Joseph Sharp

From the inscription on his gravestone, we know that Joseph Sharp was born about 1748.

On November 8, 1803, he purchased the freedom of "Cate," from John Stevenson for $150. At that time, she was called "his wife." On November 20, he was identified as a barber. On November 27, he married Cate Stevenson at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Albany.

A headstone inscription found in the African Methodist Episcopal plot of the "removed stones" at Albany Rural Cemetery noted his passing on November 27, 1813 and that he had lived sixty-five years. His will passed probate on November 30, 1813.

Despite little direct evidence, we believe that Joseph Sharp was a "free" member of the early Afro Albanian community.

Sources: The life of Joseph Sharp has not been assigned a CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from community-based resources. With so little qualitative information currently at hand, we recognize that this profile is pe-mature. An Internet search has brought up a number of intriguing but as yet-not-connected leads. We can only guess at any connection to the Sharp family of Albany.