The story so far: Samuel Sturt was born about 1813 in East Hoathly in Sussex, England, baptism not found but those of his siblings have. He married Ann Terry in Brighton, Sussex in 1842 and they had a number of children, some of whom died very young. I have the 1841 census where Samuel age 25 is a shoemaker. Then in the 1851 census he is staying in the Kings Head Inn, Uckfield, is a Toll Gate Keeper and is 37. The rest of the family are in Hailsham where Ann is a Turnpike Gate Keeper. I found a newspaper article of 1851 which tells how he is Toll Gate Keeper of Hailsham and he took someone to court for evasion of tolls. There is a further story of evasion of tolls in 1854 again he is Toll Gatekeeper of Hailsham. Then there is nothing more for him.
The 1861 and 1871 census have Ann with family and described as widow but no death has been found for Samuel, although I have not given up on that search. But a number of ancestry trees have him next found in Otsego with Sabra from 1857 (birth of Ruth) onwards. His naturalisation record of 1869 has him of Sussex, England. Every census record I have found has his place of birth as England. His will of 1880 makes no mention of any family back in England. He was in Virginia by that point.
Taking a short break from gardening and just “thinking out loud”…. 
Is there any possibility that Samuel the toll gate keeper was a different Samuel? Could your Samuel have either died by/around 1851 or left England prior to 1851?
I wonder if Samuel changed his name after 1841, providing that your Samuel wasn’t the gate keeper.
Are there any surname spellings besides Sturt, Stuart, Strut and Streeter that you have run across.
Morning both, I am going to reply to each email as I go, my brain has packed up, gone on holiday and I am still barely functioning.
Just been back and looked at the 1851 census for Samuel Sturt at the Kings Head, it says he was born East Hoathly, so he is the correct one in terms of the one born about 1813, East Hoathly.
Lots of different spellings of Sturt - Stuart, Start the spelling from a couple of generations back before Samuel.
In 1844 Samuel remained a Cordwainer. I have the birth certificates for two of his daughters, Ruth Priscilla and her twin Naomi who died after the day after her birth. I have the death certificate too. Daughter of Samuel Sturt and Ann Sturt formerly Terry, of Hailsham.
There is every possibility that Samuel died between 1851 and 1861, a number of Ancestry trees have him in US as stated but doesn't mean they are wrong. I had a brief look for a death but haven't looked thoroughly. I will continue to search other options.
Kerry
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