Brief History of the Kerr Family

William Samuel Kerr was born in Missouri in 1868 where Civil War hatreds still ran strong.  After his father and an invalid uncle were both murdered by members of the notorious Quantrill’s raiders, “Sam” and his mother took refuge in the southern portion of the state with other family members.  At the age of five, Sam lost his mother to natural causes.  He was raised by an uncle who urged him to not continue the hill country traditions of taking revenge.  In 1885, at the age of 17, Sam went to seek his fortune in Texas.

In 1893, Sam married Margaret Eloda Wright.  She was the daughter of a former Confederate soldier who later became a peace officer.  “Maggie” also lost her father at a very young age when he was killed in the line of duty by horse thieves.

In 1895 the young couple leased 169 acres in Pecan Grove Valley in the Chickasaw Nation and moved there by covered wagon with their infant daughter Lois.  Home was a fourteen square foot log cabin located in Indian Territory southeast of  present-day Ada, OK.  This structure is still standing today.

In 1896, Robert Samuel was born to Sam and Maggie, the second of their seven children.

Read more about Robert S Kerr

Sources

Robert S. Kerr Museum archives

Robert S. Kerr: The Senate Years by Ann Hodges Morgan