Dr. Samuel Overton, Pioneer Doctor of Canton, Texas

Dr. Samuel Overton was one brother in a group of five siblings who moved to Smith County, Texas in the early 1850's. Led by the oldest brother, Colonel John Franklin Overton, Samuel, Abdon, Jesse and Caroline followed his lead, bringing their mother, Susannah Alexander Overton, and entire families. All contributed to the taming of the Smith County, Texas wilderness in the decade after Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845. Dr. Samuel Overton practiced medicine almost the entire last half of the nineteenth century in Old Canton (later named Omen), and left a legacy of medical journals covering the majority of his years in practice. This article is based on the transcription of the journals, supplemented by research undertaken by family members and genealogists from this east Texas area. My thanks to the Smith County TXGenWeb Project and Mary Love Berryman for inclusion of this material in their wealth of information and to the Smith County Historical Society Archives for permission to copy and transcribe the three medical ledgers in their possession. Also, thanks to the "Chronicles of Smith County, Texas" published by the Smith County Historical Society, Tyler, Texas, for permission to use the materials included herein.

J.P. Childress, September, 2000

Note: ©This work is the property of the East Texas Genealogical Society and J.P. Childress, collectively. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.

I.	Dr. Samuel Overton's Birth Family
II.	The Overton/Alexander Ancestry
III.	Samuel Egbert Overton, Early Omen Citizen
IV.	The Dr. Samuel Overton Medical Ledgers -
V.	A Compendium of Entries
VI.	Charitable Actions/Loans
VII.	Veterinary Practice
VIII.	The Physician and the Court System
IX.	Dealing with Relations
X.	Collection Problems
XI.	Various Treatments and Frequencies of Use
XII.	Dr. Overton, the Obstetrician
XIII.	Date of Death
XIV.	Sarah Cleveland Weaver Overton, Widow
Additional information on the Overton Family World Connect - Childress/Mathis Family Tree Medical Records - Dr. Samuel Overton treated hundreds of citizens living in and around the pioneer community of Omen, Texas during the last half of the nineteenth century. For a full listing of all patients, go to the above link. African American patients are identified in the "Status" column by "f" (indicating freedman or freedwoman) or "c" (indicating colored).