Who is Ella Sharp
The following excerpt is from the Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History's publication, "Hillside Farmhouse & The Merriman-Sharp Family." The book is filled with images from the Museum's Merriman-Sharp Collection and is available for purchase at the Gift Shop.
Hillside Farmhouse & The Merriman-Sharp Familyby Lynne Loftis
The story of the Hillside farmhouse can best be told by looking into the lives of the two women who lived in the home from 1855 to 1912- Mary Wing Merriman and her daughter, Ella Merriman Sharp. The many letters, photographs and other personal papers they left in the home tell their story.
Mary Wing was the oldest child of Glens Falls, New York mill-owner Abraham Wing III. Mr. Wing, grandson of the founder of Glens Falls, was an astute businessman who greatly expanded the family wealth through wise investments and business ventures. The family lived a comfortable life and Mary and her younger sister, Ellen, had many advantages, including a good education. The Wings had not only the resources, but also the desire to see their daughters educated. Consequently, at a time when few young women were offered the opportunity to receive more than the most basic schooling, both girls were sent off for advanced study at one of the new seminaries for women. When she was 12 years old, Mary made the 40 mile trip by stage from Glens Falls to Castleton, Vermont, to attend school at the Castleton Academy, "An Academy for Young Ladies and Gentleman." After completing a year at Castleton, Mary was enrolled at the Academy in Troy, New York, founded by well-known female educator Emma Willard. Some nine years later the Wings also sent their younger daughter, Ellen, to study under Mrs. Willard.
In 1842, Mary married educator Thomas Farnsworth who had recently been appointed head of a new school in Glens Falls-the Glens Falls Academy. Shortly after their marriage, Thomas, a graduate of Union College in Schenectady, New York, left teaching to join his father-in-law in the lumber business, and the couple moved to Albany. The Farnsworths' first child, Edgar, was born in 1843; a second, named Mary after her mother, was born in early 1845. By the time of the baby's birth, Thomas's health had started to fail and he was frequently away from home seeking a cure for his consumption. In May, while Thomas was away, the three-month-old baby died, and the distraught Mary wrote to her mother; "All is over, my darling baby has gone to God who gave her. She was a lent treasure and remained with us but time enough to become closely entwined in our affections and then leaves us to mourn her loss." The following November, seven months following little Mary's death, Thomas died. The grieving Mary and her young son returned to her parents' home. Then on September 18, 1852, Mary's greatest fear was realized when her remaining child, Edgar, died of whooping cough. Many years later in a letter of condolence to a newly widowed friend, she revealed her state of mind following the death of her nine year old son, "...then there seemed nothing in life worth living for, and existence was a burden."
The following year, during the summer of 1853, Mary traveled to Michigan to visit several relatives including cousin, Nelson Wing, a resident of Dexter who was involved in purchasing land for the railroad. At the suggestion of her father, who had thoughts of investing in Michigan land, Mary accompanied her cousin to nearby Jackson County to look at available farmland. When Mr. Wing journeyed out to escort his daughter home, he too spent time looking at land and eventually made arrangements to purchase two adjoining parcels of land in Summit Township, Jackson County. One of the men he negotiated with was a young Jackson businessman, Dwight Merriman, who was handling the sale of one of the farms for his cousin, Charles L. Merriman.
Dwight Merriman, also a New York native, had been lured to Jackson by the glowing accounts of the many opportunities available in the fast growing town. When Dwight arrived in Jackson he worked at the dry-goods store, Merriman & Bros., which had been established by several of his cousins who had settled in the area. He soon made friends with George Brown, a local-bookseller, and left his cousins' store to work with Brown, and, like many other newcomers, he became involved in a number of speculative ventures including horse trading and land dealings.
Whether Mr. Merriman, referred to in an 1853 newspaper article as being one of Jackson's gay young bachelors, met the widowed Mary Farnsworth during her visit can only be speculated on. Within the next year, however, it appears that a relationship had developed, and a worried friend wrote Dwight to "beware of widows, they bewitch you." In the fall of 1855, Mary Farnsworth moved from New York to the small three-room house located on the 400-acre farm her father had purchased, and on May 29th, 1856, a brief in the "The American Citizen" read: "Married-On the morning of the 29, inst., by Rev. D.T. Grinnell, DWIGHT MERRIMAN, Esq, and MARY W. FARNSWORTH, all of this place."
On February 14, 1857, the couple was surprised by the arrival of not one, but two babies. The attending physician, Dr. L C. Reynolds, later billed Mr. Merriman for $7.50 for the delivery and subsequent care. With the birth of the twins, whom the couple named Frank and Ella, there was an immediate need for a larger house, and Mr. Wing offered to finance a major addition to the small three-room home. Construction began in the spring of 1857 on a large two-story addition which added a formal parlor, sitting room and four bedrooms to the house, and gave it its distinctive pillared front porch.
In November of 1858, Mary gave birth to a second son who was formally named Dwight Tracy, but called Tracy. Mr. Wing visited Jackson frequently, not only to see the growing family, but to bring money to loan to local residents with Dwight Merriman acting as his agent and collector. On several occasions "Papa" Wing took young Ella back to Glens Falls for extended visits. Mama Wing, Abraham's third wife, wrote that the three year old little girl was "a very busy little person, 2 foot 9 inches tall, and 1 foot 9 inches around, who talks all the time. . ." Perhaps one of the reasons that Mary was willing to have her young daughter go for extended visits was that she not only had Tracy to care for, but she was deeply concerned over the failing health of Ella's twin, Frankie. In 1861, Mary suffered the loss of yet another child when the four-year-old boy died. Two years later in May 1863, Mary gave birth to her last child, a son whom they named Howard Lincoln.
The farm, under the management of Dwight Merriman, prospered during the early 1860s. Additional acreage was added to the original 400-acre parcel, and another addition was made to the farmhouse in the form of a five-story, Tuscan-style tower. In 1864, after several years of negotiations, George Brown, an experienced stone mason from the Glens Falls area, was hired to erect a stone wall along portions of the property. In 1869, the wall was acknowledged for its artistic and engineering design by the Michigan State Agricultural Society. An article titled "A Magnificent Farm," that appeared in the September 11, 1865 issue of the Jackson Daily Citizen, mentioned the stone wall in a description of the Merriman farm.
A similar article had appeared several years earlier in Moore's Rural New Yorker, the most popular agricultural journal of its day, describing Mr. Merriman's flock of 500 Spanish Merino sheep and over 140 lambs, "averaging 5-3/4 lbs. Wool per head - a profitable clip," and the farm's 23 horses and 18 colts. The New York paper went on to describe Mr. Merriman as an "enterprising and progressive manager of his estate - one who though recently a city man, is applying business principles to farming, and hence likely to succeed."
It is believed that the Merriman children started school at the one-room brick school built in the mid-1860s on the corner of the farm property deeded to the Summit School District by their grandfather, Abraham Wing. After a few years, Ella was sent to a small private school run by the daughter of the Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church which the family attended. By 1871, both Ella and Tracy were attending school at Gregory's Seminary, 18 W. Main Street. A newspaper article titled, "Mr. Merriman's Shetland Ponies," described their trip into town: "One of the most novel and pleasing sights with which our people are familiar, is that of Master Tracy and Miss Ella Merriman, children of Dwight C. Merriman, Esq., driving into the city daily with their little Shetland Pony and miniature buggy, for the purpose of attending school."
When Ella was 14 years old, she was sent away to the Select School in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. After attending the school for only two quarters, she returned home and was enrolled at the Michigan Female Seminary in nearby Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Michigan Female Seminary was a Presbyterian-run school which first opened its doors in 1856. As expressed in the charter, its intent was "to establish, endow and control a Seminary of learning, for the education of young ladies in the higher branches of a thorough education, having reference to the entire person, physically, intellectually, morally and religiously considered, and to be essentially modeled after the Mt. Holyoke Seminary in Massachusetts, founded by Mary Lyon..."
Although Ella attended the Michigan Female Seminary for almost five years, her attendance was interrupted several times. In the fall of 1873, after she had completed only two semesters, she sailed to Europe with her mother where they spent almost a year. This trip was probably taken for several reasons. In June of that year, after a long illness, Abraham Wing died. The loss of Mr. Wing affected the entire family. Ella was away at school, and later remembered that when she heard of Papa Wing's death, "it was Composition day and I wrote in the attic as they would not excuse me because I would not give any reason." Mr. Merriman, in a letter to Ella, wrote that he had lost "his best male friend," and Mary, who had always had her father to protect her and stand by her during her times of loss, was devastated. The trip to Europe may have been planned by Mary as a diversion from their sorrow. Also, letters indicate that about this time there was some concern about 16-year-old Ella's health, and her mother may have thought that she might benefit from leaving school and traveling.
On September 6, 1873, Mary and Ella sailed to Europe on the S.S. Adriatic. While on board they became acquainted with a writer for the New York Times, Wirt Sikes, and his wife, Olive Logan, who used her own name when she appeared on stage, giving lectures and dramatic readings. Several days before they landed, Wirt wrote a delightful description of Ella, or Nellie, as she was called by her family, in the front of her diary..
Nellie is a light-haired maid.
Ever dancing in the sun.
Laughingly of naught afraid,
Life to her is full of fun.
Merri-man by name and nature;
Everybody loves the creature,
Rolling, chattering-bright and gay,
Romping, jumping all the day;
I for one think Nellie jolly;
Much good fortune I desire her
And one must be melancholy
Not to cordially admire her!
Composed by Mr. Wirt Sikes
September 13, 1873
After traveling through Ireland, Scotland and England, Mary and Ella, accompanied by Mary's sister, Ellen and her husband, spent the winter in Italy, and the spring in Paris, returning to Jackson in the summer of 1874. Ella returned to school in the fall, but left again before she completed the necessary requirements to graduate, to again accompany her mother on a trip to Europe. There are few letters written home from the trip taken in 1878-79, but apparently Ella and her mother visited many of the same places they had seen on their previous visit, and again spent the winter in Italy. Many years later, Ella's Aunt Ellen wrote, asking if she remembered "the wreath of roses I gave you in Naples for your birthday." The women sailed home in spring 1879 on the White Star line, where Ella became friends with a young man from Boston who was also returning from a European tour. The rather pompous Ivory Bean was obviously quite taken with Ella during the voyage, and wrote long, rambling letters to her for several years following their return.
Ivory Bean was not the only gentleman to show an interest in Ella, and there is even some indication that the 1878-79 trip to Europe may have been planned by the Merrimans in an attempt to distract Ella from what her parents felt were unsuitable relationships. Neither of the gentlemen that she had been seeing was approved of by her parents. One, George Parsons, although from a good family, was felt to be too young and unsettled. The other, John Sharp, was considered by Mr. Merriman to be somewhat of an opportunist.
John Chester Sharp was born in Cortland County, New York in 1848. He had attended the State Normal School in Albany before accompanying his family to Michigan in 1863. He taught in country schools for several years while helping his father with the farm that the family had purchased in nearby Brooklyn. He then studied law with Jackson lawyer, John Conely, whom he later joined in practice. John and Ella began to see each other occasionally as early as 1876, and their early notes indicate a friendly, almost playful relationship. A letter written in early March 1877 begins: "Friend Nellie, You promised me a good scolding when you next saw me and I anticipate so much of a treat when that occurs that I do not want to wait for chance to give you the opportunity. I prefer to make the opportunity myself at an early day... Don't you think the offer ought to make me a reputation for bravery." The note was signed "In fear and trembling, JCS." There were also letters that indicated that there were problems in their relationship, and a brief note from John written February 22, 1878, read: "My Dear Friend, While I was somewhat disappointed at not receiving an answer to the letter...I never thought of being offended...I supposed that you desired to end the correspondence and thought you might as well stop these at any time, and how could I object to your exercising an unquestionable right and privilege and one which no gentlemen will question."
It appears John and Ella resumed their relationship sometime in 1880, perhaps with the help of matchmaking friends: "Dear Mr. Sharp, Ella is to be with me this evening and if you have not other engagements I would be very happy to see you. Sincerely, Susie." By the summer of 1881 they were apparently discussing marriage, for, in early August, John wrote to Ella: "I have just sent a note to your father asking him for an interview this evening, upon a matter of 'great importance' to me, and I surely hope that so far as hearing and knowing what he says upon the subject which interests us both so deeply, I shall not be longer in the dark than this evening....In haste and nervousness, I am your John." To the couples' dismay, Mr. Merriman did not respond to John's request for over a month, and then apparently only at the insistence of his wife. "My dear John, I have just had a decided chat with Mama and she says that she told Papa that I was to be married in December and that there was no use his saying anything..." Apparently, with Mama's approval, the wedding was planned and Ella and John were married in the front parlor of the family home on Thursday, December 22, 1881. After a small reception, the newlyweds caught the evening train to Detroit where they made connections for a train south to New Orleans. When the couple returned to Jackson they took up residence in rented rooms in town and, then in 1883, when the Merrimans moved into an elegant home in town, the Sharps moved into the family home and took over the management of Hillside Farm.
By the late 1880s, the Sharps began refocusing the operations of the farm from general farming and stock breeding to the raising of trotting horses. In a letter written from Lexington, Kentucky, John explained to Ella: "there's no money to be made in raising beef cattle, and we're too close to town for sheep, so let's try horses." This was a wise decision, and several of the Sharps' horses made impressive showings on the trotting circuit. Later in a speech given at a meeting of the Jackson County Horse Breeder's Association, Mr. Sharp referred to Jackson as "the Lexington of the North."
Both Mr. Merriman and Mr. Sharp were Republicans. From the time John began to practice law in Jackson he was quite active in politics and in public affairs. He held various posts in the party and served repeatedly as City Attorney. His political connections led to his appointment as a supervisor of the Census in 1880 and again in 1890. In 1886 he was elected to the Michigan State Senate where he served one term (1887-1888). His attempt to win the Republican nomination for the Senate in 1892 was unsuccessful, perhaps due to the perception on the part of some of the farmers in the district that he was more politician and businessman than farmer, and did not truly understand the needs of "real" farmers.
During the 1880s, Mary Merriman and Ella, like many other women in the latter part of the 19th century, became involved in the newly emerging Women's Club movement which the press ridiculed calling it "the Middle-Aged Woman's University." Most of the local clubs organized as study clubs where members read and researched subjects such as literature, art, history and foreign travel. By the 1890s, however, many of these clubs began taking advocacy roles in causes such as child welfare, reforestation, public recreation and "municipal housekeeping." Realizing there was power in numbers, some 22 Jackson clubs joined together in 1892 to form a city-wide General Federation of Women's Clubs, the first in the state. In 1895, the Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs was organized, and Ella took a leadership role with this group serving as treasurer, vice president and chairman of two of their most important committees-- Forestry and Civic Improvement.
The early 1890s were a time of severe trial for Ella. She suffered the loss of her beloved mother in 1892 when Mary died at the age of seventy of an infection, and her remaining brother, Howard, died a year later of consumption. It also became clear that her hopes of someday having children would not be realized. On top of all this, she was caught up in several legal battles waged by her father to gain control of his wife's and son's interest in the sizeable estate left by Abraham Wing. The estate, which included Hillside farm, had been left to Mr. Wing's two daughters and their heirs. The fight over control of Mary's portion of the estate did not end until Dwight Merriman's death in 1905, which left Ella her only surviving heir.
These problems spurred Ella to work even more energetically for her causes. She traveled throughout the state gathering information, speaking to local organizations and working closely with local and state officials. Under her leadership, a petition was presented to the Governor and State Legislature urging the establishment of new forest reserves and a fire patrol system. In 1905, an article appeared in the Jackson newspaper recognizing Mrs. Sharp as being the first woman in Michigan to take up the matter of forestry. State Forester, Filibert Roth, recognized her leadership by inviting her to be the first woman to address the all-male Michigan Forestry Association at its 4th Annual Meeting in 1909. She also spoke on the subject at the National Biennial Conference of Women's Clubs at their meeting in Boston in 1908.
In the matter of Civic Improvement, Ella Sharp took on additional roles. In 1902, she organized the Town Improvement Society consisting of two members from each of the clubs in the city. She served as President for its first ten years, and under her leadership, the organization persuaded the city to install public drinking fountains and a women's restroom, establish an anti-spitting ordinance, put public trash receptacles on city streets, and hire a street sweeper and a district nurse.
Ella's successes with the Jackson Town Improvement Society and her zeal for gathering information from others made her a valuable resource to women throughout the state. Perhaps her greatest service came through her networking. She wrote hundreds of letters asking for news of local improvement projects and passing on information and sources. Her letters included much needed words of encouragement and praise for these women who faced many obstacles as they set about their work. Because of her reputation of getting things done, she was invited to speak at meetings across the state. When she spoke to the Benton Harbor Civic League in 1908, the newspaper recognized that "Mrs. Sharp is a noted speaker on the state and national level on the matter of Civic Improvement."
In August of 1908 60-year-old John Sharp died. Although he had been in ill health, his death was somewhat unexpected. One can only imagine Ella's feelings at this time, as the last of her family members died. In the month following his death, she made some major decisions. She was 51 years old, with a sizeable estate, yet her health was uncertain, and she felt it important that she rewrite her will. On September 19th, Ella took her will to her lawyers where she had it witnessed. Then she had it sealed in an envelope and directed that it be placed it in his safe and not opened until after her death.
Her decision made, she then returned to her activities and began to travel more frequently. Two Michigan governors appointed her to represent Michigan at national conferences, and she attended several General Federation of Women's Club's conventions. She visited the newly-established national parks at Yosemite and Yellowstone and traveled with friends on escorted trips to Europe and Alaska. After her trips, she would often visit local schools to tell students of her travels and to show items she had collected. She also spoke before many women's groups about her travels. In reply to a 1912 request for biographical information from "Who's Who in America," she wrote that she had been giving from 20 to 25 talks a season on her trips to Europe and Alaska.
On the same form she also proudly listed herself as "Manager of Hillside Farm," a role she had shared with her husband throughout the years. For, although she retained the house her mother had purchased in the city, she continued to consider Hillside farm, where she had been born and had lived most of her life, as home. Not only was it a tie to her family, but like her father, she enjoyed the daily farm activities such as gathering eggs and riding horses. Her love of the farm was noted by others, for she wrote back from one of her trips that her fellow travelers affectionately called her "Mrs. Jackson" and "farm girl."
In addition to these activities, Ella also resumed her friendship with Edward Parmalee. She had first known Edward back during her schooldays at the Michigan Female Seminary, when he had courted and married her close friend, Lillie Tomlinson. The twice widowed, Edward, who lived in Boston, began seriously courting Ella, and after numerous letters and visits, even proposed marriage. Ella's ties to the farm and Jackson, plus her decision about the disposal of her estate may have influenced her decision to refuse his offer. They did remain devoted friends, however, and Edward's wit, cheery words, and admiration did much to sustain her as her own health began to fail.
In the summer of 1912, Ella became quite ill and, in early September she traveled to Marblehead, Massachusetts to rest and recuperate. She had suffered from ill health throughout most of her life. Even as a young girl she had occasionally suffered from "fainting spells" and what her mother called "nerves." Letters from numerous doctors reveal that throughout the years she had also been treated for eye problems, hair loss, and "female problems." Unlike earlier trips, her time in Marblehead did not bring about the improvement that she had hoped for, and she returned to Jackson. In early November she was admitted to City Hospital where she died on November 9th of kidney failure.
Her funeral was held in the parlor of her home with the sermon preached by her long-time friend, Dr. Lee McCollester, dean of Tuft's College, Boston. McCollester paid tribute to Mrs. Sharp, both as a friend and as an active worker, for her city and state. He said: "Her desire was to fulfil herself, and in this she succeeded; she lived a life of service for others and a good woman has gone to her reward."
When her will was opened and read, her commitment to her community was more fully revealed. For while there was a long list of personal bequests-- to her friends, to distant relatives, to employees, and to young people she wished to help with their education-- the major portion of her estate was left to the city of Jackson.
"The remainder of my estate both real & personal I give & devise to the City of Jackson in trust, for the following purposes to convert not less than four hundred acres (400) of my home farm in the Township of Summit into a public park, to be known as the Ella W. Sharp or (Sharp Park) and perpetually maintained for Park purposes. The contents of my home in the City of Jackson and in the township of Summit home, suitable for the nucleus of a museum, which is my wish shall be maintained in my farm home in Summit. To convert the balance of my estate into money so far as, not already invested, in interest bearing securities, and keep all of my estate, now invested as well as that produced by the sale of property as herein directed perpetually invested, and use the income thereof, for beautifying and maintaining said park. It is my desire that all timber land be included and the timber preserved as far as practical."
On October 22, 1998 Ella Sharp was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame. The award was given in recognition of her work in forestry and civic improvement in the early twentieth century. In her own City of Jackson, her legacy also lives on in the Park and Museum that bear her name.
© Ella Sharp Museum, 1999
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The Ella is on the National Register of Historic Places, listed as a State of Michigan Landmark and accredited by the American Association of Museums.
