Senate Years of Service: 1903-1930
Party: Democrat
OVERMAN, Lee Slater, (son-in-law of Augustus Summerfield Merrimon), a Senator from North Carolina; born in Salisbury, Rowan County, N.C., January 3, 1854; attended private schools and graduated from Trinity College (now Duke University), Durham, N.C., in 1874; taught school two years; private secretary to the Governor 1877-1879; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1878 and began practice in Salisbury, N.C., in 1880; member, State house of representatives 1883, 1885, 1887, 1893, 1899, and served as speaker in 1893; president of the North Carolina Railroad Co. in 1894; unsuccessful Democratic candidate for United States Senator in 1895; president of the Salisbury Savings Bank; member of the board of trustees of the University of North Carolina and Duke University; presidential elector on the Democratic ticket in 1900; elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1903; reelected in 1909, 1914, 1920 and 1926 and served from March 4, 1903, until his death; chairman, Committee on Revolutionary Claims (Sixty-first Congress), Committee on Woman Suffrage (Sixty-second Congress), Committee on Rules (Sixty-third through Sixty-fifth Congresses), Committee on Engrossed Bills (Sixty-sixth Congress); died in Washington, D.C., December 12, 1930; funeral services were held in the Chamber of the United States Senate; interment in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Salisbury, N.C.
(Source: Biographical Directory of the United States 1774-present.)
LEE SLATER OVERMAN.
Lee Slater Overman, Democrat, of Salisbury, was born January 3, 1854, in Salisbury, Rowan County. Graduated Trinity College, North Carolina, with the degree of A.B., June, 1874; the degree of M.A. was conferred upon him two years later; taught school two years; was Private Secretary to Governor Z. B. Vance in 1877-1878, and Private Secretary to Governor Thomas J. Jarvis in 1879. Began the practice of law in his native town in 1880; has had a leading practice; was five times a member of the Legislature, sessions of 1883, 1885, 1887, 1893, and 1899; was the choice of the Democratic caucus for Speaker in 1887, and was defeated by one vote, through a combination of Independents and Republicans; was the unanimous choice of his party and elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, session of 1803; was President of the North Carolina Railroad Company in 1894; was the choice of the Democratic caucus for United States Senator in 189$, and was defeated in open session by Hon. Jeter C. Pritchard, through a combination of Republicans and Populists; was Chairman of Democratic State Conventions, 1900-1910; Trustee of the University of N. C, 1885-1911; is also a Trustee of Trinity College; was chosen Presidential Elector for the State at large in 1900. Married Miss Mary P., the eldest daughter of United States Senator, afterwards Chief Justice, A. S. Merrimon, October 31,1878. Was elected to the United States Senate to succeed Jeter C. Pritchard, Republican, for the term beginning March 4, 1903. His first term expired March 3, 1909. By unanimous choice of the Democratic caucus, he was reflected January 19, 1909, for a second term. November 3, 1914, he was elected for a third term, being the first Senator elected in North Carolina by a direct vote of the people.
(Source: North Carolina Manual. 1919. Published by the North Carolina Historical Commission.)
OVERMAN, LEE S., lawyer, legislator, was born Jan. 3, 1854, in Salisbury, N. C. He is a successful lawyer of his native city; was a member of the House of Representatives of North Carolina in 1883, 1885, 1887 and in 1893, and was speaker of the house during the latter term. He has been president of the North Carolina Railroad company; and in 1897 was the democratic nominee for United States senator.
[Herringshaw's encyclopedia of American biography of the nineteenth century; Edited by Thomas William Herringshaw; Publ. 1901; Donated and Transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack.]
