My Genealogy Hound

EZEKIEL C. KERR and BROTHERS, residents of lot 26, second sub-division, Kaskaskia Point, Randolph County. Ezekiel is a native of Pennsylvania, and was born in York County, December 28, 1848. He is a son of James and Elizabeth (Krall) Kerr, both natives of Pennsylvania. The father died in 1873, at the age of seventy-eight years; and the mother in 1874, when sixty-four years old. They lie buried in the cemeteries at Dillsburg and Siddonsburg, Pa., respectively.

Young Ezekiel attended the district schools in his native county, and remained at home until his twentieth year. Up to this time he had never been from home a fortnight in his life. With the intention of going to Missouri, he and his brother George left home early in August, 1871, and journeyed to St. Louis. Instead of locating immediately in Missouri, the boys came to Randolph County, where their brother James had planted a crop of wheat near Ellis Grove, and after harvesting it they all three intended to go to their former destination. They journeyed about twenty-five miles northwest of Rolla, but seeing nothing but broken hilly land they started back on foot, returning to Illinois. Here following their first crop with another in the fall of 1873, they secured a farm south of Ellis Grove, which they occupied two years and then moved to the west side of the Okaw River, taking a fifty years’ lease in two hundred and eighty-five acres in the second and third surveys of Old Kaskaskia Commons. Here the three brothers operated in partnership until 1882, when James withdrew from the company, intending to locate in Kansas. Finding nothing to suit him there, he wandered down into the Indian Territory, but soon returned as far east as Douglas County, Mo., where he took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres. After a fortnight’s residence James started for Kaskaskia, and fully expected to return to his claim, but has now abandoned it altogether, and is with his brothers again. George and Ezekiel have never been separated since their first departure for the west.

James A. Kerr was born December 25, 1843, and was married December 21, 1886, to Miss Mary, a daughter of Sterling and Clarinda (Craig) Adair, residents of Randolph County. To them were born two children, Ruth A., who died in infancy, and George W., born September 18, 1892.

April 27, 1893, Ezekiel Kerr was united in marriage with Mrs. Susan McDonald, the widow of Benjamin McDonald, and a daughter of William and Lucinda (Hinkle) Hudson, natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. The date of her birth is November 15, 1852. The brother George has never been married, and with the family is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church at Pujol. All the brothers are stanch advocates of the Democracy, and support its principles by their influence and vote.