Sharp is one of those family names in Medford that dates back to at least the 1770s, along with Braddock, Haines, Stratton, Evans, and Stokes (among others) - at least from what I understand of the history. I'm not a professional historian or anything like that. The families are extensively interconnected by marriage. For example,
Rehoboam Braddock's daughter
Elizabeth (1767-1834) married
Noah Sharp (1763-1827).
Robert Braddock III (1759-1842), Rehoboam's half brother, purchased a home built around 1760 from the Stratton family in 1795. It is still standing to this day in downtown Medford Village. It's marked by
Medford Township historical sign #24.
I am not absolutely positive because there are quite a few William Braddocks (no less than two men named William Braddock witnessed Noah Sharp's last will and testament), but if the deed is from 1872, probably the one referenced is the same one who ran a sawmill on John Prickett's dam of Kettle Run, known as Braddock's Mill, in about 1860. That would make him
William Elton Braddock (1834-1899), Rehoboam's great-grandson. The site of the mill is marked by
Medford Township historical sign #1, right across the street from the entrance to Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. According to the sign, oak cut from that area was used to make charcoal to run the Philadelphia Mint.
William Sharp (1689 - 1759) could be the namesake of the hill, but I'm not sure about that. The deed says "the late" but by 1872 he had already been deceased for over 100 years.
Love this thread, thanks for starting it. Always interested in more history of my hometown.
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