James Sharp (1814 - 1872)

Born 16 Jan 1814 in Tennessee

Husband of Malinda (Randel) Sharp — married 2 Nov 1837 in Putnam County, Indiana

Descendants

Died 16 Jan 1872 at age 58 in Indiana

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Timeline

Birth: James was born on January 16, 1814^[1] in Tennessee to James Sharp and Margaret Owens.

Married Malinda Randel on October 30, 1837^[2] in Putnam County, Indiana. ^[3]

1840 Census: In the 1840 Census, "James Sharp" was listed as head of the household in Hendricks County, Indiana. Included living in the home were one free white male under 5 (probably their eldest child, William), one free white male 20-29 (probably James), and one free white female 20-29 (probably Malinda). One person was employed in agriculture. ^[4]

1850 Census: "James Sharp," 37, was living in Marion Township, Hendricks County, Indiana with his wife Malinda, 31, children William, 12, George W., 9, Elizabeth, 7, Nancy M., 4, James A., 2, and Thomas M., 0, and a James M. Sharp, 17, of unknown relation. He was listed working as a farmer, born in Tennessee. ^[5]

1860 Census: "James Sharp," 47, was living in Marion Township, Hendricks County, Indiana with his wife Malinda, 40, children William, 21, George, 19, Elizabeth, 16, Nancy M., 14, James A., 12, Thomas M., 10, Malinda A., 8, Joseph, 6, Matilda, 4, and Mary, 1. Another William Sharp, age 20, is also listed as living with them. This could be a case of their eldest child accidentally being listed twice, or perhaps a relative was living with them. Though no occupation is listed, from the census taker's style of a blank space meaning "ditto," he was probably a farmer. Real estate was valued at $7,500, personal estate at $2,869, and he was listed born in Tennessee. ^[6]

1870 Census: "James Sharp," 57, was living in Marion Township, Hendricks County, Indiana (New Winchester Post Office) with his wife Malinda, 51, children James A., 20, Thomas A., 21, Malinda, 18, Joseph, 16, Matilda, 14, and Mary, 10, a relative Thomas J. Sharp, 19, and grandson Oscar Sharp, 5. He was listed working as a farmer, real estate valued at $18,300, personal estate at $6,000. He was listed born in Tennessee. ^[7]

Died January 16, 1872 in Hendricks County, Indiana, the day he turned 58. He is buried in New Winchester Cemetery in New Winchester, Hendricks County, Indiana, sharing a stone with his mother Margaret. ^[8]

Biographies

Atlas of Hendricks County (Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1878) - Marion Township entries: SHARP, JAMES (deceased); born in Tenn., in 1813; died Jan. 16, 1872; settled on Sec. 7 in 1837; son of James and Margaret Sharp. Married Nov. 2, 1837 to Melinda Randall; have had ten children--William, b. Aug. 5, 1838; George W., born Jan. 29, 1841; Elizabeth J., born Sept. 23, 1843; Nancy M., born Jan. 12, 1846; James A., born April 29, 1848; Thomas M., born May 23, 1850; Melinda M., born March 26, 1852; Joseph G., born April 11, 1854; Matilda A., born May 7, 1856; Mary J., born Aug.15, 1859.

A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 944-946:

Mrs. Malinda Sharp, of Marion Township, Hendricks County, Ind., has for years managed her farm and has reared an excellent family of children. She is the widow of James Sharp, who was born January 16, 1814, in Tennessee, the son of James Sharp, a Kentuckian, who married Margaret Owens and became the father of five children: George, Elizabeth, Anna, James and Joseph. Mr. Sharp was a millwright and settled in east Tennessee, where he passed the remainder of his days and died in middle life. James Sharp, the deceased husband of our subject, was reared a farmer and was twenty-two years of age when he came to Hendricks County, Ind., in 1836, where he entered ninety-three acres of land, east of where his widow now lives. He married in Putnam County, November 2, 1837, Malinda, daughter of William and Nancy (McReynolds) Randel. Thomas Randel, grandfather of our subject, was born in New York state, was a farmer, and married Margaret Bishop, who bore four children: Rachel, Virginia, William and John. Thomas Randel first moved to North Carolina when a boy with his father, and was twelve years of age when the Revolutionary War broke out. He moved from North Carolina to Georgia, thence to Kentucky, finally arriving at Greencastle, Ind., Putnam County, December 20, 1824, and here he made a large farm in the green woods, eight miles northeast of Greencastle. He lived to the great age of ninety-three years and was never confined to bed a whole day in his life through sickness. At the age of sixty-five years, his second marriage was to the widow Connor, nee Polly Gent, but there were no children to this union. Mr. Randel was a member of the Predestinarian Baptist Church, although his ancestors were Quakers. He was a typical American pioneer, with sterling qualities of mind and body.

James Sharp, husband of our subject, after marriage, settled on the land he had entered, one mile northeast of the present homestead, cleared up his farm from the heavy lumber, lived on this land until 1846, then settled on 135 acres, part of Mrs. Sharp's present homestead, cleared this, and by thrift, hard work and good management, assisted by his faithful wife, added to this until he owned 415 acres. To Mr. and Mrs. Sharp ten children were born, all now living, viz.: William P., George W., Elizabeth J., Nancy M., James A., Thomas M., Malinda M., Joseph G., Matilda A. and Mary J. Mr. Sharp was a member of the Christian Church, and in politics was a Republican. He was a man of great industry and accumulated a good property. He was a stock dealer and trader, and well known in the county as a man of integrity of character. He died at the age of fifty-eight years, January 16, 1872, on his birthday. Mrs. Sharp, our subject, was born May 7, 1819, in Allen County, Ky., and was but five years old when brought to Putnam County, Ind. She was married at the age of eighteen years to Mr. Sharp, since whose death she has managed her farm for years, but now rents the land. She is a good business woman, has all the property left her by her husband, and was administratrix and guardian for her children. She will have been a member of the Christian Church fifty-five years in August, 1895. She has all her life been a woman of remarkable constitution, and at the age of seventy-six retains her faculties and has a wonderful memory. She has always been a hard-working woman, and brought up her children to work and to be good citizens.

William Randel, father of our subject, and son of Thomas Randel, was born in Georgia, but left that state at thirteen years of age and went to Kentucky with his father. He married, in Allen County, Ky., Nancy Reynolds, who bore him nine children: Gibson, Malinda, Mariah, Emma J., Matilda, John W., William, James M. and Harrison. December 20, 1824, Mr. Randel settled in Putnam County, Ind., entered eighty acres in the green woods and bought eighty acres more, and cleared his farm, on which he remained all the remainder of his life. His first wife died and he married the widow of Thomas Stevens, nee Nancy Siddons, but there were no children by this marriage. He was a member of the Predestinarian Baptist Church and an elder. He lived to be ninety-two years of age and died April 17, 1886. He was a man of upright character and high repute and was one of the pioneers of Putnam County. The Sharps were among the pioneers and first settlers of Kentucky and founders of the town of Sharpsburg, one of the oldest towns in the state, and James Sharp's first wife was an Owen, whose family were the first settlers of Owensburg, Ky. Both were families of distinction and descended from old American colonial stock. The founders of the Reynolds family, or McReynolds, as the name was formerly spelled, were of a mixed race, English, Scotch and Irish. The McReynolds were of Scotch-Irish descent and James McReynolds, maternal grandfather of Mrs. Sharp, married Susan Anderson of Swedish ancestry.

William P. Sharp married Anthana Higgins, who bore three sons. He is a farmer and school teacher in Kansas. George W. married Sarah Brown; he is a Chicago grain dealer. Elizabeth J. married John S. Shannon, and for her second husband Thomas Crow, of North Salem. Mary M. married Zimri Hunt, a farmer of Hendricks County, and has eight children. James A. married Martha Minter, and is a farmer of Marion Township with three children. Thomas M. married Alice Minter and has seven children. He is a lumber dealer of Brazil, Ind. Malinda M. married I.J. Mendenhall, in the saw-mill business at Montclair, and is the father of five children. Joseph G. married Mary A. Bryant and has one child; he is a druggist of Coatsville. Matilda A. married Theophilus McPeters (deceased); he was a farmer three miles north of Danville with two children. Mary J. married James Field, a farmer and assessor of Marion Township. Mrs. Sharp has thirty-two living grandchildren and three deceased.

Children

1. William Perry Sharp: William was born August 5, 1838. He became a teacher as a young man, and married Anthenia T. Higgins on February 12, 1861. They had four sons: George James (1862), Eckley Grant (1866), Eugene (1868), and Thomas Love (1874). After George's birth, the family moved to Illinois, and some time after Eugene's birth they moved to Kansas, where he was also a farmer. He died while visiting his mother in New Winchester, Indiana, age 65.

2. George W. Sharp: George was born January 29, 1841 in Indiana. He was a school teacher, teamster, drug store salesman, and grain dealer at various points in his life. He first married Mary E. Turner on October 12, 1865. They had a son, Walter (1879) before her death. He then married Sarah Brown about 1882. George died May 18, 1917 in New Winchester, age 76.

3. Elizabeth J. Sharp: Elizabeth was born September 23, 1843 in Indiana. She married John R. Shannon on September 9, 1868. They had an adopted son, Presby N. Urban (1870). After John's death in 1885, Elizabeth remarried to Thomas James Crow on July 15, 1886. Elizabeth died January 31, 1916 in North Salem, age 72.

4. Nancy Margaret Sharp: Nancy was born January 12, 1846 in Indiana. She married Zimri Hunt on December 12, 1869, and they had eight children: Joseph E. (1870), Daniel Otis (1872), Stephen Ora (1872), Charles Thomas (1874), Etta Jane (1876), Linnie A. (1879), Lillie Neva (1882), and Carrie Maude (1887). She died in Coatesville on November 12, 1923, age 77.

5. James Alexander Sharp: James was born April 29, 1848 in Indiana. He was a farmer and married Martha Ann Minter on February 29, 1872. They had four children: Clyde (1873), Cecil James (1876), Paul (1881), and Edith Minter (1884). He died January 30, 1926 in Hendricks County, age 77.

6. Thomas Milton Sharp: Thomas was born May 23, 1850 in Indiana. He was a lumber buyer and married Jemima Alice Minter on February 18, 1875. They had seven children: Daisy A. (1878), Amy Martha (1880), Thomas Emory (1882), Harry Randle (1884), Inez M. (1887), Bernice M. (1890), and Claude Morris (1894). He died in North Salem on May 1, 1917, age 66.

7. Malinda Mildred Sharp: Malinda, sometimes called Millie or Milla, was born March 26, 1852 in New Winchester. She married Isaac James Mendenhall on November 10, 1870, and they had five children: Charles Thomas (1872), William Wilbert (1874), Joseph Leetus (1877), James Nathan (1881), and Grace May (1885). She died in Beech Grove on September 25, 1929, age 77.

8. Joseph Gibson Sharp: Joseph was born April 11, 1854 in Indiana. He was a school teacher who then married Mary Bryant on June 24, 1886 and had three sons: Kenneth Shannon (1888), Marion Bryant (1895), and Joseph Bryant (1905). He was a druggist and died in Coatesville on August 1, 1928, age 74.

9. Matilda Ann Sharp: Matilda, sometimes Tillie, was born May 7, 1856 in Indiana. She married Theophilus McPheeters on December 24, 1876 in Hendricks County and had two children, Ada M. (1877) and Frank Carl (1879) before his death in 1879. She did not remarry and was a farmer. Matilda died July 31, 1944 in Indianapolis, age 88.

10. Mary Isabel Sharp: Mary, sometimes Molly, was born August 15, 1859 in Indiana. She married James Fields on November 17, 1892. James and Molly had no children, and she died July 12, 1907 in Hendricks County, age 47.

Sources

1. ↑ The Memoirs of Malinda Randel Sharp, in family possession
2. ↑ His wife's memoir states that they were married November 2nd. The discrepancy is probably due to them receiving their official marriage license on the 30th but not being married in a ceremony until the 2nd.
3. ↑ "Indiana, Marriage Index, 1800-1941," database, Ancestry.com, James Sharp and Malinda Randel, 30 Oct 1837 Putnam County, originally from Works Progress Administration, comp. Index to Marriage Records Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940, accessed 16 Jan 2016
4. ↑ "1840 United States Federal Census," database, Ancestry.com, James Sharp, Hendricks County, Indiana, Roll: 87, Page: 50, Image: 618, Family History Library Film: 0007727, originally from the National Archives, accessed 16 Jan 2016
5. ↑ "1850 United States Federal Census," database, Ancestry.com, James Sharp, 37, Marion Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, Roll: M432_150, Page: 69B, Image: 146, originally from the National Archives, accessed 16 Jan 2016
6. ↑ "1860 United States Federal Census," database, Ancestry.com, James Sharp, 47, Marion Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, Roll: M653_265, Page: 877, Image: 403, Family History Library Film: 803265, originally from the National Archives, accessed 16 Jan 2016
7. ↑ "1870 United States Federal Census," database, Ancestry.com, James Sharp, 57, Marion Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, Roll: M593_322, Page: 465A, Image: 407, Family History Library Film: 545821, originally from the National Archives, accessed 16 Jan 2016
8. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=SHAR&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=17&GScntry=4&GSsr=1201&GRid=23273727& (FindAGrave Profile #23273727)