Esther Doyle Read, Copyright 2001

Updated 5 February 2003

READ FAMILY CONNECTIONS

MARTHA MARIA LUSE⁴

121. MARTHA MARIA LUSE⁴ (Elizabeth Read,³, Isaac Read, Sr.², Joseph Read¹), was born 27 March 1810 in Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey and died 29 October 1864 in Warren County, New Jersey, age 54 years, 7 months and 2 days (Armstrong 1979:348-349; Kern 1938; Reuther n.d). She married Isaac Sharp, on 1 February 1832 (Armstrong 1979:349; Warren County Marriages). He was the son of William and Ann Sharp, born 15 May 1807 in Sussex County, New Jersey and died 26 January 1864, age 56 year, 8 months and 11 days (Armstrong 1979:349; Reuther n.d.). Isaac served on the Frelinghuysen Town Committee between 1852 and 1854 (Snell 1881). Martha Maria Luse and Isaac Sharp are buried in Johnsonburg Christian Cemetey, Johnsonburg, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey. The graves were field checked 14 April 2005. They are inscribed:

CHILDREN OF MARTHA MARIA LUSE AND ISAAC SHARP:

448. (i.) ELIZABETH ANN SHARP⁵, was born 30 March 1834, probably in Warren County, New Jersey and died 30 April 1852, age 18 years, 1 month and 0 days. (Armstrong 1979:349; Johnsburg Christian Cemetery.). Elizabeth Sharp never married. She is buried in Johnsburg Christian Cemetery. Her grave was field checked 15 April 2005. It is inscribed:

ELIZABETH ANN
Daughter of
ISAAC & MARTHA MARIA
SHARP
DIED APRIL 30, 1852
Aged 18 years [stone is broken].

449. (ii.) WILLIAM C. SHARP⁵, was born 1834, probably in Warren County, New Jersey and died after 1920 possibly in Granville Township, Putnam County, Illinois. He married on 10 December 1855, his second cousin once removed, (258) NANCY COURSEN⁴, (Hannah Read³, John², Joseph¹). She was born 13 August 1837 in Warren County, New Jersey and died 10 May 1905 (Armstrong 1979:349; Kern 1938).

450. (iii.) AARON L. SHARP⁵, was born circa 1837, probably in Warren County, New Jersey and died after 1920. Sometime between 1860 and 1865, Aaron married Ellen (Last Name Unknown). She was born 1835 in New Jersey and died in 1924. Ellen Sharp is buried in Pequest Union Cemetery, Great Meadows, Independence Township, Warren County, New Jersey.

451. (iv.) SARAH A. SHARP⁵, was born May or June 1839, probably in Green Township, Sussex County, New Jersey and died 25 October 1877 in Hope Twonship, Warren County, New Jersey (St. John's Cemetery). She married John H. Black in 1867 (Warren County Marriage Index Vol. 2, Book B). He was born in 1835 and died in 1920. Sarah was his second wife. John married Margaret M. Read⁴ (Martin Freese Read³, Samuel Read², Joseph Read¹) as his third wife. She was Sarah's second cousin once-removed. Sarah and John had at least one child, a son named Milton J. Black. To view Sarh's descendants use the link provided with her name. Sarah is buried in the "Old Moravian" Cemetery, now the cemetery on the grounds of St. John's United Methodist Church in Hope.

452. (v.) OZIAS SHARP⁵, was born 10 September 1841, in Warren County, New Jersey and died 8 November 1905 in Warren County, New Jersey (Washington Star,9 November 1905). He married Hester Ann Howell, the daughter of Caleb Howell and Sarah M. Cummings, on 12 May 1869 (Armstrong 1979:35; Howell and Phethean 2000:71). Hester was born 17 February 1841 and died 7 September 1914.Ozias and Hester are buried in Union Cemetery in Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey. The tombstone for Ozias Sharp gives his birthdate as 10 September 1841, although his obituary would indicate a birthdate of 17 September 1841 (see below). Hester's stone is inscribed "Esther A." The stones were field checked 26 November 2001.

453. (vi.) PHEBE R. SHARP⁵, was born 1844 and and died 1928. The 1860 United States Federal Census lists her as a resident of her parents household and gives her occupation as servant. The census also indicates that she attended school that year (1860 United States Federal Census, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 201). The 1860 and 1920 census and her grave stone spell her first name as P-H-E-B-E, which appears to have been the Read family's prefered spelling for much of the nineteenth century. This spelling is found in the New Testment in the book of Acts. However, her name is spelled P-H-O-E-B-E in the obituary of her brother Ozias (Washington Star, 9 November 1905), this spelling was the classical spelling of the name (as in Greek and Roman literature). In 1870, she lived with four of her sisters—Martha, Hetty, Mary and Letitia—in Hope Township, probably in the village of Hope. All of the sisters, except Phebe, were listed in the census as milliners. Phebe's occupation was given as "keeping house." The sisters did not own their home, but they had a personal estate valued at $2,000 (1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, pages 186B-187A, 25 August 1870). In 1880, Phebe lived with her sisters, Mary and Letitia, in Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey. The three sisters were milleners (1880 United States Federal Census Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey, page 472B). The census gives Phebe's name as P.R. Sharp. By 1920, Phebe, Mary and Letitia Sharp resided at 211 Main Street in Hackettstown, Warren County, New Jersey. There was no occupation listed for Phebe, who was 75 years old, but her two sisters were still milleners. Phebe Sharp appears to have never married. The census indicates that she was single, as the notation is single and not divorced or widowed, it is assumed that Phebe never married (1920 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 155, Hackettstown, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 5A, 7 January 1920). Phebe is buried in Pequest Union Cemetery, Great Meadows, Independence Township, Warren County, New Jersey (Ruether n.d.).

454. (vii.) MARTHA E. SHARP⁵, was born circa 1845, probably in Warren County, New Jersey and died probably before 1905. She was not listed as a survivor in her brother Ozias's 1905 obituary (Washington Star, 9 November 1905). Armstrong gives her name as "Margaret," but she is listed as "Martha" in the 1860 and 1870 census. The 1860 United States Federal Census lists her as a resident of her parent's household and indicates that she attended school that year (1860 United States Federal Census, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 201). In 1870, she lived with four of her sisters—Phebe, Hetty, Mary and Letitia—in Hope Township, probably in the village of Hope. All of the sisters (except Phebe) were listed in the census as Milliners. They did not own their home, but they had a personal estate valued at $2,000 (1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, pages 186B-187A, 25 August 1870). Martha did not reside with her sisters in 1880. Hetty had died in 1874. Phebe, Mary and Letitia resided together in Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey and were still employed as milliners (1880 United States Federal Census, Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey, page 472B).

455. (viii.) ISAAC M. SHARP⁵, was born 1 September 1846, probably in Warren County, New Jersey and died 8 July 1878 (Johnsburg Christian Cemetery). The 1860 United States Federal Census lists him as a resident of his parent's household and indicates that he attended school that year (1860 United States Federal Census, Relinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 201). Isaac is buried in Johnsburg Christian Cemetery. His grave was field checked 15 April 2005. It is inscribed:

ISAAC M.
Son of
ISAAC & MARTHA M.
SHARP
BORN SEP. 1, 1846
DIED JULY 8, 1878

792. (ix.) INFANT DAUGHTER SHARP⁵, was born 19 September 1847 and died 5 October 1847, aged 16 days. She is buried in Johnsburg Christian Cemetery. Her grave was field checked 15 April 2005. It is inscribed:

INFANT
Daughter of
ISAAC & MARTHA MARIA
SHARP
DIED OCT. 5, 1847
Aged 16 days

456. (x.) HETTY ZURIE SHARP⁵, was born 7 November 1848 in Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey and died 13 August 1874 (LDS Batch #C509771; Johnsburg Christian Cemetery). Armstrong (1979:349) gives her year of birth as 1828, but this is incorrect. The 1860 United States Federal Census (page 201) lists Hetty as a 12 year old child, which places her date of birth in 1848. The census does not list Hetty as attending school that year, although her older siblings (Ozias, Phebe and Margaret) and younger siblings (Mary and Cordelia) did attend school that year. (1860 United States Federal Census, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 201). In 1870, she lived with four of her sisters—Phebe, Martha, Mary and Letitia—in Hope Township, probably in the village of Hope. All of the sisters (except Phebe) were listed in the census as Milliners. They did not own their home, but they had a personal estate valued at $2,000 (1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, pages 186B-187A, 25 August 1870). Hetty died in the summer of 1874, at the young age of 24. She is buried in Johnsburg Christian Cemetery. Her grave was field checked 15 April 2005. It is inscribed:

HETTY
Daughter of
ISAAC & MARTHA M.
SHARP
BORN NOV. 7, 1848
DIED AUG. 13, 1874

457. (xi.) MARY C. SHARP⁵, and her twin Letitia "Adelia" were born in 1853 in New Jersey. Mary died after 7 January 1920. The 1860 United States Federal Census lists her as a resident of her parent's household and indicates that she attended school that year (1860 United States Federal Census, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 201). In 1870, she lived with four of her sisters—Phebe, Martha, Hetty and Letitia—in Hope Township, probably in the village of Hope. All of the sisters (except Phebe) were listed in the census as Milliners. They did not own their home, but they had a personal estate valued at $2,000 (1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, pages 186B-187A, 25 August 1870). Her sister Hetty died in 1874, it is not known when Matha died. However, by 1880, only three of the sisters still resided together: Phebe, Mary and Letitia. They resided in Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey. The three sisters were milliners (1880 United States Federal Census, Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey, page 472B). Mary is listed as a survivor in the 1905 obituary of her brother, Ozias Sharp (Washington Star, 9 November 1905). The 1920 United States Federal Census gives Mary's address as 211 Main Street in Hackettstown, Warren County, New Jersey. She still lived with her older sister Phebe Sharp and her twin Adelia Sharp. Mary and Adelia owned a millinery shop. According to the census Mary was a widow, the 1880 census listed her as single (1880 United States Federal Census, Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey, page 472B; 1920 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 155, Hackettstown, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 5A, 7 January 1920). The name of her husband is unknown. The 1905 obituary for her brother Ozias Sharp refers to her as Miss Mary Sharp. In 1920 she was still using the surname of Sharp. Either she had returned to her maiden name, or she married a Sharp cousin. Mary is buried in Pequest Union Cemetery, Great Meadows, Independence Township, Warren County, New Jersey (Reuther n.d.). The transcript of the cemetery did not include a death date.

793. (xii.) LETITIA CORDELIA "ADELIA" SHARP⁵, and her twin Mary were born in 1853 in New Jersey. Adelia died in 1928. The 1905 obituary of her brother Ozias Sharp refers to her as Miss Adelia Sharp (Washington Star, 9 November 1905). The 1860 United States Federal Census gives her name as "Cordelia," while the 1920 census gives her name as "Letitia C." Her grave stone is inscribed "Letitia Sharp." The 1860 census indicates that Adelia was a resident of her parent's household and that she attended school that year (1860 United States Federal Census, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 201, page 201). In 1870, she lived with four of her sisters—Phebe, Martha, Hetty and Mary—in Hope Township, probably in the village of Hope. All of the sisters (except Phebe) were listed in the census as Milliners. They did not own their home, but they had a personal estate valued at $2,000 (1870 United States Federal Census, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, pages 186B-187A, 25 August 1870). In 1880, she lived with her sisters Phebe and Mary in Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey. The three sisters were milliners. The census gives her name as "L.C. Sharp." The census also states that Adelia was divorced. She appears to have resumed her maiden name after the divorce, her husband's name is unknown (1880 United States Federal Census, Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey, page 472B). In 1920, Adelia was still living with her sisters Phebe and Mary C. Sharp. The trio had moved to 211 Main Street in Hackettstown, Warren County, New Jersey. She and Mary ran their own millinery shop. According to the census Adelia was single, as the notation is single and not divorced or widowed (1920 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 155, Hackettstown, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 5A, 7 January 1920). Adelia is buried in Pequest Union Cemetery, Great Meadows, Independence Township, Warren County, New Jersey (Reuther n.d.).

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