Manley I. Sharp is one of the thrifty and industrious stockmen and farmers who have made the reservation country of Nez Perces County one of the most progressive portions of the state of Idaho. His estate is five miles east from Peck and he devotes himself with assiduity to producing the fruits of the field and raising stock and dame fortune has been lavish in favors upon him.
Manley I. Sharp was born in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, on July 7, 1862, being the son of Hector and Emily A. (Carpenter) Sharp, natives of Vermont and Maine respectively. The father was born in 1812 and died in 18(19, being frozen to death while on a business trip from his home in Dakota to Minnesota. This sad death occurred on the place where now the town of Worthington, Minnesota, stands. He was a pioneer of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Dakota. He was in New Ulm at the time of the awful Sioux massacre. The mother of our subject was born in 1817 and died in 1886. It is of note that she was born in the northeastern and died in the northwestern states of this great nation and traveled all the distance between by team.
When Manley was seven, the family went to Sioux Falls. Dakota, and when his father died an older brother took charge, but he, too died in four years and the weight and responsibilities of business rested on our subject. He had acquired an education from the schools of the barracks in Dakota, and the family remained in Dakota until 1877, when they removed by team to Boise and settled, just in time to meet the Bannock Indian war. Mr. Sharp teamed for the government, hauling supplies and in 1878 came to the vicinity of Moscow, where he rented a farm. There and near Pullman, they continued to live until the opening of the reservation, when he came hither and took his present place, five miles east from Peck. Settlement was made here on March 26, 1896, and since that time Mr. Sharp has devoted energy and wisdom to bear in his efforts to build a fine home and make a valuable farm. He has succeeded well and is one of the leading men of the community. He has three sisters, all living in the Palouse country, Flora Stratton, Ellen Booth, and Minnie Longstreet.
Mr. Sharp is an active Republican and has always taken the part of the responsible and intelligent citizen in this realm. He was a delegate to the state convention last year. He is an advocate of educational progress and labors for it. His ancestors fought in the Revolution and Mr. Sharp, himself, has been on the frontier since his birth, in fact, he was born on the frontier and has been a pioneer ever since. His uncle, W. W. Carpenter, served in the Civil war and was wounded. Mr. Sharp is a man whom all respect and who has done much for the general progress. Manley I. Sharp and Mrs. Logenia Shockley were united in marriage at the home of the bride on Central Ridge in 1903.
Back to: Nez Perce Biographies
Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903