Bio: William Sharp, Sr., Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County WV Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Barbara Gramp, ************************************************************************ This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/pocahont.htm *********************************************************************** Price, William T., Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County WV, 1901 by Price Brothers, pg. 331-335. WILLIAM SHARP Sr. It appears from such information as the compiler has been able to obtain, that this person was the pioneer settler of the Huntersville vicinity, and was the first to open up a permanent residence. Traces of the building he erected are yet visible near the new road around the mountain, a few rods from where the mountain road leaves the Dunmore and Huntersville road. Mr Sharp located here about 1773, and saw services as a scout and a soldier. It is believed he came here from Augusta County, and probably lived in the vicinity of Staunton. His wife's name was Mary Meeks. She was a very amiable person, lived to a great age, and died at the home of her son, James Sharp, many years ago. In reference to their sons and daughter the following particulars have come to hand. Nancy Sharp was married to Levi Moore, Junior. Margaret Sharp was married to John Kelley and lived on Michels Mountain. Her children were William, John, Anthony, Nancy,Polly, Rachel, Jennie, and Margaret. Nancy Kelley was married to Robert Sharp,son of James Sharp on Thorny Creek,and went to Iowa. John Kelley was a Union soldier, and died on the Kanawha during the war. Rachel Sharp, daughter of William Sharp, was married to Jonathan Griffin, and lived near the head of Stony Creek, on the farm now owned by Levi Gay. Her children were Abraham, Benoni, Jonathan,and Mrs. Charles Ruckman. Mary Sharp became the wife of Arthur Grimes, and settled in The Hills overlooking the head of Knapps Creek. In the Grimes memoirs special mention was made of all her children except one, Sally Grimes. She became the wife of the late Hugh McLaughlin, and lived near Huntersville,at the Bridge. One of her sons was Lieutenant James Hickman McLaughlin, who died in Winchester of a wound , during the war in 1864. He was on picket at the Rapidan River. He was of a very jovial disposition, and was joking the federal pickets and having fun with them. By way of sport he stuck out his foot and in an instant his his ankle was shattered by a minnie ball. He was taken to Winchester and was doing well, until one day the hospital was thronged with ladies bringing all sorts of nice things for the wounded soldiers. The Lieutenant indulged too freely for the good of his health, and died a victim of well meant sympathy and kindness.m He was one of the few confederates killed by kindness. John Sharp, a son of William Sharp, upon his marriage with Sara McCollam, settled on the farm near Verdant Valley, now occupied by his grandson, John Wesley Irvine. William Sharp, Junior, was another son of the Huntersville pioneer, and settled Verdant Valley, and a numerous posterity is descended from them. Their children were James, William, Alexander, Jacob, Paul, John, Elizabeth, Jane, Mary,Rebecca, Anna, Ellen, Nancy, and Martha. He and his resolute young wife, Elizabeth Waddell, settled in the woods and built up a fine estate out of a forest noted for the tremendous size of its walnut, red oak, and sugar maple trees, and reared a worthy family highly respected for their industry and good citizenship. James Sharp, late of Beaver Creek, was another of the sons of William Sharp, Senior. His wife was Ann Waddell, sister of Mrs William Sharp just mentioned. He opened up a home on Cummings Creek, a part of the Huntersville homestead. The property was recently owned by the late Joseph C. Loury. Upon disposing of his property to William Cackley, Mr Sharp located on Beaver Creek, on property known as the James Sharp place. He opened up an extensive area, and prospered in worldly affairs and reared a worthy family. The names of his children were Mary, Rebecca, Margaret, Martha, Nancy, Ann, Rachel, Lucinda, William, Andrew,and James. Mary was married to William Pyles. Rebecca became Mrs James Lewis, and lived in the Levels. Mrs. Ann Clark, at Hilsboro, is a daughter of Mrs. Lewis. Mrs. R.C. Shrader and the late Mrs.Davis Kinnison are her daughters also. Margaret Sharp was married to Jacob Civey, on Anthonys Creek. Martha Sharp was also married to a Mr Civey of the same locality. Nancy Sharp was married to Robert Ryder, and lived on Anthonys Creek. Ann Sharp was married to Levi Cackley,Junior. Rachel Sharp became Mrs Robert Gay,and lived on Beaver Creek at Beaver Creek Mills, lately in possession of Wallace Beard. Hamilton B. Gay, Upper Elk; Sam Gay, Williams River, and Mrs William Jordan, on Elk, are her children. Lucinda Sharp was married to Jonathan Jordan, near Hillsboro; William married Susan, daughter of Solomon Bussard and settled in the West; Andrew married a Miss Bussard ; James Sharp married Mary Byrnsides, on the Greenbrier east of Hillsboro, and settled at the old homestead. He died during the war, and Mrs Sharp went to Missouri where some of her family now reside. Mrs Hanson McLaughlin, of Odessa, is her daughter. James Sharp was a member of the court under the old arrangement, was high sheriff of the county, a conscentious member of the Presbyterian church, and was held in high esteem for his patriotism and strict, scrupalous integrity. The members of the court had much confidence in his judgment and he had great influence in framing decisions. He was much in the habit of hunting at the proper season, not only for the sport, but as a matter of business, for the proceeds were useful in bartering for family supplies for the comfort and sustenance of his household. While living at his first home on Cummings Creek he had a very sensational adventure on Buckley Mountian. It was growing late and it was near the time to set out for home. He was passing leisurely along when a panther suddenly mounted a log but a few yards ahead of him. He shot the animal, but when the smoke cleared away another stood in the same place on the log. This performance was repeated nine times, when the hunter became panic stricken and flanked out for home. Some time during the night the remainder of the pack followed his trail to his house and killed a yearling calf. Properly reinforced, Mr Sharp went back to the spot where he fired nine times and there beheld what no hunter had seen before or since. Nine panthers, but they were good now; every shot had told with fatal effect. It appears that there were seasons when these animals went in packs of fifteen or twenty, and this happened to be one of those times.