Biography

02/19/1800 - 06/20/1888

Judge Joseph M. Sterrett (Whig21) Crawford and Erie Counties, 1837-1841

Early Life:

Judge Joseph M. Sterrett, born February 19, 1800, Shippensburg, Cumberland County, son of James and Anna McKnight Sterrett; moved, Erie Pennsylvania, 1807; common school education; newspaper apprentice; returned, Erie Pennsylvania, 1819; founded, Erie Gazette, 1820; married, Catherine Riblet, 1824, children, Mary Ann Sterrett Truesdail, Jane B. Sterrett Wallace, Charles James Sterrett, George Sterrett; Erie County commissioner, 1829; elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1837-1841; appointed, Erie County Associate Judge, 1849-1854; Erie Postmaster, 1861-1869; United States Revenue Commissioner, Erie Judicial District; died, June 20, 1888, (aged 88–89) Erie County, Pennsylvania; interment, Erie Cemetery, Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania. 

Early Career:

Newspaper apprentice, Erie Northern Sentinel, Mercer Western Press, Hagerstown (Maryland) Torchlight, Frederick (Maryland) Star of Federalism, Baltimore American, Carlisle Volunteer. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Erie County commissioner, 1829. 

Elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 21st district, Crawford and Erie Counties, 1837-1841. 

Appointed, Governor William Freame Johnston, Erie County Associate Judge, 1849-1854. 

Erie Postmaster, 1861-1869. 

United States Revenue Commissioner, Erie Judicial District.

Legacy:

Known as “Old Reliable” at the time of passing, oldest journalist, Pennsylvania. 

Founder, Erie Gazette where the famous editor Horace Greeley apprenticed in his youth.

Cited:

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

Buffalo Morning Express (Buffalo, New York) Sunday, June 24, 1888, page 14.

Judge Joseph M. Sterrett (1799-1888) - Find a Grave Memorial