The following sketches were taken from The Sterling Genealogy, by Albert Mack Sterling (pub. 1909).
James Sterling
"His parentage and ancestry are not definitely known. He is supposed, however, to be a great-grandson or a great-great grandson of William Sterling of Haverill and Lyme, probably through his son Richard.
In Asa Bonney's account book he is under date of 1780, called James Sterling, Jr; therefore it is assumed that his father was then of Cornwall and named James.
Cornwall was first settled in 1739-40. None of the name of Sterling were there among the earliest settlers of the first eight years.
James Sterling married in Cornwall, Conn. June 28, 1767 to Hannah May, probably the daughter of Edward May of Cornwall. James Sterling, although a Quaker, enlisted at Cornwall in June 1776 as a memeber of Captain Roger's Company."
"James was a very vigorous man, large physically." ...."....he was of a kindly and even tempered disposition and enjoyed a joke. In reply to some remarks by his more excitable wife, he would say, "don't thee bite, Hannah". "His half-sister, name not known, lived in his family and she did not seem to share his jovial disposition. He made some remark about her mouth wich she resented so much that for a long time she would not eat at the table with him. So James ate his meals alone and left the table that his sister might eat with the family. "
Thomas Sterling
"Thomas Sterling (son of James) was born in Cornwall, Conn. December 6, 1768. He married August 23, 1790 in Morris, Conn. to Mehitable Norton, born June 1, 1768.
Thomas Sterling removed from Connecticut to Brooklyn, Susquehanna Co., Penn in 1812. At that time the township was known as Hopbottom, deriving this title from the creek along whose banks the early settlers found wild hops growing. The name was changed to Brooklyn in 1825.
Thomas Sterling was a wheelwright and a cabinet and furniture maker. Like his father he was a Quaker, one of few in the locality. He and his wife are buried in the old cemetary in Brooklyn. The inscription on the stone above their graves reads: 'Thomas Sterling died Nov 26, 1828, aged 61 years, also Mehitable his wife died Sept 18, 1827, aged 60 years'."
James William Sterling
"James William Sterling [the only child of Thomas Sterling and Mehitable Norton] was born in Cornwall, Conn. in March 1791: married Jan 1813 Betsey Tewksbury, born Jan. 4, 1795, daughter of Jacob Tewksbury (who came from Vermont) and his second wife, Mary Reed.
James, commonly called by his middle name William, migrated to Brooklyn, Susquehanna Co., Penn. in the spring of 1811, in his 21st year. He made the journey on foot, with a knapsack on his back. he worked that summer chopping and clearing the trees from the land on which he later built his home. In the fall he returned to Connecticut and came back in the following spring with his parents. The father (Thomas), bought the land and deeded it to James in 1819. James was a farmer, and like his father and grandfather was a Quaker. He died June 13, 1864. His wife Betsey (or Elizabeth) died June 3, 1877. They are buried in the old cemetary in Brooklyn."
Some related links....
Jon Sterling's page - has more detailed accounts of James Sterling as well as lists of his descendants.
Old Brooklyn (PA) Cemetary Records - Where many of the Susquehanna Co. PA Sterlings are buried.
Clan Sterling Online - provided by Michael Jex and Rick Sterling.