Elora, Ontario, Canada
Kerr's Butcher Shop Alexander Kerr set up his butcher shop at this location in 1887, a business that was operated by the Kerr family for almost 120 years. This building, the oldest on upper Geddes Street, was constructed in 1864. Tailors Maw and Fenwick were the first occupants. Kerr began his meat business in a rented stall in the old Market House/ Town Hall building in 1874. He came to the village as part of the construction crew building the railroad from Guelph to Elora in 1870. Smitten by the rocky cliffs of the Grand and its lovely cascade, Kerr decided to settle in the area. Establishing a successful business he became a prominent resident in the village. His son, Alexander John (known as Sandy), served as reeve for two terms in 1909 and 1912. Sandy took over the reins of the business in the 1920s. The Kerr's Meat Market remained a fixture in Elora until 1993 when it doors were closed for the last time.
------------------
Alexander John Kerr (occupation 'Butcher') married Margaret McIntosh Cuthbert on April 24, 1901 at Wellington County, Ontario per the Ontario marriage record. First marriage for both. According to birth records and Canada Census they had at least 4 children including twins George McKenzie Kerr and Alexander Cuthbert Kerr (b. 1902), Laura Margaret Kerr, and James Wallace Kerr.
Alexander (Widower) married his second wife Isabel Farquhar (Spinster) on May 10, 1926 at Elora, Ontario per the Ontario marriage record.
1931 Canada Census: Alexander (occupation 'Butcher'), second wife Isabel, and children Laura and James from Alexander's first marriage lived at Elora, Ontario.
OBITUARY copied verbatim from 'The Elora Express' (Elora, Ontario) Thursday June 22, 1961 page 1:
"Mr. Alex. J. Kerr Buried Saturday. The oldest member of Elora's business community, Mr. Alexander John Kerr, died in the Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital on Wednesday, June 14th, after a short illness. He was in his 87th year. Mr. Kerr was born in Elora on January 17th, 1875, the son of the late Alexander Kerr and his wife, Isabel McKenzie. He had spent his entire life here, associated with his father in the butcher business which he had established in 1870, and, after his father's death as owner of the business. Fifteen years ago it was taken over by his son James Kerr, and Thomson Farquhar. He was at all times an active citizen of Elora, and had served twice on the Council in addition to a term as reeve of the village. He was a member of Knox Presbyterian Church and of the Canadian Order of Foresters. Mr. Kerr was married twice, in 1900 to Margaret Cuthbert who pre-deceased him in 1924 and in 1926 he was married to Isabel Farquhar, who died seven years ago. He is survived by three sons, Alexander of Little Current; George of Toronto, and James W. of Elora, and one daughter, Miss Laura Kerr of Guelph. He is also survived by six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Burial was in the Elora cemetery following the funeral service at the Sturrock Funeral Home where the Reverend R. C. MacLean of Knox Presbyterian Church officiated. The pallbearers were Messrs. Thomson Farquhar, Walter Weis, William Arthur, Arthur Smith and two grandsons, James Kerr Jr., and Wallace Kerr. The death of Mr. Kerr removes yet another link with the past and he will be greatly missed, not only in the village but by former residents who so often looked for him as one of the "old guard" with whom they might talk over old times and childhood escapades."
Kerr's Butcher Shop Alexander Kerr set up his butcher shop at this location in 1887, a business that was operated by the Kerr family for almost 120 years. This building, the oldest on upper Geddes Street, was constructed in 1864. Tailors Maw and Fenwick were the first occupants. Kerr began his meat business in a rented stall in the old Market House/ Town Hall building in 1874. He came to the village as part of the construction crew building the railroad from Guelph to Elora in 1870. Smitten by the rocky cliffs of the Grand and its lovely cascade, Kerr decided to settle in the area. Establishing a successful business he became a prominent resident in the village. His son, Alexander John (known as Sandy), served as reeve for two terms in 1909 and 1912. Sandy took over the reins of the business in the 1920s. The Kerr's Meat Market remained a fixture in Elora until 1993 when it doors were closed for the last time.
------------------
Alexander John Kerr (occupation 'Butcher') married Margaret McIntosh Cuthbert on April 24, 1901 at Wellington County, Ontario per the Ontario marriage record. First marriage for both. According to birth records and Canada Census they had at least 4 children including twins George McKenzie Kerr and Alexander Cuthbert Kerr (b. 1902), Laura Margaret Kerr, and James Wallace Kerr.
Alexander (Widower) married his second wife Isabel Farquhar (Spinster) on May 10, 1926 at Elora, Ontario per the Ontario marriage record.
1931 Canada Census: Alexander (occupation 'Butcher'), second wife Isabel, and children Laura and James from Alexander's first marriage lived at Elora, Ontario.
OBITUARY copied verbatim from 'The Elora Express' (Elora, Ontario) Thursday June 22, 1961 page 1:
"Mr. Alex. J. Kerr Buried Saturday. The oldest member of Elora's business community, Mr. Alexander John Kerr, died in the Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital on Wednesday, June 14th, after a short illness. He was in his 87th year. Mr. Kerr was born in Elora on January 17th, 1875, the son of the late Alexander Kerr and his wife, Isabel McKenzie. He had spent his entire life here, associated with his father in the butcher business which he had established in 1870, and, after his father's death as owner of the business. Fifteen years ago it was taken over by his son James Kerr, and Thomson Farquhar. He was at all times an active citizen of Elora, and had served twice on the Council in addition to a term as reeve of the village. He was a member of Knox Presbyterian Church and of the Canadian Order of Foresters. Mr. Kerr was married twice, in 1900 to Margaret Cuthbert who pre-deceased him in 1924 and in 1926 he was married to Isabel Farquhar, who died seven years ago. He is survived by three sons, Alexander of Little Current; George of Toronto, and James W. of Elora, and one daughter, Miss Laura Kerr of Guelph. He is also survived by six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Burial was in the Elora cemetery following the funeral service at the Sturrock Funeral Home where the Reverend R. C. MacLean of Knox Presbyterian Church officiated. The pallbearers were Messrs. Thomson Farquhar, Walter Weis, William Arthur, Arthur Smith and two grandsons, James Kerr Jr., and Wallace Kerr. The death of Mr. Kerr removes yet another link with the past and he will be greatly missed, not only in the village but by former residents who so often looked for him as one of the "old guard" with whom they might talk over old times and childhood escapades."
Elora, Ontario, Canada
Kerr's Butcher Shop Alexander Kerr set up his butcher shop at this location in 1887, a business that was operated by the Kerr family for almost 120 years. This building, the oldest on upper Geddes Street, was constructed in 1864. Tailors Maw and Fenwick were the first occupants. Kerr began his meat business in a rented stall in the old Market House/ Town Hall building in 1874. He came to the village as part of the construction crew building the railroad from Guelph to Elora in 1870. Smitten by the rocky cliffs of the Grand and its lovely cascade, Kerr decided to settle in the area. Establishing a successful business he became a prominent resident in the village. His son, Alexander John (known as Sandy), served as reeve for two terms in 1909 and 1912. Sandy took over the reins of the business in the 1920s. The Kerr's Meat Market remained a fixture in Elora until 1993 when it doors were closed for the last time.
------------------
Alexander John Kerr (occupation 'Butcher') married Margaret McIntosh Cuthbert on April 24, 1901 at Wellington County, Ontario per the Ontario marriage record. First marriage for both. According to birth records and Canada Census they had at least 4 children including twins George McKenzie Kerr and Alexander Cuthbert Kerr (b. 1902), Laura Margaret Kerr, and James Wallace Kerr.
Alexander (Widower) married his second wife Isabel Farquhar (Spinster) on May 10, 1926 at Elora, Ontario per the Ontario marriage record.
1931 Canada Census: Alexander (occupation 'Butcher'), second wife Isabel, and children Laura and James from Alexander's first marriage lived at Elora, Ontario.
OBITUARY copied verbatim from 'The Elora Express' (Elora, Ontario) Thursday June 22, 1961 page 1:
"Mr. Alex. J. Kerr Buried Saturday. The oldest member of Elora's business community, Mr. Alexander John Kerr, died in the Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital on Wednesday, June 14th, after a short illness. He was in his 87th year. Mr. Kerr was born in Elora on January 17th, 1875, the son of the late Alexander Kerr and his wife, Isabel McKenzie. He had spent his entire life here, associated with his father in the butcher business which he had established in 1870, and, after his father's death as owner of the business. Fifteen years ago it was taken over by his son James Kerr, and Thomson Farquhar. He was at all times an active citizen of Elora, and had served twice on the Council in addition to a term as reeve of the village. He was a member of Knox Presbyterian Church and of the Canadian Order of Foresters. Mr. Kerr was married twice, in 1900 to Margaret Cuthbert who pre-deceased him in 1924 and in 1926 he was married to Isabel Farquhar, who died seven years ago. He is survived by three sons, Alexander of Little Current; George of Toronto, and James W. of Elora, and one daughter, Miss Laura Kerr of Guelph. He is also survived by six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Burial was in the Elora cemetery following the funeral service at the Sturrock Funeral Home where the Reverend R. C. MacLean of Knox Presbyterian Church officiated. The pallbearers were Messrs. Thomson Farquhar, Walter Weis, William Arthur, Arthur Smith and two grandsons, James Kerr Jr., and Wallace Kerr. The death of Mr. Kerr removes yet another link with the past and he will be greatly missed, not only in the village but by former residents who so often looked for him as one of the "old guard" with whom they might talk over old times and childhood escapades."
Kerr's Butcher Shop Alexander Kerr set up his butcher shop at this location in 1887, a business that was operated by the Kerr family for almost 120 years. This building, the oldest on upper Geddes Street, was constructed in 1864. Tailors Maw and Fenwick were the first occupants. Kerr began his meat business in a rented stall in the old Market House/ Town Hall building in 1874. He came to the village as part of the construction crew building the railroad from Guelph to Elora in 1870. Smitten by the rocky cliffs of the Grand and its lovely cascade, Kerr decided to settle in the area. Establishing a successful business he became a prominent resident in the village. His son, Alexander John (known as Sandy), served as reeve for two terms in 1909 and 1912. Sandy took over the reins of the business in the 1920s. The Kerr's Meat Market remained a fixture in Elora until 1993 when it doors were closed for the last time.
------------------
Alexander John Kerr (occupation 'Butcher') married Margaret McIntosh Cuthbert on April 24, 1901 at Wellington County, Ontario per the Ontario marriage record. First marriage for both. According to birth records and Canada Census they had at least 4 children including twins George McKenzie Kerr and Alexander Cuthbert Kerr (b. 1902), Laura Margaret Kerr, and James Wallace Kerr.
Alexander (Widower) married his second wife Isabel Farquhar (Spinster) on May 10, 1926 at Elora, Ontario per the Ontario marriage record.
1931 Canada Census: Alexander (occupation 'Butcher'), second wife Isabel, and children Laura and James from Alexander's first marriage lived at Elora, Ontario.
OBITUARY copied verbatim from 'The Elora Express' (Elora, Ontario) Thursday June 22, 1961 page 1:
"Mr. Alex. J. Kerr Buried Saturday. The oldest member of Elora's business community, Mr. Alexander John Kerr, died in the Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital on Wednesday, June 14th, after a short illness. He was in his 87th year. Mr. Kerr was born in Elora on January 17th, 1875, the son of the late Alexander Kerr and his wife, Isabel McKenzie. He had spent his entire life here, associated with his father in the butcher business which he had established in 1870, and, after his father's death as owner of the business. Fifteen years ago it was taken over by his son James Kerr, and Thomson Farquhar. He was at all times an active citizen of Elora, and had served twice on the Council in addition to a term as reeve of the village. He was a member of Knox Presbyterian Church and of the Canadian Order of Foresters. Mr. Kerr was married twice, in 1900 to Margaret Cuthbert who pre-deceased him in 1924 and in 1926 he was married to Isabel Farquhar, who died seven years ago. He is survived by three sons, Alexander of Little Current; George of Toronto, and James W. of Elora, and one daughter, Miss Laura Kerr of Guelph. He is also survived by six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Burial was in the Elora cemetery following the funeral service at the Sturrock Funeral Home where the Reverend R. C. MacLean of Knox Presbyterian Church officiated. The pallbearers were Messrs. Thomson Farquhar, Walter Weis, William Arthur, Arthur Smith and two grandsons, James Kerr Jr., and Wallace Kerr. The death of Mr. Kerr removes yet another link with the past and he will be greatly missed, not only in the village but by former residents who so often looked for him as one of the "old guard" with whom they might talk over old times and childhood escapades."
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
