Family:James Kerr and Martha Ball (1)

James Kerr (b. abt. 1685-1689, prob. Ireland, d. 1770) of Augusta County, Virginia

James Kerr migrated to the Orange/Augusta County, Virginia area abt. 1738, probably from the Lancaster/Chester Pennsylvania area, with many other Scotch-Irish settlers. He died intestate (without a will) in 1770 in Augusta County, Virginia, and records in Augusta County named his eldest son, John Kerr (who married Lucy Pickens) the administrator of his estate. James Kerr was one of the early settlers to Augusta County, Virginia and his large log house was used as an early meeting place and courthouse. He had a large family as detailed in several publications including "From Tinkling Springs, Headwater of Freedom", by Wilson, which details James Kerr's other probable children from early Augusta County, Virginia records. The family of James Kerr intermarried with many other prominent Augusta County, Virginia families.

The identity of James Kerr's wife is unproven, but some researchers claim her name may have been Martha Ball.

This house is also pictured and described in "Old Homes of Augusta County, The Pioneer Home of the Kerr Family", by Gladys B. Clem, Ninth of Landmark Series, pp. 53-56.

Also from "Kerrs and Kin", pg. 8:

The first Kerr who settled in the Valley of Virginia must have been James Kerr, who died in 1770, and his eldest son, John administered on his estate, and James Kerr, my great grandfather, must have been a son of the first James and brother of John, who had two sons, William and James, and a daughter Elizabeth McClure, and John, Samuel, William and Andrew Kerr all owned land on Middle River, and all had children baptized by Rev. John Craig from 1740-1749, and their land adjoined on Middle River from New Hope to Stone Church, and are the same family.

Thus, James Kerr appears to be the progenitor of several sons that were in early Augusta County, Virginia records. He is most probably the grandfather of the following children baptised in Augusta County by the Rev. John Craig between 1740-1749:

"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". It has the following KERR baptisms:

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

• KERR, John .............Isabel ................Oct. 19, 1740 ............ N/A
• KERR, John .............Margaret ..............Aug 2, 1747 .............. N/A
• KERR, John .............Elizabeth .............Feb 6, 1743 .............. N/A
• KERR, John .............Letitia ...............Sept 22, 1745 ............ N/A
• KERR, John .............Mary ..................Feb 27, 1749 ..........Timber Grove

• KERR, William ..........Thomas ................Oct 11, 1747 ............. N/A
• KERR, William ..........Andrew ................Sept 16, 1744 ............ N/A
• KERR, William ..........James .................Apr 13, 1746 ............. N/A

• KERR, Samuel ...........Lucia .................Dec 13, 1747 ............. N/A
• KERR, Samuel ...........Samuel ................Nov 29, 1741 ............. N/A
• KERR, Samuel ...........Agness ................Mar 20, 1743 ............. N/A
• KERR, Samuel ...........William ...............May 5, 1745 .............. N/A

• KERR, Andrew ...........John ..................Mar 27, 1748 ............. N/A
• KERR, Andrew ...........Jennet ................Aug 24, 1746 ............. N/A

One researcher believes that James Kerr MAY have been a brother of Gustavus Kerr, who had family that migrated to Augusta County, VA, in abt. 1763, but this is 25 years after James Kerr and his family arrived in Augusta County, VA. More research is necessary in order to make a connection.

James Kerr was named one of the original Justices of the Peace in Augusta County, Virginia when the first Augusta County Court was formed on December 9, 1745. Also named as Justices of the Peace were John and Andrew Pickens. Several of the Pickens family intermarried with the Kerr's and other prominent Augusta County families. The family of James Kerr were members of Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church, the first church formed in Augusta County, Virginia, near present day Staunton, Virginia. (Source: "The Tinkling Spring: Headwater of Freedom", by Howard McKnight Wilson, pub. 1954.

Additional information and records are listed on James Kerr's TALK PAGE [[1]]

1.   Wilson, Howard McKnight. The Tinkling Spring, headwater of freedom: a study of the church and her people, 1732-1952. (Fishersville, Virginia: Tinkling Spring and Hermitage Presbyterian Churches, 1954).
2.   Craig, John. List of baptisms by Rev. John Craig, Augusta County, Virginia, 1740-1749. (Staunton, Va.: L. B. Hatke, 1979).
3.   Kerr, Vincent. Kerrs and Kin.
4.   Clem, Gladys B. Old Homes of Augusta County, The Pioneer Home of the Kerr Family
   pp. 53-56.