A Change of Destination Brings More Questions
- Jon Marie Pearson
- Jul 11
- 2 min read
As I sift through old records and fragile pages, I often feel like I’m chasing echoes—traces of lives that still ripple through mine. This time, the trail led me to my paternal 2nd great-grandparents, Hugh and Anna (McFarland) Kerr—two brave souls who left Ireland behind for a new life in America.
Their story began on October 25, 1894, in the quiet Parish Church of Ballygawley, nestled in County Tyrone, Ireland. Hugh, likely a farmer by trade, seemed like the kind of man whose hands knew the land—steady, rooted. I imagine he saw that same promise in America’s wide-open fields.
Just seven months later, on May 11, 1895, they boarded the State of Nebraska, a ship that carried more than just passengers—it carried hope. They arrived in New York on May 21, 1895, ready to begin again.
But here’s where things get interesting.
The ship manifest listed East Orange, New Jersey as their destination. Yet, I can’t find any record of them actually living there. No census. No city directories. Just a blank space where their lives should have been recorded.
Instead, by 1896, Hugh and Anna show up in Orleans County, New York, where they would raise their children and lay down the roots that connect them to me. It's a twist I didn’t expect—one that raises more questions than answers.
And then… another surprise.
While searching East Orange records, I came across a William Barclay Kerr Sr., born in New York in 1855, living there in 1895—the same year Hugh and Anna were supposed to arrive. I don’t know if they ever met, or if they were related, but something about this shared surname, this shared location, feels like more than a coincidence.
Could William have been family? A cousin? A contact waiting to help them get settled? Or was he just another name lost to time?
The records are quiet—for now. But my curiosity is loud.
The more I dig, the more I realize: genealogy isn’t always about finding answers. Sometimes, it’s about learning to sit with the questions—and letting those questions pull you deeper into the story.
I may not have found the connection yet, but I’m not done searching. The Kerr legacy still has secrets to share. And I’m still listening.
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