Hamilton Kerr was born in Philadelphia in 1764. He was
a noted Indian scout of great daring, courage and strength.
He married Susannah Niswonger, a highly educated young
woman, and daughter of Colonel John Niswonger. Mr. Kerr
came to his land below the mouth of Leading creek, on the
Ohio river, in 1797, and was an active, useful citizen, as seen
in reports of all civil proceedings of Salisbury township. Of
their children, William Kerr married Jane Murray and settled
on a farm on the west side of Thomas fork, just above the
mouth, where he died March 27th, 1883, aged 86 years.
Sarah Kerr was married to Samuel Everett, and lived near
the mouth of Story's run; later moved to the northern part
of Ohio.
Margaret Kerr was married to Hamilton Kerr, a distant
relative.
After the death of Hamilton Kerr in 1821 the estate was
settled by Colonel Everett, the administrator, and Mrs. Kerr,
the widow, and her daughter, Sophia, moved to the north
part of the state, probably Wyandot county.
Colonel John Niswonger was of German extraction and
early in life was from near Winchester, Virginia. He enlisted
December 29th, 1776, to serve during the war; served as a
sergeant in Captain John Leman's company, Thirteenth Vir-
ginia regiment, commanded successively by Colonel John
Gibson, Revolutionary war, and appears on the muster roll,
October, November, and December, 1779, at Fort Pitt, and
February 13th, 1780, on which he is reported as being at Fort
Henry. Colonel John Niswonger was one of the heroes of the
battle of Point Pleasant. He settled on land near the
mouth of Leading creek, with his son-in-law, Hamilton Kerr,
in 1798, and was an important factor in the civil arrangements
for the government of Salisbury township, afterwards in-
cluded in Rutland township, Meigs county. His tombstone
was found in the tearing down of an old building, where
