Ed Sterling

ED STERLING, better known as "Sandy," formerly a 'bus driver in New York City, began as a driver on the Overland Stage Line in 1860, from Seneca to Cottonwood station, and continued until the spring of 1861. He was then transferred to the South Platte fork at old Julesburg, from which place he drove west to Valley Station. He then went on the Salt Lake division and drove from Weber to the foot of Big Mountain, a distance of thirty-five miles. Some time afterwards the high water washed out the road, and it was fully three days before anything could be heard from any place on the line east or west. The road became impassable and had to be changed. It afterwards ran through Weber valley to Dixie Ca�on and to Parley's Park; thence to William Kimball's, son of the noted Mormon apostle, Heber C. Kimball. This road was afterwards used permanently as the great overland stage road and to accommodate the enormous freighting which was then going on over the plains and mountains. "Sandy" was reported to have had some narrow escapes in East and Dixie ca�ons, and more than once barely got away alive. In 1863, he, with another driver, Charley Haynes, was obliged to "double" the road from Plum Creek to Cottonwood Springs, a distance of sixty-two miles, for eight days and nights, on account of the horrible condition of the roads, which delayed the stages from both east and west.

After the closing of staging on account of the building of the Pacific railroad, Mr. Sterling located at Seneca, Kansas, and engaged in the livery business. In the early '70's, opening the "Overland Stable," which he ran for about twenty-five years. He was a man with many friends and greatly respected by the community.

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