Ambrose and Larkin Parents?
Dear Sharp Cousins:I hope you will read this and see if it works for you.
Here is what I know about Ambrose that is not written down anywhere.
My Ggreat Grandfather Andrew Jesse Sharp did not talk much about his family.But he did leave a few clues.He had an "Uncle Hen" short for Uncle Henry that visited him occasionally.According to my mother, who was a child at the time, he was old.
AJ said the family had walked over the Mountain and settled in TN.He never said which mountain or when.
Ambrose and Larkin Dillon are assumed by most researchers to be 1/2 brothers.
Both Ambrose and Larkin are listed in the 1850 census as being married and on a farm.
Land was purchased by Ambrose in 1853 and 1852 from Stephen Woods who is his maternal Uncle (Sally Lay wife of Stephen is sister to Jesse Lay.Ambrose's wife Elizabeth is the daughter of Jesse Lay).He also bought land from John Sharp.I thought it odd that he could buy two pieces of land so soon after starting his family unless it was from a family member,
I have found out that a land transaction took place but not yet seen the documents.
Larkin was born in 1819-1820Ambrose in 1826.
I went back to the census documents and listed every male named Sharp in the census of 1850 and drew a line through every name that was born after 1800, figuring that Larkin's father would probably be more than 19 when he was born even if his mother might not be.
I then got data from the 1840 census and found every man who had a teenager at home that would fit with Larkin and Ambrose's age (11=20 etc. ).There were only four names.They are Peter, William, John, and Alexander.
Alexander is too young (only 40 in 1850)
Peter has only one wife I can find
William and John were candidates (more later)
in the 1850 census the only remaining people old enough to have been Ambrose and Larkins father would have beenWoodson Sharp, aged 55.No other data.Woodson lived with a family but his connection was not noted.
Isaac B Sharp aged 50 had only one wife,and Daniel Sharp aged 53only one wife,David Sharpaged64 had only one wife in the records I can find, and Christian Sharp aged 58 had two wives but all the children listed for him began to be born with wife #2 and would have included Larkin as a full brother.
and then John and William which I will now cover
William (Steamboat Bill) was born in 1783.He Married Rachael Steiner (or Stoner) in 1804 and they had 8 children.In about 1826 he married Jane Irwin and had 7 more (2 sets of twins).Total of 15 childrenThere is a gap in both marriages where Ambrose and Larkin could have fit in.Larkin with Rachel and Ambrose with Jane.There was no Henry among Williams children that could have been the "Uncle Hen"
Several Researchers have said that Ambrose was believed to have been connected with "Old Henry Sharp"whom I considered was probably Henry Pioneer Sr.
Next we have John Henry Pioneer Jr.He would have been Williams nephew, son of his brother Henry pioneer Sr. .John Henry had a son named John born 1795 married Eva Keck and Mary.
With Eva John had Nellie, Rebecca, Lucinda 1815, Anderson 1818 and Levi 1814.
Then Mary Palmer jumps in with Henry 1824.
If this John was Ambrose's father Larkin would have been the son of Eva easily and Henry would have been brother to Ambrose.To my Gggreat grandfather AJ.Henry would have been Uncle Hen.
Since Ambrose purchased land from John Sharp I would wonder if John is not the best candidate for his father.
Why they are not listed with their fathers is a mystery we may never solve but in the shifting winds of my own relatives the idea that two brothers could be on the outs with their family does not strike me as odd.
I am writing this and I will post if on the internet.I plan to go to TN in Nov of 2003 to do some digging.I would prefer to narrow my search as tightly as possible while doing this.Could you please respond if you see any errors in my thinking or have any suggestions as to where I should look.If you do not respond please just think a good thought for me in my search.
John Elliott
[email protected]
Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.
More Replies:
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Re: Ambrose and Larkin Parents?
Tonda Thomas 11/02/03
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Re: Ambrose and Larkin Parents?
Myra Elliott 2/25/04
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Re: Ambrose and Larkin Parents?
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Re: Ambrose and Larkin Parents? Additional data
Myra Elliott 9/30/03