Columbia-Cumberland-Lancaster County PA Archives Biographies.....Sharretts, Edward A. 1810 - living in 1899
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 3, 2005, 5:09 pm

Author: Biographical Publishing Co.

REV. EDWARD A. SHARRETTS, one of the oldest ministers of Columbia County, who
has had charge of the Lutheran Church at Briarcreek, Columbia County, for the
past twelve years, was born in Carlisle, Pa., October 8, 1825, and is a son of
Frederick and Catherine (Gaugler) Sharretts.

  Frederick Sharretts, the father of our subject, was born in Beavertown, Snyder
County, Pa., and in his early manhood learned the trade of a harnessmaker, which
business he followed a number of years. When the War of 1812 broke out he
enlisted in the army and at the close of the war held the rank of major.
Returning to that part of Union County now known as Snyder County, he followed
fanning a few years and then moved to Carlisle, Pa., and after residing there a
short time he became register and recorder of Cumberland County, which office he
filled several years. In 1838 he moved to Johnstown, Pa., where he became
collector of tolls on the Pennsylvania Canal and the old Portage Railroad,
having been appointed by Gov. Ritner. Later he took up his trade as
harnessmaker, which he followed until his death. Politically he was a stanch
Whig, and served as justice of the peace for a number of years, and up to the
time of his death. In religious views he was a member of the Lutheran Church and
served as deacon and elder of that church a number of years. He was united in
marriage with Catherine Gaugler, a native of Snyder County, and as a result of
the union seven sons and six daughters were born to them, namely: Rev. Nicholas
G., deceased, who was a Lutheran minister residing at Indiana, Pa.; Elizabeth,
deceased, who was twice wedded,—first to John Rudisill, and upon his death, to
Moses Canon of Johnstown, Pa.; John Frederick, a retired citizen of Baltimore,
Md., who was for many years a clerk for the U. S. Government at Washington;
Isabella, widow of the late William Swartz of Brooklyn, N. Y.; Benjamin,
deceased; William, deceased; Cordelia, deceased, who was the wife of William
Dysert of Gettysburg, Pa.; Jacob R., a soldier of the Rebellion, who is a
resident of Johnstown, Pa.; Susanna, who married John K. Sheyock, both now
deceased; George E. W., a prominent merchant of Smicksburg, Pa.; and Edward A.,
the subject of this sketch.

  Edward A. Sharretts supplemented his primary education received in the common
schools by a thorough and complete course of study at Pennsylvania College at
Gettysburg, and graduated from that institution in the class of 1851. He then
entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, where he remained one
year. He then taught school at Selinsgrove, Pa., for eighteen months, and while
there accepted an offer made by John S. Crumbach, then principal of the
Lancaster High School, to assist him in teaching his classes and to study
theology at the same time, and a short time later was licensed to preach by the
Lutheran Synod of Pennsylvania, in 1853. Rev. Mr. Sharretts was ordained at
Bloomsburg in 1854 and remained in charge of the Bloomsburg charge six years,
when, on account of his health, he moved to Mount Pleasant, Pa. After a rest of
six months, he accepted a pastorate at Orangeville, where he remained six years.
He next had charge of the Lutheran Church at Danville, Pa., and then was called
to Muncy, Lycoming County. This charge was composed of two churches, Muncy and
Hughesville. He remained there three years. He then returned to Columbia County
and accepted a call to the Briarcreek Church, remaining there eight years. He
was then sent to Espy to preach, and after nine years of service there returned
to Briarcreek, and has retained his position as pastor of the church for the
past twelve years. Rev. Mr. Sharretts has been a minister of the Lutheran Church
for forty-five years.

  Our subject is a member of the Masonic fraternity; has been a member of the
board of directors of the Susquehanna University for the past ten years; was one
of the founders of the Susquehanna Synod, and has been a member since it was
organized, in 1868. He has been united in marriage three times; his first wife
was Sophia Strickhouser of Gettysburg. His second wife was Charity Creveling, a
daughter of the late Andrew Creveling of Bloomsburg, and to this union three
children were born, namely: Luther Keller, an employee of the B. & O. R. R. at
Brunswick, Md.; Andrew Frederick, a machinist residing at Berwick, Columbia
County; and Edward Lincoln, who is employed by The Jackson & Woodin
Manufacturing Company of Berwick. He formed a third matrimonial alliance with
Eliza A. Kelchner, a daughter of Abraham Martz Kelchner, deceased, who was a
prominent citizen of Briarcreek township, Columbia County, Pa. Mrs. Sharretts
died November 26, 1898, aged sixty-four years and three months.

  As one who has labored long-and well in the service of the Master, we take
pleasure in announcing that a portrait of Rev. Mr. Sharretts appears on a
preceding page in connection with the above sketch of his life.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District
Published by 
Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)


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