Ce Estus Adam Sharp, known as C. A. Sharp, accountant, businessman, and farmer, was born in 1868. He grew up in Texas and worked all of his life in the Waxahachie area. Sharp graduated from college in 1892 and married Mary Lou Sharp soon after. He and his wife had five children, three boys and two girls, in their fifty-five years of marriage. Sharp worked industriously to improve his fortunes by buying land in Electra and Dimmitt counties. In addition, he purchased stock in a variety of companies. His primary means of income early in his life seems to have been his cotton farm in Ellis County. After graduating from college, he worked as an accountant and farmer, and was president of the Farmers Gin Company of Waxahachie; he was also a stockholder of the Boyce State Bank. Sharp also worked as a businessman owning stock and land titles in Texas. He also was an accountant with the Anchor Insurance Corporation and New Amsterdam Company in Waxahachie. Throughout his adult life, Sharp and his sons grew cotton on their farm in Waxahachie. He was a respected member of his community, and a guiding figure in the Sharp family, serving as executor of both his brother and sister's wills. When he died in December of 1954, he left behind a large family whose roots were spread from Kentucky to Texas.
The collection is composed of papers, records and photos collected and/or created primarily by C. A. Sharp. Included is correspondence relating to his work as an accountant for Anchor Insurance Company and Sharp and McWhorter, business documents from the Boyce State Bank and Farmers Gin Company, and estate documents for various members of the Sharp family. Photos are included dating from the late nineteenth century. The papers include documents from the Boyce State Bank and its operations. These include correspondence as cashier for the bank and documents relating to its purchase in 1930. In addition, Sharp served as president of the Farmers Gin Company until 1941 when this company was sold. Sharp was also at times in his life a businessman owning stock and land titles in Texas as well as an accountant with the Anchor Insurance Corporation and New Amsterdam Company. Throughout his adult life, Sharp and his sons grew cotton on their farm in Waxahachie.
The collection is organized in five series. The first series is correspondence, which includes both personal and business correspondence. The second series is business documents from Sharp and includes documents from Boyce State Bank, various insurance agencies and farm records. The third series is estate information for James Perry Sharp, C. A. Sharp, Mattie Smith, and H.L. Williamson. The fourth series includes photos of the Sharp family in the 1870's. The fifth series is an oversize series.
Open for research.
Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.
Marcelle Hull received the materials from Sharp's grandson, Don Lauderdale.
Gift,
Accessioned as number 93-55.
Ce Estus Adam Sharp Papers, AR428, Box Number, Folder Number, Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library.
The C. A. Sharp Papers are organized in five series:
Series I. Correspondence, 1896-1975, undated. 0.10 linear ft. (5 folders)
Series II. Business Documents, 1891-1952. 0.13 linear ft. (7 folders)
Series III. Sharp Estates, 1925-1976. 0.10 linear ft. (5 folders)
Series IV. Photos, undated. 0.02 linear ft. (1 folder)
Series V. Oversize, 1871-1935, undated
These materials are indexed under the following headings in the catalog of The University of Texas at Arlington Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Arranged alphabetically by subject of the folder and thereunder chronologically within each folder. Folders include business, farm and personal correspondence. Business correspondence to and from C. A. Sharp as an accountant with several insurance agencies and his role as bank cashier. Personal correspondence from Sharp and family.
Letters written to and from C. A. Sharp regarding bank business.
Letters written to and from C. A. Sharp dealing with farm business. This includes his farm in Waxahachie, as well as his niece's and sister's, W. L. Williamson's and Mattie Smith's, farm of which Sharp was the manager.
Letters written by and to C. A. Sharp regarding land sales and purchases, stock options, taxes and leases on land owned.
Personal letters written by the Sharp family to other members of the family, as well as church and the L. C. McLain Orthopedic Sanitarium correspondence.
Letters announcing that C. A. Sharp and McWhorter have sold their insurance company. Additional financial document showing statements for April/May 1936.
Arranged alphabetically. Includes documents of land holdings in Dimmitt and Electra counties, Boyce State Bank documents, stocks held by the Sharp family, and audit reports from Boyce Gin Company.
Sale of Farmers Gin Company to Boyce Co-operative Gin Company. Letter to shareholders with audit report and receipt of dividends paid to stockholders.
Final financial statement of bank, outstanding debts owed to bank at sale, copy of sale to Republic Bank and Trust, tax statements, and stockholders stocks of Boyce State Bank.
January and May stockholders meeting Boyce State Bank 1923 notes in ledger.
Land and oil contracts of Sharp family members, diagram of C. A. Sharp farm. Map of the original town of Dimmitt with additions.
Stocks and land/oil contracts owned by Sharp family members.
Oil and gas stocks owned by Sharp family.
Arranged alphabetically according to family member. Included are wills and final financial statement of Mattie Smith, James Perry Sharp, C. A. Sharp, and H. L. Williamson. Also includes a genealogy of the Sharp family.
C. A. Sharp's will and final financial statements at the time of his death in 1954.
C. A. Sharp's niece Mrs. H. L. Williamson's will and ledger, documents relating to her final disbursement of property.
James Perry Sharp will and letters to and from his brother C. A. Sharp, executor of will.
C. A. Sharp's sister, Mattie Smith's will, with newspaper clipping about her death.
Sharp genealogy.
Sharp family photos of C. A. Sharp, John Ewing Sharp, Mary Slavin Sharp, and Willie Blackmon Sharp.
Includes Masonic apron, certificates of graduation of Sharp's son John Ewing Sharp. Check from Sharp's father, John Ewing Sharp.
[leather apron with cotton ties].
lists graduate Cecile Sharp
Waxahachie High School