| Notes |
- Daughter of Mary Mendenhall and John Hibberd. She married Joseph Sharples in 1769. In the fall of 1798, she went to Yearly Meeting in Philadelphia, where yellow fever was prevailing. She returned home and died a few days later of the disease. She was buried on the 3rd day of the 10th month 1798.
Mary Hibberd and Joseph Sharples had 12 children:
1. Mary, born 1771, died 1812 unmarried
2. Martha, born 1772, died 1870; married David Moore
3. Enos, born 1774, died 1854; married Elizabeth Kinman
4. Sarah, born 1777, died 1806; married John Bromall
5. Edith, born 1779, died 1807 unmarried
6. Hannah, born 1781, died 1850; married (1) John Neal, (2) Jacob Moore
7. Lydia, born 1783, died 1800; married William Webster
8. Phebe, born 1785, died 1870; married John Yarnall
9. Esther, born 1787, about 1838 unmarried
10. Sidney, born 1789, died 1820; married John Pickering
11. Rebecca, died 1810 unmarried
12. Joseph, died 1831 aged 38, unmarried
Source: Blanche Moore Haines, comp, Ancestry of Sharpless Moore and Rachel (Roberts) Moore, 1937, pp 54–55.
JOSEPH SHARPLES, son of Joseph and Mary (Pyle) Sharples, was born in Middletown Twp. on 5 mo. 31, 1743 and died in Bedford Co., Pa. in 1795 or 6. At Middletown Friends Mtg. on 5 mo. 18, 1769 he married Mary Hibberd, daughter of John and Mary (Mendenhall) Hibberd. She was born in Willistown Twp. on 9 mo. 18, 1750 and was buried at Middletown Friends Mtg. on 10 mo. 3, 1798....
Joseph and Mary Sharples received a certificate from Chester Mo. Mtg., 5 mo. 27, 1771, to Kennett and thence to New Garden, 8 mo. 12, 1790. After this they removed to Bedford County, about 150 miles westward, which must have been but a short time before his death, of which the date has not been obtained. At the instance of Hockessin Mtg., Mary was recommended as a minister, 8 mo. 14, 1788, and in the winter of 1792–3, she joined with some others in a religious visit to the families of Willistown Mtg.; and again in the latter part of the year 1794, she performed similar service within the limits of Kennett Mo. Mtg. She received a certificate from New Garden to Chester, 5 mo. 6, 1797, for herself and some of her children. It is probably that her husband died in 1795 or 1796, but as no motion was made to remove their right of membership from New Garden during his life their stay in Bedford County must have been brief. In the fall of 1798 the yellow fever prevailed in Philadelphia, yet Mary Sharples and sixty or seventy other country Friends attended, several of whom perished by this terrible disease. The meeting commenced on the 22nd of 9th month, and on the 5th of the 10th month Joshua Sharples wrote thus:
I this day heard of the affecting account of the decease of three Friends more who attended the Yearly meeting, viz., dear James Emlent, [Robert Kirkbride] and cousin Mary Sharples. She was a sweet minister; had some close trials to pass through in her lifetime. She buried her husband among strangers in Bedford County, where they had removed not long before. She was left with a number of small children, in low circumstances, yet was graciously cared for, and way was made beyond her expectation, both for the disposal of herself and her children. She appeared in a lively manner in the Select Yearly Meeting, and towards the close of her communication let the meeting know that a full apprehension of duty, and knowing her peace was concerned in her obedience thereto, had enabled her to press through difficulties in getting there; that she had left some of her children with tears in their eyes, begging her not to go. She lived to return home and was taken sick the Fifth-day following as she sat in meeting, and seven days was carried off; and is, without doubt, at rest in the mansions of bliss.—The Friend, xxi. 77.
In 1799 a memorial of Mary Sharples was forwarded to the Yearly Meeting by Friends of Chester Mo. Mtg.
—Bart Anderson, ed., The Sharples-Sharpless Family, privately printed, West Chester, Pennsylvania, 1966, Vol. 1, p. 51.
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1750 - 1798 (48 years)
