The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 486
A portrait of James Kerr appears in this publication.

JAMES KERR.

James Kerr, dating his residence in the Yakima valley from 1910, and now widely
known as one of its successful orchardists, was, born in Edinburgh, Scotland,
March 6, 1851, a son of James and Isabella (Williamson) Kerr. The father was
colonel of the First Madras European Regiment and served in India for more than
thirty-seven years. In his later life, however, he returned to Scotland, where
both he and his wife passed away.

James Kerr of this review was a schoolmate of Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig at
Clifton Banks and was a particular friend of his elder brother, John W., who has
recently written to Mr. Kerr a letter concerning conditions "over there" and
throwing many an interesting sidelight upon the war. After mastering the
elementary branches of learning Mr. Kerr attended the University of St. Andrews
and entered upon his business career in connection with the firm of Duncan, Fox
& Company of Liverpool. Later he went to India in 1878, expecting to go into the
indigo business, but instead he became connected with the tea trade as a
representative of Octavius Steel & Company of London and Calcutta. He was
manager of several of their plants, his position being one of large
responsibility. Later he was with McLeod & Company as manager of their plant at
Lungla Sylhet and later of their plant at Washabarri, continuing with that firm
until 1905. He was also one of the stockholders of the company. In 1905 he
returned to England, where he resided until 1910, when he came to the United
States, making his way to the Yakima valley, where he purchased twenty-five
acres of land on the lower Naches. Twenty acres of this is planted to orchard,
mostly apples, and his property is today a very valuable one, his orchards being
in excellent bearing condition. He has remodeled the house, which is now
equipped with hot and cold water and all modern conveniences.

On the 30th of November. 1889, Mr. Kerr was married to Miss Fannie W. Black, a
native of Scotland and a daughter of John and Frances (Hedger) Black. The father
was provost of Greenock, on the Clyde, near Glasgow, but both he and his wife
have now passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Kerr are parents of a son, James Trevor, who
was born at Washabarri, India, December 8, 1894, and is a corporal in the pigeon
carrier department of the Signal Corps in France. He attended King William
College on the Isle of Man and was liberally educated. Mr. and Mrs. Kerr are
members of the Episcopal church. His military record covers service as captain
of the Cachar SyIhet Mounted Rifles while in India. He has taken out
naturalization papers, becoming an American citizen. His has been a most
interesting career, bringing him broad and varied experiences. He has a silver
golf cup won at Carnoustie, Scotland, in 1871, in a tournament open to the
world. Mr. Kerr receiving second prize. He also as a polo challenge cup won
three years in succession in India. He was captain of the polo team which was
the champion team for three years and gave him the cup as their leader, about
1887. He has also several cups won at horse racing and has taken part in wild
boar hunting, in tiger shooting and in sports of all kinds. Life has been to him
a succession of interesting experiences and wide travel has made him a man of
broad knowledge, bringing to him the liberal education and culture that is never
gained in any other way as quickly and as surely as in travel.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.