Sharpe, William, 1742-1818

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William "Billy" Sharpe (December 13, 1742 – July 1, 1818) was a lawyer, politician, American Revolution patriot, and a delegate to the Continental Congress from North Carolina.

Born near Rock Church in Cecil County in the Colony of Maryland, Sharpe pursued classical studies, studied law, and was admitted to the bar, commencing practice in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and engaging in surveying there. He moved to Rowan County in late 1768 or 1769 in that part of the county that became Iredell County in 1788. Sharpe was a member of the North Carolina Provincial Congress in 1775. Prior to the onset of the American Revolutionary War, he served on the Rowan County Committee of Safety. During the war, he was an aide to General Griffith Rutherford of the Salisbury District Brigade in the Indian campaign in 1776. Sharpe was one of four commissioners appointed by Governor Caswell to form a treaty with the Indians in 1777. He served as Colonel commanding the 2nd Rowan County Regiment of the North Carolina militia from 1776-1777. When the 2nd Rowan County Regiment became the Burke County Regiment of militia, Sharpe served as its commander from 1777 to 1781.

Sharpe served as a delegate to the North Carolina constitutional convention in Halifax in 1776, and helped to frame the first constitution of the State. He was later appointed in 1779 as a delegate to the Continental Congress, ultimately serving from 1779 to 1781, and was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1781 and 1782. Sharpe placed the first bill before the legislature of North Carolina to propose a publicly supported university in the state. It subsequently passed in 1789, creating the University of North Carolina.

Sharpe died in Iredell County and is interred in Snow Creek Burying Ground there.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Sharpe, William, 1742-1818. A map of Fourth Creek congregation / by William Sharpe, Esq., 1773. Tennessee State Library & Archives, TSLA
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
referencedIn Sharpe, John McKee. John McKee Sharpe papers, 1793-1954. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Sharpe, William, 1742-1818. William Sharpe correspondence and expense account, 1780-1781. Library of Congress
referencedIn Laurens, Henry, 1724-1792. Papers, 1777-1792. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
creatorOf Sharpe, William, 1742-1818. [Letter] 1779 Nov. 12, Philadelphia [to] Richard Caswell, North Carolina / Wm. Sharpe. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Avery Family of North Carolina Papers, 1777-1890, 1906 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Stewart, Charles, 1729-1800. Family papers, 1768-1877 Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Avery family. family
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
correspondedWith Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786 person
memberOf North Carolina. General Assembly. House of Representatives corporateBody
associatedWith North Carolina. Governor (1776-1780 : Caswell) corporateBody
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Stewart, Charles, 1729-1800 person
associatedWith United States. Continental Army. corporateBody
memberOf United States. Continental Congress. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Cecil County MD US
Iredell County NC US
Mecklenburg County NC US
Subject
Presbyterian Church
Finance
Occupation
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Lawyers
Public officials
State Representative
Surveyors
Activity

Person

Birth 1742-12-13

Death 1818-07-01

Male

Britons,

Americans

English

Information

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