| Ventura County Biographies |
| Extracted from |
| "A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of |
| Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, California" (1891) |
J. M. Sharp
J. M. Sharp is one of the prominent ranchers of Saticoy. He was born in Cadiz, Ohio, March 3, 1844. His father, John Sharp, was born in Pennsylvania, March 27, 1797, and his mother, C. A. (Hesser) Sharp, was born in Virginia in 1808. They had seven children, all of whom are now living. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Oregon, and was a school teacher there. He has also been engaged in the profession of teaching since coming to Ventura County, having graduated from the State Normal School in 1871. He came to California in 1867, spent two years in Placer County, working for wages; then, for six years, was a book-keeper in San Francisco; worked one year on a farm in Sonoma County. In 1876 he came to Southern California, resided six years on a farm in Santa Ana, and, in November, 1882, moved to his present ranch where he has since resided. This property consists of 140 acres, and is most beautifully located. Mr. Sharp has built and made many improvements, and is now engaged in the construction of a fine residence which, when completed, will contain all the modern improvements of a first-class home, including gas, hot and cold water. It is being built some distance from the highway in order to afford ample room for ornamental grounds. This farm cost $40 an acre, and is not for sale, but is valued at $200 per acre. Mr. Sharp is engaged in the production of Lima beans, for which the land is wonderfully well adapted. He has twenty acres in walnut trees, which will soon yield $100 per acre. Mr. Sharp was married in 1874 to Miss S. R. Plank, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1851, and daughter of Joseph Plank, who was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, September 13, 1813. Mr. and Mrs. Sharp have an interesting family of seven children. She is a member of the Baptist Church, and was graduated at the State Normal School of California, in the class of 1871. Mr. Sharp is a strictly temperance man, and adheres to the Prohibition party.