Thomas Sharp Frederick County/Berkeley County, VA
There has been some confusion over whether the Thomas Sharp living in Berkeley County, VA in the 1770s on was related to Thomas Sharp I who died in Frederick County, VA in 1762. In his will, Thomas I left 150 acres in Frederick County, VA to his wife Elizabeth except for 50 acres that went to his son Thomas Sharp. However, all of the land would revert to his grandson, John Sharp, upon the death of Elizabeth and of Thomas Sharp II. This land was in Frederick County and remained in Frederick County.
However, Thomas Sharp I purchased some additional land as follows:
Abstracts of Virginia's Northern Neck Warrents and Surveys, on 13 April, 1751 - 7 May 1751, Thomas Sharp is designated as assignee of George Parks for purchase of 143 acres on East side of Back Creek in Frederick County; adjoining William Baldwin and David Miller. CC - Thomas Sharp and Matthew Allison. Surv. John Mauzy.
George Parks then sold this land back to Thomas Sharp as follows:
Rowann County, North Carolina. This day came George Park before one of his majesties justices for..... and declared on the........of Almighty God that he has sold by the help of Andrew Paul unto Thomas Sharp of Frederick County Colony of Virginia a certian tract of parcel of land situate and lying on Back Creek in the county and colony aforesaid for which he pray that Thoms Sharp may obtain a deed out of the Lord Fairfax's office sworn before me this 7th day of August 1762.
Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, Vol II,Book M, pg 144:
Thomas Sharp of Frederick County, 143 acres on Back Creek in said county. Surv Mr. John Mauzy, adjoining David Miller and William Baldwin. Aug 25, 1762.
The purchase of this land by Thomas Sharp from George Parks in 1761-1762 is very significant because the land, which was located in Frederick County at that time, became part of Berkeley County when Berkeley County was formed from the northern third of Frederick County in 1772. This places Thomas Sharp and family in Berkeley County in 1772.
The final document for purchase of the land was signed by Thomas Sharp in August 1762 so was most likely signed by Thomas Sharp II since Thomas Sharp I had died before 4/1762.
Thomas Sharp II had a son Thomas as mentioned in the will of Thomas Sharp I in 1762, he was born about or before 1753 and actively bought and sold land in Berkeley County until his death in 1809. This Thomas was one of the signers of the Tuscarora Petition in 1776. He and John Sharp remained in Berkeley Co, Va, but Samuel, William and Moses seem to have moved to TN and KY by the late 1700s. Samuel and William and Moses are not found in the Berkeley Co census records as are Thomas and John, perhaps they were kept by family members who continued to live in Frederick County.
Thomas III had a son Thomas IV, born 1775 in Berkeley County, VA who is named in the will of Thomas Sharp III who died in 1809. This Thomas has frequently been confused with a Thomas Sharp who married an Elizabeth Hodges who moved to Grainger Co, TN, Jackson Co, AL and then MO. Thomas IV was clearly living in Berkeley Co, Va in 1809 as mentioned in his father's will, and continued to live there until about 1835 when he and his family moved to Illinois and sold off all the land they owned in Berkeley County, VA. Thomas Sharp IV is found in census records and land records until his move about 1835.
Jeanine
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Re: Thomas Sharp Frederick County/Berkeley County, VA
Jeanine Scholz 3/13/09