The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-08-10
OUR TOM.
Biographical Sketch Of Thomas
P.Kerr.

organ Of the Peoples party in this
State, publishes the following bio.
graphical sketch Of a w%ell-known
citizen Of this country. The Rep
resemtGtlVe is mistaken when it
says Mr.. Kerr was nominated by
the reformers Of his district
against Bob Dunn. He was one
Of the four nominees Of his party,
and Dunn was one of the four
nominees of his party. Many Of
the voters Of Mile Laos county
voted for both Kerr and Dunn,
and MI. Kerr ran considerably
ahead of his ticket in this county.
MI. Kerr is an honest man and
Sincere in his CONVICTIONS. We
have always considered him as a
personal friend and have treated
HIM as such.
Thos. P. Kerr, Of Milaca, Min
nesota, was born in Dublin, Ire
land, in 1841. He is of Scotch
descent. His father, a Methodist
minister, emigrated to Canada in
1857; moved about from place to
place in Canada till 1862. Mr.. X.
went to the Worlds fair in Lon
don in that year. Returning he
left Liverpool for Quebec in the
fall and, being ''short'' of funds,
shipped as an Ordinary seaman
for the voyage. For refusing to
obey unreasonable orders he for
feited his wages. He jumped
overheard to escape, was captured
by the S'river police" but again
jumped overheard and made his
escape, reaching home in Noyem-
Der. In 1868 Mr.. Kerr went to
New York, where he attended the
Cooper Institute and became &C.
quainted with the venerable Peter
Cooper, the ph1lanthropist- whose
vast wealth was devoted to the
elevation Of the poor and whose
deeds will ever be held in grateful
remembrance by the lowly of all
nations. Mr.. Kerr cast his first
reform vote for Peter Cooper for
president on the greenback ticket,
his vote being the only one. cast
for Cooper in that county. He
has voted for no presidential can
didate since but Weaver.
Not being endowed with the de.
gree Of humility required of the
employee in the eastern states he
left in disgust in 1855 and tried
his fortune in Missouri, but found
the conditions very unpleasant and
left before he had gathered his
crop. He traded his interests in
that state for an Indian pony, a
lady's saddle, a rifle and two re-
volvers and started for Texas
across the country, ignoring roads,
camping out nights, and living or
game. Mr.. Kerr remained in
Texas during the spring of 1867,
then went through Louisiana tc
New Orleans; thence via Cuba tc
New York. In the spring of 1865
he left New York City for Mime.
sofa and arrived at Princeton, in
Mile Laos county, in April, took a
homestead in the heavy timber and
proved up on it. He left Mile
Laos in 1875 and went to the
prairie in Stevens county and took
a tree claim near Hancock. In
1881 Mr.. Kerr went to the Yellow.
stone Park in Montana in the EN-.
ploy of Col. R. NJ. Newport, as
land examiner for the n. P. r. r.
He remained there till fall, and
went again for the season of 1882.
Was married in 1888. Left
Stevens county on account of the
fuel famine caused by the desire
of the railroad company to stor
the supply Of wood in winter, SC
as to compel the prairie settlers tc
burn Iowa coal, of which they had
purchased mines. In 1885 Mr..
Kerr went out to Dakota and
Montana again to examine North
ern Pacific railroad lands under
MI. @. B. Lamborn. In 1886 he
went to Dakota for Graves & Vim
ton, of St. Paul, since which time
he has devoted his attention tc
farming.
At the organization of his local
Alliance he was elected secretary;
was a delegate to the Alliance
State convention in january 1892:
also to the Peoples Party senator.
ial convention at Little Falls in
1892 and to the Peoples Party
State convention in that year. He
was nominated for member Of the
Legislature by the reformers Of his
district against Bob Dunn, but
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