The Sterling genealogy

WILLIAM STERLING OF HAVERHILL, MASS. 353
with his carriage. He found the two sick men in a barn at Harlem,
Capt. Bennitt having discharged them, so that they might try
to get home.
" He, like the Good Samaritan, put them both in his carriage
and then led the horse until they arrived at home, where both
recovered." (Oreutt's Hist, of Stratford and Bridgeport.)
Abijah was a representative in the General Assembly of
Connecticut in the Oct. sessions of 1798 and 1799 and in the
May session of 1801.
Abijah Sterling was the owner of considerable land in Strat-
ford and Fairfield. He bought of Daniel Morris, for £78 " silver
money," eight acres of land, north of the church in Stratford,
Mar. 12, 1781. A year previously, eight acres had been granted
him " near Clabbord Hill." Nathan Seeley sold him for £32
18s. 5d. land north of the church, May 23, 1786, and David
Sherman, for £7 10s. sold him an acre and a half of salt meadow
at Stratfield Beach, Sept. 17, 1786. Sherman sold him an acre
and a quarter more of the meadow, for the same money, July 29,
1795. He bought of Josiah French for £126, twelve acres of land
adjoining his own in Stratford, Apr. 23, 1787, and of Catharine
Bennett of Weston ten acres adjoining, Mar. 13, 1789, for £72.
Of Asahel Dudley he bought for £62, on Nov. 16, 1796, an acre of
ground, having a house and barn on it, " standing on the Newtown
road and surrounded by land already owned by Abijah. Apr. 11,
1799, for £73 he bought an adjoining piece of David Barlow and
on May 2 following he sold six acres and a half to Dr. James E.
Beach for $143.34. (Fairfield Records.)
He inherited considerable property from his father. Most
of the land which he owned lies where is now the city of
Bridgeport.
He d. Mar. 17, 1802. The inscription on his gravestone in
the old Stratfield burying ground is : " In Memory of Abij ah
Sterling, Esq., who died March 17 th 1802 in the 57 th year of his
Age." The inventory of his estate, dated May 28, 1802, mentions
a house, barn and cider mill. He died intestate and his estate
was administered, June 6, 1803 ; his eldest son Da-id being " ab-
sent & over sea."