SLO 200

#14: Henry V. Kerr, 1879-1881

Henry V. Kerr was a teacher, county school superintendent, and county recorder before he purchased and became the editor of The Clermont Sun in 1864. Kerr was appointed as State Librarian at the end of his term as an Ohio Senator.  In 1880, the library purchased the Arthur St. Clair papers. St. Clair was the Governor of the Northwest Territory from 1788 to 1802. Many of the papers were damaged and in some cases only fragments remained. While in the care of the State Librarian, it was discovered that forty-four letters from General George Washington, relating to several revolutionary campaigns and affairs of the Northwest Territory, were among the papers. The State Library Commissioners recommended publishing the papers in order to preserve the documents while making their contents accessible. Kerr fell ill while working in the library in March 1881 and requested Assistant Librarian Mary Harbaugh to return to the library that day so he could go home.  He passed away the next day.

~ “#14: Henry V. Kerr, 1879-1881,” SLO 200, accessed May 17, 2021, http://slo200.library.ohio.gov/items/show/38.
Annual Report of the Ohio State Library, page 5
Annual Report of the Ohio State Library, page 6
Annual Report of the Ohio State Library, page 7
Biographical sketch of Henry V. Kerr, page one
Biographical sketch of Henry V. Kerr, page two