Flora E. McCollister and John Washington Kerr

JOHN WASHINGTON KERR was born January 14, 1843 in North Collins, Erie, New York,⁴⁵⁶ and died April 15, 1901 in Collins, Erie, New York.⁷³⁷⁵ He is buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, Gowanda, Erie, New York.⁷³⁷⁵

He married FLORA E. MCCOLLISTER on June 10, 1885 in Collins, Erie, New York,³³⁶⁶ daughter of MARIA HALL and LEONARD S. MCCOLLISTER. She was born March 12, 1854 in New York,³³⁶⁴ and died October 8, 1947 in Gowanda, Cattaraugus, New York.⁴⁵⁶ She is buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, Gowanda, Erie, New York.⁴⁵⁶

• Descendant Reports
  • Daniell Broadley Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • Issac Johnson Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • William Hoadley Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • Henry Howard Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • John Parmalee Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • Nicholas Mason Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • Abraham Cruttenden Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • George Griswold Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • George Smith Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • George Page Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • John Linsley Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • John Hall Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • Thomas Cooke Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • George Hiland Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)
  • Henry James Descendant Report (Ancestor of Flora E. McCollister)

Marriage Announcements and News

Randolph Register, June, 1885³³⁶⁶

Married, at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. John Moss, in Collins, Wednesday evening, June 10, 1885, by Rev. A. B. Robinson, Mr. John W. Kerr and Miss Flora E. McCollister, both of Collins. The groom is a first-class young business man and the active manager of the large interests of Jefferson Kerr. The bride is a most estimable young lady, and we assume bright, smart and attractive or she could not have caught J. W., who has been proof against the smiles of hundreds of bright and interesting girls; and that he has succumbed to matrimony at last shows that Cupid's arrow struck him at a tender place with winning effect. That their life may be one continual honey-moon is the wish of many friends.

Newspaper Articles

Portville Review, August, 1940³³⁶⁴

MRS. KERR TO RETIRE SOON

Mrs. Flora E. Kerr, 86 years old, who has conducted an insurance business in Gowanda for the past 38 years and is probably the oldest insurance agent in Western New York has announced her retirement from business to become effective on September 1.

Mrs. Kerr, whose charming personality is one of her outstanding traits, is remarkably young for her age. The oldest active business woman in Gowanda, Mrs. Kerr has been able to handle office routine in addition to her housework in her home at 89 West Main street. She finds time to entertain and is in regular attendance at the Presbyterian church Sundays.

Mrs. Kerr, the former Flora McAllister, was born in Napoli, Mary 12, 1854. She was married at Collins in 1885. Her husband purchased the interest of John Wilber of the Gowanda insurance firm of Wilber and DeLong, later acquiring DeLong's interest. Following his deat in 1902 Mrs. Kerr took over the insurance business and went into partnership with Fred Pace. The partnership last several years and then she took an interest in the firm with Dan Foster and remained with him for nine years. Then Julius A. Metz purchased the Foster interest and Mrs. Kerr conducted the business with Mr. Metz for 19 years. Again the firm changed hands when Mr. Metz sold his share to Winfield S. Rich. She has remained in partnership with Mr. Rich for the past three years.

Mrs. Kerr has been presented with 25 year medals by five insurance firms.

Obituaries

Jamestown Post-Journal, October 8, 1947¹²⁰⁷⁴

Mrs. John W. Kerr

Gowanda—Mrs. Flora E. McCollister Kerr, 93, widow of John W. Kerr, died Wednesday at her home here. She is survived by three nieces, Mrs. Harry H. Bates of Pasadena, Cal.; Mrs. W. E. Gallagher of Randolph and Mrs. L. J. Learn of Corydon, Pa. Funeral services will be held at the family residence, 80 West Main Street, at 2 P. M. Saturday, with interment in Pine Hill Cemetery, Gowanda.

Census Records

Date	Location	Enumerated Names
July 2, 18603285	Napoli, Cattaraugus, New York	Leonard S. McCollister Maria Hall Mary Jane McCollister Horace Wills McCollister Mark J. McCollister Flora E. McCollister Leonard B. McCollister
August 23, 18703249	Napoli, Cattaraugus, New York	Maria Hall Flora E. McCollister
June 11, 18803398	Collins, Erie, New York	Maria Hall John Moss Flora E. McCollister Leonard B. McCollister
June 15, 19003390	Collins, Erie, New York	Flora E. McCollister John Washington Kerr
January 13, 19203391	Persia, Cattaraugus, New York	Flora E. McCollister
April 17, 19303346	Persia, Cattaraugus, New York	Flora E. McCollister
April 10, 19403392	Gowanda, Cattaraugus, New York	Flora E. McCollister