Spencer Sharp
SHARP, SPENCER, horticulturist, was born October 23, 1809, in Wood County, Va., deceased; son of Spencer and Ann (Arnold) Sharp, the former who was a native of Wood County, Va., farmed in the Blue Ridge Mountains, served in the latter part of the Revolutionary War, being present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, and in later life moved to Ohio where he died, the latter who was a native of eastern Virginia. Mr. Sharp was reared a farmer, but on becoming of age, he sought other methods of livelihood. He was first employed as a teamster for the Ohio canal company, and at the end of four months, engaged in the trade of carpenter and joiner, but because of rather a frail constitution, he found this work too laborious and had to relinquish it. He engaged in various lighter occupations, until 1839, when he came south with Capt. Tatem, and worked as carpenter on his boat for a year. He was then employed at miscellaneous occupations, until 1846, when he located on Mon Louis Island, in the southeast end of Mobile County, where he engaged in orange culture, being the first to try the experiment in Alabama. He resided on Mon Louis island for thirty years, and had entire charge of the interests of Capt. Frank Stone, who resided near Montrose. He was a Democrat, and never married. Last residence: Baldwin County.
Source: Owen, Thomas and Marie Owen, History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Chicago, S. J. Publishing Company, 1921.
Spencer Sharp, the well known horticulturist of Montrose, Baldwin,
county,. Ala., was born in Wood county, Va., October 23, 1809, and is a
son of Spencer and Ann (Arnold) Sharp. The father was also a native
of Wood county, born February 13, 1762, was reared a farmer in the
Blue Ridge mountains, and in the latter part of the Revolutionary war
was old enough to take an active part, and was present at the surrender
of Lord Cornwallis. He was married in bis thirty-first year, continued
to farm in the Blue Ridge until within a few years of his death, when he
removed to Ohio, where he passed from earth in 1831, noted for his up-
right life and honest methods in his business transactions. Mrs. Ann
(Arnold) Sharp was born in eastern Virginia, September 22, 1772, was
married when twenty-one years of age, and became the mother of eleven
children, all of whom reached maturity. All are now deceased, save
Spencer Sharp, whose name heads this sketch, and one daughter. The
mother died in 1816. It will be seen that the parents were born the subjects of King George III, and that the father was old enough for compulsory attendance at state cnurch and the unwilling reading of its catechism.
Spencer Sharp, the gentleman with whom we at present have most to deal, was reared a farmer, but on reaching his majority sought other employment for a livelihood. He first engaged as a teamster for the Ohio canal company, but at the end of four months became tired of the life and turned his attention to the trade of a carpenter and joiner, which he acquired in due course of time; but, being of a somewhat frail constitution, he found the work too laborious and was compelled to relinquish it. For several years he followed various lighter occupations until 1839. when he came south with a Capt. Tatem, and for a year worked as carpenter on his boat. Miscellaneous occupations then employed Mr. Sharp's time until 1846, when he located on Mon Louis island, in the southeast end of Mobile county, and engaged in orange culture, being the first to try the experiment in Alabama. As the fruit was propagated from the seed, it took eleven long years of patient waiting before Mr. Sharp realized a substantial reward. He resided on Mon Louis island thirty years—the last twenty of which were passed in comparative ease. In 1879, he set out a grove of 3,000 orange scions for Capt. Frank Stone, near Montrose, but repeated frosts neutralized the venture. Mr. Sharp still continues his residence with Capt. Stone and has entire charge of the latter gentleman's interests. Mr. Sharp has never married, nor affiliated with any church or secret society; he is a democrat in politics and cast his first presidential vote for Martin Van Buren and the last for Grover Cleveland.
Source: Brant & Fuller. (1893). Memorial Record of Alabama, Vol 1.