George Albert & Jack Kerr

George was a resident of Kitselas Feb 1911

Why were George and Jack Kerr Famous?

They were the First Prisoners of Louis Riel, in the 1885 Rebellion.

They were the star witnesses at Riel's Treason Trial.

Known as Independent Traders from Winnipeg

George Albert Kerr
b- 1851 in NB,
(shown age 60 in 1911)
(born from 1850-1853 depending on source)
d- Dec 18, 1918 in Houston BC., age 67

son of James Kerr,
b- 1823 in PEI
and Mary Jane Kerr, nee ?,
b- 1827

grandfather- Gavin Kerr

George's siblings:
Samuel Russell Kerr,
b- 1846 in Gloucester, NB

Gavin Cinnamon Kerr,
b- 1848 in NB

William James Kerr,
b- Jan 14, 1853 in NB,
d- Feb 27, 1929 in Turtleford SK

Elizabeth Jane Kerr,
b- 1854

John Alexander Kerr,
b- 1856 (the brother shown below)

Agness Rebecca Kerr,
b- 1858

Francis Ferguson Kerr,
b- 1861 in NB

Emily R. Kerr,
b- 1866 in NB

Mary Kerr,
b- 1869

Anne Kerr,
b- 1873

He was an old Hudson Bay Trapper, also an Independent Fur Trader.

He was to write his memoirs for the “Inland Colonist” at Kitselas.
I haven't found these yet.

1861 in New Bandon, Gloucester, New Brunswick

starting Nov 1884, George and his brother operated a store at Batoche SK.
Mar 18, 1885, the Local Natives, and Metis entered the store and stripped it bare, including ammunition and shotguns.
George and his brother barely escaped the battle.
they were captured, and were just about killed by Gabriel Dumont, but were saved by Riel talking.
His trial transcript can be read below

1899 He was in the Yukon

Nov 1902 he was going home to Maine USA
He owned a store at the time.
George A. Kerr & Co.

May 1902 George was a Merchant at Discovery, Yukon
elected President Atlin District Liberal-Conservative Assoc

Mar 1903 he was supposed to have taken a wife on a trip back East, but she wouldn't come north
She lived at Wilton Maine, Dec 1904

George married Agnes Fliguson Seaton Jan 10, 1903 at Wilton, Franklin Co., Maine
He is shown age 50, she is 48, she was a widow.
Both born in New Brunswick Canada
she was daughter of Robert and Isabel

1906 I show a George A. Kerr at Discovery, appointed Liquor Inspector, Atlin Licence District

1911 census shows George A. Kerr at the Kitselas Hotel, shown as a retail merchant, Scotch Presbyterian

Show him appointed Fire Warden Upper Skeena District, in 1910, at Kitselas.
July, Aug 1912 he was a Divisional Fire Warden

May 1913 in Kitselas BC

Oct 1915 shown in Endako BC

b- 1856
d-
He lived with the Gabriel Dumont family as their Apprentice Cook

Ext Links
Not my sites

George Kerr Trial Transcript
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/riel/kerr.html

Trial
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/riel/riel.html

Riel bio
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/riel/rielbio.html

Kerr oath on 2 other fellows
http://books.google.ca/books?id=RB1LDNeOTuMC&pg=PA388&lpg=PA388&dq=%22john+kerr%22+batoche&source=bl&ots=8yA1vxihOp&sig=sQQvnccpq2jpBE0QnMOJZmuRBjc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UjVzUcnUJcGCjAKbpICQBQ&ved=0CFEQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22john%20kerr%22%20batoche&f=false

Picture of Kerr's store in the Yukon
http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/cdm/singleitem/collection/coll6/id/1251/rec/5

More Kerr family tree, back to Scotland http://www.gta.igs.net/~rdestcroix/kerhst60.html

©