Reverend John Kerr
(1782-1842)
John Kerr was born in Caswell County, N.C., and attended the common schools. He studied theology and, in 1802, was licensed as a Baptist minister. Kerr was pastor of Arbor and Mary Creek Baptist Churches in Halifax, Virginia.
In 1812, Mr. Kerr was elected as a Republican to the 13th Congress of the United States and served from 1813–1815. His bid for reelection to the 14th Congress was unsuccessful. However, Kerr was subsequently elected to fill the vacancy in the 14th Congress caused by the death of Matthew Clay and served from 1815–1817.
In 1816, John Kerr resumed the ministry at Arbor and Mary Creek Churches. Kerr moved to Richmond in 1825 and was pastor of its First Baptist Church from 1825–1833.
Mr. Kerr was the first president of the Virginia Baptist Education Society and its Executive Board, founded in 1830. He served as president of the Board of Managers for the Virginia Baptist Seminary from 1832–1835.
After leaving First Baptist Church, John Kerr was active as an evangelist in Richmond. Later he moved to Danville, where he continued as an evangelist and served as co-pastor of Danville Baptist Church. Kerr lived in Danville until his death in 1842.