Peter Kerr, 1795-1861

Peter Kerr, one of the "Old 300" in Stephen F. Austin's first colony from Pennsylvania, took part in the 1836 War for Texas Independence and made and lost several stakes. In 1851 he bought a league and labor of Burnet County land, including the site of Fort Croghan. He amassed wealth as an Army beef contractor, gave 100 acres and a town square for the Burnet County seat, and willed $23,500 and 6,359 acres of land to Burnet to build a college there. The will was broken, and the city got a 2-acre site for a public school. It is said, "He never refused to help when he observed its need."

Texas · United States