When Melvin York Overstreet was born on 28 September 1869, in Carlinville, Macoupin, Illinois, United States, his father, Sterling W Overstreet, was 43 and his mother, Rebecca York, was 37. He married Missouri Ann "Annie" Harvey on 11 November 1890. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 4 daughters. He lived in Moundville, Vernon, Missouri, United States in 1930 and Liberal, Barton, Missouri, United States in 1940. He died on 26 November 1949, in Barton, Missouri, United States, at the age of 80, and was buried in Rosebank Cemetery, Crawford, Kansas, United States.