Kerr Family
KERR FAMILY
Biography.
Three Kerr brothers came to Texas from Tennessee. Maj. Green William; James Orr; and John Whitfield. Major Green W. Kerr came alone in 1858, bought 590 acres of land in the Vineland Community, northwest of McKinney, then returned to Tennessee. Late in 1859 he returned to Texas with his family and entire possessions including slaves.
Major G. W. Kerr and wife, Mariah Henderson Kerr, were the parents of nine children: Jerome B., Elizabeth, Lawson, Malinda Jane, Ruth, John Steel, A. W., A. D., and Will M. Jerome B. died in the battle at Shiloh; Elizabeth married T. H. B. Hockaday, in Tennessee and came to Texas with her parents. Their daughter, Ella Hockaday, established the Hockaday School at Dallas, Texas in 1913, donated the school to the City of Dallas in 1942 and became president emeritus until her death March 26, 1956. She had one sister, Emma Hockaday Johnson and four brothers: Fred, Jim, Brown, and Albert. Northing is known of these boys.
Lawson Kerr was engaged in farming and religious work. Malinda Jan Kerr Sneed was a teacher – while Ruth Kerr Dowell did social work and taught music.
John Steel Kerr served in the Civil War and after the War was engaged in horticulture and nursery business with his brother A. D. Kerr in Sherman. John S. married Amelia Rutherford Murray and they were the parents of ten children:
1. Mary F. (Molly) married Billy White and lived around Bellvue, Texas.
2. Lavenia A. never married.
3. John Blackwell married Rebecca Ferguson, daughter of Samuel Ferguson of Boling Green, Kentucky, and were the parents of S. Granville; Thos. Leslie; John Edwin; Sallie; Lillian Cloyd; and Ethel.
4. James G. never married.
5. Samuel J. drowned in Little Elm Creek on his way back from Denton where he had gotten his marriage license.
6. Thos. Jefferson (Tump) married Willie Jones and had one son, Sydney. The family lived at Amarillo but later moved to Oregon.
7. Wm. Whitfield married Isola Looney and had one son Wm. Cloyd, who run a Drug Store at Prosper at one time. After Isola’s death - White married Betty Bell Sneathen.
8. Elizabeth married Will A. Gossett and was the mother of James; Hattie, who married Mr. Short; Ray Gossett of Celina; and Dr. John Gossett, a widely known Veterinarian in McKinney for many years.
9. Jerome Botford married Emma Orr and their children were: Sydney, Marie, Whitfield, and Fred. They lived around Snyder by late in life Jerome B. moved back to the McKinney area.
10. Eugenia Alice married Robert Kerr and their children were: Bernard, Finis, Sadie, Roger and Florence.
All of the sons of James O. and Elizabeth were farmers, except Jerome B., who was a Presbyterian Minister.
John Whitefield Kerr, brother of Green W. Kerr and James Orr Kerr, was born in Tennessee September 2, 1834. He was married to Sallie Scott in 1858 – she died prior to the Civil War. His second wife was Mary E. Scott, cousin to his first wife – and they were the parents of four sons: Julian B., Dave W., Frank S., Albert H., and a daughter who died very young. After the death of his second wife, John W. married a sister of Geo. McWhorter, a pioneer in West Collin County. They had no children. Nothing is known of his descendents.
John Whitfield Kerr was a Second Lieutenant in the Civil War, was wounded twice and captured. He came to Texas in 1871 and settled around Celina. He passed away in Celina February 28, 1925.
John Blackwell Kerr was a farmer and lived in the Foote Community – one mile west of old Foote Store and one-half mile North. He lived on this farm all of his life except that spent fighting in the Civil War where he had the misfortune of loosing a thumb. John Blackwell Kerr married Rebecca Ferguson, daughter of Samuel Ferguson who moved to Collin County in 1858 from Bolling Green, Kentucky. J. B. and Rebecca Kerr were the parents of six children:
1. Thos. Leslie who lived in Missouri and was the father of three children.
2. Granville who lived in Oklahoma and was the father of three children.
3. Ethel who married Andrew Martin Griffin and their children were: William Marion, Rosalie, Luther Martin, Sara Ethel, Raymond, and Mary Rebecca.
4. Lillian Cloyd who married Thos. H. Cunningham and their children were: Josephine, William Vincent, Emmet Paul, Thomas Cloyd.
5. Sallie Naomi who married Bill Lively and had no children. Mrs. Lively lived at Amarillo, Texas.
6. John Edwin who married Gertrude Leigh Cline and their children were: John Edwin Jr.; and Virginia Dean Kerr. J. Edwin was a Presbyterian minister who pastored churches in both Oklahoma and Texas.
Ethel Kerr, third child of J. B. and Rebecca Kerr spent a portion of her married life in Collin County but the last few years she and her husband lived in Hale County. William Marion, oldest son of Ethel and A. M. Griffin was a Presbyterian minister and held pastorates in Texas, Missouri and Arkansas. Rev. Marion Griffin married Marie Wilson and they were the parent of two sons: Martin, a computer technician who lives in Van Buren, Ark. with his family, and Warren, who lives in Austin, Texas. Mrs. Marion Griffin now lives in Kerrville, Texas since her husband’s death. The second child of Ethel and A. M. Griffin, Rosalie married Jas. Floyd Baxter. The Baxters lived most of their married life in Collin County where many of their children still live. Their children are named in the record of the BAXTERS found elsewhere in this book.[I don’t know what book is being referred to.] Mrs. Baxter continues to live in the home in McKinney that Mr. Baxter built when they moved from the farm. Mr. Baxter has been deceased several years. Luther Martin, third child of Ethel and A. M. Griffin, was a businessman and veterinarian in Amarillo prior to his death. Luther was married to Lona Johnson and they had one daughter LaWayna who is presently Mrs. A. J. Smith and they own a business in Amarillo. Sara Ethel, fourth child of Ethel and A. M. Griffin married Hiram Attaway and their only child was Lavon who became a construction engineer holding positions in many cities of Texas but is now deceased. Hiram Attaway has been deceased many years and Sara is now married to Earl Carroll and lives in Colorado. The fifth child, Raymond, died in infancy. The sixth child of Ethel and A. M. Griffin was Rebecca who married Dawson Allman and their daughters were Janice Allman Sackett (Mrs. Floyd) who lives in Pampa, and Sharon Allman Bell (Mrs. Don) who lives in New Jersey. Mr. & Mrs. Allman now live in Hale Center, Tx.
Lillian Cloyd Kerr, fourth child of John B. and Rebecca Kerr, married Thos. H. Cunningham a farmer, livestock man and land owner in the Walnut Grove Community. After Mr. Cunningham’s death Mrs. Cunningham moved to McKinney where she lived until her death. The Cunningham’s lost their only daughter, Josephine in infancy. Their sons were Vincent, a prominent businessman in Abernathy, Tx., where his widow, Patsy Caudle Cunningham still lives. Vincent and Patsy were the parents of one son, Don, who is a pilot now living in Denton, Tx., The Cunningham’s second son Paul married Lottie Marie (Hun) Anderhub and they were the parents of one daughter, Peggy. Paul worked for Texas Power and Light until retiring some few years ago and now lives in Richardson, Tx. T. C. Cunningham, third son of T. H. and Lillian, was a Civil Engineer prior to his death. T. C. and his wife Johnny had no children. The elder Cunninghams are buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery.
J. Edwin Kerr, youngest child of J. B. and Rebecca Kerr is now retired from the ministry but still lives in Meeker, Oklahoma.
Biography.
Three Kerr brothers came to Texas from Tennessee. Maj. Green William; James Orr; and John Whitfield. Major Green W. Kerr came alone in 1858, bought 590 acres of land in the Vineland Community, northwest of McKinney, then returned to Tennessee. Late in 1859 he returned to Texas with his family and entire possessions including slaves.
Major G. W. Kerr and wife, Mariah Henderson Kerr, were the parents of nine children: Jerome B., Elizabeth, Lawson, Malinda Jane, Ruth, John Steel, A. W., A. D., and Will M. Jerome B. died in the battle at Shiloh; Elizabeth married T. H. B. Hockaday, in Tennessee and came to Texas with her parents. Their daughter, Ella Hockaday, established the Hockaday School at Dallas, Texas in 1913, donated the school to the City of Dallas in 1942 and became president emeritus until her death March 26, 1956. She had one sister, Emma Hockaday Johnson and four brothers: Fred, Jim, Brown, and Albert. Northing is known of these boys.
Lawson Kerr was engaged in farming and religious work. Malinda Jan Kerr Sneed was a teacher – while Ruth Kerr Dowell did social work and taught music.
John Steel Kerr served in the Civil War and after the War was engaged in horticulture and nursery business with his brother A. D. Kerr in Sherman. John S. married Amelia Rutherford Murray and they were the parents of ten children:
1. Mary F. (Molly) married Billy White and lived around Bellvue, Texas.
2. Lavenia A. never married.
3. John Blackwell married Rebecca Ferguson, daughter of Samuel Ferguson of Boling Green, Kentucky, and were the parents of S. Granville; Thos. Leslie; John Edwin; Sallie; Lillian Cloyd; and Ethel.
4. James G. never married.
5. Samuel J. drowned in Little Elm Creek on his way back from Denton where he had gotten his marriage license.
6. Thos. Jefferson (Tump) married Willie Jones and had one son, Sydney. The family lived at Amarillo but later moved to Oregon.
7. Wm. Whitfield married Isola Looney and had one son Wm. Cloyd, who run a Drug Store at Prosper at one time. After Isola’s death - White married Betty Bell Sneathen.
8. Elizabeth married Will A. Gossett and was the mother of James; Hattie, who married Mr. Short; Ray Gossett of Celina; and Dr. John Gossett, a widely known Veterinarian in McKinney for many years.
9. Jerome Botford married Emma Orr and their children were: Sydney, Marie, Whitfield, and Fred. They lived around Snyder by late in life Jerome B. moved back to the McKinney area.
10. Eugenia Alice married Robert Kerr and their children were: Bernard, Finis, Sadie, Roger and Florence.
All of the sons of James O. and Elizabeth were farmers, except Jerome B., who was a Presbyterian Minister.
John Whitefield Kerr, brother of Green W. Kerr and James Orr Kerr, was born in Tennessee September 2, 1834. He was married to Sallie Scott in 1858 – she died prior to the Civil War. His second wife was Mary E. Scott, cousin to his first wife – and they were the parents of four sons: Julian B., Dave W., Frank S., Albert H., and a daughter who died very young. After the death of his second wife, John W. married a sister of Geo. McWhorter, a pioneer in West Collin County. They had no children. Nothing is known of his descendents.
John Whitfield Kerr was a Second Lieutenant in the Civil War, was wounded twice and captured. He came to Texas in 1871 and settled around Celina. He passed away in Celina February 28, 1925.
John Blackwell Kerr was a farmer and lived in the Foote Community – one mile west of old Foote Store and one-half mile North. He lived on this farm all of his life except that spent fighting in the Civil War where he had the misfortune of loosing a thumb. John Blackwell Kerr married Rebecca Ferguson, daughter of Samuel Ferguson who moved to Collin County in 1858 from Bolling Green, Kentucky. J. B. and Rebecca Kerr were the parents of six children:
1. Thos. Leslie who lived in Missouri and was the father of three children.
2. Granville who lived in Oklahoma and was the father of three children.
3. Ethel who married Andrew Martin Griffin and their children were: William Marion, Rosalie, Luther Martin, Sara Ethel, Raymond, and Mary Rebecca.
4. Lillian Cloyd who married Thos. H. Cunningham and their children were: Josephine, William Vincent, Emmet Paul, Thomas Cloyd.
5. Sallie Naomi who married Bill Lively and had no children. Mrs. Lively lived at Amarillo, Texas.
6. John Edwin who married Gertrude Leigh Cline and their children were: John Edwin Jr.; and Virginia Dean Kerr. J. Edwin was a Presbyterian minister who pastored churches in both Oklahoma and Texas.
Ethel Kerr, third child of J. B. and Rebecca Kerr spent a portion of her married life in Collin County but the last few years she and her husband lived in Hale County. William Marion, oldest son of Ethel and A. M. Griffin was a Presbyterian minister and held pastorates in Texas, Missouri and Arkansas. Rev. Marion Griffin married Marie Wilson and they were the parent of two sons: Martin, a computer technician who lives in Van Buren, Ark. with his family, and Warren, who lives in Austin, Texas. Mrs. Marion Griffin now lives in Kerrville, Texas since her husband’s death. The second child of Ethel and A. M. Griffin, Rosalie married Jas. Floyd Baxter. The Baxters lived most of their married life in Collin County where many of their children still live. Their children are named in the record of the BAXTERS found elsewhere in this book.[I don’t know what book is being referred to.] Mrs. Baxter continues to live in the home in McKinney that Mr. Baxter built when they moved from the farm. Mr. Baxter has been deceased several years. Luther Martin, third child of Ethel and A. M. Griffin, was a businessman and veterinarian in Amarillo prior to his death. Luther was married to Lona Johnson and they had one daughter LaWayna who is presently Mrs. A. J. Smith and they own a business in Amarillo. Sara Ethel, fourth child of Ethel and A. M. Griffin married Hiram Attaway and their only child was Lavon who became a construction engineer holding positions in many cities of Texas but is now deceased. Hiram Attaway has been deceased many years and Sara is now married to Earl Carroll and lives in Colorado. The fifth child, Raymond, died in infancy. The sixth child of Ethel and A. M. Griffin was Rebecca who married Dawson Allman and their daughters were Janice Allman Sackett (Mrs. Floyd) who lives in Pampa, and Sharon Allman Bell (Mrs. Don) who lives in New Jersey. Mr. & Mrs. Allman now live in Hale Center, Tx.
Lillian Cloyd Kerr, fourth child of John B. and Rebecca Kerr, married Thos. H. Cunningham a farmer, livestock man and land owner in the Walnut Grove Community. After Mr. Cunningham’s death Mrs. Cunningham moved to McKinney where she lived until her death. The Cunningham’s lost their only daughter, Josephine in infancy. Their sons were Vincent, a prominent businessman in Abernathy, Tx., where his widow, Patsy Caudle Cunningham still lives. Vincent and Patsy were the parents of one son, Don, who is a pilot now living in Denton, Tx., The Cunningham’s second son Paul married Lottie Marie (Hun) Anderhub and they were the parents of one daughter, Peggy. Paul worked for Texas Power and Light until retiring some few years ago and now lives in Richardson, Tx. T. C. Cunningham, third son of T. H. and Lillian, was a Civil Engineer prior to his death. T. C. and his wife Johnny had no children. The elder Cunninghams are buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery.
J. Edwin Kerr, youngest child of J. B. and Rebecca Kerr is now retired from the ministry but still lives in Meeker, Oklahoma.
