Fantastic Friday – William Bailey Tharp, Sr

I totally made up the category for today, but I figured might as well everyone else does. ;)

Anyway, I  thought I would post a picture from my father's side of the family. You know give them their time "in the spotlight."

In a previous posting called Earlier Researchers, I stated that if it weren’t for previous researchers I wouldn't have nearly as much information on my families as I do now.

This picture is another example of that. It was sent to me many years ago by a distant cousin from Oklahoma. It is one of my “family treasures” that I wouldn’t have if it weren’t for an early researcher/cousin. The people in this picture are: Will Tharp, standing on the left; William B Tharp Sr, sitting in the middle; and Christopher Tharp, standing on the right.

Here's a little more information about these guys.

Will Tharp is the son of Christopher and grandson to William Bailey Tharp, Sr. The younger Will was born in 1864 and died in 1941. I don't have much information in my computer database on him.

William B. Tharp, Sr, my 3rd great-grandfather, was born in 1803 probably in Kentucky and died 18 Jul 1889 in Munfordville, Hart County, Kentucky. William, Sr married Charlotte "Lottie" Self and among other children had my 2nd great-grandfather, William Bailey Tharp Jr and his brother, Christopher B. Tharp.

Christopher was born in 1833 in Hart County, Kentucky and married Sarah Jane Pratt on 16 April 1857 in Hart County, Kentucky. Sarah is also related to me through my mother's family. Christopher and Sarah moved to Menard County, Illinois. Christopher came back to Kentucky on a visit in 1883 when this picture was taken. When they received a copy of the picture Christopher's brother John mailed the picture to him. Unfortunately, Christopher had died shortly after getting back home.

The cousin that sent me this picture also had a copy of John's letter to Christopher that accompanied the picture. I am always amazed how wide spread "family treasures" can become over the years and miles that are traveled by our families. I would never have guessed that a picture of a man that was born, raised, lived his whole life and died in Kentucky would make it to Oklahoma. When I get a little down in the dumps about the progress that I am making on my research, I try to go back and see how far I have come.

Hope you enjoyed, glad you stopped by and please come back again ;)