WILLIAM CULLY KERR
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: CULLY, STANFIELD
was born in Bainbridge, County Down, Ireland, June 9, 1848. His parents, Jonathan and Mary (Cully) Kerr, are natives of Ireland, and still living. They had nine children, of whom two sons and two daughters are now living. William C. was the fourth child, and the eldest now living. He was brought up on a farm, and lived with his parents until twenty years old, when in 1868 he came to California and settled in Santa Clara County. For the first three years he worked for W. H. Ware (lately deceased) on his farm. He then rented a piece of land, got a team, and, after putting in his crop, began to haul wood, lumber, and doing a general teaming business. He followed this business for six years, when he bought 118 acres of land where the Los Gatos and Saratoga Winery now stands. There was a house on the place, and he added improvements to it, and also on the premises around. The house, partially insured, was destroyed by fire about three and one-half years after he occupied it. Afterward he erected a new house, the one now owned by D. B. Austin. After living on the place about eight years he sold it to Mr. Austin and bought fifty-two acres of land where he now lives, from which he has sold thirty-two acres. In 1885 he bought twenty acres adjoining, but sold it again. He put up his present dwelling in 1884. The land was unimproved when he purchased it. The improvements, including his residence, cost about $4,000. He has twenty acres in French prunes, numbering 2,160 trees, now four years old, has 250 apricots four years old, fifty Coe's Golden Drop plums, fifty Yellow Egg plums, 100 apples, fifty Winter Nelis pears, and fifty Bartlett pears, besides a family orchard containing a variety of fruit. All the trees are about four years old.
In 1885 Mr. Kerr bought 198 acres of land in Santa Cruz County, on which he has a saw-mill. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. Lodge in Los Gatos, and has been a member of Ridgely Lodge, I. O. O. F., in Los Gatos, since its organization, and is also a member and Clerk of the Christian Church of Saratoga.
Mr. Kerr was
married in May, 1871, to Jane Stanfield, a native of County Down, Ireland. Her
father, John Stanfield, is an old resident of Santa Clara County. Mr. and Mrs.
Kerr have four children, viz.: Jonathan A., James E., Marion A., and Aillie C.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 616-617
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT