Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-07-11
Col. Sharp, Of Georgia.

u l. SScht VI lnc w ilSStt .Noi ii'i
School building and property, valued
ut $4,000; and the school is being
conducted under the control of that
Conference. The Canton .1irov,cc
has fine likeness of Col. Sharp and
Il short sketch Of his life, which we
copy from that Journal:
JOHN J. AUGUSTUS SHARP
was born in pickcns District, now
Oconcc County, $. G., in 1928. He
was raised upon the farm and ut IN
early age was put on the road with a
wagon to haul produce, dry goods,
ETC., for merchants in the interior
between Hamburg and Augusta. In
those days sIp"2 were very few rail
roads in the South and, consequent
ly, very nearly all goods had to be
transported by wagons. At this bn-
sincSs young Gus made Il faithful,
honest hand and was very popular
along his line.
The educational advantages Of the
country at tla, time were very poor,
and consequently his education was
limited to short term schools, but SO
ambitious was he to obtain even Il
fair education that he went to school
after leaving his fathers home, ut
t!1> a4r u tw"nty-i"o, and all
through life has been Il close OBJ
server and quick to grasp IN idea or
Il lesson
Before coming to Georgia in 1854
he taught school about one year,
and Immediately after coming to this
state taught two yrars. In 1886 he
moved to and settled at WalcSca, it
then being in the woods and the
country around sparScly settled. He
went To work to build up the place,
which he named WalcSra, had 4
post Office established and himself
made postmaster, oprncda store there
anL had Il lively, successful trade
anti the war began. He also took Il
lively interest in church matters and
Sunday schools, and, although but
few church members Of that day and
time around him favored Sunday
schools. succeeded in establishing Il
fine school at Rrinharlt's chapel
soon after moving to Walcsca, which
has resulted in great good to that
section, the influence of which has
spread over the county AMI into
other States.
In 1888 he was elected colonel of
the militia, and in 1861 raised com
pany OF valiant young men, Of which
he was made Captain, and entered
the Confederate service August 81,
1861, and was assigned to duty with
the 23l Georgia Regiments; was at
tachcl to ltaincS' brigade for Il short
time; then ColpuittS, ID. II. Hills
division; afterwards IInkr'S with
St"nrwaii iackSon,S corps. He was
IN several important engagements in
Nirgini;L Maryland, North Carolina,
South Carolina and Florida, and ON
the ill., fatcl Sumter in the Charles
ton harhor when it was sunk by her
own guns. lie remained in the
army, valian,ly doing all that could
he expected OF any brave, devoted
soldier, until the 18th OF March,
1868, when he was shot down and
disabled for further service while
leading his regiment in Il charge on
the rnrmv's works.
Returning home after the war and
after rcgaining his strength he went
to work to again build up his home
and wha, had been lost by the four
years OF battles. From the time he
first became Il citizen Of the county,
in $50, and known to the people, he
was esteemed and respected by all,
anil ON several occasions honorcd
with public offices and trusts. In
1860 he was elected by Il handsome
vote t" represent the county i'm the
Georgia Legislature. In 1871 his
services were again sought and
again hr was elected to represent the
county.
Col. Sharp has always been man
deeply interested in the progress and
development of Cherokee and has
never lost sight OF IN opportunity to
lo what he could to advance and
build up the county. n" man in
the county has been more active,
earnest and sacrificing for the public
good than nc has. RECOGNIZING the
power OF the rrcSs and the ,riy,p,
work il could ito in putting the re-
sources OF the county before the
world, he and Rev. i. II. brewster,