Individual Details

Marriage

There were interesting stories in the newspaper about their marriage. It seems that Louis and Louise grew up as neighbors and eventually eloped because her parents were against their marriage. This caused quite an sensation in the high society circles of New York and New Jersey.

From Middletown Daily Argus, Middletown, NY, 2 Aug 1895, Fri, p1

A Special Elopement
New York, Aug 2 - Society was surprised to read in the papers an announcement of the marriage of Louise V. Kissam to Louis Sayre Kerr. The bride is a daughter of Samuel H Kissam, the head of the banking firm of Kissam, Whitney & Co, and is closely related to the Vanderbilt family. The bridegroom is one of the best known of the younger members of the Stock Exchange. The attentions of the young man were not welcomed by the young lady's father, and the affair, therefore, culminated in an elopement.
====
From the New York Times, 02Aug 1895, p8

Say It Was Not An Elopment
Marriage of Miss Kissam and Mr Kerr
Met With the Families' approval

Long Branch, Aug 1 - The report of the elopement of Miss Louise V. Kissam and Louis Sayre Kerr, summer guests at the Monmouth Beach Club House is denied by every body in the Club House circle. Miss Kissam and Mr Kerr left the Club House yesterday and were quietly married in New York City.
Acquaintances of the younger people approve of the marriage, as did the parents of the contracting parties. Just why the couple concluded to get married quietly is not known.
------
Owing to the prominence of the bride's family, the wedding, the first intimation of which was obtained from the notice of it printed in the newspapers, has aroused the greatest interest among society people. Her father is the head of the banking firm of Kiissam, Whitney&Co, of 17 Broad Street and 331 Madison Avenue. His sister married the late W H Vanderbilt. The bride is the first cousin of Cornelius and William H Vanderbilt.
Louis Sayre Kerr is one of the best known of the younger members of the Stock Exchange. The families live near each other on West 56th St, the Kissams at No 27 and the Kerrs at No 44. When the Kissams went to Long Branch, Mr Kerr followed. They all stopped at the Monmouth Clubhouse.
The Rev Dr Henry Mottet last evening refused to be seen or to make a statement of any kind concerning the marriage of Miss Louise V Kissam to Mr Louis Sayre Kerr.
Mr Kerr's house, at 44 West 56th Street was closed. Only a servant was at the home of Mr Kissam. She said she knew nothing of the marriage, and had not seen the newly wedded couple. She described Mrs Kerr as a very handsome young woman with auburn hair.

=====
From The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2 Aug 1895, Friday, p1

The Groom A New York Banker
A Mutual Friend says the Young
Couple Will be Forgiven by the Parents

Special to the Inquirer

Asbury Park, NJ, August 1 -

The sensation of the season on the North Jersey coast to the elopement from Monmouth Beach yesterday of Miss Louise V Kissam, niece of Mrs William H Vanderbilt, and Louis Sayre Kerr, son of the senior member of Kerr and Company, the New York bankers. The bridegroom, Louis Sayre Kerr, is one of the best known of the younger members of the Stock Exchange. In town the young people lived near each other, but the attentions of the young man were not welcomed by the young woman's father, S A Kissam, of Kissam, Whitney & Co, well-known New York bankers.

Followed Her to the Shore

The Kissams were spending the summer at the clubhouse, Monmouth Beach, and young Kerr became a guest in the same house. Whenever opportunity afforded he was in Miss Kissam's company. The young couple were both missing yesterday morning. It was found that they had left for New York in the 9.26 train. The Kissam family followed soon after. The runaway lovers were married in the afternoon at the Church of the Holy Communion, New York, by Rev Henry Mollett, DD.

All Will Be Forgiven

Bunker Horton, of New York, an intimate friend of both the Kissam and Kerr families, said tonight that the runaway marriage would be overlooked without doubt. The Kissams have nothing against young Kerr, but the mother did not want her daughter to marry yet.
========================

Burial

Buried in the Kissam Mausoleum