My Genealogy Hound

Ephraim Sharp, an old resident, and a leading merchant and farmer of the county, and proprietor of a cotton-gin and flour-mill at South Fork, in Myatt Township, twelve miles east of Salem, was born in Decatur County, Ind., June 23, 1833, and is a son of John E. and Susan (Armstrong) Sharp, who were born in Pennsylvania in 1802, and in Ohio in 1800, respectively. The father now resides in Decatur County, Ind., and, although he is eighty-seven years of age, takes a number of newspapers, and is able to read them by lamplight without his glasses. He has always followed farming as an occupation, and is of Dutch-Irish ancestry. His wife died in Decatur County, Ind., in 1842, as did his father, John Sharp, who was born in Pennsylvania, his death occurring in 1842. Ephraim Sharp is one of two surviving members of a family of seven children, and was reared in Decatur Connty, Ind., to which place his parents moved about 1826. He attended the common schools, and at the age of twenty-one years left home and came to Lawrence County, Ark., where he made his home until 1867, when he moved to his present property. His first purchase of land comprised 120 acres, but being a good business man he has increased this to 400 acres, and has 150 acres under cultivation, and everything about his place shows the energy and good management for which he has ever been noted. In 1868 he opened a general mercantile establishment under the firm name of Wainwright & Sharp, but in 1873 he purchased Mr. Wainwright’s interest, and conducted affairs alone until 1884, when he sold out to Dr. J. S. Risher. He re-purchased the goods the following year, and has remained proprietor of the same ever since. In 1875 South Fork post-office was established at Mr. Sharp’s store, and he was appointed postmaster, which he has since remained, with the exception of one year. He was married in Sharp County, Ark., November 22, 1858, to Miss Mary E. Wainwright, who was born in Madison County, Ala., in June, 1833. Six of the seven children born to their union are now living: Martha M., wife of Hardy Croom; Joanna C., wife of C. W. Culp; Sarah B., Johnnie (deceased), Thomas W., Hettie L. and Ollie J. In 1862 Mr. Sharp enlisted in the Confederate army, and was first lieutenant of Company L, Tappen’s brigade. He served in this capacity two years, participating in the battle of Prairie Grove, and numerous skirmishes; then he was honorably discharged, and returned to his home in Indiana, where he remained until 1866. He is a member of Myatt Lodge No. 401, of the Masonic order, and in his political views is a stanch Democrat, having cast his first presidential vote for James Buchanan. He and all his children, with the exception of the youngest, are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.