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Archibald Waller Overton was born in Fayette County, Ky., on November 11, 1845, the son of Dabney Carr and Eliza Harris Overton, the latter of Louisa County, Va. Both of his parents having died, he was when ten years of age when taken to Virginia to be under the care of his mother's family, among whom was Capt. David B. Harris, afterwards General Harris, a distinguished engineer officer of the army of the Confederate States of America. He was a student at the Virginia Military Institute when in May, 1864, the cadets of that institution were called out to form a part of the troops commanded by Gen. John C. Breckinridge which defeated the army of General Sigel in the battle of Newmarket, Va. In this battle the cadets bore a distinguished part and gained themselves eternal renown. Arch Overton had in his veins the best blood of Virginia and Kentucky, and in this engagement he did his full duty, winning the commendation of officers and comrades.

A beautiful monument designed by the distinguished sculptor Sir Moses Ezekiel, himself one of the cadets who fought in that battle, stands now on the grounds of Virginia Millitary Institute, the bronze figure representing "Virginia Mourning Her Dead." On the sides of the base of this statue are engraved the names of the cadets who took part in the battle of Newmarket, and among them appears the name of A. W. Overton. After the battle most of the cadets served in the Confederate army until the surrender at Appomattox. Overton was one of these. He, with other cadets, received a bronze medal with the inscription "For Valor" upon its face.

Returning to Kentucky after the war, he became clerk in a branch of the Farmer's Bank of Kentucky at Henderson, soon afterwards was an employee of the mother bank of that name in Frankfort, Ky., and was at the time of his death cashier of the Farmers' Deposit Bank at Frankfort-a long and faithful service. On March 11, 1874, he married Miss Laura Ellen Harris, of Louisa County, Va., who survives him, with one son, Waller Mullock Overton. His death, which occurred February 29, 1920, was a tragic end of a noble life. It was the result of serious injuries by fire, death relieving his sufferings within a few hours.

Respected by the community in which he had lived and by a large number of friends throughout the State, beloved by his relatives and a goodly circle of choice friends and comrades, no words can express the deep sorrow over his death. Mr. Overton had long been a member of the Episcopal Church and for many years was one of the vestry of the Church of the Ascension at frankfort, of which he had also served as treasurer.

Among the characteristic traits of this fine man were absolute courage, loyalty to his friends and loyalty to what he thought right and true, spotless integrity, and a natural aversion to anything like deception and falsehood. Being a gentleman by birth and rearing, in all his long life he was noted for his unfailing courtesy and kindly regard for the feelings of all whom he had any business dealings or social intercourse. He was of the best type of the soldiers who followed Robert E. Lee and of the proud citizens of whom the State of Kentucky may well be proud.