History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with
Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious,
Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons
and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co.,
Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 460, Astoria Township
J. Y. Sharpe, deceased, was a well-known merchant and
agriculturist of Fulton Co. He was born in Scipio, Cayuga Co., N. Y.,
in Oct., 1804. But little is known of his early life. He grew up in New
York and received a liberal education, chiefly through hard and
persistent labor, and in after years excelled as a grammarian and
mathematician. While a resident of the East he taught school and
subsequently turned his attention to agriculture. He came to Ill. in an
early day and settled in Fulton Co., and shortly afterwards engaged in
merchandising about three and a half miles southeast of Astoria. He
became quite successful, and came to Astoria shortly after the
organization of the town, and probably opened the first stock of
general merchandise in Astoria. Here he married Miss Jemima Safford.
Mrs. Sharpe died many years ago and was laid at rest in the village
cemetery. Mr. S. was united with Miss S. E. Morrison of Penn. Mr. S.
was shrewd business man and displayed uncommon energy. He it was who
established Sharpe's Landing on the Illinois river. Disposing of the
Landing, owing to ill health, he purchased farm property and at one
time owned a 1,000-acre tract of land. After a long life of unusual
prominence and position in life he passed away in that dreamless sleep
that comes sooner or later to all. To his wife and family he left a
large property. The children born of the second marriage now living are
Flora, Carrie, Mary and Lillie.
submitted by Carla Finley
