Adolphus Sterne

Infobox State Representative
honorific-prefix =
name = Nicholas Adolphus Sterne
honorific-suffix =


birth_date = April 5, 1801
birth_place = Cologne, Germany
death_date = March 27, 1852
death_place = New Orleans, Louisiana
state_house =Texas House of Representatives
term_start =1847
term_end =1851|

Nicholas Adolphus Sterne (April 5, 1801–March 27, 1852) served three terms in the Texas House of Representatives and one term in the Texas State Senate. He immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1817, living in Louisiana for ten years. In 1826, he moved to Nacogdoches, Texas, where he operated a mercantile and smuggled weapons for the colonist who wished to rebel against Mexico. His position as a Freemason helped save him from a death sentence, and Sterne went on to finance two companies of men, the New Orleans Grays, to assist in fighting in the Texas Revolution.

Early years

Sterne was born to Emmanuel and Helen Sterne on April 5, 1801 in Cologne, Germany. In 1817, he learned that he would be conscripted for military service. As he was working in a passport office, he used his contacts to forge a passport for himself and immigrated to New Orleans in the United States. While there, he worked in a mercantile and studied law, also joining the Freemasons.citation|last=McDonald|first=Archie P.|title=Nicholas Adoolphus Sterne|publisher=Handbook of Texas|date=June 6, 2001|accessdate=2007-10-22|url=http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/SS/fst45.html]

Moved to Texas

In 1826, Sterne moved to Nacogdoches, Texas and establied a mercantile. He was required to swear an oath of loyalty to Mexico, which governed Texas at the time. Despite having given his oath, Sterne soon became involved in the Fredonian Rebellion smuggling guns in coffee barrels. He was arrested and senteced to death for treason after spies in New Orleans reported his activities. His guards were also Masons and allowed him a great deal of freedom, finally releasing him on the grounds that he never again take up arms against the government.

On June 2, 1828, Sterne married Eva Catherine Rosine Ruff, an immigrant from Wurttemberg, Germany who had also lived in Louisiana. The couple lived in Nacogdoches, where they raised their seven children. Sam Houston lived with them for a time, and was baptized as a Roman Catholic in their parlor, with Eva Sterne serving as his godmother.

Public service

A provisional provincial government was created in Texas in 1835, and Sterne traveled to New Orleans as an agent of that government to recruit an army. He personally financed two companies, later known as the New Orleans Greys. Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836, and the Republic of Texas was born. Under the Republic, Sterne served briefly as a commander in the militia during the Cherokee War in 1839. In 1840, he became a postmaster at Nacogdoches, and later served as a deuty clerk and associate justice of the county court. The following year he beame a justice of the peace.

After Texas was annexed to the United States, Sterne was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, where he served three terms. In 1851 he was elected to the Texas State Senate. He died in New Orleans on March 27, 1852.

References