James Sharples was born in Whittle Le Woods, Lancashire, England in February 1816. He emigrated from England with his mother, Alice Whalley Sharples, and several other children, in 1831. They joined his father, David Sharples, in Wellsburg, (W) VA. They moved to Coshocton Co., OH about 1835. James married a lady named Nacky? in Ohio, and moved to Martin Co., IN some time between the births of David and Absolom in 1845 and 1847, respectively. James' sister, Ellen Sharples Manley, my gg grandmother, and her family arrived in Martin Co. in 1848 from England.