John W. Tharp, one of the sterling citizens of Jasper county, who was born January 12, 1857, in Adair county, Missouri. Both his parents died when he was a baby, and he was reared by John Stover, with whom he remained until he was twelve years of age, when he set out alone to make his way in the world. He has no recollections whatever of his parents; thus, without their solicitous care and guidence, he was compelled to forge ahead as best he could. Until he was twenty years of age he built grades for the Iowa Central Railroad, with the exception of one winter which he spent in school. When eighteen years of age he was studying the "second reader," but, being determined to get an education, he put forth every effort in this line and by close application, which has been continued to the present time, he has been enabled to gather a vast fund of general information by miscellaneous home reading and study; in fact, it was but a few years until he was qualified to teach. Leaving the Iowa Central Railroad, he worked with a bridge gang on the Wabash road and also part of the time in the railroad yards in St. Louis. On December 24, 1882, he was united in marriage with Melvina Earp, daughter of L.D. and Serena (Iler) Earp, the father a native of North Carolina and the mother of Kentucky; they spent their lives on a farm and came to Jasper county, Iowa, in 1847, settling among the early pioneers near where the town of Galesburg now stands, entering three hundred and twenty acres of land from the government. Prior to his death the father sold all his land and moved to Galesburg, where he lived retired until his death, in December, 1893, at the age of eighty-two years. They became well known and prominent in Galesburg and vicinity where they so long resided. Mr. Earp was fearless and outspoken for the truth and right and he was an ardent church worker, it being largely through his efforts that the Methodist Episcopal church at Galesburg was built. He was twice married, Mrs. Tharp being a child by the second marriage; her brothers and sisters are, Eveline, wife of George Talbot, of Sac City, Iowa; Thomas lives at Newton; John lives in Utah; Milton lives in Dorchester, Nebraska; Phoebe is the wife of Marion Butin, living near Reasnor; those deceased are, Rozelia, who married Philo Linfoot; Sarah Lincoln, who died at sixteen years of age; an infant that died at six months and one in younger infancy. To Mr. Earp's first marriage were born nine children, of whom five are still living, namely: Peter lives in California; Walter lives near Reasnor, Jasper county; Adeline is the widow of John Iler and lived in Grant City, Iowa; Jonathan lives in Montana; Nancy Clark is the widow of Oren Clark and lives in South Dakota; those deceased are, Philip, James, William (died in the Army) and Mariah, wife of William Aplin. Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Tharp: Herbert Milton, born November 17, 1883, lives at Newton, Iowa, is married and has one child, a daughter; Homer Weston, born July 25, 1885, lives near Reasnor on the farm owned by his father, is married and has one child, a son. After marriage John W. Tharp worked in a coal bank, on a farm, as cream buyer for the Newton Creamery Company and, in fact, did whatever he could to earn an honest living. At one time he and his wife moved in with her father and cared for him for two years. At another period of his life he lived in Newton and owned and operated a transfer line. During three winters he was compelled to go to Cherokee, Iowa, for medical treatment, but at all times he has worked most persistently and faithfully, and his industry has been very satifactorily rewarded for he is the owner of a very valuable farm of one hundred and sixty-four acres, besides town property of considerable value. He is deserving of a great deal of credit for his large success in material affairs, owing to the fact he has been compelled to go it alone, and having always led an honest and clean life he has won the respect of all who know him. During the past eight years Mr. Tharp has very ably and conscientiously served Jasper county in political and public capacities, always to the entire satisfaction of the people, most of the time as superintendant of roads, being considered one of the best road builders in the county, this being his present occupation. Everybody knows and respects John Tharp and at one time he was candidate for sheriff on the Republican ticket, and notwithstanding his popularity, he was defeated, but solely owing to a split in his party. He is a member of Newton Lodge No. 59. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Mrs. Tharp is an active member of the Methodist church at Reasnor and is a most excellent and kindly woman, well liked in all circles (Past and Present of Jasper County, Iowa, edit-in-chief Gen. James B. Weaver, 1912, B.F. Bowen & Co., p.880-882).

Submitted by,
Woodson Campbell
Spokane, WA