Docum Samuel Kerr
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98. Documentation for Samuel Kerr (1778 to Bef 08 Oct 1823) father of Nancy Kerr (1809 to after 1838) Samuel Kerr was born in 1778 in Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of John Kerr and Mary Daugherty. John Kerr was born in 1745 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania or Ireland and died October 2, 1807, in Guilford Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Mary Daugherty was born in 1747 in Peters Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and died in 1819 in Franklin County, Ohio. John and Mary were married September 16, 1765, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. 1809 to 1810 Madison and Pickaway counties were formed from Franklin and Ross Counties. (John Kerr born 1745, Chambersburg, PA, died October 2, 1807 in Guilford Township, Franklin County, PA; Mary Dougherty born 1747 in Peters, Cumberland, PA died 1819 in Franklin Ohio; Married September 16, 1765 in Cumberland, PA; Children: Joseph, 1765; Jean 1767; John M. Kerr October 15, 1772 in Chambersburg, Franklin, PA; Sarah Kerr 1775; James Kerr January 31, 1777 in Chambersburg, Franklin, PA; Samuel 1778; Mary Kerr 1788.) The will of John Kerr Sr., probated 21 Oct 1807 in Franklin Co,PA (Franklin Co. Will Bk "B", p.331, #918) bequethed the following: Son Joseph: 400 pounds. Daughter Sarah: 400 pounds Daughter Jean: 400 pounds Son James: 1 Spanish minted dollar. Son John: 400 pounds Son Samuel: Interest only from 400 pounds Daughter Mary: 500 pounds for rest of her life. Name: John KERR Title: Sr. Birth: 1745 in Lancaster, PA or Ireland 1 Death: 2 OCT 1807 in Guilford Twp, Franklin, PA 2 Fact 1: See Note Page Note: Ms Kahn debunks the myth about the father of John Kerr Sr, as being David, one of a trio of brothers who emigrated to America via Ireland, Londonderry, to the port of Philadelphia in 1708. She cites work done by Virginia Shannon Fendrick for the Franklin County Chapter of the DAR, p143, which points to this conclusion. In that document he is reputed to have been born in Ireland in 1745. According to the work "John and Christiana Nisewanger Kerr Jr., Their Ancestry and Descendents", the following supports his birth in Ireland and most likely: "During the 1600s there was general unrest in Scotland because of almost continual clan wars, religious differences and crop failures. During this time there was a migration of Scotts to Northern Ireland where they built the towns of Londonderry and Coleraine. Many of those who migrated because of religious reasons were caught up in the strife between Protestant William of Orange and Catholic James II, which had repercussions in northern Ireland, including the Siege of Londonderry. Londonderry was beseiged in 1689 for a period of one hundred and five days by the forces of James II. His forces withdrew when they sighted several ships sailing up the Foyle estuary, each loaded with reinforcements dispatched by William of Orange. In subsequent years, there was an emigration of these Scotts to the American Colonies where they had a chance to acquire land, find religious freedom, and escape from war." Of Kerrsville (Chambersburg), PA. Served in Revolutionary War - (a) In Capt. Wm. Findlay's Co, Eighth Battalion, under Col. Smith, as a Pvt. in 1777, (b) as 2nd Lt. in 1778 in the 7th Co., Eight Battalion, Capt. James Young's Co. under Col Abraham Smith, (c) as 2nd Lt. in the 5th Co. in 1779. A government marker was placed on his grave by the Franklin Co. DAR. Tombstone inscription says: "Lt. John Kerr: PA Militia, Rev. War." John and Mary settled near Conococheague Creek in Cumberland Co., in a part which in 1784 became Franklin Co.,PA, building a fine stone mansion still standing in about 1980. He laid out part of borough long known as Kerrstown. He lived, worked and died on the farm for 60 years. In his will he named his wife Mary, six children: Joseph, John, Sarah, James, Mary and Samuel. Tombstone marking includes: Lt. John Kerr, PA militia, Rev.War. The DAR Patriot Index - Centennial Edition, part 2, lists John as "2Lt PA". NOTE: There is a difference of opinion amongst genealogists as to whether David is the father of John Sr. NOTE; Ancestral File ver 4.18 has birthplace as PA. "He and wife Mary moved to Ohio with his brothers John and Joseph. Samuel and Nancy settled on the Big Darby about 1818. (Their arrival date in the area may have been earlier as a Samuel Kerr was the Justice of the Peace in Franklin, OH in 1807 (See History of Franklin CO, OH by William T. Martin) The Martin work also has a Samuel Kerr as an early settler in Georgesville on Darby and builder of the first frame house which was later owned by Elijah Chenoweth Jr. Samuel Kerr also built the first grist mill in 1805. He was also justice of the Peace in 1807. In the summer of 1811, one Thomas Miller taught a term of school in the little log cabin standing on the farm owned by Samuel Kerr. This was a small school, and was composed of the children of the Chenowith, Kerr and Foster Families. This is believed to have been the first school in this portion of the township. School was taught in this cabin for several years. While he was a thriving farmer, he also became Brother Joseph's agent, sending corn-fed hogs, fine cattle, wheat and corn to Chillicothe." He and wife died on the Big Darby, 10 miles west of Columbus, OH. "(This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1898. Page 254.) ROBERT FLOYD KERR, A. M., is one of the most influential citizens of Brooking, who has always shown an unselfish interest in furthering the intellectual and material progress of its people. He was born in Sugar Grove, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, April 12, 1850, and a son of Andrew J. and Nancy (Sayers) Kerr. Andrew J. Kerr was born in Franklin county, Ohio. His father, Samuel Kerr, came from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and was of Scotch-Irish lineage, his ancestors having immigrated prior to 1 740 and located at Chambersburg. John Kerr, one of the immigrants, was a sergeant of the Pennsylvania militia during the Revolutionary war. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Long Island, but exchanged after some time." !Sources: Title: John Kerr Family See also John and Christina Nisewanger Kerr, Jr. by Edythe T. Kahn, 1991, Ohio Genealogical Society Library. DAR Patriot Index, Part 2, Centennial Edition. Samuel Carr of 1820 Ohio census for Madison County, Union Township. John Kerr, brother?, on same census John E. Gwynne on previous page Must be John "Evan" Gwynne born July 5, 1784 in Cumberland, Maryland and died December 8, 1825 in London, Ohio. Married Frances "Fannie" Dent, March 7, 1807, Cumberland, Maryland. Died London, Ohio. London, Ohio, is close to Georgesville, OH. Father was Evan Gwynne 1750-1818 and mother was Elizabeth C. Simkins, 1759-1847 Benjamin Foster in Jefferson Township, Madison County, Ohio in 1820 John Foster, Darcus Foster, and Lewis Foster also in Jefferson, Madison, OH in 1820 census A George Dougherty married a Margaret Kerr on September 10, 1777, in Pennsylvania Marriages to 1810. The children of Samuel Kerr and Nancy Gwynne were: 1. Orson Kerr, born about 1806 in Franklin, Ohio, married Cynthia Clawson, December 5, 1828, Fountain County, Indiana. She was born August 21, 1812 in Washington, Montgomery, Ohio. She died October 22, 1875 in Tippecanoe, Indiana. See Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana. (Orson Carr, Cynthia Clawson, December 5, 1828, Fountain County, Indiana, Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941) (Vienna Clawson married John Mathews on December 7, 1826, in Fountain County, IN) (Orson Carr listed in 1830 Fountain County, Indiana, census age 20 to 30, one female age age 15 to 20, one female under five years of age) Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana (Moses Carr listed in 1830 Fountain County, Indiana, census age 20 to 30, one male under age 5, one male age 5 to 10, one female under age 5, one female age 20 to 30) (Moses Car married Elizabeth Pyle July 30, 1835 in Fountain County, IN) (Malone Carr married Leah Vannest, Vermillion County, Indiana, May 21, 1835) (Orson Carr listed in 1840 Tippecanoe County, Indiana, census) (1840 Fountain County, Indiana, census lists a Mary Carr age 50 to 60, one male age 10 to under 15, 2 females age 15 to 20) 2. Joseph Kerr, born about 1808 in Franklin, Ohio 3. Nancy Kerr, born about 1810 in Franklin, Ohio Probably married Thomas Gouty. One World Family Tree gives her birth year as 1804 and her death year as 1840. They show one daughter, Clarissa Gouty, born July 5, 1832 in Highland, Vermillion, Indiana, and died April 7, 1875, in Deerfield, Vernon, Missouri. She married John Sampson Chezem (1830-1879) and had a child named Sarah Ellen Chezem, 1854-1931) Nancy Carr and Thomas Gouty, married October 14, 1830,Vermillion County, Indiana. 4. Samuel Kerr, born about 1815 in Franklin, Ohio (Samuel Kerr married Dorothy Jefferson, May 11, 1837, Fountain County, Indiana) (Samuel Kerr married Betsey Ann Taylor, October 19, 1837, Warren County, Indiana) 5. Robert Kerr, born about 1818 in Franklin, Ohio 6. Elijah Kerr, born about 1821 in Franklin, Ohio Perhaps was in 1870 Irwin, Brown, Kansas census. 7. Jackson Kerr, born about 1823 in Franklin, Ohio Perhaps was Andrew Jackson Kerr.