Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 3. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 460.
 
GEORGE W. SHARP

     is one of the active and aggressive farmers of Yamhill county. Like his
father, Elisha Sharp, he is a native of Illinois, having been born there in
1870. His mother, Ellen (Houston) Sharp was born in Texas but at the age of four
she was sent to Illinois to one of her great-aunts to be reared, and the
remainder of her life was spent in that state. At sixteen years of age she
married Elisha Sharp, who was two years her senior. Her death occurred in 1881
and that of Mr. Sharp in 1885. To this union nine children were born, namely:
Oliver, Walter, Oscar and Tempie, all deceased; Mrs. Flora Hubert, of Portland.
Oregon; Dr. Florence Manion, also of Portland; Mrs. Mary Breeze, of Los Angeles.
California; George W.; and Mrs. Catherine Miller, of Yamhill county. 
     George W. Sharp left school and started upon his independent career at the
age of fifteen. For five years he was employed near his home by a railroad
company and worked at grading and on the river levees. After this, realizing the
opportunities the west offered to the beginner, he removed to Portland. Oregon.
There he made his start by working in a sawmill for two years and in this way
made it possible for him to purchase eighty acres of the farming land which has
since proved so productive.
     Shortly after his establishment upon his own farm he married Kate Miller,
who was born in New York state in 1874. Her parents, Claus and Anna (Clintworth)
Miller, both born in Germany in 1844, were married before leaving their native
country to settle in New York state, where they lived until 1875. At that time
they moved to Nebraska and later came on farther west to Oregon. In Nebraska Mr.
Miller farmed and raised stock. When he came to Oregon he lived for a few years
near where the town of Gaston now stands and later in 1890, removed to Yamhill
county, settling six miles north of Yamhill. It was here that their daughter
Kate was married to George W. Sharp in 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were the
parents of four children: John and William, both of Yamhill county; Mrs. Anna
Jones, of Washington county; and Mrs. George W. Sharp. To Mr. and Mrs. Sharp six
children have been born; Ann, born in 1894, who has finished high school and
will soon complete her college course; Elisha, born in 1896; Merle, born in
1898; Paul, born in 1901; Lawrence, born in 1904; and Maurice, born in 1908.
Elisha, Merle, Paul and Lawrence are all attending school.
     Mr. Sharp's whole attention has been given to farming and agricultural
pursuits, and since purchasing the original eighty acres he has added five
hundred acres to his farm. All this land is in a rich agricultural country and
has been cultivated by Mr. Sharp for fruit growing principally.  In addition, he
has a hop yard and also raises thoroughbred cattle and other stock. Being a
comparatively young man, his progress seems far above the average and gives
promise for even greater achievements in the future.
     He is a member of the Woodmen or the World. Finding that his agricultural
pursuits must have his whole attention if he is to continue to progress in the
future as he has done in the past, he has never sought election to any office
and he does not engage in any political activity. This concentration of effort
doubtless accounts for the success which he hag experienced. At fifteen years of
age he started upon his independent career and he has constantly advanced, so
that today he stands high among the successful farmers of his county.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2010 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.