All
of the "Ghost Towns" are not in the Old West.
Many of the original settlements of Marion County exist
only in history or the scattered cemeteries in the county.
One of these is Sharpsburg, located 3 miles northwest of
Monroe City in Marion County. This was once a busy
crossroads with 2 stores, blacksmith shop, wagonmaker and
church. With the advent of the railroad and establishment
of Monroe City, it gradually wasted away and now the
church is the only reminder of those early days. Although
it was never incorporated as a village, a post office was
established there in 1836 under the presidency of Martin
Van Buren. The new post office was needed for the new
settlers whose nearest post office was either Paris or
Palmyra. The first post office was in the home of Richard
Sharp and he served as post master until his death in
1850.
The
earliest permanent settler in the area was probably
Washington See who came from Indiana in 1820 and settled
northwest of Sharpsburg on the stream still identified as
See's Creek.
Most
of the families came from Kentucky and many of them were
kin or former neighbors. John and William Burditt and
Daniel Rhodes came in 1828; Tompkins Burditt and Orson
Sharp in 1832, and John Rubison, 1835 and Thomas Sharp,
1838. All of these families were from Kentucky. Ellis and
Benjamin Green came in 1836 from New Jersey, and William
Hickman from North Carolina in 1830.
There
was plenty of timber in the area to build log homes and to
heat them in the winter. A good source of water was the
spring at this location which flowed into North River.
Bear, deer turkeys, squirrels and quail were plentiful.
Many of the settlers "put down" venison hams and
wild turkeys in the fall and hauled them to Palmyra for
the Christmas market. Venison hams were $.30 to $.40 per
pair and turkeys were $.30 to $.40 each. There was no
public school but subscription schools were organized in
the neighborhood. Each scholar paid $2.50 per 3 month
term.
The
Sharpsburg Methodist Episcopal Church served as a center
for the new Community. Rev. Richard Sharp, who had been
ordained in Virginia in 1831 moved to the community in the
1830's. He organized a church which met in his home until
there was need for a larger building. In 1839, bids were
issued for construction of a log structure 18' x 20'.
James A. Burditt and Henry were the successful bidders and
were paid $50.00 for their labor to erect the building.
Rev. Richard Sharp agreed to furnish the timber, and
Burditt and Musgrove were to hew the logs and furnish any
other material necessary for its' completion. Because of
the low cost, the congregation was able to occupy their
new church with no outstanding debt. The present brick
church building was built in 1860, and the bricks were
molded and burned on the site. It was part of a church
circuit with Rev. Sharp preaching at Sharpsburg the 1st
Sunday of the month, Deer Creek, 2nd, Black Creek 3rd, and
James Sharp's home, 4th.
Like
many country churches, the membership has dwindled but
Sunday services are still conducted. John Burditt and
Harold Hills, current members, are gggggrandsons of
Tompkins Burditt.
On
the hill east of the Church is the old Sharpsburg
cemetery. It has been vandalized, invaded by livestock,
and overgrown with sprouts as Mother Nature seeks to
reclaim the land. Tradition has it that an Indian was the
first to be buried the the cemetery but cause of death is
unknown. The settlers had a good relationship with the few
Indians in the area so possibly he died from natural
causes. Many of the names that are in the old cemetery are
no longer a part of the community. There were few doctors
and epidemics of consumption (TB), diptheria, cholera, and
influenza sometimes ravaged the community. Known burials
are listed below and there are probably many others whose
graves were poorly marked or had markers made of limestone
or wood which have disappeared.
Sharpsburg
Cemetery
BURDITT:
Mary Jane 23 Feb 1823-10 Jul 1901 nee Burditt
James
Augustus 26 Nov 1820-9 Nov 1906
BURDITT:
Sarah E. d/o JA & MJ Burditt, 1 Feb 1859-20 Apr 1869
Lutie
Bailey her sister 12 May 1864-27 May 1878
BURDITT:
Lucy Ann 15 Jan 1830-1 Nov 1907 nee Musgrove
Lewis
C 2 Jul 1826-10 Oct 1903
BURDITT:
William T. 22 Jan 1886-23 Sep 1887
Joshua
D. 13 Apr 1869-1 Oct 1887
BURDITT:
Lucy w/o Tompkins 22 Jan 1802-20 Feb 1385 nee Burditt
Tompkins
3 Aug 1783-7 Nov 1855
BURDITT:
Eivira 1848-1878
John
L. 10 Sep 1846-19 Sep 1927
BURDITT:
Thomas 1813-10 Sep 1884
nee
See
Sarah
A. w/o Thomas 27 Aug 1821-28 Oct 1875
BURDITT:
Infant dau LC & LA 27 Jul 1855
James
Bailey s/o LC & LA 27 Sep 1859-24 Jul 36
BURDITT:
Doctor Morrison 28 Jan 1799-1381
Mash
(child) 19 Jun 1894 k/o Frank
BURDITT:
David Buchanan
JACKSON:
Fannie M
Edwin
A.
JACKSON:
Edwin A. 17 Mar.1861-22 Nov 1932
Ida
Mae 3 May 1867-1959 (Burditt)
JACKSON:
Emily E consort of Wm. P 2 May 1849 Age 23-7-14
William
5 Oct 1846 Age 27 yr 7 da.
JACKSON:
James W. 24 Nov 1824-28 Feb 1881
Sarah
E. 25 May 1828-15 Dec 1910 Mary E. F. their dau. 29 Sep
1854 Age 1-0-15
VANCE:
J.D. s/o JH & EL 14 Jul 1902-4 Sep 1908
TULLY:
William 1851-
Mary
Theodocia his wife 15 Jun 1857-3 Mar 1928
BOWER:
Mary A. w/o Jacob Jr. 6 Dec 1872 Age 38-4-11
BUCHANAN:
H.M. 24 May 1833-17 Aug 1866
D.
J. M. 19 Jul 1865 Age 55-2-26
STAGE:
Talitha C. w/o David 20 Feb 1872 Age 29
BOULWARE:
Benjamin W. s/o Wm & A. 22 Mar 1851 Age 17 mo 29 da
L.
J. R.: Died Sep 1843 ???
DAVIS:
Edward Stephen s/o S & LM 29 Oct 1863-12 Mar 1865
Thomas 2OApr 1357 Age 56
Joseph
12 Feb 1870 Age 67
FREEMAN:
Jane 14 Feb 1366 Age 65
Lewis
D. 29 Feb 1880 Age 82
WARNER:
Samuel 13 Jan 1879 Age 70-2-25
MESNER:
Amanda B. w/o Rev. J. F. 17 Apr 1873 Age 22-7-15
COUCH:
Sarah A 24 Nov 1877-28 Sep 1880 Children of PH & MR
Charles
T. 15 Dec 1879-19 Oct 1880
SEE:
Henry H. 10 May 1818-30 Jul 1831
WILLIAMS:
Elizabeth R. (Sharpe) w/o Spotswood S. Born Albemarle Co
VA 9 Aug 1812 married OldhamCo KY 2 Oct 1831 Died I Aug
1873
WILLIAMS:
Spotswood S. Born VA 12 Mar 1805. To Marion Co 1840
Millwright by trade. Died 22 Jan 1886
RANDOL:
Ida F. d/o JB & MA 26 Mar Oct 1879
WILLIAMS:
Eveline d/o SS & ER -14 Apr 1851 Age 1-6-10 Infant s/o
SS & ER 18 Nov 1857-28 Nov 1357
MEFFORD:
Ella M. d/o H & AE 19 Mar 1851-8 Oct 1851
BROWN:
Earl 1875-1923
BUSH:
Ray Gene 1923-1923
BUSH:
Neppie L 26 Dec 1882-31 Aug 1935 d/o John W & Sarah
James
S. 3 Jun 1877-8 Aug 1959 Burditt
KELLY:
Eliza J 12 Jan 1865 Age 2-9-26) d/o J & C
Emma
A. 12 Jan 1865 of 1-1-3
SPARKS:
Orson 9 Jul 1792-15 May 1370
Margaret
G. Oct 1793-9 Jan 1880 d/o Wm & Elizabeth
WILLIAMS:
Arabella d 30 Jul 1837 Age 35 Burditt s/o AG & WW
JACKSON:
ch/o Ed & Ida M 2 Dec 1890 ch/o Ed & Ida M 4 Jul
1901 6 da
SHARP:
John R.B. 19 May 1892 Age 32-1-8 Lucy J. 10 Jul 1881
23-4-2
SHARP:
James R. s/o JR & SE 6 Feb 1857 Age 1-4-14
William
L. 6 Feb 1857 Age 3-11-19
SHARP:
Rev. Thomas P. 6-Jan 1871 Age 71
J.
T. 13 Aug 1872 Age 47-10-11
s/o
JA & EF 7 Sep 1852 Age 10 mo 2 da
SHARP-
Robert E.
SHARP:
Rev. Richard b Albemarle Co VA 11 May 1787-4 Feb 1850
Mary
S. Consort of Richard 4 Nov 1850 Age 60
MUSGROVE:
Lewis W. s/o Wm & SE 4 Jul 1890-23 Aug 1911
MUSGROVE:
William-1859-1919
Sarah
E. w/o Wm 7 Nov 1861-9 Aug 1924 nee Musgrove
RUCKER:
Elizabeth Ellen d/o AG & TM 4 Aug 1848 10 mo 14 da
Eliza
J. 15 Jun 1852 Age 1-2-25
her
sister Sarah F. 15 Mar 1853 Age 12 yr 12 da
RUCKER:
Andrew M. s/o WA & SE 10 Aug 1871-24 Dec 1871
RUBISON:
Easther E. d/o John & Jane I Feb 1838-7 Apr 1841
John
W. her brother 22 Nov 1821-7 Mar 1835
RUBISON:
George W. 1844-1876
B.
Franklin 1835-1894
HAYDEN:
James P. died Feb 1909 Age 55 g/son Richard Sharp
SPARKS:
Jane A 6 Jan 1883 w/o J.W. age 54
HAYDEN:
Susan 1903
TULLY:
M.J. Morrow 29 May 1915 d/o Wm. |