My Genealogy Hound

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.