Daniel L. Sterling was born in Lima, New York on November 5, 1823. Between the years 1853 and 1857, he, his wife Fidela and two daughters, Ellen and Mary, moved to Lowell, Michigan. Sterling farmed there for several years, and children Wellington and Emily were born in 1857 and 1860 respectively.

On December 19, 1863, at the age of forty, Daniel L. Sterling enlisted with the 1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, Company 2, mustering in Grand Rapids MI, on January 5, 1864. He was employed as an artificer, or a mechanic and carpenter.

During his consignment with the union troops he remained with his regiment for the entire time, with the exception of two hospital stays. While at camp, he worked as a cook, took role call, held religious meetings and helped run a sawmill. His duties generally ran parallel to the tasks of his company. While away, he wrote regularly to his wife and family in Lowell, MI. His letters report on what he had seen and done, different cities, architecture, flowers, financial, farm advice to his wife and reported on the general attitude among the soldiers.

In Nashville, Tennessee, on September 22, 1865, Sterling was discharged and returned to Lowell. Son Milton was born in Lowell on October 21, 1866.

Daniel’s wife died in 1887 and he eventually moved in with his daughter Ellen and son-in-law Lewis Merriman, remaining in Lowell until his death on September 14, 1914.

Daniel L. Sterling’s eldest daughter Ellen married Lewis Merriman and had two children, their names are not known. D.L. Sterling’s second daughter Mary married a “Stowe”, her husband’s first name is not known. Son Wellington D. Sterling married Mary L. Sterling, who was born in 1857. They had (as of 1900) three children, Ura L. Sterling (1883), D. Lawrence Sterling (1889), and Lena P. Sterling (1891). D.L. Sterling’s third daughter, Emily, married a Merriman, her husband’s first name is not known. Milton J. Sterling married Belle B. Sterling and had two sons, Warren W. Sterling (1893) who married Ethel L. Sterling, and (A.) Wellington Sterling (1899).

(A.) Wellington Sterling is linked to Daniel L. Sterling through these intermediate generations. A. Wellington Sterling was born on February 22, 1899, the grandson of Daniel L. Sterling. He grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and sometime during the course of his life he and his brother Warren W. Sterling moved out to the San Pedro, California area.

He lived there, alone and destitute, apparently being taken care of by neighbors Dan and Renee McElroy. He died on November 4, 1972, with the McElroy’s purchasing his gravestone, which is inscribed “OUR GRANDFATER”.

A. Wellington Sterling is buried beside his brother Warren W. and sister-in-law Ethel L. Sterling in Green Hills Cemetery.