My Descending from Gov. - D. A. Sharpe

Register Report for William Bradford
Generation 9
The year Suzanne was born, Pearl S. Buck won the Nobel Prize forliterature. Thornton
Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winning drama "Our Town"was published. The film, "Pygmalion" was
produced, destined to be reproduced in later years as "My Fair Lady." Popular songs that
year were "Flat Foot Floogie with a Floy Floy," "September Song," "A Tisket, A Tasket," and
"Falling in Love with Love." The SS QueenElizabeth was launched to sail the seas.
(Source: "The Timetables of History" 3rd Revised Edition, BernardGrun, Simon & Schuster,
New York 1991, pages 514-515)
Suzanne was born on the 674th birthday of Charlemagne (April 2, 742 -814 AD). French
King Charlemagne is the 41st great grandfather of our son-in-law, Stephen O.
Westmoreland. She is the eighth great granddaughter of Robert Boggus, the original
English immigrant to Americaaround 1650.
Suzanne was the eldest child, and seemed usually to be competitive in the challenges of
life. She was born at 12:20 AM on April 2, 1938. As a young girl, she accomplished many
honors and awards, such asraising and showing dairy cows; riding Tennessee Walking
horses forher Grandfather Boggess in County Fairs; making numerous
musicalaccomplishments; and being drum major leading the Macon High SchoolBand.
Though born in Georgia, most of her growing up years were inand around Macon, Noxubee
County, Mississippi. The farm land thatbelonged to her father and grandfather actually
goes back to 1842 inthe ownership of their family.
Music was dear to her heart, and the engendering of such training wasunder the tutelage of
Mrs. Whitten, the source of Macon's cultural andmusical heritage for decades. Her name
was Mary Lillian Peters OgdenWhitten (two marriages). Suzanne was friends of her
daughter fromschool days, Charlotte Ogden, until Charlotte's death around 2000.
Wecontinued a friendship with Charlotte's first cousin in Macon,Mississippi, John Peters, an
active member of the First BaptistChurch. John's dad was the brother to Mrs. Whitten.
Being a Christian was also near and dear to Suzanne, having respondingto an invitation to
accept Jesus Christ at the First Baptist Church inMacon at her tender age of nine.
Suzanne was talented in music, excelling in voice, but also learningto play several musical
instruments. She was the high school drummajor for the band. Her solo quality voice was
used many years inchurch choirs and special occasions, such as weddings and
communityevents. She also participated in competitive recitals during her youthand
considered pursuing music as a career.
In the fall of 1957, she enrolled at Mississippi Southern University,Harrisburg, Mississippi,
initially as a scholarship music major, butconcluding with a 1961 graduation as a major in
biology, prepared tobe a medical technologist.
Her senior year was an internship in New Orleans, Orleans Parish,Louisiana at the Ochsner
Clinic. Upon graduation, she took a medicaltechnologist position a Mercy Hospital in New
Orleans. A young Texancame to New Orleans, also in his first post college work, and
metSuzanne on Sunday evening, June 17, 1962. She agreed to marry DwightAlbert
Sharpe that summer (that's me). The time from introduction tothe marriage on September
30 was 105 days.
Her next work as a medical technologist was at the Cancer ResearchCenter at Tulane
Medical School in New Orleans. She became a domesticengineer upon the arrival of their
first child, Taylor. She and Iwere active members at the Canal Street Presbyterian
Church,particularly working with the high school youth. Both of us sang inthe church choir,
but my contribution was mainly just to be withSuzanne. She was the musical talent.
Nine months after Tiffany was born, the family moved into the IrishChannel section of New
Orleans. It was to be a part of the Christianwork our church was doing in that crime infested
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