Carroll County GaArchives Biographies.....SHARPE, EDWIN R. 1841 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Elizabeth Robertson lrober@plantationcable.net July 27, 2004, 2:27 pm Author: S. BENNETT LUCAS, JR EDWIN R. SHARPE, editor and proprietor of the "Free Press," Carrollton, Carroll Co., Ga., son of William O. and Susannah (Harrell) Sharpe, was born in Chambers county, Ala. in 1841. His great-grandfather on his father's side, Rev. Thomas Reese, was a noted Presbyterian clergyman, and one of the signers of the Mecklenburg declaration. His paternal grandparents, Elam and Elizabeth (Miller) Sharpe, were natives of North Carolina, but moved to Pendleton, S. C, at an early age, where they lived and died. His father was born in South Carolina in 1819, and lived, in boyhood, in the same town with the great South Carolina statesman, Calhoun. When about seventeen years of age he left his South Carolina home and went to West Point, Ga., in Troup county, where he engaged as a clerk in a store, and later went into business with Dr. J. A. Chery, in which he remained several years. After his marriage, his wife's father having given him a fine tract, 600 acres, of land. in "Miller's Bend," he engage in farming. He was an enthusiastic and active politician, but would never accept an office. His great-grandfather on his mother's side, Miller, was born in Wales, was exiled on account _some_publication in_London. and came to South Carolina and published the first newspaper issued in the state, the "Pendleton Messenger." Mr. Sharpe's maternal grandparents were Samuel and Susannah (Heath) Harrell, he being a native North Carolinian. Mr. Sharpe was reared in Chambers county, Ala., and received his early education in the common schools of the day. He then went to a college in Tennessee, to prepare for entering the state university of Virginia, but in about a year the war began, and he quit college and joined the state troops. Soon after he enlisted in the Fourth Georgia regiment, Gen. Dole's brigade, and served through the war, a long time as sergeant. He was in many hotly contested, fiercely fought battles, and was severely wounded in the battle of the Wilderness on the skirmish line at Charlestown, W. Va., each time in the leg, the last time receiving three separate wounds, and was temporarily disabled for active service. After the war he went to West Point, Ga., where he taught school three years, when he and Judge Longley began the publication of the West Point "Shield," and continued it until 1871. Mr. Sharpe then came to Carrollton, where he established the "Carroll County Times," and published it until 1882, when he sold it. He then went to Texas, but soon returned, and in 1883 established the "Free Press," which he has continued to publish with financial success. In addition to the paper he has profitably conducted a farming interest. In 1888 he was e1ected to represent his senatorial district in the general assembly, and in 1890 he was elected to represent the county in the same body. That he served his constituency faithfully and well is evidenced by his election in 1894 to represent his senatorial district again. In 1868 Mr. Sharpe was married to Miss Annie E., daughter of H. H. and Eliza Greene, an old Georgia family of Greene county, said to be related to Gen. Nathaniel Greene. To them eight children have been born: Edwin, Annie, Robert L., Hamilton H., Lucy E., William 0., Elam H., and Marcus L. He is a master Mason, and himself and wife are members of the Presbyterian church, in which he has been an elder since he was twenty-six years of age. He is progressive, "a man of affairs, and deservedly popular and influential. Additional Comments: From the book, "Memoirs of Georgia" Historical and Biographical Sketches, published in 1896 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/carroll/bios/gbs68sharpe.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb