The Sterling genealogy

338 THE STERLING GENEALOGY
spected by all who knew him. As an old man said " he was a better
Sterling than has ever lived since." He held many of the town
offices, and was a captain of the " 6th Co. Trainband, 3rd Regt.,
Conn." State Militia. (Rev. Rolls of Conn.) He was one of a
committee to " purchase and procure Provision for y e officers &
Soldiers familys that are in the Continental Service," Dec. 17,
1781.
He built the house in Sterling City which he occupied about
the time of his marriage in 1763. Here he lived and here all his
Home of Captain William Sterling from the Front
children were born. Capt. William's death was a tragedy that is
still well remembered in the vicinity. His daughter Jemima m. his
wife's cousin, William Sill, by whom he was assassinated on the
morning of July 22, 1805. A contemporaneous account of Capt.
William's death is found in The Connecticut Gazette, published
at New London, July 24, 1805. This relates:
"' Come, Pity, come —
And Virtue, if it be not sacrilege,
To call on Thee in such a case as this,
Come blush for him.'
On Monday last, was committed to prison in this City, William
Sill, for the murder of his Father-in-law, Capt. William Sterling.