"Samuel Overton , late of Grovefield in the Parish of Hampton Lucy, in the County of Warwick, was born in the Parish of Tachbrook in the said County, the 14th of the Seventh Month 1668, and was educated in the way of Truth as professed by us. In his Youth, for some Years, he was much inured to Labour and very helpful in the Management of his Father's Affairs, being his eldest Son. About the year 1695 he entered into the married State, and engaged in Business for himself; yet still continued a filial Affection and dutiful Care towards his Parents, and was a great Assistant to them and their Family: being endued with a conprehensive natural Capacity, he exerted himself in an industrious and prudent Management of his temporal Affairs; in which, through divine Blessing attending his honest and skilful Endeavours, he was favoured with a comfortable Subsistence on a Farm, where his honest Parents had laboured under very great Difficulties; for the Lord was pleased to bless him in the Basket and in the Store. He had several Children who died in their minority, besides seven who survived, whom he gave considerably to, and saw them well settled; yet notwithstanding that, and his many Labours and Travels in the Work of the Ministy, in which he spent much Time, he died in plentiful Circumstances. In his Youth he received a Visitation from on high; to which being faithful, about the Year 1694 the Lord was pleased to commit unto him a Dispensation of the Gospel to preach, wherein he faithfully laboured until weakness of the Body prevented him, which was but a very short Time before his Death. In the Course of his Ministry he several Times visited the Meetings of Friends in many Counties of England, particularly in the Western Parts thereof, and sometimes in Wales; and for many Years attended the Yearly Meeting at London. And in his Mind being freely devoted to discharge his Duty, he often appointed Meetings for the Information and Benefit of those of other Persuasions. He was very serviceable in attending Marriages and Burials among Friends, both in the County where he resided, and in those adjacent. He had an excellent Gift in the Ministry, and his Labours therein were generally very acceptable, he being sound in Doctrine, and mighty in the Scriptures, He was likewise very serviceable in Meetings of Discipline, being one of the first who was concerned in settling of them in those Parts, which he also diligently attended, and was of sound Judgement and steady Deportment, often advising Friends to keep cool their minds, and to speak from a Sense of Truth. He was also a Pattern of Meekness and Brotherly Condescention. He was a loving and affectionate Husband, a tender Father, a kind and liberal Master, a true and faithful Friend, a generous and good Neighbour, particularly to the Poor and Afflicted. His House and Heart were always open to entertain his Friends, especially those who were Strangers. He was often made use of as an Arbitrator, to compose Differences amongst our own Society and others, in which Office he was very successful. He did not only, in Doctine, zealously and repeatedly recommend a holy and circumspect Life and Deportment, but was a lively Pattern and Example thereof, in his own Conversation and Conduct. He had a lingering illness of several Months which he bore with Christian Patience; and as often as the Intermission of his Distemper would admit, he was very diligent in attending Meetings, wherein he very devoutly exercised his Gift, and was supported and carried through, in the Discharge thereof, beyond what could in the Eye of Reason be expected, being freely given up to spend and be spent for the Service of Truth; and even at the last Meeting he had among Friends at Warwick, which was the same Week he died, notwithstanding the Infirmities of his Body, he was deeply and excellently concerned in the Testimony; and as if sensible of his approaching Death, and the Loss which the Church was likely to sustain by his Removal, (which indeed is very great) he fervently in Prayer besought the Lord of the Harvest, that out of his abundent Goodness, he would be pleased to raise up and send more faithful Labourers thereinto; which was very affecting and Heart tendering to several then present: and we earnestly desire, that his ardent Prayer may be answered, and that it may please the Divine Being, to pour forth upon the rising Generation, a double Portion of that Spirit which so eminently attended many of our worthy Friends, who are gone to Rest and Peace; of which Number we doubt not but this worthy Friend was one, for we believe he lived and died a faithful Servant of Christ and his Church. He departed this Life the 23rd of the Seventh Month 1737, and was honourably buried in Friends Burying Ground in Warwick the 27th of the same, being attended by a great Number of Friends and Neighbours, and generally lamented by all Sorts of People. Aged about Sixty-nine, a minister about Forty eight Years" My that one went on longer than I expected - again if anyone wants to post it to a more appropriate list - thanks. Still appropriate to Brum since so many people came into the town from the outskirts after this date and a descendant may see it. Ros