SHARP, David

Name – SHARP, David
Born – 15/08/1840
Died – 13/09/1922
Location – No 5 Presbyterian Section
Mother – Margaret Jeffery
Father – James Sharp

Notes – David was born to Margaret (nee Jeffrey) and James Sharp in 1840 at Coldstream, Berwickshire, Scotland. It looks like his mother and sisters came to Australia in 1858, after he, his father and his brothers came out to Australia in 1854. Both his parents died in Victoria. One at Ballarat and one at Malvern.

He came from a large family. Some of the siblings died young. His siblings were Alexander, Janet, William, Joan, Elizabeth, James and Mary.

He was in the rope making trade with his father, and he had a good reputation for his trade. A couple of years after he married Martha Emily Diver, the rates payment book indicates he owned his own house.

He married Martha at Prahran Victoria in 1864 and the next year their first child arrived James. Then Sarah in 1868, Margaret Harriet 1871, William John in 1873, Alexander Arthur 1876, Edwin David in 1878 and Alfred Herbert in 1880.

It is believed he and his family were in the dairy business, as a dairy meeting had his son Edwin, objecting to the charges the dairy board wanted to enforce.

David was a member of the Harry Smith group that came to Tara around 1907. Approximately 100 years after his death, a headstone was placed on his grave and the inscription reads – A member of the Harry Smith Group. David Sharp who passed away 13th September, 1922. Aged 81 years. A Closer Settlement Pioneer

Newspaper Article – Obituary

War Service File  –

Learn more about the Tara Cemetery here.

Some of the early settlers to Tara circa 1908.
Back – David Kennedy, Henry (Harry) Smith, Thomas Miller,
James Smart,  David Sharp and William Plant.
Front – Robert Kennedy, Edward Smith, Charles Kennedy and Alfred Sharp.