Ann Maria Bailey Sharp

Ann Maria Bailey Sharp (B April 1, 1829) in Shipdham in the county of Norfolk, Old England.

Her Father was a shoe maker, and her mother kept a sewing school for small children. Maria's father died on June 17, 1834. Maria was about five years old. her mother was left a widow with three children, Maria being the oldest of the three. The other two children died soon after the death of their father. (Information written by John W Sharp)

Actual records show different dates as listed below Ann Maria George Bailey had a child out of wedlock. The boy was born and Christened William Bailey on Nov 6, 1836. Evidently, Ann Maria George married again, a man by the name of Jesse or Joseph Thompson and they had four children. These children were all born in Shipdham. Maria's mother came to Utah in 1862, along with two children. She was fifty five years old. She died in Union, Utah, when she was eighty years old.

 Maria's brothers and sisters: Hannah Matilda Bailey (B) 2 Sept 1831 (D) 15 Oct 1835 4yr Ann Maria Bailey (B)1 April 1832 (D) 23 Feb 1910 78yr Matilda Bailey (B) March died young (no dates) William Bailey (B)8 Oct 1836 ? (Father unknown) Phillip Thompson (B) 25 Dec 1839 ? Jesse Thompson (B) 31 May 1842 ? George Ury Thompson (B) 25 April 1847 (D) 15 Nov 1920 Georgeanna Thompson (B) 20 Aug 1849 (D) 27 Oct 1875

 Mother Ann Maria George Bailey turned her attention to teaching the Sabbath school of the church of England for which she received a small pittance each week. She also kept a school for small children while their parents went out to work. She taught them the first rudiments of an education.

 Maria,(Mariah) as she was familiarly called, was very apt at learning sewing and at a very early age became the leading seamstress of Shipdham. She also learned the millinery and dressmaking business and soon became the most expert sewer in the town of Shipdam and was sought after by most of the leading ladies of this place to do their work.

 Ann Maria Bailey and her mother Ann Maria George Bailey, were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the year 1850 or 1851 in Shipdham. They were baptized by John Everett. The Mormon elders were always made welcome at their home and were treated with the greatest of respect.

 On the 10th day of January, 1858 Mariah first met John Sharp. He was a traveling elder sent to labor in the Shipdham district of the Norwich conference. Maria and her mother arranged for Elder Sharp to board at their home when he was in Shipdham. Since there was a branch of the church in Shipdham, he was there about every week. Maria was very kind to all the elders, often giving them money and other presents to help them. Of course, she was particularly kind to Elder Sharp and they became very fond of each other. When John left to labor in the New Castle Upon Tyne Pastorate, Maria often sent him a little money and other things to help him on his mission.

 They became very fond of each other, and were married on March 19, 1861 in Norwich, England by Elder Elias Hicks Blackburn. (Blackburn was the first Bishop of Provo, and at the time of the marriage was the President of Norwich Conference.) After Maria's marriage she spent two weeks visiting her friends, then with her husband, Elder Sharp, they spent a short time with Elder Sharp's family and on the 21st day of April 1861 they left Northampton and went to Liverpool and on the 23rd went on board the clipper ship, Underwriter. They sailed for America with 624 saints, under the presidency of Milo Andrus, Homer Duncan and Charles W. Penrose. (End of John Sharp's writing)