Re: David White Kerr
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In reply to:
David White Kerr
Donna L. Reese 8/30/01
David White KERR (5 Aug 1819NC-5 Sep 1879NC) was a son of:
Samuel KERR (1787-1852) m.1818 Mary WHITE (1800-1828)
David died of lockjaw and was buried at Hawfields Presbyterian Church, along with his parents, some children and many other kin.David W. KERR's epitaph reads "He did justly, loved mercy, and walked humbly with his God."David's death by lockjaw was reported in an 1880 letter by his second cousin, my grandpa, Alex J THOMPSON.They were both great grandchildren of George and Elizabeth (ANDERSON) ALLEN.
David was named for his grandfather, Rev. War soldier
David WHITE (1761PA-1837) m.1799 Elizabeth "Betsy" ALLEN (1777-1855)
David WHITE's 1833 will (pr. 1837, Orange Co. WB E-508) specified that grandson David White KERR should inherit his home plantation on the death of widow Betsy.I've never pin pointed the land, but it was in Melville Township, probably near Haw Creek not far above where it flows into the Haw River and a couple of miles as the crow flies south of the town of Haw River.The 1893 Alamance County map by Will Spoon shows two farms in that area owned by David W's sons J.P. and Charles KERR.
David and wife Martha J JOHNSTON (1825-1888, also buried at Hawfields Church) had seven children.In birth order, they were:Mary Lydia, Charles J, Samuel, David W. Jr, John T, James P and William C.Oldest children Mary Lydia and Charles J were named for Martha's parents:
Charles W. JOHNSTON (1798-1855) and Lydia CABE (1797-1877).
Mary Lydia and Samuel KERR died young, and I know nothing of William C beyond his record in 1880 Census, when he was 15, living with his widowed mother, and attending school.James P. KERR was the only son to stay in Alamance Co., as David W. Jr apparently left NC after the 1880 Census of Haywood Co., John T moved to Durham, and Charles moved to Guilford Co. prior to the 1910 Census.James P, his wife Jeanette, and their two children were also buried at Hawfields Church.
Feel free to contact me for more on Hawfields Cemetery records and the KERRs, JOHNSTONs, ALLENs.If you are or think you might be kin to David W. Kerr, I'd particularly like to hear from you, as we would be ALLEN cousins.