Emery Sharp is the son of William Sharp of Anson County NC. Some of his brothers are James, John, Reddin, and Andrew Sharp. Emery married Anna Beasley, the daughter of John and Alsey Snipes Beasley. At an unknown date in 1836, Emery Sharp sold three tracts of land (9-152, Union Co. NC) in what was soon to become Union County NC. He sold the land to Henry Chaney. Tract one was 150 acres adjoining Rebecca Harrington's line. Tract two was 20 acres adjoining his own line and that of William Sharp and Hammond lands. Tract three adjoined his own land and that of Bryant Austin and Daniel Smith. This transaction was witnessed by Daniel and John B. Smith.
Emery Sharp and family moved to Alabama sometime after this land sale. He is listed in the 1840 Cherokee County Alabama census with possibly Jonathan, son of Ezekiel Thomas. The 1850 census of Cherokee County Alabama provides the first look at given names. The birth dates and locations also provide a timeframe for the migration south. Note from the report below, beginning in the late 1830's, members of the family trickled out of Anson/Union county NC well into the 1840's:
| Emery Sharp 49 NC Ann 45 NC Aley 20 NC Wilson 18 NC Riong 16 NC Noah 9 AL Allen 7 AL Levi L. 5 AL |
John Sharp 47 NC Mahala 30 NC Henrietta A. 9 NC Jesse A. 5 NC Alonzo 3 AL Fernandus 1 AL |
Andrew Sharp 40 NC Susan 28 TN Martha A. 8 AL Chelsna 6 AL Samuel 4 AL Mary J. 5/12 AL |
Redden Sharp 36 NC Chevan 33 NC Calvin 13 NC Alvin 12 NC Hampton 10 NC Sarah 9 NC Amanda 7 NC Leuisa 5 AL Lurena 4 AL William H. 2 AL Alley A. 1 AL |
Written 14 Mar 1861, John Beasley left a last will and testament that clearly spelled out his wishes. Dated 24 Mar 1869, Anna Sharp of Cherokee County AL appointed power of attorney to her brother-in-law John H. Pusser who also lived in Cherokee County. Anna's parents had recently died and she authorized him to act on her behalf in settling the estate. The agreement was witnessed in Cherokee County by D. C. Daniel and Judge of Probate, James Bradford. The record survives in Union County NC deed book 6, page 747.
Dated 26 May 1870, Chapman Hill, Jos. Bivens and John Taylor, as commissioner, partitioned the lands of John Beasley, deceased. L. D. Helms received two shares and Polly Harrison received one. L. D. Helm's shares adjoined the lands of W. O. Helms, W. H. Simpson, and crossed the old Charlotte road.
Administered by W. H. Simpson, the 22 Aug 1873 final settlement of the estate of Ala Beasley includes the following distribution:
$93.12 being Anna Sharp's share, Emery and Anna receipt 15 May 1868.
$93.12 being Keziah Kelly's share.
$93.12 being Loucinda Sikes share.
$93.12 being John Pusser & Matilda Pusser's share.
One of John Beasley's children was overlooked in the above distribution as spelled out in the following passage taken from the loose estate record:
Superior Court
Union County
In the matter of the estate of Polly Harrison
That she is a daughter....of John Beasley and his wife Ala Beasley...
That she intermarried with one Thomas Harrison in this state and about the year 1836, with her husband, left said state and settled in the state of Alabama where they lived several years. That they subsequently removed to the state of Mississippi, in the county o Lafayette near the present port office of Dallas. When her husband, said Harrison, died in 1856 and where she has resided ever since. That during the year 1860, she intermarried with one James Harris who survived said marriage only three months or thereabouts. That she has remained unmarried ever since...
That she is the identical Polly Harrison supposed to be dead... and upon whose estat...administration was granted in 1881 to John H, Pusser and upon death to Axzill Helms, in 1884.
8 May 1888
The information above raises several questions. They are:
1. Emery Sharp sold his Anson County land holdings in 1836. Emery's wife's sister states she and her husband left Anson County for Alabama in the same year(1836). Did Emery and family make the trip south at that time with his wife's family? Emery and Anna had a daughter born ca. 1836 in North Carolina. The next known birth was to son Noah born in 1841 Alabama. Now this year is closer to the time period in which the census records shows that Emery's brothers made the trip.
2. Emery Sharp's 1836 land transaction was witnessed by Daniel and John B. Smith. Jonathan Thomas's daughter Rebecaa married a John B. Smith likely in Cherokee Co. AL. Was this the same John B. Smith? The 1850 Cherokee County census lists Rebacca's husband as being born in 1817. He would have been 19 years old in 1836. However, the same census lists John B. Smith as being born in Tennessee.
3. This records bring more people into the story and raise the need to check more records. Are there any other deeds or court records in Union County NC that speak of the people that moved to Cherokee Co. AL?
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