Bio: Capt Francis Marion Sharp, Grant Parish, Louisiana Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana Nashville and Chicago, The Southern Publishing Company, 1890 Submitted to USGENWEB by: Gaytha Carver Thompson ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** CAPT. FRANCIS MARION SHARP Capt. Francis Marion Sharp was born in Union county, S.C. in 1825, but since 1854 has been a resident of Louisiana. He is the second of two sons and two daughters born to James and Lavina (Giles, whose mother was a Mitchell) Sharp, who were born, reared, married and spent their lives in Union county, S.C., being well to do farmers, and in their religious views members of the Presbyterian Church. The grandfather, John Giles, was in all probability born in that State and died in Union County, a farmer. Capt. F. M. Sharp is the only one of his father's family now living; he received a moderate school education in the country schools. When he was about eight years of age his father died, and at the age of twenty he began doing for himself, managing his mother's farm, which he continued to do for four years. He then went to Alabama, thence to Geogia and in 1854 to Arkansas, coming the same year to Louisiana. Here he was married in 1859 in Natchitoches Parish to Martha Ann, daughter of Issac Carradine (who was born in Mississippi, married in Texas and served as a soldier throughout the Texas War against Mexico and died in Natchitoches parish, La., where he and his wife, M. E. Carradine, were staying a short time for their health). Mrs. Sharp was born in Sabine County, Tex., and has borne Mr. Sharp seven children, three sons and two daughters now living. The Captain resided in Natchitoches Parish, until 1860, then came to Montgomery, where he was in business for a few years, but since the war has managed his present plantation of 600 acres, of which 125 are cleared and under cultivation, all having been earned by his own efforts. In 1862 he joined Capt. Hardy's company, Twenty-eighth Louisiana Infantry, as second lieutenant, and after serving fora a short time in camp in Northern Louisianan he resigned his position and came home, where he and some others raised a company and entered the Louisianan State service, in which he held the rank of first lieutenant, being afterward promoted to captain. He has been constable and deputy sheriff of Grant Parish, and is a member of Montgomery Lodge No. 168 of the A. F. & A. M., himself and wife being worthy members of the Baptist Church.