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UPSHUR COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
April 13, 2000
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 411
JOHN A. SHARPS is the patentee of the excellent device
which gives basis for the conducting of one of the im-
portant industrial enterprises in the City of Buckhannon,
Upshur County. His window-shade invention is manufac-
tured by the Cutright-Sharps Company, and he was the
active manager of the well equipped factory of the com-
pany for three years.
Mr. Sharps was born in Marion County, this state, on
the 2d of August, 1871, and is a son of Jesse and Priscilla
C. (Nichols) Sharps, both likewise natives of that county.
The father had exceptional natural ability as a mechanic,
and he was a skilled workman as a carpenter, wagonmaker
and shoemaker, besides which he became a prosperous
farmer in Upshnr County, where he owned an excellent
farm of 127 acres, upon which he was residing at the
time of his death. He was a deacon in the Baptist Church
for more than thirty years, was a democrat in politics, was
affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and
his wife was a member of the adjunct organization, the
Daughters of Rebekah, besides being a devoted member
of the Baptist Church. Of the five children four are liv-
ing: William H., who was formerly in service as a locomo-
tive engineer, is now a mechanic at Clarksburg, this state;
Nancy is the widow of Joseph Kiddy; Thomas G. is em-
ployed in a sawmill at Elkins; and John A. is the imme-
diate subject of this sketch. The daughter, Mary J., is
the deceased wife of John W. Kiddy.
John A. Sharps was a boy at the time of the family re-
moval to the farm in Upshur County, and he gained his
youthful education in the public schools of this county. He
early manifested exceptional mechanical skill, and for a
number of years he was actively identified with lumbering
operations in this section of West Virginia. He was em-
ployed by a number of the leading lumber companies, and
in the meanwhile he exhibited his mechanical genius by
inventing a number of devices, of which the most im-
portant is the window shade which bears his name and for
the manufacture of which the Cutright-Sharps Company
was organized and incorporated and the manufacturing
plant established at Buckhannon. W. T. McWorter is
president of the company, Dr. O. B. Beer is its vice presi-
dent, C. K. McCally is secretary and treasurer, and H. M.
Wade is sales manager. The enterprise is proving success-
ful, as a valuable contribution to the industrial and com-
mercial activities of Buckhannon. Mr. Sharps was the
active manager and superintendent of the factory. He
is a stockholder and director of the company, is the owner
of a fine fruit farm of thirty-four acres seventeen miles
distant from Bnckhannon, and is especially successful as
a grower of the finest types of apples. His political alle-
giance is given to the republican party, he is affiliated
with Centerville Lodge No. 81, Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons, and he and his wife hold membership in the United
Brethren Church. The maiden name of Mrs. Sharps was
Lydia F. Cutright, and she is a member of one of the
representative families of Upshur County. Mr. and Mrs.
Sharps have six children: Edna (Mrs. Harmon Pringle),
Coy W., Julia (Mrs. Lester Cain) Elsie G., Dessie C. and
Oleta.
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