyer – b. 12 January 1773
• David Obermeyer – b. 12 November 1774, veteran of the War of 1812
• Anna Barbara Overmire – b. 17 September 1776
• Jacob Overmire – b. 27 March 1778, veteran of the War of 1812

In 1771, John George Overmyer moved his family from Paxton Township (Harrisburg, Dauphine County, Pennsylvania) to his father-in-law's Jonas Vogt’s land and built his homestead on the north side of Penn’s Creek, the east bank of Sweitzer’s Run, in Buffalo Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (near present-day New Berlin, Union County, Pennsylvania).

It was a sturdy two-story home measuring 30 feet by 30 feet, with heavy square hewn white pine logs a foot thick, and some two feet wide were used for construction. There was a small arch in the northeast corner to allow water from a spring (Silver Spring) to flow diagonally across the cellar floor to the southwest corner to discharge into Sweitzer’s Run. This provided fresh water in case the Indians surrounded the house. When the Indian raids began, many people fled to the Overmyer home for safety. Soon the neighboring settlers came to call the house ‘Overmyer Fort’. 

Upon the Revolutionary War starting, John was commissioned Captain, on October 8, 1776, of the 6^th Company in Colonel Philip Cole’s 4^th Battalion of Northumberland County Pennsylvania Militia. The Continental Congress called for ten companies of “expert riflemen” from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.  Many from these groups became known as the “Corps of Rangers”.  The men from Pennsylvania were known as the “Pennsylvania Frontier Rangers." In May, 1778, Captain Overmyer was put in charge of the 3^rd Ranger Company in the 1^st Battalion under Colonel John Kelly.  In 1781, Overmyer was captain of the 3^rd Company, 1^st Battalion of the Northumberland County Militia.

Captain John George Overmyer died September 22, 1805 at the age of 77.  Where he died is unknown, and the location of his burial site is unknown.

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