Susannah "Annie" Matilda Sharp, born about 1873 in either Hempstead or Fulton Co., Arkansas, is my great grandmother. She married Richard Henry Moore on May 6, 1893 in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. Annie's mother, Barbara Jane Shinkle died shortly after Annie was born between 1873 and 1874. The first record I have is an Indenture dated August 17, 1881 and recorded in Independence Co., Arkansas, by her uncle, O.B. (Oliver), her father, Samuel's, half brother. The document states that Annie is 13 years of age. For some reason, this indenture was not filed until February 1886. Annie's age is seven on the 1880 Independence Co., Arkansas federal census.
There were 103 apprentice indentures of young people in Independence Co. authorized by the State of Arkansas between 1840-1908. The system was created to provide training to indigent children, either those left orphans by the deaths of parents or those whose parents for one reason or another could not support them.
Susannah Matilda Sharp died May 8, 1944 in Calaveras Co., California, having contracted tuberculosis. The family had moved to San Joaquin Co., California from LeFlore Co., Oklahoma, shortly after Richard Henry Moore's death in 1927. She is buried at Park View Cemetery, Stockton, California.
Annie's parents were Samuel Sharp, born February 16, 1827 in either Decatur Co., Indiana or Butler Co., Ohio, and his third wife, Barbara Jane Shinkle. Samuel's first marriage was to Elizabeth Cowen on June 20, 1850 in Decatur Co., Indiana. No children were born of this marriage. I have not found evidence of Elizabeth's death. Samuel then married Sarah A. Rose on August 4, 1859 in Decatur Co., Indiana. They had two children: Mary E., born ca. 1865; and, Sarah J., born ca. 1868. Though I have not found evidence of this, I assume Sarah A. died as a result of childbirth shortly after Sarah J. was born. Whether Samuel moved to Arkansas while Sarah was alive or after her death is unknown. Barbara Jane Shinkle was allegedly a nurse who was hired to watch over the children. Samuel and Barbara married April 5, 1871 in Independence Co., Arkansas. After Barbara's death, Samuel married a Louisa last name unknown ca. 1876 and they had a daughter, Flora M., who was born shortly after this marriage took place. They are enumerated with all the girls on the 1880 Independence Co., Arkansas federal census, but I have not found their marriage record. Samuel died sometime between June 9, 1880 and August 17, 1881 (most probably in Independence Co.), when Oliver B. Sharp indentured Samuel's daughter, Susannah Matilda Sharp.
Samuel was the second son of John Elston "Jackson" Sharp, born May 8, 1802 in Greene Co., Pennsylvania, by his first wife, Susannah Armstrong (born August 22, 1799 in Ohio). They were married March 14, 1824 in Butler Co., Ohio, and had 8 children. Jackson held land in Harrison Co., Indiana (1823), Decatur Co., Indiana (1832, 1834, 1835) and is enumerated in the 1850 federal census in Decatur Co., Indiana. Susannah died ca. 1841 and Jackson married Sarah "Sally" Armstrong on August 29, 1843 in Decatur Co., Indiana. They had 6 children during their marriage, Oliver B., the uncle who indentured Annie, being the eldest son of this marriage. About 1865, Jackson married Sarah Ellen Mitchell Taylor in Decatur Co., Indiana. They had two sons. John Elston "Jackson" Sharp died March 29, 1891 in Decatur Co., Indiana, and is buried at Westport Cemetery.
John Sharp, Jackson's father, was born July 26, 1779 in Greene Co., Pennsylvania. His first wife, Elizabeth A. Elston, was born March 8, 1776 in New Jersey. They married in 1797 in Butler Co., Ohio, and had 10 children prior to Elizabeth's death on January 30, 1819 in Butler Co. John (the senior) then married Margaret Armstrong on September 17, 1829. They had three children. She died on April 6, 1837 in Decatur Co., Indiana. John then married Nancy Young on November 15, 1837 in Decatur Co. They had one child. John died ca. 1842 in Decatur Co.
John was the eldest child of Isaac Sharp, born either on April 13, 1750 in South Carolina or on April 4, 1750 in Virginia. Isaac took the oath of allegiance in 1777. The "Commemorative Biographical Record, Washington County, Pennsylvania" contains an informative biography of Isaac. Isaac married Mary Wolverton, daughter of John W. Woolverton and Abigail Darby, who was born April 22, 1761 in New Jersey. I have not yet worked back this far in my own research of both the Sharp and Wolverton families though there is collected data available for both families. Isaac and Mary were married in 1777 in Greene Co., Pennsylvania. Isaac died October 1830 and Mary died August 22, 1822, both in Greene Co., Pennsylvania.
Isaac's parents are believed to be William Sharp and Mary Ayers. Ira Sharp Dennis, a cousin, is working on a book about Isaac and William and their descendants which should be published soon. If you find a connection here, please e-mail Tootie. She would like to hear from you and wants to include as many of William's and Isaac's descendants as possible.
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