Mayor Adam Ker^[1]

1809 - 1879  (70 years)

• Name	Adam Ker
  Prefix	Mayor
  Born	1809	Hawick, , Roxburgh, Scotland   [2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Interesting	business, politics
  Occupation	1852	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	clerk
  Occupation	1871	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Mayor of Galt
  Residence	1871	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	C. Presbyterian
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-43217
  Died	2 Sep 1879	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Buried	Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Person ID	I43217	Generations
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2025

  
  

  Family	Martha Rutherford,   b. 1811, Hawick, , Roxburgh, Scotland ,   d. 2 Sep 1877, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 66 years)
  Children	1. Elizabeth Ker,   b. 1834, Dundas, West Flamborough Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. James Ker,   b. 1836, Dundas, West Flamborough Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 18 Jan 1915, Rockcliffe, Carleton, Ontario, Canadsa  (Age 79 years)   3. Mary Ker,   b. 1838, Dundas, West Flamborough Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 22 Jan 1884, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States  (Age 46 years)   4. Isabel Ker,   b. 21 Dec 1841, Dundas, West Flamborough Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 21 Jul 1859, Brantford, Brant Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 17 years)   5. Robert Ker,   b. 1843, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1 Oct 1885, Puslinch Lake, Puslinch Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario  (Age 42 years)
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2025
  Family ID	F18386	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  ADAM KER 1810-1879 Adam Ker was a native of Hawick, Roxboroughshire, Scotland and came to Canada in about 1832. He was the clerk and treasurer of Galt's first municipal council in 1850 and retained that position until 1858. After his return to Galt from an eight year stay in Brantford, Mr. Ker served as mayor of Galt from 1868 to 1874. In addition to his work for the municipality, Mr. Ker was the manager of the Dickson Grist mill. He died on September 2, 1879 and is buried in Mount View Cemetery. Cambridge Mosaic, Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge _____________________________ Death of Adam Ker, Esq. - The severe illness which this gentleman has suffered from for some time terminated fatally on Tuesday afternoon last. In common with the rest of our towns-people we feel the most sincere regret at the loss of one who has proved himself a most successful, energetic citizen and public officer. Mr. Ker was born in Hawick, Roxburgshire, Scotland and came with his wife and family to Canada about the year 1832, entering almost at once into a small store in Dundas as clerk. In a short time he entered into business for himself and subsequently went into partnership with Mr. Joseph Leslie - for the soap and candle business, throwing the same energy into that as he afterwards exhibited in every business undertaking into which he entered. This partnership being dissolved, Mr. Ker was employed by Mr. Ewart, who had then recently assumed the proprietorship of the "Dickson Mills" in Galt, to manage that business for him. It was in 1843 that Mr. Ker, first came to Galt, and since that time, with only one interval of absence at Brantford, he has continuously resided in the town. During the years that Mr. Ewart remained the proprietor of these mills, Mr. Ker remained with him, and it was while filling that position that many of the friendships were formed, which we are happy to know have continued, unbroken still, save by the hand of death. Of the deceased gentleman's public life we can speak with the utmost approval. Shortly after coming to Galt he discharged along with his other labors the duties of village clerk, filling that position until some years after Galt was incorporated as a town, and resigning only when the mills passing into other hands, he went into the grain business on his own account here, subsequently making the removal to Brantford which we have noted. Shortly after coming back to Galt Mr. Ker was elected its Mayor, holding that office consecutively for a number of years, being elected each year, if we remember correctly, by acclamation it was while filling this position that many of the important public works in connection with the town were undertaken, notably the Grand Trunk and Credit Valley Railways. The Grand Trunk extension was so purely a town undertaking, that we can speak more pointedly of that than of the other, and may here say that it was largely owing to the active exertions of Mr. Ker and the late Mr. Fleming that that important accession to our progress was secured. From the first inception of the scheme to its final completion, Mr. Ker worked indefatigably, sparing no trouble or labor on his own part, and overseeing largely the details of the work as it proceeded in the town. The proposal of the Directors of the Credit Valley Railway found in him a warm supporter, and all the influence he could exert in favor of carrying the By-Law granting the bonus was cheerfully given to the friends of the road. Acquiring considerable property in the town, Mr. Ker erected on Main Street, in place of the property destroyed by fire, the handsome stone block which now bears his name. In private life the deceased was of a social temperament, although very abstemious in his habits. Never very robust, he yet enjoyed very good health up to about two years ago, when he was seized with an attack of congestion of the lungs, from which he had a hard struggle to recover, indeed from which we may say his constitution never entirely rallied. Of Mr. Ker's family, - it will be recollected that Mrs. Ker died about two years ago - there yet survive Mr. James Ker, of Brantford, Mr. Robert Ker and Mrs. Boden, of Galt, and his eldest daughter, who now resides in Detroit. At the time of his death Mr. Ker was in his 70th year. Galt Reporter Sep 5 1979 pg 2

  
  

• Sources

  [S14] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Chronicle (1856-1860), 26 Jul 1859. 21 Jul 1859 At Brantford, on Thursday, the 21st instant, of consumption, Isabel, youngest daughter of Adam Ker, esq., formerly of Galt, aged 17 years [S122] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Mount View CC#4495 Internet Link . Adam Ker / died 2nd Sept.1879 / aged 69 years / Martha Rutherford / his wife / died 2nd Sept.1877 / aged 65 years / Natives of Hawick / Roxburghshire, Scotland [S313] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1851, Div 1 Pg 5. Adam KER Clerk Scotland United Presbyterian 44 Martha KER Scotland United Presbyterian 43 Elizabeth KER Dundas U.C. United Presbyterian 17 James KER Dundas U.C. United Presbyterian 15 Mary KER Dundas U.C. United Presbyterian 13 Isabel KER Dundas U.C. United Presbyterian 11 Robert KER Galt United Presbyterian 8 [S570] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1871, Div. 3, Pg. 23. [S313] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1851, Div 1 Pg 5.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 1809 - Hawick, , Roxburgh, Scotland Occupation - clerk - 1852 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Mayor of Galt - 1871 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - C. Presbyterian - 1871 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 2 Sep 1879 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth