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.
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