Individual Details
John Kerr
(Ca 1740 - 1745 - Bef 1778)
Edward Sharp's will dated May 8, 1770 clearly states his sons are Anthony and John and daughter Annis. Their mother did remarry but to John Kerr and had three more children. After all children were grown, she married the third time to James Allison. Edward Sharp was killed by Indians on Sharp's Creek now Boozy Creek where he had built a mill. His widow, Jane McClellan Sharp with her new husband, John Kerr moved there and continued with the mill. John died in 1778 and Sullivan Co. history refers to the Widow Kerr's mill.
(http://genforum.genealogy.com/looney/messages/1246.html)
(http://genforum.genealogy.com/looney/messages/1246.html)
Events
| Birth | Ca 1740 - 1745 |  | |||
| Will-shared | 2 May 1770 | (Edward Sharp) Botetourt County, Virginia, British America | |  | |
| Emigration-shared | 1771 | (Jane McClellan) to the Holston River Valley, in another area of Botetourt County, in the area that is now Sullivan County, Tennessee (formerly Washington County, Virginia/Sullivan County, North Carolina), the vicinity of Buchanan, Botetourt, Virginia, British America | | | |
| Marriage | 29 Jan 1771 | Botetourt County, Virginia, British America - Jane McClellan | | | |
| Marriage-shared | 29 Jan 1771 | (John Kerr and Jane McClellan) Botetourt County, Virginia, British America | | | |
| Occupation | Aft 1771 | John Kerr and Jane McClellan Sharp Kerr operated a mill on Sharp's Creek, now Boozy Creek, previously constructed by Edward Sharp and left to his widow, Jane McClellan, upon his death. In 1784, records mention the name of this creek as "widow Kerr's Mill Creek" | | ||
| Death | Bef 1778 | Washington, Virginia, United States | | ||
| Probate | 19 May 1778 | Washington, Virginia, United States | | | |
| Probate | 18 Aug 1778 | Washington, Virginia, United States | | | |
| Alt name | John Keer | |
Families
| Spouse | Jane McClellan (1740 - 1778) |
Notes
Birth
www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:James_Allison_(44)Will-shared
The will names his wife Jane and three children as heirs, and his father in-law John McClellan and brother in-law William McClellan as executors. Edward's sons Anthony and John are specifically called out in the will, stating that it was his desire that their share of the estate be used to secure land at the mouth of Reidey [sic] (i.e., Reedy) Creek upon the Holston (in present day Tennessee) for each. Subscribers of the will were Samuel Walker (thought to be father or brother of William McClellan's wife Barbara), William Latherdall, and John Kerr. All three of these men were likely close neighbors. The will was officially recorded on 12 June 1770.Boozy Creek is approximately 180 miles farther down the Appalachian mountain range, west/southwest of Buchanan, VA, and approximately 10 miles east/northeast of present Kingsport, TN. Boozy Creek is located in the area of the Holston River Valley, situated between the North Fork Holston River and South Fork Holston River. The creek empties into Reeds Creek, which itself empties into the South Fork Holston River at Kingsport, TN (Google Maps).
Emigration-shared
Jane McClellan and her (new) husband John Kerr are believed to have relocated to the area of Washington County, Virginia, and Sullivan County, Tennessee (formerly North Carolina), along with her father (John McClellan), sister Mary (McClellan) Looney (wife of David Looney), and Alexander Brackenridge. At the time Botetourt County, Virginia covered all of this area (Pulizos 2).I believe this area to be the lands in the Holston River Valley that Edward Sharp had previously scouted and/or purchased prior to his death, including that which comprised the mill he established on what is now Boozy Creek (formerly Sharp Creek). This is particularly relevant, as Jane McClellan and John Kerr reportedly took over operation of this mill, with it eventually becoming known as Kerr's mill.
Marriage
Jane's brothers Abraham McClellan and William McClellan paid surety for the marriage of her marriage to John Kerr. Thomas Madison and David May were witnesses.Marriage-shared
Jane's brothers Abraham McClellan and William McClellan paid surety for the marriage of her marriage to John Kerr. Thomas Madison and David May were witnesses.Occupation
http://genforum.genealogy.com/looney/messages/1246.htmlProbate
David Looney and Abraham McClellan signed the bond for this filing (Pulizos, 3).Washington County, Virginia court records show Jane Kerr was granted administration of his estate 19 May 1778, with David Looney and Abraham McClellan acknowledging her bond. It was also ordered that James Brigham, George Maxwell, Moses Looney, Samuel Looney, and Thomas King (any three of the five) appraise his estate. His inventory and appraisement is recorded in Washington County, Virginia 18 August 1778, by Thomas King, George Maxwell, and Samuel Looney. It is possible that Jane (McClellan) Sharp Kerr had children between the years 1771 and 1778 and Anthony, John, and Annis Sharp could have half brothers and sisters from this marriage.
Original text from "Ancestors of Looney" webpage:
"On 19 May 1778, David Looney and Abraham McClelan were securities for Jean Keer, the Administratrix of the estate of John Keer, Washington County. It was ordered that James Brigham, George Maxwell, Moses Looney, Samuel Looney, and Thomas King, or any three of them, be appraisers. ( Jean Keer was probably a McClelan, perhaps a widow before marrying a Keer.)"
Probate
Washington County, Virginia court records show Jane Kerr was granted administration of his estate 19 May 1778, with David Looney and Abraham McClellan acknowledging her bond. It was also ordered that James Brigham, George Maxwell, Moses Looney, Samuel Looney, and Thomas King (any three of the five) appraise his estate. His inventory and appraisement is recorded in Washington County, Virginia 18 August 1778, by Thomas King, George Maxwell, and Samuel Looney. It is possible that Jane (McClellan) Sharp Kerr had children between the years 1771 and 1778 and Anthony, John, and Annis Sharp could have half brothers and sisters from this marriage.Original text from "Ancestors of Looney" webpage:
"On 19 May 1778, David Looney and Abraham McClelan were securities for Jean Keer, the Administratrix of the estate of John Keer, Washington County. It was ordered that James Brigham, George Maxwell, Moses Looney, Samuel Looney, and Thomas King, or any three of them, be appraisers. ( Jean Keer was probably a McClelan, perhaps a widow before marrying a Keer.)"
Alt name
Mentioned in "Ancestors of Looney" webpage as John Keer. Based on the context, it appears almost certain that this John Kerr who married Jane McClelland after she was widowed by Edward Sharp.Endnotes
1. Frederick Bittle Kegley, Kegley's Virginia Frontier: The Beginning of the Southwest: The Roanoke of Colonial Days, 1740-1783, (Google eBook) (Roanoke, Virginia; Reprinted in Baltimore, Maryland: Reprinted: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1938; Reprinted 2003), 499; ebook, Google, Google Books (http://books.google.com/books?id=Bp0nOrLrPlYC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false : Electronically accessed 2 January 2012.
2. Stewart, Michael R. (inquiry@cousinsearchnetwork.com), CousinSearchNetwork, Lt Col David Looney Revolutionary War Soldier (http://research.cousinsearchnetwork.com/12843.html : Accessed 4 March 2012), .
3. Anne Lowry Worrell, Early Marriages, Wills and some Revolutionary War Records – Botetourt County, Virginia (Hillsville, Virginia: Anne Lowry Worrell, 1958), 63.
4. Botetourt County, Virginia, Will Book A 1, Last Will and Testament of Edward Sharp, 12 June 1770; Virginia State Library, Richmond, VA.
5. Jo Ann Pulizos, Sharp Family History (N.p.: n.p., June 1986), 3.
6. Jo Ann Pulizos, Sharp Family History (N.p.: n.p., June 1986), 2.
7. Jo Ann Pulizos, Sharp Family History (N.p.: n.p., June 1986), 2.
8. Jo Ann Pulizos, Sharp Family History (N.p.: n.p., June 1986), 3.
9. Jo Ann Pulizos, Sharp Family History (N.p.: n.p., June 1986), 3.
10. Stewart, Michael R. (inquiry@cousinsearchnetwork.com), CousinSearchNetwork, Lt Col David Looney Revolutionary War Soldier (http://research.cousinsearchnetwork.com/12843.html : Accessed 4 March 2012), .
11. Jo Ann Pulizos, Sharp Family History (N.p.: n.p., June 1986), 3.