Thomas Sterling Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Page 251

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm


HON. THOMAS STERLING, attorney at law, of Redfield, Spink county, is 
one of the wide-awake, energetic citizens of the state, and a man of 
progressive, enlightened views. He is known throughout the state as a 
public speaker of much eloquence and force, and he is so in touch with 
the people and their needs that he voices the sentiment of the majority 
in all matters of public welfare.  

Our object was the eldest of a family of six children, and was born in 
Fairfield county, Ohio, February 21, 185I. The father of our subject, 
Charles Sterling, is of Scotch Irish extraction, and the mother is of 
Pennsylvania Dutch extraction. Both parents are living in retirement at 
LeRoy, Illinois, near which place they settled when our subject was 
about four years of age, and the father engaged in farming.  

Our subject worked on a farm and taught school, thus raising the funds 
to complete a course in the Illinois Wesleyan University at 
Bloomington, which he entered in 1870, and completed the course in 
1875, with the degree of A. B., and later received the degree of A. M., 
after which he was principal of the Bement high school for two years. 
During the time he taught he applied himself to reading law, and 
afterward went to Springfield, where he completed his studies in the 
law office of Hay, Greene and Littler. He was admitted to the bar in 
1878, and a partnership was at once formed with J. M. Grout, and an 
active practice followed until our subject went to Dakota in 1882. He 
located at Northville, Spink county, and followed the practice of his 
profession, and also engaged in agriculture with much success. His 
farm, comprising four hundred acres, is one of the finest in the 
county, and is well Improved. He removed to the city of Redfield in 
1887, and practiced alone until 1390, when the law firm of Sterling and 
Morris, as it is now known, was established. The firm is well known and 
enjoys an extensive practice.  

Mr. Sterling was married in 1877 to Miss Anna Dunn, who died in 1881, 
leaving a son, Cloyd D., a student in Redfield college. Mr. Sterling 
was married in 1883 to Mrs. Emma R. Thayer, nee Rowe. Our subject as a 
member of the Constitutional Convention of 1883, served on the 
judiciary committee, and as a member of the body in 1889 was chairman 
of that committee. He was a senator in the first legislative session of 
the state, and served on the judiciary committee and also identified 
himself with the prohibition and revenue measures. In 1886-88, he 
served as district attorney of Spink county. As a trustee of Redfield 
College he has done valuable work in the upbuilding of the institution. 
Politically he is a Republican and stands firmly for the principles of 
his party. He is a member of the Congregational church, the Masonic 
eternity, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.