Hi there. I'm a new member on the list and am writing a thesis for a Family History Diploma on the KERR family that emigrated to Australia in 1850's from Wigtownshire. The information I have from Census, IGI and Wigtownshire Pages is as follows: Thomas KERR b.~1790 in Stranraer, married Grace McClure in 1810 Stranraer. He remarried about 1813 to Mary Crawford. He had two children from the first marriage: Thomas and Elizabeth Hamilton and one son, John in 1814 from the second marriage. Thomas was a farmer. John was a sailmaker and master of a number of vessels in Stranraer in the 1830's and 1840's. John married Agnes McGaw, daughter of Peter McGaw and Helen Murray in 1843 in Kirkmaiden. John and Agnes had a number of children before departing for Australia in 1850-1852. Assistance: 1. Anyone with any connections to these people I would be very interested in touching base. 2. Any additional information on Thomas (farmer) and his family in local records would be great as I am trying to identify his parents. There were two possibles in the IGI. One was a father John and mother Shusana Aitken, with John being born about 1787. The second was a James Kerr and Elizabeth McCulloch, with John born about 1791. Both in Stranraer. There are no James Kerr's in the family. 3. Locating death of Thomas KERR and his wife Mary KERR (nee Crawford). I found them in the 1851 census at High Ardmore, Stoneykirk, as he was an Inn Keeper as well as a farmer. I couldn't locate either in the 1861 census. 4. If anyone has any main reason why so many people from Scotland, including Wigtownshire, were emigrating to Australia. 5. Locating any additional children of Thomas KERR. 6. I also have been able to find thru the MI of Stranraer or Stoneykirk, that John Hamilton and Elizabeth were buried there and that Elizabeth was John KERR's aunt. This may explain the Elizabeth Hamilton Kerr name. I can't find any marriages though. Any assistance with any of the above would be very grateful. Thank you in advance for any help to can provide. Jim Duggan Australia

----- Original Message ----- From: "J & S Duggan" <jdu85255@bigpond.net.au> To: <SCT-WIGTOWNSHIRE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 11:52 PM Subject: [WIG LIST] KERR Family from Stranraer/Drumore/Stoneykirk 1700-1800's Hi Jim, this Thos. Kerr was in the farm of High Ardwell, Stoneykirk Parish, not High Ardmore. Here is the MI from the Old kirkyard in Thistle St. Stranraer No 37 "Erected by Thos Kerr, High Ardwell, in memory of Elizabeth KERR his aunt, who died Decr 11th 1837 aged 69 years. Also her husband John HAMILTON (S)ail Maker in Stranraer who ......... March (13)th 1(846) aged (8)6 y..s" I don't have him as an innkeeper though. (yet) What evidence do you have that he was an innkeeper? Below is what I have from the farm of High Ardwell. 1837 - Thomas Kerr - MI Thistle St. Stranraer (the aunt) 1841 CENSUS - Thomas Kerr, Andrew Milligan 1851 CENSUS - Andrew Milligan age 48 - 100 acres Thomas Kerr age 62 - 180 acres I could have a look at the OPR' s for you, if you get back to me. Regards, Diana > Hi there. I'm a new member on the list and am writing a thesis for a Family > History Diploma on the KERR family that emigrated to Australia in 1850's > from Wigtownshire. > > > > The information I have from Census, IGI and Wigtownshire Pages is as > follows: > > > > Thomas KERR b.~1790 in Stranraer, married Grace McClure in 1810 Stranraer. > He remarried about 1813 to Mary Crawford. He had two children from the first > marriage: Thomas and Elizabeth Hamilton and one son, John in 1814 from the > second marriage. Thomas was a farmer. John was a sailmaker and master of a > number of vessels in Stranraer in the 1830's and 1840's. > > > > John married Agnes McGaw, daughter of Peter McGaw and Helen Murray in 1843 > in Kirkmaiden. John and Agnes had a number of children before departing for > Australia in 1850-1852. > > > > Assistance: > > > > 1. Anyone with any connections to these people I would be very > interested in touching base. > 2. Any additional information on Thomas (farmer) and his family in > local records would be great as I am trying to identify his parents. There > were two possibles in the IGI. One was a father John and mother Shusana > Aitken, with John being born about 1787. The second was a James Kerr and > Elizabeth McCulloch, with John born about 1791. Both in Stranraer. There are > no James Kerr's in the family. > 3. Locating death of Thomas KERR and his wife Mary KERR (nee Crawford). > I found them in the 1851 census at High Ardmore, Stoneykirk, as he was an > Inn Keeper as well as a farmer. I couldn't locate either in the 1861 > census. > 4. If anyone has any main reason why so many people from Scotland, > including Wigtownshire, were emigrating to Australia. > 5. Locating any additional children of Thomas KERR. > 6. I also have been able to find thru the MI of Stranraer or > Stoneykirk, that John Hamilton and Elizabeth were buried there and that > Elizabeth was John KERR's aunt. This may explain the Elizabeth Hamilton > Kerr name. I can't find any marriages though. > > > > Any assistance with any of the above would be very grateful. > > > > Thank you in advance for any help to can provide. > > > > Jim Duggan > > Australia > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCT-WIGTOWNSHIRE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >