THE SHARBER FAMILY


The first Sharber and one of the very early settlers of Rutherford County who settled near Versailles, Tennessee, was John Ellis Sharber. He was born in North Carolina 14 July 1793 and came to Tennessee as a young man. Family history says that the original name was Sharbrough and was shortened during the early years of John Ellis' life, about 1812, to the present form, Sharber.

John Ellis Sharber's holdings consisted of some 600 acres. The family cemetery is located one mile north of Versailles, behind the Thurman Williams house. The land lay in a northwest direction from there. The Neri Lowe property was once a part of the Sharber holdings. Besides being a successful farmer, John Ellis ran a large distillery a few miles west. A pitcher pump marked the spot of the original distillery. John Ellis Sharber married Parthany Jones who was born in 1792 and to this union were born ten children: Elizabeth, Jehu E, Joe W, J.C., Nancy, Mary J, David, Malinda, Randolph Noah and John Hendrix Sharber. Partheny died 15 Dec 1832, only two weeks after John's birth. She was buried in the family cemetery and a very ornate stone marks her grave.

John Ellis married second, Mary Webb. They had one son, William Valjean Sharber.

One son, whose descendants still live in this community was Randolph Noah Sharber, born 3 )ct 1830 and at age 26 married Margaret Helen Crutcher. Issue of five children: Nancy Virginia Sharber (Garvin); Lillie Sharber (Simmons-Holton); Leolia Sharber (Smotherman); Zella Sharber (Dunn); James Randolph Sharber.

James Randolph Sharber was born 8 Sept 1864 and although some of his sisters also lived here, it was through him the Sharbers continue in this community. He married Florence Ridley Wilson, born in 1875, who was the daughter of John Thomas Wilson, Esq., and Mary Dee Brooks Wilson, both born in 1850. To the union of James (Jim) Randolph and Florence Wilson Sharber were born ten children.

1 John Adolphus Sharber was born 5 Dec 1893, married 21 Feb 1912, Beatrice Jackson, born 17 Sept 1889. To this union five children: John Jackson Sharber, Aubrey Phender Sharber, Grady Dewey Sharber, Mary Pearl Sharber, and Gene Sharber, These children moved away.

2 Virgil Sharber, born 28 Aug 1895, married Pearl Jackson, sister to Beatrice. They had eight children: Gary White Sharber, James Ferrell Sharber, William Ivie Sharber, Cloras V Sharber, Talmadge Jackson Sharber, Dorothy Ann Sharber, Robert Alvin Sharber, and Mary Frances Sharber. \these children also moved away.

3 Leona Sharber, born 16 July 1897, married William McWhirter and had one son. She married second, Russell Norman and to this union were five children. They lived in the My Pleasant community in Maury County TN 4 Robert Sharber, died young

5 Sammie Lee Sharber, died young

6 Cornelia D Sharber, died young

7 Willie Gray Sharber, born 32 Oct 1905, married 12 April 1933, Lottie Hall. They had three children: Robert Harold Sharber, Clarence Wallace Sharber and Herbert Leon Sharber. These children moved away from the community.

8 Frank Leslie Sharber, born 12 May 1907, married 12 Nov 1942, Ruth Taylor.

9 Homer Henry Sharber, born 1 Sept 1910, married 2 April 1838, Numa Smotherman. They had three children:
a Lynda Adel Sharber, born 2 Sept 1943, married Charles E Tremble and moved to Nashville
b Cline Wilson Sharber, born 3 Oct 1945, married Dorothy Ann Hanberry and had two children. He married second, Jo A Carini and lives in this community.
c Homer Henry Sharber Jr, born 7 Dec 1953, married Debra Lynn Nipp. They have two children. Their home is one mile east of Versailles.
This is the one family whose two sons remain in this community.

10 Clarence Lee Sharber, born 22 June 1914, married Jeanne Bennett. They had four children: James Randall Sharber, Stephen Bennett Sharber, Anna Claire Sharber, John Wilson Sharber. They moved out of state.

Sources: By Homer Henry Sharber, Sr, from the Sharber Family Bible; History of Tennessee, Maury County; Sharbers of Tennessee, Williamson and Maury Counties, Tennessee; "A Genealogical Study of the Descendants of John Ellis Sharber for Record and the Future Generations", by Dr and Mrs William Barnard Barton, Stonega, VA