Eliza Catherine Yancey Kerr (1844-1927)



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In 1874 he [John Kerr] purchased a brick home on Main Street in Yanceyville that had been built about thirty years earlier. This is the Kerr House in Yanceyville (once the Kerr Hotel) that later was occuppied by Albert Yancey Kerr and his family (including Katharine Kerr Kendall).

He and his wife owned the Kerr Hotel where judges, drummers, and towns people came to eat. Governor Zebulon Vance was a guest when he was campaigning for his Senate seat. Eliza Catherine Kerr was Yanceyville postmistress 1894-1898.

John Hosea Kerr died of a stroke August 19, 1924. After a short illness in 1927 Eliza Catherine died on April 21. She always called her husband "Cousin John" and to him she was always "Cat." To everbody she was "Cat." "Aunt Cat," "Cousin Cat," or "Miss Cat." Both are buried at the Yanceyville Baptist cemetery.

See: Heritage of Caswell County at 339 (Article No. 420).
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J. H. KERR Family Bible Caswell & Warren Co's, NC
No Publication date shown but Copyrighted in 1874 Now, 1974, in possession of Mrs.J. KERR, Jr., N. C.

John H. KERR was born 20th April A.D. 1844
Eliza C. KERR was born 30th Jane A.D. 1844
Jirnmie KERR Our oldest son was born August 23rd 1871.
John H. Jr. our second son was born 30th Dec. 1873
Mary KERR our oldest daughter was born 1st day Oct. 1875
Yancey KERR our third son was born 28th Feby 1878
Basley Graves KERR was born 4th July A.D. 1880.
Martha Frances KERR was born A.D. 1883. The 19th May - died 21 May, 1965
Nannie Emma KERR was born 28th Sept. A.D. l885
John Hosea KERR, son of John Hosea KERR & Ella FOOTE KERR, born May 19, 1900 in Warrenton.
James Yancey KERR, son of John Hosea KERR & Ella FOOTE KERR, born Aug 3, 1902 in Warrenton.

Marriages.
Nannie Emma KERR and Dr. S. A. MALLOY were married May 14th 1914.
Joan H. Kerr and Eliza C. YANCEY were married on the 19th day December A.D. 1870.
Issue:
3. Mary Kerr & Dr. W. O. SPENCER were married May 24, 1894
2. John H. Kerr and Ella FOOTE were married, Feb. 15, 1899.
4. A. Yancey Kerr and Willie MYERS were married Dec. 8, 1898 (1st time)
5. Mary Oliver MAY 30th 1919 (2nd time)
B. Graves KERR and Lucy M. JACKSON were married Nov. 22, 1906.
6. Martha Frances KERR and A. H. MOTZ were married Sept. l6, 1913.

Deaths.
Jimie KERR our oldest son died 18th Nov. A.D. 1875.
John Hosea KERR Sr. born June. 20, 1844 died Aug. 19th 1924.
Eliza Catherine Yancey KERR born June 30th l844, died Apr. 21, 1927.
Basley Graves KERR son of J. H. & E. C. KERR horn July 4th 1830, died Dec. 3, 1939.
Albert Yancey KERR, son of J. W. & E. C. KERR born Feb. 28th 1873, died Jan 15, 1942
Martha Frances Kerr MOTZ died May 21, l965
Mary Kerr SPENCER died at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C. Sunday, December 5, 1965
John Hosea KERR, born Dec 30, 1873 in Caswell Co., he died June 21, l958 in Warrenton.
James Yancey KERR, son of John Hosea KERR & Ella FOOTE KERR died May 26, 1974 in Warrenton.
Ella Foote KERR, wife of John Hosea KERR, died June 4, l949 in Richmond, Va. burned in Warrenton.
John Hosea KERR, son of John Hosea KERR & Ella Foote KERR, died in Warrenton, May 28, 1968 in Warrenton.
*Note: the numbers are in no particular pattern on this bible record. Not sure what they mean.

Bible Source: http://genforum.genealogy.com/kerr/messages/885.html

1920 United States Federal Census
Name: Eliza C Kerr
Home in 1920: Yanceyville, Caswell, North Carolina
Age: 70 years
Estimated birth year: abt 1850
Birthplace: North Carolina
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse's name: John H
Father's Birth Place: North Carolina
Mother's Birth Place: North Carolina
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Female
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Occupation: Hotel Keeper
Image: 1303
Household Members: Name Age
John H Kerr 75
Eliza C Kerr 70
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Mrs. Eliza Kerr, Prominent Woman of Caswell Dies
(Special to The Bee)
Yanceyville, N. C. Apr 22 (1927)

The death occurred yesterday afternoon at 3 o'clock of Mrs. Eliza Catherine Kerr, one of the most prominent and widely-known women of Caswell county, and the mother of Congressman J. H. Kerr, of the second North Carolina district. Mrs. Kerr was 83 years old and had been ill for some time. Her death was not unexpected.

The funeral will be held this afternoon at 4 o'clock from the Yanceyville Baptist church, the services to be conducted by Rev. W. C. Hood, assisted by Rev. W. C. Merritt and Rev. W. C. McMorris. Interment will be made in the family burial ground.

Besides Congressman Kerr, the deceased is survived by two other sons John H. Kerr, of Yanceyville, representative for the district in North Carolina, and B. Graves Kerr, of Lynchburg and three daughters, Mrs. W. O. Spencer of Winston-Salem, Mrs. S. A. Malloy of Yanceyville, Mrs. A. R. Motz, of Milton, N. C.. Twenty grandchildren also survive.

Mrs. Kerr was the daughter of the late Dr. H. C. Yancey and the widow of Judge John H. Kerr who died two years ago.
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This obituary is confused. First, it confuses congressman Kerr with his "brother" John H. Kerr. They are the same person. The two surviving sons in addition to Congressman John H. Kerr were Albert Yancey Kerr and Barzillai Graves Kerr.

It does manage to sort out the daughters correctly:

Mary Graves Miles Kerr married William Oliver Spencer
Martha Frances Kerr married Alexander Hamilton Motz (not A. R. Motz)
Nannie Emma Kerr married Dr. Stephen Arnold Malloy, M. D.

However, the deceased was not the daughter of Dr. H. C. Yancey. Her father was Dr. Albert Gallatin Yancey, M. D. And, her husband was John Hosea McNeill Kerr.
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Name: Eliza Katharine Kerr
Death date: 21 Apr 1927
Death place: Yanceyville, Caswell, North Carolina
Gender: Female
Race or color (on document): White
Race or color (expanded): White
Age at death: 82y 9m 21d
Birthdate: 30 Jun 1844
Birthplace: Caswell Co., N.C.
Marital status: Widowed
Spouse's name: John H. Kerr
Father's name: Albert G. Yancey
Father's birthplace: Caswell Co., N.C.
Mother's name: Mary Graves Miles
Mother's birthplace: Caswell Co., N.C.
Occupation: Hotel Keeper
Residence: Yanceyville, N.C.
Cemetery name: Baptist Cemetery
Burial date: 22 Apr 1927
Collection: LDS North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930

• Married: 18 DEC 1870 in Caswell County, North Carolina ¹
• Note: Marriage date also seen as 19 December 1870.

1. James Yancey Kerr b: 23 AUG 1871
2. John Hosea Kerr b: 31 DEC 1873 in Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina
3. Mary Graves Miles Kerr b: 01 OCT 1875
4. Albert Yancey Kerr b: 28 FEB 1878 in Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina
5. Barzillai Graves Kerr b: 04 JUL 1880
6. Martha Frances Kerr b: 19 MAY 1883 in Caswell County, North Carolina
7. Nannie Emma Kerr b: 28 SEP 1885 in Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina

1. Citation Text: Thomas McNeill of Caswell County, North Carolina, His Forebears & Descendants, Ben L. Rose (1984) at 43
2. Details: 1850 US Federal Census
3. Citation Text: The Heritage of Caswell County, North Carolina, Jeannine D. Whitlow, Editor (1985) at 339-340 (Article #420, "John Hosea Kerr" by Mary Frances Kerr Donaldson)
4. Citation Text: North Carolina Death Certificate of Martha Kerr Motz (1883-1965)