DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Kerr County — formed from Bexar County, created January 26, 1856, organized just a couple months later on March 22, 1856. Now that's moving fast for government work, and Texas had its reasons.
But before we talk about the county, we ought to talk about the man it's named for, because James Kerr is worth knowing. Born in 1790, died in 1850 — and in between those two years he packed in a life that would take most men several lifetimes to attempt. He was the first American settler on the Guadalupe River.
Think about what that means — no map worth trusting, no neighbor for miles, just a river and whatever nerve he brought with him. He served as general manager of DeWitt's Colony. He put his name on the Texas Declaration of Independence — a document that had real consequences and demanded real courage to sign.
And he sat as a member of the Third Texas Congress. The man was woven into the fabric of early Texas, thread by thread. So when they carved this county out of Bexar and needed a name for it, well, James Kerr's had been earned.
Now here's where the story gets a little restless. The county seat — they called it Kerrsville at first, and it held that title from 1856 to 1860. Then Comfort took over, 1860 to 1862.
Two years, and the seat moved again, back to Kerrville — note the spelling settled down along the way — and it's been Kerrville ever since. Some places just have to wander a little before they figure out where home is.
What the marker says
Formed from Bexar County - Created January 26, 1856 - Organized March 22, 1856. Named in honor of James Kerr, 1790-1850; the first American settler on the Guadalupe River; general manager of DeWitt's Colony; signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence; member of the Third Texas Congress. County Seat, Kerrsville (afterwards Kerrville), 1856-1860; Comfort, 1860-1862; Kerrville, since.