Joseph Kerr

Joseph Kerr (1765 – August 22, 1837) was a Democratic-Republican politician from Ohio who served in the United States Senate.

For other people named Joseph Kerr, see Joseph Kerr (disambiguation).
Joseph Kerr
United States Senator
from Ohio
In office
December 10, 1814 – March 4, 1815
Preceded byThomas Worthington
Succeeded byBenjamin Ruggles
Member of the Ohio Senate from Ross and Franklin counties
In office
1804–1806
Preceded byAbraham Claypool
Nathaniel Massie
Succeeded byAbraham Claypool
Duncan MacArthur
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from Ross County
In office
1818–1820
Preceded byDuncan McArthur
James Manary
William Vance
Succeeded byJohn Bailhache
John Entrekin
William Vance
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from Ross County
In office
1808–1809
Preceded byNew district
Succeeded byJames Dunlap
Joseph Gardner
Nathaniel Massie
David Shelby
Edward Tiffin
Personal details
Born1765
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
DiedAugust 22, 1837 (aged 71–72)
East Carroll Parish, Louisiana
Political partyDemocratic-Republican

Biography

Kerr (pronounced "car") was born in Kerrtown, Pennsylvania (now Chambersburg), and moved to Ohio in 1792. He served in a number of positions as clerk, surveyor, judge and justice of the peace in the Northwest Territory.

He served as justice of the peace at Manchester, Adams County, Ohio in 1797. and as a judge of the first quarter session court of Adams County, Northwest Territory, in 1797.

Kerr's son, Joseph Kerr Jr., died in the Battle of the Alamo.[1]

Career

After statehood was declared, Kerr was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1808, 1816, 1818, and 1819. He was elected to the Ohio State Senate in 1804 and 1810. He also served as a brigadier general of Ohio Volunteers during the War of 1812, in charge of supplying provisions to the Army of the Northwest.

Kerr was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1814 to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Thomas Worthington.[2] Kerr served from December 10, 1814, to March 3, 1815,[3] and did not seek re-election.

Death

Kerr's extensive farm went bankrupt in 1826, and he moved to Memphis, Tennessee and then to rural Louisiana, where he purchased a homestead near Lake Providence.[4] He died on August 22, 1837, and was interred in the Kerr Family Burying Ground in Lake Providence.[5]

References
  1. Groneman, Bill (June 15, 2010). "KERR, JOSEPH". Texas State Historical Association.
  2. "KERR, Joseph, (1765 - 1837)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  3. "govtrack.us". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  4. "KERR, Joseph, (1765 - 1837)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  5. "Joseph Kerr". Find A Grave. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
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