Rash's Surname Index
Notes for William SHARPLESS
Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania,
comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by
Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Philadelphia, PA, 1893, pp.
713-4.
"WILLIAM SHARPLESS, one of the remarkably successful business men of southern Chester county, and the proprietor of the Toughkenamon and Kennett Square creameries, is a son of William, Sr., and Sarah A., (Yarnall) Sharpless, and was born in Middletown township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, June 10, 1849.
He enjoyed the educational privileges of the common schools of Delaware county, which he left at an early age to engage in farming. At the end of ten years he disposed of his farming interests and embarked in his present creamery business at Toughkenamon. His creamery, which is well fitted up, is operated on the latest and most scientific principles and its products are recognized as first class in every particular. His main building is forty by fifty feet in dimensions, while all other necessary buildings have been fully supplied. The daily products of the creamery average five hundred pounds of butter, one thousand quarts of cream, and one hundred pounds of cottage cheese. The creamery business of Mr. Sharpless now aggregates seventy thousand dollars per year, and from its present rapid rate of increase promises to go above one hundred thousand dollars at no far distant day in the future. Being connected by rail with Philadelphia and Baltimore, he has constant markets for all of his products.
Besides his Toughkenamon creamery he owns a creamery and dwelling house and some choice building lots on Willow street at Kennett Square. By his energy, industry and judicious management he has established an enterprise that is highly beneficial to his section of the county.
"On the 18th of November, 1872, Mr. Sharpless was united in marriage with Sarah, daughter of Eber Hurford, and they have one child living, a son named Warren, who was born August 20, 1879. They had buried a son and a daughter previous to that time.
"William Sharpless is a grandson of Samuel Sharpless, who was a native of Delaware county, where he owned a large farm. He was a carpenter by trade, and did an extensive business in contracting in addition to managing his farm. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and married and reared a family of thirteen children, four sons and nine daughters: Joseph, Samuel, William, Sr., Beulah, Amy, Thamazine, Hannah, Ruth Anna, Sarah, Lydia, Matilda, Joel and Thomas. William Sharpless, the third son and father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1816. He was a farmer by occupation, and in political affairs always supported the Democratic party. He married Sarah A. Yarnall, and they were the parents of five children: Enos, Emma, wife of Edwin Scott, who is engaged in the creamery business; William, Pennock, and Sarah, wife of Joseph H. Pyle. Mrs. Sarah A. (Yarnall) Sharpless, was born in 1812, and died November 10., 1876. Her father, James Yarnall, was a native and life-long
resident of Delaware county, where he was a farmer. He married and had three children: Mrs. Sarah A. Sharpless, Margaret, and Eber. After his death his widow married James Edwards, and three children -- Hannah, Pennock, and Milton -- were born to them.
"In politics William Sharpless is a democrat of the Jeffersonian type. His success in life is attributable to his own energy and efforts, and he deservedly ranks in that useful class of men who are known as self-made, and who are the architects, of their own good fortunes."
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