Dr. William Kerr

Cal 1803 - 1892  (~ 89 years)

• Name	William Kerr
  Prefix	Dr.
  Born	CALC 9 Mar 1803	, Paisley, Scotland   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  Gender	Male
  Immigration	1845	, Canada
  Occupation	1861	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Doctor
  Residence	1861	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Free Church
  Occupation	1871	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Physician - Doctor - Dr.
  Residence	1871	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	C. Presbyterian
  Occupation	1881	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Physician - Doctor - Dr.
  Occupation	1891	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Physician - Doctor - Dr.
  Residence	1891	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Presbyterian
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-66248
  Died	22 Aug 1892	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Cause: General Debility
  Person ID	I66248	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family	Margaret Ann Kerr,   b. 1812, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland ,   d. 6 Dec 1884, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 72 years)
  Married	1840	, Paisley, Scotland
  Children	1. Eliza Jamieson Kerr,   b. 6 Dec 1840, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. William Kerr,   b. 1842, , Scotland ,   d. Yes, date unknown   3. Margaret Ann Kerr,   b. 11 Feb 1843, Barony, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland ,   d. 6 Apr 1891, , Ontario, Canada  (Age 48 years)   4. Mary Kerr,   b. 1844, , Scotland ,   d. Yes, date unknown   5. James Edward Kerr,   b. 2 Aug 1847, Barony, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland ,   d. 11 Jan 1934, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 86 years)   6. William McKenzie Kerr,   b. 4 Sep 1852, Paris, Brant County, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F17297	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Death of Dr. William Kerr It is with sincere regret we are called upon to record the death of Dr. William Kerr, of Galt, which took place at his residence, Braehead, on Monday morning last, at ten minutes to five o'clock. He was in his ninetieth year; his exact age being 89 years, 5 months and 13 days. Until last winter he continued to enjoy a robust old age and seldom complained of an ache or a pain. He had a wonderfully strong physique, which he had carefully preserved through his earlier life and this rendered him mentally and physically active at an age when many others become feeble and decrepit. During the winter, however, he had a severe attack of Grippe and although he rallied somewhat from that, it was apparent to his relatives and friends that at last his great strength was beginning to fail. About three weeks ago his stomach began to refuse nourishment and he gradually grew weaker until he passed away on Monday morning last. He suffered little during his illness, which he bore with Christian patience and resignation, almost with cheerfulness and his mind was clear and conscious until the angel came and he passed peacefully away. Dr. Kerr was born in Paisley, Scotland, for which city he always cherished the warmest regard. His father was for fifty years an eminent medical practitioner there, whose name became a household word in Paisley, for the great service he rendered by projecting the fine system of waterworks, which it has long enjoyed. For this service the city presented him with a handsome testimonial in marble, which his son, the subject of this memoir, brought with Mrs. Kerr and himself to Canada in 1848. They first settled in Hamilton, where Mrs. Kerr had two brothers in the wholesale importing trade, Messrs. Archibald and Thomas Kerr. They were long and favorably known in Hamilton, but both passed away many years ago. After a few months in Paris, Dr. Kerr removed to Galt in 1852 and for several years resided at Rosehill, now owned by J. C. Dietrich, Esq. He afterwards removed to the village of Doon. Returning to Galt, in 1866, he has ever since resided at Braehead, where, overlooking the beautiful valley and surrounding hills, he has passed his declining years in much cheerfulness and enjoyment. Dr. Kerr was a man of liberal education and possessed a vast fund of useful information. In his younger days he was quite public spirited and in the early times of Galt, when the Lecture course was one of the chief features of the winter season, he lectured on Physical Geography and other scientific topics. He continued to the last deeply interested in the medical profession and his remedies in certain cases were often sent for from long distances. He was deeply interested in all scientific and religious movements, particularly the latter and until a few weeks ago continued to be a great reader of books, sitting down to large volumes of traveller's explorations or missionary enterprises, with all the interest and even zest of youth. In his intercourse with the public, socially and otherwise, he was conspicuous for thorough gentlemanliness, a noble quality which he never forgot, whilst to the members of his own family he was exceedingly affectionate and to his friends and neighbors always cheerful, kind and considerate. It is hard to part with one so amiable in life and character as Dr. Kerr, but he had passed far beyond the allotted span and it is therefore becoming to how submissively to the Divine will, grateful for his long, useful and happy life and the bright example of a Christian gentleman which he has left as a precious legacy to his family and all who knew him. Dr. Kerr was married to his late wife, Miss Margaret A. Kerr, in Paisley in the year 1840. She died on the 6th December, 1884, and he had to mourn also the death of his second daughter, Margaret, on the 6th April, 1891. The remaining members of the family are Miss Kerr, Mr. Jas. and Capt. Kerr, all of whom reside at Braehead. The funeral obsequies took place yesterday. The pall-bearers were Messrs. R. S. Strong, F. G. Allenby, T. B. Allen, John Perry, David Spiers, James Warnock and James Young. The great respect and sympathy felt for Dr. Kerr and his family was testified by the large circle of friends, who accompanied the remains to their final resting place. The Dumfries Reformer 25 Aug 1892 pg 1

  
  

• Sources

  [S336] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1881, Galt Division 2 Page 35. [S570] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1871, Div. 2, Pg. 46. [S1946] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1861 (South Division), Div. 1 Page 9. [S1800] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1891, Sec. 1 Page 42. [S713] Vit - ON - Death Registration, death certificate. William Kerr Gender: Male Age: 89 Birth Date: abt 1803 Birth Place: Pauley, Scotland Death Date: 22 Aug 1892 Death Place: Galt, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Cause of Death: General Debility #017936

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - CALC 9 Mar 1803 - , Paisley, Scotland Married - 1840 - , Paisley, Scotland Immigration - 1845 - , Canada Occupation - Doctor - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Free Church - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Physician - Doctor - Dr. - 1871 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - C. Presbyterian - 1871 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Physician - Doctor - Dr. - 1881 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Physician - Doctor - Dr. - 1891 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian - 1891 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: General Debility - 22 Aug 1892 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth