Person:Andrew Kerr (17)

Andrew Kerr was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

Contents 1 Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA 2 Records in Augusta County, VA 3 Will Transcript 4 Information on Andrew Kerr		Welcome to Old Augusta Early Settlers Beverley Manor Borden's Grant Register Data Maps Places Library History Index
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Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's:

Andrew Kerr received a patent for 230 acres, prob. from William Beverley "on Middle River Shanando; cor. said Allison's other land", on 5 Sept. 1749, as listed in the disposition, below. (Note: the original acquisition transaction is apparently not listed in the Chalkley's transcription, and may have been not included in his transcripts).

Disposition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Page 150.--__ February, 1762. Andrew Kerr (Carr) and Rachel ( ) to John Allison, £45, 77 acres, part of 230 acres patented to Andrew, 5th September, 1749, on Middle River Shanando; cor. said Allison's other land." Delivered: Jno. Allison, February, 1768. (Note: this John Allison was most probably John Allison, who married Lucy Kerr, daughter of John Kerr and Lucy Pickens. John Kerr was Andrew Kerr's brother)

• Page 391.--17th August, 1762. Andrew Ker and Rachel ( ) to Timothy Coil (Coul), £42, 153 acres on Middle River, patented to Andrew, 5th September, 1749, Wm. Ker's line. Acknowledged and privy examination. Delivered: Timothy Coil, November, 1764.

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley's:

• Page 459.--20th August, 1752. James Edmiston, son and heir and administrator of David Edmiston and Isabella Edmiston, relict and heir and administrator of David Edmiston to Hugh McClure, 350 acres in Beverley Manor, from Beverley to David, 24th July, 1740. Teste: Andrew Kerr. Teste: John Henderson, Adam Thompson.

• Page 520.--__ ____, 1753. William Kerr to Edward Rutlidge. Flag Spring on Middle River. Teste: John Hind, Andrew Kerr, John Pickens, Wm. Kerr.

• MARCH, 1758 (B). - Alexr. Wright vs. Andrew Kerr.--June 14, 1754. To Rutherford, on faith. Henry, on sacrament

• Page 353.--20th May, 1761. John Kerr and Lucie ( ) to John Allison, £2, 10 acres on east side Shanandoe betwixt land of said Ker and Allison, part of 400 acres; Andrew Ker's line. Teste: Andrew Russell, Edward Rutledge, William Ker. Delivered: John Allison, February, 1768.

• 17 February 1762: Commission for examination of Rachel, wife of Andrew Kerr. (Note: There is a Joseph Kerr, b. 1762, d. 3/24/1829, buried in Thyatira Church Burial Ground, Rowan County, North Carolina, that is most probably the same Joseph named in Andrew's will)

Will Transcript

Will of Andrew Kerr

In the name of God Amen I Andrew Kerr of the County of Rowan and State of North Carolina being in bad health of Body but of sound mind memory and Judgement thanks to God therefor: but being advanced on years adn Calling In mind the mortality of the body and that it is appointed For all men once to die being desirous to settle my worldly affairs in this Just and Equatable manner do make and ordain this my last will and Testament, principally and first of all I Give and Bequeath my soul to almighty God who gave it and my body to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian manner at the descretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall Receive the same Reunited to my soul by the Almighty Power of God and it Touching worldly substance or Estate as God hath him pleased bless me with in this live I Give devise and Bequeath in the following manner and form ~

Viz. My mind and will is that my just debts funeral Expenses and the Expenses of proving this my will be first paid By Executors herein after mentioned out of the Residue of my Estate herein after mentioned and by me bequeathed And that as soon as may be after my decease.

Item. I Give and Bequeath unto my loving wife Mary Kerr her bed and furniture the use of my negroes Tim and Luce During her life, Also Childs part of my moveable Estate and at the decease of my said wife Mary Kerr The said Negroes Tim and Luce to be divided Between my Sons Joseph and Samuel as near as may be........

Item. I G. and Bequeath unto my son by ^Jane? Francis Garden one negro girl named Sal. [see note below]

Item. I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Margaret Benson Ten pounds in money...

Item. I Give and Bequeath unto loving Daughter Mary One Gray filley, one Negro Girl and her part of the movable Estate that is known by the name of her Property.

Item. I Give Bequeath and Devise unto my Daughter Ann, one Bay filley, one Negro Child and that Part of household furniture & c. that how goes by Her Name.

Item. I Give Bequeath and devise unto my dutifull sons Joseph and Samuel all my Real Estate and the Residue of my moveable Estate to be Equally divided As may be, between them my said Sons Joseph and Samuel and at the decease of my wife Mary I will that my Negroes Tim & Luce be Divided as near as may be between my sons as aforesaid.

Lastly. I do Nominate Constitute and appoint my Wife Mary Kerr, and my son Joseph Kerr, Executors of this my last will and Testament her[e]by Revoking and disanuling any will or wills by me heretofore made and do Ratify and confirm this my last will and Testament.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand and affixed my seal this 30th day of Sept. 1781.

[Signed] Andrew Kerr {Seal]

Signed Sealed Ratified and Confirmed as the last Will and Testament of Andrew Kerr In presents of us

David Woodson, Richard Shaffer, Jas. Brandon

Note: Andrew Kerr's reference to Jane? and "Francis Garden" appears to relate to a GRAND son, David Gardner that had been born the year before the writing of the will to Andrew's daughter Jane "Jennet" and her husband, Francis Gardner (1750-1782). Andrew Kerr's second wife Mary also mentioned the same David Gardner in her will written in 1801.

Information on Andrew Kerr

Andrew Kerr is most probably a son of James Kerr, who died in Augusta County, Virginia in 1770. He is mentioned in early records of Augusta County in " Augusta Co, Virginia Baptismal Records, 1740-1749", and it is described as "a record of baptisms by the Rev. John Craig, D.D., 1740-49, pastor of Augusta Church for thirty years":

Name of Father Name of Child Date of Baptism Place/Notes

KERR, Andrew John Mar 27, 1748 N/A

KERR, Andrew Jennet Aug 24, 1746 N/A

In addition, he is mentioned in land records as having adjoining property to his brother, John Kerr (listed below). Andrew Kerr left records in Augusta County, Virginia, then was listed as one of the early settlers in Rowan County, North Carolina in 1754. His first wife, Rachel appears to have died in 1762, most likely after complications of childbirth, as a son, Joseph Kerr was born in 1762. Andrew married, 2nd, Mary Hamilton sometime after his first wife died, but no records of any children of his second marriage have been located to this point.

Records of Andrew Kerr:

Bean, E.H. (1914), Rowan Co. (N.C.) Records Early Settlers: Kerr, David, 1758. First Kerr was Andrew in 1754.

8 August 1769 - Rowan County, North Carolina Deed between Andrew Kerr and his wife Mary Kerr, and John Foster

1782 Rowan County, North Carolina Will of Andrew Kerr, named wife MARY, daughter Ann and sons Joseph and Samuel.

From TNGenweb - Tennessee's Land Disputes with North Carolina Duplicate Entries In May of 1784 North Carolina passed another act relating to its western reserve. This one stated that if an entry had been made in John Armstrong’s office and the enterer afterwards discovered someone else had already entered on that same piece of property, it would be permissible for that second person to take his original entry number and apply it to an entirely different piece of land.37 As an example, an entry was made out to Andrew Kerr in May of 1784 and assigned entry number 2222. Kerr entered on 5,000 on the east side of the Mississippi River.38 (This is in what is today extreme West Tennessee.) When the grant was issued, it was based on an entirely different parcel. It was for 5,000 acres, just as in the first entry number 2222, and it even mentioned number 2222. But, this time the property was in Greene County on the north side of the Tennessee River on Swift Creek, in what is today EAST Tennessee.

ENTRY:

“#2222 Andw. Kerr, May 21st 1784 5000 acres lying on east side of Mississippi joining James Stewart's entry on the third little Chickasaw bluff said bluff... running out from the river for complement. Warrant issued 12 January 1785.”39

GRANT:

“State of North Carolina No. 108 Know ye that we have granted unto Andrew Kerr 5,000 acres of land in the County of Greene upon the north side of Tennessee River on Swift Creek beginning at a dogwood and white oak dated November 1st 1786.[Signed] J. Glasgow, Sec. Rd. Caswell. Warrant No. 2222, surveyed by J. Taylor, John Ray, Wm. Moore, Quinton Moore, and Willm. Buckingham chain carriers.”40

In other words, with this law speculators who had overlapped their entries in their rush for the land got a second chance to locate somewhere else, even though the Hillsboro office had been closed.

1.   Chalkley, - Augusta County, Virginia Court Abstracts.
2.   .

   l . Will of Andrew Kerr (September 30, 1781), Rowan County Wills (original), xerographic copy# North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh
   2 . Will of Mary Kerr (July 22, 1801), Rowan County Wills (original), xerographic copy, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh
   3 . List of the Property Sale of the Goods and Chattels Of Mary Kerr, dec•d. (May 24, 1805}, Rowan County Estates Papers, Mary Kerr folder, xerographic copy, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh
   
   https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/api/collection/p16062coll6/id/8109/download