He was born in Fairfield, Connecticut, the son of Jonathan Sturges, who also served in the House.
Sturges graduated from Yale College in 1782, engaged in mercantile pursuits in New Haven, and returned to Fairfield, Conn., in 1786.
He served as clerk of the probate court for the district of Fairfield from 1787 to 1791, and was a member of the State house of representatives from 1794 to 1803.
Sturges was elected as a Federalist to the Ninth Congress to fill in part the vacancies caused by the resignations of Calvin Goddard and Roger Griswold.
He was reelected to the Tenth and to the four succeeding Congresses and served from September 16, 1805, to March 3, 1817.