William E. Sharon came to Nevada in 1872. He is a native of the state of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Jefferson county. His ancestral history is one of close connection with the country from early colonial days, the line being traced back to the Pilgrims who landed from the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock and founded the colony of Plymouth. Smily Sharon, the father of William E. Sharon, was born in Ohio in 1826, and now, in the seventy-seventh year of his age, is residing in Wheeling, West Virginia. In early manhood he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Ann Hurford, a native of his own state. Both were representatives of families that have been connected with the Society of Friends or Quakers through many generations. An uncle of Mr. W. E. Sharon was the Hon. William Sharon, now deceased, ex-United States senator and one of the most prominent mining men in the entire country. He is mentioned at length in Bancroft's History of the Pacific Coast.

Since his arrival in Nevada William E. Sharon has been constantly engaged in mining, and is now the superintendent of the large group of mines in Gold Hill which have added one hundred million dollars to the wealth of the country and are still large producers. These mines include all from the Imperial to the Caledonia. The deepest of these is now three thousand feet, at which depth the water prevented further work, but at present new methods in watering these low levels are being put into successful operation, which are expected to permit of working for a depth of five thousand feet, which is as deep as the deepest mine known.

During his long experience in the development of mines and in the production of gold and silver, Mr. Sharon has made mining his constant study and has acquired the reputation of being an excellent authority on subjects pertaining to what has been his life work. The position which he occupies is a very important one, involving the care of mammoth interests in the operation of the mines. All these extensive properties are now owned by one corporation.

In Virginia City, in 1876, William E. Sharon was united in marriage to Miss Lillian Nygatt, who was born in Iowa and is a daughter of Milton Nygatt, a gentleman of Scotch ancestry descended from the Mayflower emigrants who made the first settlement in New England, while both sides of the family were represented by active participants in the Revolutionary war. To Mr. and Mrs. Sharon have been born children as follows: Claude, who is now assayer of the mines of which his father is manager, and who married Miss Evans, a daughter of Alvaro Evans; Florence, now the wife of Peter C. Allen and is a resident of New York city; Blanche, the wife of Harry Farr, a resident of San Francisco; Robert. Ruth, Esther and Hurford, all of whom are attending school.

Mr. Sharon is a strong bimetallism and gives his allegiance to the political party which embodies his ideas on this subject. He belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and keeps well informed on the questions of the day, political and otherwise, and is an accomplished gentleman, a splendid representative of the Nevada mining men.

Source:
A History of the State of Nevada: Its Resources and People
By Thomas Wren, Lewis Publishing Company
Published by The Lewis publishing company, 1904