Tracing Kerr ancestors back to Scotland from Nova Scotia

[McJenn]

"Castle Kerr (~1792-1859) has been the centerpoint of my research. His son's bio says"

What bio?. Where are you seeing this?  Who is the author?.  When and where was it written?

Source:
History of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa :
from materials in the public archives, the Iowa Historical Society's collection, the newspapers and data of
personal interviews, also containing sketches of representative citizens / compiled and edited by J.H.
Wheeler ; assisted by an advisory and editorial board of representative citizens.
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=iau.31858035690860&view=1up&seq=395&q1=kerr

or

https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/123379521?p=36200497&returnLabel=Alexander%20Dennis%20Kerr%20(KHY6-HKK)&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FKHY6-HKK

Appears to be published in 1910. Alexander Dennis (AD) (Castle's son by his second wife featured in the bio) would have still been alive in Iowa.



Castle's oldest son George (by his first wife) also has a peice published about him but it only references his father being born in Scotland.

https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/155679872?p=47067751&returnLabel=George%20Kerr%20(L139-CTD)&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FL139-CTD

[goldie61]

I am still worried that almost all the recorded Cathel Kerrs were from Assynt in Sutherland, but your Castle was said to be from Argyll.

.

Well here's a fascinating bit of news....

I haven't done a DNA test yet as I haven't researched the privacy issues and I wanted to have a very thorough understanding of the history and documentation behind my family lines first. Today I reached out to my three male Kerr cousins to see if they had done DNA testing and if they might be willing to do YDNA testing to see what we find in the paternal line. I got this suggestion from the Kerr Family DNA Genealogy Project (https://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?Group=Carr).

Turns out one has already done Ancestry DNA and he gave me access to his site so I could review. Under the ethnicity estimate section, it says he's 3% Scottish. It says NO connection to Argyll & Bute. The only location in Scotland with a possible connection is Sutherland!

That seems like a good enough reason to keep going down this path!

That's an interesting find McJenn.
I suppose one should be wary of taking it as absolute proof as it's only one person's results, but as you say, a good reason to continue some research along these lines.

It's a pity the Assynt listings only start in 1798, and only include baptisms and marriages.
Castel's seems to be the only baptism of children of Alexander and Christian McLellan.

[goldie61]

There are a dozen people named 'Cathel Kerr' listed on Scotlandspeople in the 1841 census, ranging in age from 10 to 60, and the name only comes up in the one small place of Assynt, even if you search for the name in the whole of Scotland.
A couple look as if they could be the Cathel baptised 1802, but I don't have any credits to look at any of the records to see if you can find out.
Of course, they could be Cathels born to other members of this Kerr family, who also used the name.
It's going to be quite a jigsaw to find if indeed your Cathel did come from there! 


I did see on a search around on familysearch, reference to a book 'Population lists for Assynt 1638 - 1811' by Malcolm Bangor-Jones. Published 1997.
It seems to be a book(let) in their main library - I'm guessing Salt lake City. Not digitised and not even on film, so unless you live anywhere near Salt Lake City, difficult.
It does suggest you go to World Catalogue to see where else there might be a copy.
You might be able to track one down.
(I've just done this and found they even have one in the Research section at the Central City library
here in New Zealand! Only in-library use.)
It evidently has population lists for 1638, 1667, 1691, 1746, 1774 and 1811.
Might prove interesting, although I'm not sure how much information it would give you.
If you Google this title, you can read more information about it - written by Bangor-Jones. (It's the 'Introduction' from Page 1.)

Malcolm Bangor-Jones has also written a book about the Assynt Clearances. Also on familysearch
If you Google "Assynt Clearances" you'll have lots to read!

Malcolm Bangor-Jones has a website offering genealogical research. He seems very knowledgeable about the area.

If your Kerr family did come from there, looks like they got out just in time.