Adolphus Sterne

Nicholas Adolphus Sterne (April 5, 1801 – March 27, 1852) was a German-American politician and revolutionary. Born in Cologne, to a Jewish father and a Lutheran mother, Sterne immigrated to the United States in 1817, living in Louisiana for ten years. In 1826, he moved to Nacogdoches, Texas, where he operated a mercantile. In short order, he became involved in the Fredonia Rebellion, smuggling weapons for the colonists who wished to rebel against Mexico over the course of 1826 until the final uprising began in December, 1826. When the Mexican military put the rebellion down in January, 1827. While Sterne was captured and sentenced to death in short order, his status Freemason helped save him. He was released after promising to never take arms up against Mexico again. Sterne married fellow German Eva Ruff in 1828. Despite his pledge, he became part of the Texas Revolution after the formation of the provisional government in 1835. He used his resources to finance two companies of volunteers from New Orleans, and served in the government of the Texas Republic after independence. After Texas was annexed by the U.S., he served three terms in the state House of Representatives and one term in the state Senate.