Ernest Leroy Sharpe
1881 - 1951 (69 years)
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Name Ernest Leroy Sharpe [1] Born 19 Nov 1881 Camden Township, Kent County, Ontario, Canada 
[1, 2] Gender Male Birth 19 Nov 1884 Alternative birth date by family recollection Occupation Poprietor - Hardware Store and Gas Station Religion born Methodist, married Presbyterian Residence 1901 Camden, Bothwell, Ontario, Canada [1] Residence 1911 Camden Township, Kent County, Ontario, Canada Died 1951 Dresden, Kent, Ontario, Canada Buried Dresden Cemetery, Dresden, Kent County, Ontario Person ID I14151 Brown Genealogy Last Modified 12 Feb 2025
Father Samuel Sharp, b. 23 Jul 1853, Camden Township, Kent County, Ontario, Canada , d. 1932, Camden Township, Kent County, Ontario, Canada (Age 78 years) Relationship natural Mother Rebecca Maria Winter, b. 18 Jan 1860, Kent County, Ontario, Canada , d. 1939, Camden Township, Kent County, Ontario, Canada (Age 78 years) Relationship natural Married 24 Nov 1881 Kent County, Ontario, Canada Family ID F3819 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Mary Jane Cuthbert, b. 24 Dec 1884, Dresden, Kent, Ontario, Canada , d. 1972, Dresden, Kent, Ontario, Canada (Age 87 years) Married 23 Oct 1907 Dresden, Ontario by Rev Norman Lindsay, Presbyterian Children 1. Gordon Leroy Sharpe, b. 19 Nov 1909, Dresden, Kent, Ontario, Canada , d. 20 Sep 2001, Wallaceburg, Kent County, Ontario (Age 91 years) [natural]2. Alexander Donald Sharpe, b. 13 Mar 1912, Family Farm, Camden Township, Kent County, Ontario, Canada , d. 20 Mar 2004, Chatham, Kent County, Ontario, Canada (Age 92 years) [natural]Last Modified 12 Feb 2025 Family ID F3814 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Notes - Ernest Sharpe was born on the family farm just outside of Dresden. Like his father before him, he dreamed of being a farmer. He lived for farming. When he grew up he bought the farm next door to his father's and the two worked side-by-side. Ernest was the first farmer in Kent County to grow tobacco and farmers would travel for miles to learn tobacco farming methods from Ernest. He was also the first farmer in Kent County to own a tractor. It was a Caterpillar. Apparently you could steer it with ropes -- allowing you to walk behind it on the ground, or ride on the hay tractor behind, and still steer the tractor.
Ernest's wife, Mary Jane, hated life on the farm and convinced Ernest to give up his passion for farming and move into the town of Dresden. There he opened a hardware store and gas station, but his heart was in neither. It is interesting to note that the only other hardware store and gas station in Dresden was owned by the McVeans, of course.
Ernest was born a Methodist, but Mary Jane was a staunch Presbyterian and would not worship anywhere but a Presbyterian church, so Ernest became Presbyterian.
Ernest was an active member of the IOOF, for which he served as their Grand Master. He was an elder in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Dresden for most of his life (there might be a commemorative window there in his name). He was also a long-time town counsellor for Dresden. He was apparently so popular as a local politician that he never lost a re-election until he retired. He was so respected in the town of Dresden that the day of his funeral was declared a holiday for the town and all businesses were closed.
- Ernest Sharpe was born on the family farm just outside of Dresden. Like his father before him, he dreamed of being a farmer. He lived for farming. When he grew up he bought the farm next door to his father's and the two worked side-by-side. Ernest was the first farmer in Kent County to grow tobacco and farmers would travel for miles to learn tobacco farming methods from Ernest. He was also the first farmer in Kent County to own a tractor. It was a Caterpillar. Apparently you could steer it with ropes -- allowing you to walk behind it on the ground, or ride on the hay tractor behind, and still steer the tractor.
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