Lizzie Lee (Cox) Sharp was born on April 19, 1882, the third child of John Shriver and Jeannie (Campbell) Cox in Aztec, New Mexico. In 1874, her family moved from Erath County, Texas, to San Juan County, New Mexico, driving thirty thousand head of cattle. Unfortunately, Lizzie’s mother died when she was born. John then married Jane Smith, who later also died in childbirth.

Lizzie met George Sharp in the spring of 1899, and they were married on August 23, 1900, in Holbrook, Navajo County, Arizona Territory. They moved to Young, Arizona Territory, where their first child, Georgia Belle, was born in November 1900. George’s family lived in the Heber area, and they moved closer to them. Arthur A. was born October 17, 1902, Henry A. in October 1904, Eddie S. on March 31, 1907 and Roy Young in May 1914.

Lizzie and George had a partner in the cow business during the next eight or nine years and leased grazing land from the White River Apaches. During these years, Lizzie lived in Holbrook while school was in session, so the children could attend.

She was well known for her ability as a beekeeper and honey gatherer. Her life was never easy, and she suffered from a huge goiter caused by too much iodine in the water from Aztec, where she grew up. She was terrified of having it removed, and it made her life difficult.

In 1914, the White River Apache Tribe did not renew their lease, so George went to Mohave County to look over the ranching situation. In February, Arthur, then twelve years old, died of pneumonia. Lizzie was pregnant at the time.  As soon as her new baby, Roy, was born, and Lizzie was able, she and her ten-year-old son, Henry, gathered their cattle and began the trip from Holbrook to Mojave County. Georgia, who was almost fourteen, drove the wagon with all their belongings and her two little brothers. They hoped for a new start in a new place. However, life did not get better.

The range was different and drier, with lots of locoweed. Cattle were cheap. They lost several cows the first year there. They bought Angora goats as the wool prices were high, and they raised hogs. They lived in a very remote part of Mohave County, southeast of Cross Mountain near Night Creek. Lizzie struggled on, taking care of her family and finally her father, who was ill. She and George divorced in 1931. She moved to Kingman, and the ranch was sold in 1933. Lizzie died March 7, 1941, in Kingman, Mohave County, Arizona.

Donor: Dana (Brisendine) Sharp, April 2015
Photo Location: Digital Only - I-Drive>Rose Garden Photos & Bios>RG TIFF Portraits>Sharp, Lizzie (Cox)
Updated: 4/29/2015, Gretchen Hough Eastman