Find A Grave Friday

Harriet Elizabeth “Libby” Sharp Ehle

Libby Ehle is my husband’s 2nd great grandmother. She is buried in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her Find A Grave memorial can be viewed here.

Harriet Elizabeth “Libby” Ehle was born in Rutland, Jefferson County, New York on 15 August 1850. She was the third of four daughters born to Henry Sharp and Susan Gordon Sharp. Harriet’s mother died when she was just 3 years old. After her mother’s death, Harriet and her sisters were split up among the homes of family members in Jefferson County, NY.

Harriet’s father remarried in 1855, but Harriet was the only one of the children from the marriage to Susan to come to live at home with Henry and his new wife. Henry enlisted in the Civil War and died of disease in 1865. (Henry is buried in the Soldier’s Circle at Prospect Hill Cemetery, York, PA) After her father’s death, Harriet returned to living with her maternal great aunt, Lydia Peck Stevens. The Stevens family moved from New York to Michigan between 1865 and 1870.

Harriet met Charles Smith Ehle in Michigan and they married in 1875. The family stayed in Michigan for about 5 years before moving on to Minnesota. In all, ten children were born to the couple, six surviving to adulthood.

Charles was an insurance agent and seems to have made a comfortable living for his family.  Charles passed away in 1910, and Harriet died in 1916.

A more detailed biography of Harriet’s life and family can be found here.