The present township of Sterling originally formed a part of Harrisburgh Precinct, and then of Elkhorn Precinct, where it remained until it was created a township by the Commissioners appointed by the County Commissioners’ Court in 1852 to divide the county into townships, give them names, and pre­scribe their boundaries. Sterling township comprises all that part of Congres­sional township 21 north, range 7 east of the 4th principal meridian, as lies north of Rock river, and contains all of sections 1-21, 24, and fractional parts of sections 22, 23, 25, 28, 29, and 30, in that Congressional township. The land back of Rock river is rolling prairie, excepting along the banks of the Elkhorn creek, where it is broken in places, and more or less covered with timber. Along the river in the middle and upper portions of the city of Sterling, and for a short distance eastward, the land is somewhat bluffy, all of which was originally covered with timber. The balance along the river is divided between bottom and rolling land. The township is watered by Rock river on the south, and by Elkborn creek, which enters it near the northwest corner of section 2, thence flowing nearly westward through sections 8 and 4, and thence in a southwest­erly course through sections 5, 8, 17, and 18, when it passes into Hopkins township. Besides the timber land along the banks of Rock river and Elkhorn creek, there is quite a tract on section 6, in the northwest part of the township, which is divided into lots. The farming land of the township is exceedingly fertile, and under the excellent management of its owners, produces abundant crops. A good quality of stone for building purposes is quarried at the foot of the bluffs in the upper part of Sterling, and in the rapids of the river.

Early in 1834, the populous township of Sterling could boast of only one inhabitant, Mr. Hezekiah Brink, who, though bearing the weight of many years, is still living at his old homestead. During that year Mr. Brink made an ex­ploring expedition through a portion of Rock River Valley. At Dixon he met Messrs. Andrews and Holland, and with them journeyed down the north side of Rock river through Gap Grove, passed the site of the present city of Sterling, and paused at the point where Como is now located. From thence the explorers followed the Elkhorn to the mouth of Spring creek, a little west of the present village of Empire, crossing the, former stream by swimming their horses, and transporting themselves and baggage in an Indian canoe. Striking down to the river again, they followed an Indian trail to a point opposite the Prophet’s village, and leaving their horses to graze at the ox-bow bend, crossed over to where they found a cabin, occupied by a Mr. McClure, with whom they remained over night The next morning they started back to Dixon, following the river trail, and after a few day’s rest at Father Dixon’s cabin, during which they discussed the relative merits of the different points they had visited, decided where to locate their respective claims. Andrews and Holland, having the first choice, selected the land on the river bend, afterwards known as the Como Purchase. Mr. Brink made his claim on the north bank of Rock river, east of the street now known as Broadway in Sterling. As soon as this matter was concluded, Mr. Brink proceeded to Oswego, on the Fox river, and exchanged his horse for a yoke of oxen. Upon his return to Indiana, he brought his family back with him to its new home, and occupied his cabin about May 1, 1835. His improvements were made within the limits of the present city of Sterling. At that time Mr. Brink’s nearest neighbor resided at what is now called Old Prophetstown­

In 1835 John J. Albertson and came from Dutchess New York, and made a claim east of Mr. Brink’s, upon which they settled. William Kirkpatrick came in the spring of this year, made a claim and built a cabin where, the section line between section 22 and 27 intersects Rock river at the rapids. He came from Sangamon county, Illinois, and had crossed the river at this point in going from home to Yellow creek near Freeport, where he had a saw mill. John W. Chapman also came in 1835, and settled west of the present city of Sterling, claiming the constitutional number of acres - six hundred and forty of prairie, and one hundred and twenty of timber. Samuel S. Geer, John Simonson, John Wilcox, and Jacob Brown, also came this year.

In 1836 the population was increased by the arrival of Elijah Worthington and Julius D. Pratt, from Luzerne county, Pennsylvania; Luther Bush, from New York; Van J. Adams from Ohio; Wyatt Cantrell from Kentucky; John W. McLemore, David Steele, John Ogle (came from Fountain county, Indiana with his family, in the spring of 1836. He was a carpenter by trade. He married Miss Sarah Brink, in Indiana. Their children were, Benjamin, John and Daniel. Mrs. Ogle, after the death of her husband, married Ezra Huett, moved to Iowa, where he died in January, 1877), Enoch and Noah Thomas; Nelson Mason, John D. Barnett (came to Chatham with Nelson Mason; and was a partner with him, in the first store opened in that place. At the establishment of Rock River Rapids Postoffice, he was appointed the first Postmaster. He had a wife and one child, and returned to the East in 1841); and others. Messrs. Mason and Barnett were met on the prairie where they were searching for homes for themselves and families on Government lands, by William Kirkpatrick, while on one of his trips from his home in Sangamon county to his mill on Yellow creek, and persuaded by him to visit Chatham. The place pleased them so well that they determined to locate there. Van J. Adams made a claim about two miles east of Sterling, upon which he resided until his death.

During the year 1837 the number of settlers was further increased, among them being Hugh Wallace, Eliphalet B. Worthington. James C. Woodburn came with his brother, Capt. Geo. W. Woodburn, from Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, to Sterling, in 1837. In 1839 he was elected the first Sheriff of Whiteside county, and served the regular term. He conducted the first Circuit Court held in the county, at Lyndon, in 1840. he died of consumption in 1848. George W. Woodburn, Ezekiel Kilgour, William A. Merritt, John Pettigrew, D. C. Combs, William H. H. Whipple, and Benjamin Fancier. The Woodburns purchased part of the claim of John W Chapman, west of Sterling. Mr. Whipple also purchased a part of this claim. William A. Merritt died twenty years ago of consumption. D. C. Combs was a blacksmith, and had a shop in Harrisburg, but did not remain long. A man by the name of Johnson made a caim during the year, in the grove now the property of the heirs of Joel Harvey, three miles west of the present city of Sterling. He was unmarried and lived with his brother-in-law, a Mr. Halloway. Johnson died in 1838, and was the second person buried in the cemetery near the Lutheran church, Mr. Steele being the first. After the death of Johnson, Mr. Halloway, who was an Englishman and did understand the science of farming, returned East. The land was afterwards entered by other parties.

A large number of settlers came in 1838, among them, Luther B. Wetherbee, Col. Jacob Whipple, James M. Whipple, Dr. John A. Bates, Dr. A. W. Benton, Daniel M. Vrooman, Jesse Penrose, Theodore and Elijah Winn, Jonathan Stevens, Wesley Robinson, 0 John Platt, and Brewster Platt. Daniel M. Vrooman went to California in 1850, and when last heard from he was at returning from ­Sacramento to San Francisco on a boat. Dr. John B. Bates, a highly educated gentleman and successful physician, died in the winter of 1842—’43. His remains were taken to Massachusetts by his friends, for burial, about ten years after his death . The Wlnn brothers have been dead a number of years. Dr. A.W. Benton practiced medicine a number of years in Sterliog, and then moved to Fulton. He died some years ago. Jonathan Stevens made a claim north of the present city of.Sterling. Marshall L. Pratt came this year and purchased an undivided sixteenth part of Harrisburgh and remained, two years, and the went West, forfeiting his claim, which became the property of Theodore WInn. Amóng the arrivals in 1839 and 1840, were John Enderton, C. C. Judd, William E. Boardman, William H. and George K. Adams, Robert L. Wilson, and John Dippell. After that time settlers came in more rapidly, as the beauty and fertility of Rock River Valley had become pretty Widely known.

The following are the names of the early settlers of Sterling, as near as can be asertained with the year of their arrival : 1834 Hezekiah Brink, James Holland, John Andrews, William Andrews, Peter Burke, Samuel Geer; 1835, Samuel S. Geer, John J. Albertson, Isaac H. Albertson, John Simonson, John W. Chapman, Wright Murphy, William Kirkpatrick, John WIlcox, Jacob Brown, Samuel Brady; 1836, Elijah Worthington, Julius D. Pratt, John Ogle, Wyatt Cantrell, John W. McLemore, Van J. Adams, Col. S. W. Johnston, Luther Bush, Nelson Mason, John D. Barnett, John Mason, Andrew McMoore, David Steele, William Oliver, Isaac Ricco, William Reed, Enoch Thomas, Noah Thomas, Andrew Swan, Bowman Bacon (removed to the west in 1838,with the Stevens family, to which he was related. Mr. Bacon married Mrs. Fuller. He served in the army as Cantain of Company G, 74th Illinois Regiment. He was wounded at Kenesaw Mountain, from the effects of which he died, July 21, 1864), Andrew Oliver, D.B. Combs, A.F.R. Emmons; 1837, Eliphalet B. Worthington, James C. Woodburn, George W. Woodburn, Ezekiel Kilgour, Zera M. Chapman, Levi Chapman, Porter S. Chapman, William H.H. Whipple, Henry Brewer, Horatio Wells, John Pettigrew, Benjamin Fancier, A.B. Steele, Henry Tuttle, Marshall Pratt, John Petty, Hiram Hadlock, WIlliam A. Merritt, Moses Warner and family came west in 1839 in company with the Whipples and Wetherbee families; they stopped about a year in Sterling, and in 1839 settled in Lee county. Mr. Warner died in the winter of 1876—7, at an advanced age. Two sons, Henry and Moses M., reside in Sterling. Hugh Wallace. Hiram Platt (came to Sterling from New York State in 1837, and made a claim at the spring two miles north of the city of Sterling. Mr. Platt married late in life. His wife died a few years after the marriage, and he died in 1869), D.D. Guile, D.C. Combs; 1838, James Carley, Sutherland Ingurel, William Rogers, Charles Wickwire, William Stephens, Dr. John A. Bates, John Brendago, Martin Montgomery, Zachariah Dent, Col. Jacob Whippled, James M. Whipple, Luther B. Wetherbee, George Wells, George D. Reed, Robert C. Andrews, Charles King, Chester Millard, Theodore Winn, Elijah Winn, Jesse Penrose, Wesley Robinson, Daniel M. Vrooman, John Platt, Brewster Platt, George Blanchard, Jonathan Stevens, Charles Miles, George Chandler, Ephraim Batcheller, Dr. A.W. Benton; 1839, John Enderton, C.C. Judd, Oscar Rhodes, William E. Boardman, William H. Adams, George K. Adams, R.L.. Wilson, D.F. Batcheller, John Dippell and others, came in 1840, and the settlement from that time was largely increased by arrivals.

The first white child born in the present township of Sterling, was Margara, daughter of Hezekiah and Martha Brink, the date being February 25, 1836. She married Mr. A.B. Crandall, in 1855. The first male child born in Sterling is claimed to be Chas. M. Worthington, a son of Elijah Worthington, and well known as a former editor of the Sterling Gazette.

The first death is stated to be that of a young man who had been one of a party to oust a claim jumper. At such times parties went armed, fearing a warm reception from the jumper and his friends, and such as the case with the party which this young man joined. While on their way to the claim a musket was accidentally discharged, the contents of which entered hisleg, causing a wound of so serious a nature that amputation was found to be necessary, and a short time afterwards he died.

There seems to be a lack of recollection as to the earliest marriage which took place within the territory now comprising the present township of Sterling. The first marriage of which we have been able to find any record was that of Robert C. Andrews and Rhoda C. Kingsbury, which occurred April 24, 1842, Van J. Adams, Justice of the Peace, officiating, although other marriages unddoubtedly took place at a much earlier date. The marriage of John Dippell and Esther H. Bush occurred June 18, 1843. That of James Bradley and Lucinda Brewer February 13, 1844.

The early settlers of Sterling had been well educated at their old homes, and soon turned their attention to providing means for the education of their children. There were no school houses , and as in similar cases throughout the county, the cabin was turned into a school room. Mrs. E.B. Worthington has the honor of being the first teacher, the school being held in her own house. Among her scholars were many who today are leading citizens of Sterling and other places. The next school was taught by Mr. L. Whipple, in a building erected for a shop on Fulton street in the fall of 1838. Mr. William H. Andrews succeeded Mr. Whipple as teacher in the same building. Now the finest shcoolhouses in the county, or in this section of the State, can be found in Sterling.

Religious services, like the schools, were held at first in the cabins of the settlers. Hezekiah Brink, Luther Bush, and others, early opened their residences to the minister, and invited their neighbors to attend divine services. The first religious society in the township was organized in the cabin of Mr. Brink, in 1836, by Rev. Barton H. Cartwright, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The members were then few in number, but strong in the faith. Out of this organization has grown the present Broadway M.E. Church, in the city of Sterling.

The first traveled road was from the present city of Sterling to Gap Grove, and was laid out by Hezekiah Brink in the primitive manner of the time, by cutting down a small tree and hitching his oxen to it, and then having it gragged over the prairie, the distance between the places being seven miles. The road was soon afterwards legally laid out by viewers appointed by the Jo Davies County Commissioner's Court, Mr. Brink being one of the viewers.

The first town meeting in Sterling under the township organization law, was held at the Court House, April 6, 1852, with Luther Bush as Moderator and David M. Ward, Clerk protem. Fifty four votes were polled. It was ordered, among other things, at that meetin g, that there should be one Pound Master in the town who should build at the expense of the town, a good and sufficient pound or yard to keep any animals which might be put into it, the yard to cover an area of thirty-six feet square, and to be located at the discretion of the Pound Master. The owners of hogs were forbidden to allow them to run at large at any season of the year; but other stock owned by them might be permitted to do so under certain restrictions. It was also voted to levy a tax to build the Pound. The Commissioners of Highways, elected at this town meeting, reported during the year that the road labor asessed was two days for each man, not exempt by law, and that all the fines and communtations had been received by the Overseers, and expended for the benefit of the highways.

At the town meeting in 1853, it was ordered that the grave yard above the upper town be purchased for the use of the inhabitants of the township, and that a deed be made to the Board of Supervisors in trust for the township. A committee, consisting of L.D. Crandll, R.L. Wilson, and Hezekiah Brink, was appointed to obtain, if possible, a further quantity of land, either by donation or purchase, adjoining the above grave yard, which should be added to it, for burial purposes, the committee to report at the next town meeting. A motion was made at this meeting to repeal the hog law passed the year before, but it was vociferously voted down, and to show that hogs must mind their business, and keep in their litle pens, it was ordered that a fine of twenty-five cents in addition to the lawful fee be levied on each hog put into the Pound, the owner to disburse the quarter. It was further ordered that a fine of ten dollars be levied on any person with should forcibly take away any hog put into the Pound, or for injuring or destroying any part of the. fence enclosing the yard, all of the money arising from swine fines to become a part of the town fund. The number of votes cast at this election was thirty-four, twenty less than at the first town meeting.

At the town meeting in 1854, the committee appointed at the previous meeting made a report, and it was then ordered that the township purchase of Jesse Penrose, a tract of land consisting of eight or ten acres, owned by him, lying east of the grave yard, near the bank of the river, above the upper part of the villageof Sterling, and that twenty-five dollars per acre be paid there-for, the tract to be used as a burying ground for the township. It was also voted to raise two hundred dollars to purchase the land. The hog law was further added to, by imposing an additional fine upon the owner of every hog, large or small, taken up and put into the Pound. A tax was not deemed nec­essary by the voters at this meeting, to meet the expenses of the township for the coming year, as a fund sufficient for that purpose remained in the hinds of the Supervisor. The number of votes polled at this election was only thirty-­two. The following shows the vote cast at each town meeting from 1855 to 1860; 1855, 91; 1856; 242; 1857, 226; 1858, 321; 1859, 407; 1860, 430.

The following have been the Supervisors, Town Clerks, Assessors, Collec­ton, and Justices of the Peace, of the township of Sterling from 1852 to 1877, inclusive:

Supervisor - 1852—’55, Jesse Penrose; 1856, Edward N. Kirk; 1857—’58, Decius 0. Coe; 1859, Frederick Sackett; 1860, Samuel S. Patterson; 1861—’62, Daniel Richards; 1863, Marcus L. Gee; 1864, Nelson Mason; 1865—’66, A. A. Terrell; 1867, Dicius O. Coe; 1868, Joseph M. Patterson; 1869-73, Joseph M. Patterson,

William M. Kilgour; 1874, John G. Manahan, Samuel C. Harvey; 1875-76, Joseph M. Patterson, James M. Wallace; 1877, William A. Sanborn, W. C. Robinson.

Town Clerks:—1852—’53, Norton J. Nichols; 1854-’55, R De Garmo; 1856, Edward Jamieson; 1857, A. H. Buckwalter; 1858, Rudolph Kauffman; 1859—’61, Jesse Penrose; 1862—77, J. B. Myers.

Assessors:—1852, Henry Tuttle; 1853—’54, Marcus L. Coe; 1855, Benja­min Stauffer; 1856, Cyrus Manahan; 1857, James Galt; 1858, Charles Rost; 1859—67, D. M. Ward; 1868, John C. Teats; 1869—71, W. H. Smith; 1872, Adam R. Smith; 1873, J. C. Teats; 1874, Israel Slater; 1875—’77, Charles N. Munson.

Collectors —1852, Henry Aument; 1853-54, George W. Brewer; 1855, Benjamin Stauffer; 1856—’57, John Dippell; 1858, Rudolph Kauffman; 1859, Joseph E. Cobbey; 1860, Jerome D. Herrick; 1861, Charles M. Worthington; 1862, C. L. Ginkinger; 1863, Edward H. Barber, 1864, C. L. Ginkinger; 1865, R. L. Mangan; 1866-.’67, Richard B. Getz, 1868, F. 0. Headley; 1869—’71, Andrew K. Haberer; 1872, Charles N. Munson; 1873—74, Israel Slater; 1875, D. Bard Rock; 1876, Noah Merrill; 1877, John H. Sides.

Justices of the Peace:—1855, Joseph Golder, D. M. Ward; 1856, Wm. M. Kilgour; 1858, D. M. Ward; 1860, Wm. M. Kilgour, John S. Stager, Joseph E. Cobbey;. 1864, John S. Stager, Allen W. Beatty; 1866, R.L. Mangan; 1868, John S. Stager, R. L. Mangan, E.G. Allen; 1869, R. Champion, F. Vander­voort; 1872, B. L. Mangan, J W. Alexander, R; Champion, E.G. Allen; 1873, J.W. Alexander, R. Champion, R.L. Mangan, E.G. Allen; 1877, E. G. Allen, R. Champion, Adam B. Smith, J. W. Alexander, R. L. Mangan.

On the bank of Rock river above Sterling are sevcral groups of mounds and earthworks, and below the Fair Grounds there are, twenty-two mounds, one which is the largest in the county. These ancient mounds contain in many instances human bones, showing that the buuilders used them in part at least, as burial places for their dead. The question whether these mounds were built by a prehistoric race, is. still a mooted one. Besides those bones, a great var­iety of articles have been found, consisting of ancient crockery, arrow and spear heads, stone axes, curiously shaped fragments of stone, intended undoubtedly for ornaments, and in some cases copper tools and implements. These have been eagerly sought after by those interested in ancient relics, and are carefully treasured by their possessors.

About two miles east of the city of Sterling, on the farm of Mr. Albertson is a mineral spring, the water of which is said to contain soda, magnesia, potassa, lithia and, silica, and some chlorides and phosphates. This spring has lately become quite noted, and many resort to it for the beneficial properties of water. Bathing houses, and other buildings for the convenienoe of guests, have been erected, and the place has assumed the appearance, to quite an extent, of a fashionable watering resort. The spring is situated in a beautiful grove, the drive to it from Sterling,over a fine road, affords pleasure as well benefit.

The following is related as the way an early pioneer of Sterling township secured a second wife, and may be useful to some at this day who are anxious to find spouses to take the place of those who have gone to the realms above. This early settler being left alone in a strange country by the death of the, wife of his youth, and being desolate beyond degree, determined to seek for another help meet. But how to do this was the difficulty, and after revolving the matter in his mind for several days determined to call upon the Probate Justice in Sterling, and one day made that official a visit. The Justice kindly gave him a list of all the widows in Whiteside county, taken from the Probate records, toge­ther with a letter addressed to whom it might concern, that the bearer was an intelligent, and industrious farmer, had a good home, and was in possession of the qualities both personally and materially to make the coming wife happy and contented. Thus prepared he started out on foot on a cool, bracing December morning, with his wedding garments, tied up in a bandana handkerchief, slung across his shoulder. ‘the first day’s search proved unsuccessful, but on the second, he found a widow willing to listen to his suit, and a bargain., was concluded. Two weeks, were to intervene before the happy event, and at the end of the probation he led his blushing bride of fifty summers to the altar. In this connection it might be well to add that the festive groom had grappled with the cold and snows of seventy winters; The Probate Justice, as a reward the part he had taken in securing the union of two loving hearts was invited, together with his wife and friends, to partake of the banquet provided by the newly wedded pair at the home where they were to fight the battle of life together.

The township contains 12,040 acres of improved lands, and 2,292 of unimproved. Number of improved lots, 1,082; unimproved lots, 385. The number of horses in the town, as shown by the Assessors book for 1877, is 765; cattle, 3,185; mules and asses; 21; sheep, 65, hogs, 1,328; steam engines, including boilers, 7; carriages and wagons, 512; watches and clocks, 436; sewing and knit­ing machines, 319; piano fortes, 75; melodeons and organ 99. Total assessed ­value of lands, lots and personal property, $2,340,470; value of railroad property, $45,829. Total assessed value of all property in 1877, $2,349,709.)

The population of Sterling township and city in 1860, according to the Federal census was 2,428. The population of the township, outside of the city, in 1870, was 712, of which 600 were of native birth, and 112 of foreign birth. The present population outside of the city is estimated at 1,000.