Nova Scotia STERLINGS dec/Maryland family

[Chris R. Nelson]

A book I have named "Thirty Four Families of Old Somerset County,
Maryland" (1974 Gateway Press, Baltimore, Maryland [Library of Congress
Catalogue Card Number 74-79110]) contains information on a STERLING
family, of which I am a descendant, whose children were involved in the
Revolutionary War. One of the children sided with the British and finally
moved to Nova Scotia and had a family there. Here are some excerpts from
the book that tell the stor:

(Page 447)
"DD15. JOHN STERLING: son of John and Mary (Martin) Sterling (DD2); b.
c1700, d. 1779; mar. Mary Todd. He lived on the homestead of his father
and grandfather at Little Annemessex. He had two Royal Grants of land in
Somerset Co., the first of 38 acres, patented 4 Apr. 1748, named
Sterling's Chance, the second of 9 acres, under date of 25 Mar. 1762
called Sterling's Fancy. ch:
i. Mary Sterling, b. 4 Mar. 1737
ii. Travers Sterling, b. 1740, d. 1826; Rev. War Vet; mar.
Grace Todd (DD16).
iii. Sara Sterling
iv. John (Johnathan) Sterling, b. 1952, d. 1826, Rev. War Vet
with the British (DD17).
v. Aaron Sterling, b. 9 Dec. 1756 (DD29).
vi. Ephraim Sterling, d. 1845; mar. (1782) Esther ----- (DD30).
vii. Hannah Sterling"

I am a descendant of Travers Sterling and Grace Todd (ii). The defector
to Canada was John (Johnathan) Sterling (iv). Here's more information on
Johnathan from the same book:

(Page 448)
"DD17. JOHN or JOHNATHAN STERLING: son of John and Mary (Todd)
(DD15), b. 1752, d. 1826. This Johnathan took up arms against the
colonies and fought with the British during the Revolutionary War along
with some others of this area. He was chased out of Annevessex by
agitated neighbors who caught him hiding in a closed; said to have been
at Makepeace. Upon being detected he shot one of his would be captors
and fled to New York where he joined the British forces an became a
Captain and made quite a name for himself. After the war the British
awarded him "half pay" and he settled in New Brunswick in Nova Scotia and
became a British subject. He never returned to Annemessex. He married
Ann Leslie of New York and had nine ch., starting the Sterling clan in
Nova Scotia. Ch:
i. John Sterling, b. 1789
ii. Mary Ann Sterling, babt. 1791
iii. -----Sterling, babt 1793
iv. Lucy Sterling, bapt. 1796
v. George Sterling
vi. Walter Sterling
vii. Daniel Sterling
viii. Sarah Sterling
ix. Isabel Sterling"

Annemessex is now refered to as Crisfield and surrounding areas in
Somerset County, Maryland on the Lower Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake
bay. It would be very interesting for me to meet some Canadian descendants
from this family.
--- Chris NELSON (cne...@scs.unr.edu or try
cne...@pogonip.scs.unr.edu)

[Elsie Savell]

c> A book I have named "Thirty Four Families of Old Somerset County,
c> Maryland" (1974 Gateway Press, Baltimore, Maryland [Library of Congress
c> Catalogue Card Number 74-79110]) contains information on a STERLING
c> family, of which I am a descendant, whose children were involved in the
c> Revolutionary War. One of the children sided with the British and
finally

c> moved to Nova Scotia and had a family there. Here are some excerpts from

If Chris R. NELSON and other descendants could find some family data from the

period -before- the unpleasant choosing of sides for the Revolutionary War,
they might find some interesting connections. I am wondering for whom the
town
of Sterling, Virginia was named--west of DC in Loudoun County. Encyclopedias

may have something on this, and perhaps historical societies in the area. I
have heard that there was much interaction among the people of MD and
northern
Virginia in the 1700's because of the tobacco economy they had in common.

--Elsie Crane Savell in Bethesda, MD
Best Regards, Elsie

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Fidonet: Elsie Savell 1:109/356.3563
Internet: Elsie....@p3563.f356.n109.z1.fidonet.org