Biography

01/27/1842 - 03/23/1919

Sterling Ross Catlin (R21) Luzerne (Part) County 1904-1919

Early Life: 

Sterling Ross Catlin born January 27, 1842, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; son of Julius S. and Martha Covell Catlin; public and private schools education; Polytechnic Institute of Philadelphia; master machinist; 30th Emergency Militia, Battle of Gettysburg, Civil War, 1863; founder, Helena, Montana, 1864; superintendent, Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 1865-1869; returned, Pennsylvania, 1880; Wilkes-Barre City Council, five years; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1904-1919; never married; died, March 23, 1919, (aged 76), in office of Senate, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, interment Hollenback Cemetery Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:  

Apprenticed, machinist; achieved master machinist status. 

Enlisted, Civil War, 30th Emergency Militia, Battle of Gettysburg, 1863. 

One of the founders of Helena, Montana, 1864. 

Moved, California; Superintendent, Mare Island Navy Yard, 1865-1869, first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Wilkes-Barre City Council, five years. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 21st district, Luzerne (Part) County, 1904-1919; committee assignments, Appropriations, Banks and Buildings and Loan Associations, City Passenger Railways, Elections, Executive Nominations, Finance, Legislative Apportionment, New County and County Seats (Chairman), Public Roads and Highways and Railroads. 

Legacy:

Nephew, Brigadier General William Sterling Ross, Pennsylvania State Senate, 13th district, Columbia and Luzerne Counties, 1845-1848.

William Sterling Ross  - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Cited: 

Cox, Harold "Senate Members "C". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1916). Miller, H.P., (Compiler). Baker, W.H., (Assistant Compiler). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 1116, 1123-1126, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 1093.

Sterling Ross Catlin (1842-1918) - Find a Grave Memorial