Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Sharp, Lonzo B 1823 - 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 8, 2007, 2:07 am

Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890

LONZO B. SHARP. The firm of A. B. Sharp & Co., occupies a prominent position 
among the business and industrial interests of Joliet, and is engaged in the 
manufacture of paints, oils, varnishes, axle grease, etc. The senior member of 
the firm, of whom we here present a sketch, has been engaged in this business 
since 1871. He commenced in a modest manner and gradually added to his 
facilities and the variety of articles manufactured, making all house, 
railroad and fence wire brands of paint, Excelsior Axle Grease, Harness 
Alabastine, and enjoys a trade of $100,000 annually. He thinks, however, of 
retiring from business in the near future, and spending his declining years in 
the ease and comfort which he has so justly earned. He has a fine plant, the 
lot comprising one hundred and sixty-six feet front on Ottawa Street, running 
back to Canal and connecting with Jackson at the upper bridge. He is the owner 
of other valuable property in the city, including a fine home at the 
intersection of Eastern Avenue and Clinton Street, one of the finest residence 
localities of the city, and which is valued at $10,000. A native of Windom, 
Conn., Mr. Sharp was born four miles from the noted frog pond of that region, 
July 28, 1823. His parents were Elder Elias and Fanny Sharp, the former of 
whom was a native of Vermont. Elias Sharp when a young man went to 
Connecticut, as a minister of the Christian Church, and became an eloquent 
pulpit orator. He married Miss Fanny, daughter of Benjamin Gardner, a 
seafaring man, and they lived in Connecticut until their son, Alonzo B., had 
reached his majority, and they spent their last years in Lockport, N. Y. Mr. 
Sharp attended the common schools of his native place. He lived in New London, 
Conn., five years, then came West as far as Logansport, Ind., where he was 
engaged five years in the grocery business. Next he removed to a farm in 
Kendall County, across the line from Plainfield, and from there went to 
Montana at the time of the gold excitement. After a year's absence he returned 
via the Platte and Yellowstone Rivers, Virginia City and Salt Lake, paying 
$300 stage fare from the Mormon metropolis to Atchison, Kan., and being 
seventeen days and nights on the road, much of the time delayed by snow. He 
succeeded fairly well in the mines, but decided that that experience would 
suffice as far as the wild West was concerned. He then came to Joliet, Ill. 
Mr. Sharp engaged in butchering, and filled five contracts with the Illinois 
State Penitentiary in a satisfactory manner, and was thus occupied about ten 
years. In 1871 he established his present enterprise, which has likewise 
netted him ample returns. He is looked upon in business circles as a fair-
minded man, square in his dealings and one whose word may be considered as 
good as his bond. Mr. Sharp was first married, in 1846, to Miss Sarah L. 
Brown, daughter of Maj. Brown, a soldier in the War of 1812. Of this union 
there was born one child, Eugene D., who is in business with his father; the 
mother died when this boy was a lad of twelve years. Mr. Sharp then married 
her younger sister, Miss Emily M., and there were born to them three children, 
only one of whom is living, viz.: Lina, who is the wife of Charles P. Barstow, 
of Boston, Mass., and they have two children. Eugene married Miss Sarah Noble 
and is the father of five children. Elias Sharp came to the West about 1860, 
and became interested in lands and fine wool sheep. He also engaged 
extensively in the nursery business at Lockport, N. Y., prior to this, and 
during the panic of 1837 lost probably $40,000. He had been obliged to abandon 
the ministry on account of ill-health. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-
two years, and died about 1876 in Lockport, N. Y. The wife and mother survived 
him four years and was about eighty-four years old at the time of her decease. 
Dr. Sharp obtained his title during the reign of the epizootic, in 1871, 
having been especially successful in treating this disease, which made such 
havoc among the horses. He has three brothers living, namely, M. G., Lovando 
and C. A. The three carry on the nursery business at Lockport, N. Y., and have 
one of the largest fruit-evaporating establishments in the Empire State, with 
a capacity of six hundred bushels per day.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890

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