James Kerr (Texas)
| James Kerr | |
|---|---|
| Texas Republic House, Third Congress | |
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In office 1838–1839 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | September 24, 1790 Kentucky, USA |
| Died |
December 25, 1850 (aged 60) Jackson County, Texas |
| Spouse(s) | Angela Caldwell, Sarah Fulton |
| Namesake of Kerr County, Texas One of the Old Three Hundred |
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James Kerr (September 24, 1790 – December 23, 1850) was a doctor, politician, Senator in Missouri, soldier, surveyor and Congressman in Texas who was active in the establishment of the Republic of Texas.
Kerr was born near Danville, Kentucky, the son of a Baptist minister. Reared in Missouri, Kerr fought in the War of 1812 and was later sheriff of St. Charles County, Missouri. In 1818, he married Angeline Caldwell, the daughter of James Caldwell, Missouri's first House Speaker.
Kerr served in the Missouri House of Representatives during its first two terms after statehood. In 1824 he defeated his father-in-law in a race for the Missouri State Senate. He served a single term in the body.
Kerr was appointed Surveyor General of the Texas colony of Green DeWitt in 1825. With his wife, three children and several slaves, he joined Stephen F. Austin's "Old Three Hundred" colony in Brazoria. In August 1825, he set out to select a site for the Dewitt Colony. Kerr named the community Gonzales in honor of the governor of the Mexican state of Coahuila.
By this time, Angeline Kerr and two of the children had died. Kerr was active in area politics and law enforcement during the formative years of the Texas Republic. He acted as attorney and surveyor for Benjamin Rush Milam in 1827. He negotiated for peace before the Fredonian Rebellion, signed a treaty with the Karankawa Indians, and fought other tribes. In 1832, he was the delegate from Port Lavaca at the Convention at San Felipe de Austin northwest of Houston. He also served as a member of the Second and Third conventions. In 1834, Kerr married the former Sarah Fulton.
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