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Below is a family biography from the book, The History of Crawford County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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John Sharp, cotton planter, of River Township, was born near Little Rock, in Pulaski County, Ar., in 1851, and is a son of James M. and Nancy (Temple) Sharp, natives of Tennessee and Mississippi, respectively. They were married in the latter State, and moved from there to Pulaski County, Ark., and when our subject was but an infant went to Tipton County, Tenn., where the father died in 1856. The mother afterward returned to Arkansas, married, and is now living at Little Rock. The grandfather, John Sharp, was born in North Carolina, and died in Tipton County, Tenn., in 1868. Our subject was the second child of a family of four, and was educated at the Tabernacle in Tipton County, Tenn. He began life for himself by farming when fourteen in Pulaski County, and in 1880 came to Crawford County and took charge of the farm he now owns, which was then the property of D. E. Jones, of Little Rock. Four years later he purchased the plantation which contains 873 acres of the finest bottom land, and is one of the best known and finest plantations in this section of the county, as well as the oldest. Although Mr. Sharp came to the county a poor man, he is now one of its rising citizens, his success being due to his business sagacity and industry. He has 600 acres of land under cultivation, and has twenty-six families on the plantation. He raises on an average 300 bales of cotton annually, does his own ginning and shipping, and also raises on an average 200 acres of corn. In 1886 he married Ella R., daughter of G. N. and Martha Wright, of Rome, Ga., by whom he has one son. Mr. Sharp is a Democrat, cast his first presidential vote for Greeley, in 1872, and since 1886 has been justice of the peace of River Township. He is a member of the K. of H., and himself and wife are Methodists.
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This family biography is one of 222 biographies included in The History of Crawford County, Arkansas published in 1889. For the complete description, click here: Crawford County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps
View additional Crawford County, Arkansas family biographies here: Crawford County, Arkansas
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