2 JOUJRXAL OF THE 



name is a familiar one, and there, especially, during the two 

 years and more since his death, there has been a realization of 

 the fact that the important place he occupied among the people 

 of the State is now vacant. 



Professor Kerr was in birth, in education (in part) and in his 

 life work closely identified with this State; and, as far as I am 

 aware, he is almost the only native-born North Carolinian who 

 has at yet attained a position of eminence in the ranks of sci- 

 ence. Of the few others belonging to these ranks who have 

 worked in the State, Professors Olmsted and ^litchell were 

 natives of Connecticut, Dr. Von Schweinitz of Pennsylvania, 

 and Drs. Curtis and Emmons of Massachusetts. 



Washino-ton Caruthers Kerr was born in the Alamance reo:ion 

 of Guilford county, N. C, May 24, 1827, and died in Asheville, 

 Auo;ust 9, 1885. His ancestors were amon<r the sturdy Scotch- 

 Irish families who came into this State from time to time about 

 a century ago, and who have been important factors in the growth 

 of several portions of North ("arolina. His father, William M. 

 Kerr, was a farmer of small means. His mother, Euphence B. 

 Doak, was a woman of marked characteristics, and is said to 

 have possessed a mechanical talent unusually well developed. 

 They had six children, of whom the subject of the present 

 sketch was the third. Both parents died early in life, leaving 

 their young children with no fortune save such early training 

 and education as they had been able to give them at home. 



Young Washington Caruthers, thus early thrown upon his 

 owai resources, soon developed the qualities he exhibited so 

 prominently throughout his whole career — energy, perseverance, 

 decision of character, a thirst for knowledge, and deep piety. 



After the death of his parents he was taken in charge by the 

 Rev. Dr. Caruthers, a Presbyterian minister, author of ^^Revo- 

 lutionary Incidents" in North Carolina, and widely and favor- 

 ably known in the State for his piety and learning. 



Dr. Caruthers had been long the pastor and friend of the 

 Kerr family, and the boy he thus adopted had been named in 

 his honor. In addition to his labors as a minister he conducted 



