R.A. Kerr

Robert A. Kerr

Full Name: Robert A. Kerr
Date of birth: December 23, 1833
Date of death: January 7, 1913

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
H 62 Jan 11, 1881 - Jan 9, 1883 17th (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)   Greenback Bastrop / Bastrop   Bastrop

(1) Republican, 11/17/1880, p. 2. Galveston Daily News.
(2) Republican. Pocket Directory of the Seventeenth Legislature of Texas, 1881.
(3) "The leadership of the Republican Party decided not to fuse with the Greenbackers in 1880, but rather placed a ticket in the field. . . Among the few blacks who remained visible in the Greenback fold [in 1880] were Hal Geiger and Robert A. Kerr," p. 129. Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares: Black Leadership in Texas, 1868-1898, 2016.
(4) "When the Greenback Party met in June 1880 to nominate a state ticket, Kerr's name was placed on the ticket as representative from Bastrop County," p. 129. "Greenbackers elected one senator and three representatives, only one of whom was black — Robert A. Kerr," p. 130. Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares: Black Leadership in Texas, 1868-1898, 2016.
(5) Involvement in Greenback/Republican politics, pp. 129-131. "Robert J. Evans and R.A. Kerr ran on Republican ticket for reelection (in 1882) in a losing cause." Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares: Black Leadership in Texas, 1868-1898, 2016.

Terms of Service top

House District 62
Jan 11, 1881 - Jan 9, 1883
Legislatures: 17th (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)  
Party: Greenback
Home City/County: Bastrop / Bastrop
Counties in district: Bastrop

(1) Republican, 11/17/1880, p. 2. Galveston Daily News.
(2) Republican. Pocket Directory of the Seventeenth Legislature of Texas, 1881.
(3) "The leadership of the Republican Party decided not to fuse with the Greenbackers in 1880, but rather placed a ticket in the field. . . Among the few blacks who remained visible in the Greenback fold [in 1880] were Hal Geiger and Robert A. Kerr," p. 129. Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares: Black Leadership in Texas, 1868-1898, 2016.
(4) "When the Greenback Party met in June 1880 to nominate a state ticket, Kerr's name was placed on the ticket as representative from Bastrop County," p. 129. "Greenbackers elected one senator and three representatives, only one of whom was black — Robert A. Kerr," p. 130. Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares: Black Leadership in Texas, 1868-1898, 2016.
(5) Involvement in Greenback/Republican politics, pp. 129-131. "Robert J. Evans and R.A. Kerr ran on Republican ticket for reelection (in 1882) in a losing cause." Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares: Black Leadership in Texas, 1868-1898, 2016.

Biographical Information top

Resolutions and Journal entries

Biographical Sketches

  • Portrait and biographical sketch. Forever Free: Nineteenth Century African-American Legislators and Constitutional Convention Delegates of Texas, 2002.
  • KERR, ROBERT A. (1842-1912). "Although Kerr won his legislative seat as a member of the Greenback party, he returned to the Republican party in 1882." Born 1842, died 1/12/1912, buried in Fairview Cemetery, Bastrop. Handbook of Texas Online.
  • Biographical sketch, Chapter VI, "Black Belt Politics," p. 108. The Negro in Texas, 1874-1900, 1971.
  • Photos, biographical sketch, and descendants, pp. 84-86. Born 12/23/1833 in New Orleans. Negro Legislators of Texas and Their Descendants: A History of the Negro in Texas Politics from Reconstruction to Disfranchisement, 1935.
  • Biographical sketch, pp. 62-63; political party, pp. 129-131. Birth date 12/23/1833 in New Orleans, died in 1912. Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares: Black Leadership in Texas, 1868-1898, 2016.

Other Resources

  • Hon. R.A. Kerr, birth date 12/23/1833, death date 1/7/1913, burial in Fairview Cemetery, Bastrop. Includes Kerr plaque from Bastrop County Historical Society. Find a Grave.
  • "Texas Briefs: Bastrop, Tex.," dateline Jan. 8, 1/9/1913, p. 9. Died "last night" (1/7/1913), "at one time represented this county in the Legislature." Galveston Daily News.
  • Mentioned in Negro Legislators of Texas and Their Descendants, 1970.
  • Mentioned, p. 154. Time of Hope, Time of Despair: Black Texans During Reconstruction, 1981.

Photographs

  • Photograph. R.A. Kerr, 17th Legislature, Texas State Library and Archives Commission
  • Photograph. Robert A. Kerr, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

Committee Information top

17th R.S. - 1881
County and County Boundaries  
Military Affairs  

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.