How to Pronounce John Thomas Scharf
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May 01, 1843 Baltimore, Maryland, United States Died on 28 Feb 1898 (aged 54)
Confederate soldier, lawyer, historian, and antiquarian
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About John Thomas Scharf
- John Thomas Scharf (May 1, 1843 – February 28, 1898) was an American historian, author, journalist, antiquarian, politician, lawyer and Confederate States of America soldier and sailor.
- He is best known for his published historical works.
- Modern historians and researchers cite his comprehensive histories as primary source materials. Scharf used a formulaic and detailed approach to preparing his historical works.
- He contacted everyone who could provide information about his subject and used detail questionnaires to capture responses to his inquiries.
- The J.
- Thomas Scharf Collection, 1730s-1892, held by the Maryland Historical Society, shows off his massive collection of original source materials.Scharf was one of the first American historians to consistently use newspapers as a primary source.
- Rather than trying to analyze the source material, he often quoted at length from newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, and state and city documents.
- His books are written in the flowery style of his day, and several of his works, although long, are still considered among the best primary sources available.
- When writing about the American Civil War, the central event of his generation, he could not remain objective, and clearly articulated his strong pro-South perspective and prejudice about the war he fought.
- Still, his History of the Confederate States Navy remains a particularly valuable contribution to the literature of the American Civil War.At the outbreak of the war, Scharf enlisted with the 1st Maryland Artillery.
- He fought in the Confederate States Army and Navy.
- Returning from the war, Scharf helped reorganize the Maryland state militia.
- He practiced law and took positions as a city editor for the Baltimore Evening News and managing editor for the Baltimore Sunday Telegram.
- He accumulated a mass of papers on the city of Baltimore and from these he published his first major work, The Chronicles of Baltimore.In 1878, Scharf, a Democrat from Baltimore City-District 2, was elected and served one term in the Maryland General Assembly, House of Delegates.
- He served as Commissioner of the Land Office of Maryland from 1884 until 1892 and was an active member of the Maryland Historical Society.
- In the year before he died he was dismissed from his position as "Special Chinese Inspector" for the Southern District of New York, a post charged with enforcing the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Geary Act of 1892.
