Silas C. Overpack
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Silas C. Overpack (1842–1918) was a blacksmith, wheelwright, and businessman. He owned a shop in downtown Manistee, Michigan called S.C. Overpack Wagon, Carriage and Blacksmith Shop and is associated with the invention of Michigan logging wheels.[1] These unusually large wagon wheels were used in the timber industry for hauling logs in difficult terrain. [2]
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[edit] Early childhood
Silas was born in Chemung county, Pennsylvania on March 20, 1842. He was the sixth of ten children. He spent his childhood there where he received his public schooling. His parents were George and Mercy Overpack. They left Pennsylvania around 1850 and ultimately settled in Oakland County, Michigan.[2]
[edit] Career
Shortly after arriving in Michigan Silas entered into apprenticeship of learning the wagon making trade. In 1868 he moved to Manistee and set up a blacksmith and wagon making business downtown. There he made wagons and sleighs for the thriving lumber industry of northern Michigan. He also sold salt, mill carts, blankets, harnesses, whips, and ropes. He usually employed anywhere from twelve to fifteen people at any one time.[2]
In 1875, he began making special pairs of extra large wagon wheels that were 10 feet (3.0 m) in diameter[2] called logging wheels or big wheels. They were double the size of ordinary wooden wagon wheels and were for hauling logs from forests that had wet terrain in the summer and heavy snows in the winter. Of course where he lived fit that criteria as did the Upper Peninsula and other northern states. He sold and shipped his logging wheels all over the United States and Canada.
Overpack used an image of a wooden wagon wheel with spokes as a log mark as required by the 1842 Michigan law for anyone in the timber business.[3]
[edit] Marriage and children
In 1871 Silas married Manistee native Millie Magoon. They had 3 children, Roy, Nellie, and Stella.[2] Roy graduated from University of Michigan of AnnArbor in 1903 in Liberal Arts and received a law degree in 1905. He worked at his father's business. Nellie and Stella became musicians.
[edit] Other
Silas was a member of the board of supervisors of Manistee and also served on the city council. He belonged to the Masonic order and York Rite Masonry as commandery No. 32 and associated with the Knights Templars. He was also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. His religion was associated with the Unitarian church, although he attended Congregational services since there was no Unitarian churches in Manistee. Silas was a Republican.[2]
