1. Martha Ingham Dickie Sharp Cogan was an American Unitarian who was involved in humanitarian and social justice work with her first husband, a Unitarian minister, Waitstill Sharp, and others of her denomination, and so helped hundreds of refugees, including Jews, to escape Nazi persecution, through relocation and other efforts.
Martha Sharp married Waitstill Sharp in 1927, and took temporary leave from her work.
Martha Sharp followed Waitstill to Meadville, Pennsylvania, when he was assigned to a small church after his ordination as a Unitarian minister in 1933.
Martha Sharp died in 1999, at the age of 94 in Providence, Rhode Island.
Martha Sharp was survived by her daughter, Martha Sharp Joukowsky, a retired Brown University professor and her son, Waitstill Hastings Sharp Jr.
Martha and Waitstill Sharp were recruited to work in Czechoslovakia, where a large community of Unitarians were present under the leadership of Norbert Capek.
On one occasion, Martha Sharp escorted 35 refugees, ranging from politicians to children whose parents had committed suicide, to Great Britain.
In 1943, Martha Sharp founded "Children to Palestine," with support from the Jewish women's organization Hadassah.
In 1944, Martha Sharp returned to Lisbon, assuming the position of Associate European Director of the Unitarian Service Committee.
In 1950, Martha Sharp accepted a position in the National Security Resources Board, which would mobilize resources in the event of a Soviet attack.
Martha Sharp resigned as President Dwight Eisenhower was inaugurated, and moved back to New York.