Elizabeth Provence was born 19 March 1798. Because there are some discrepancies in the records, I will point out the variances in details and suggest the most accurate data. In one undocumented instance, her name is listed as Elizabeth H Provence. Her father is referenced as John Provence or William Provence; I am using William John Provence. Most family recorders list her mother as Rachael Cooper, although Love Barnard is also given. Again, most family recorders list her birthplace as Tennessee, although Virginia is also mentioned in one instance. The most authentic record, a copy of a page fragment from a family Bible, only gives her name and date of birth. The page continues with her marriage date and birthdates of her children.

John Kerr and Elizabeth Provence were married 14 May 1818, probably in Tennessee. Their first child, a daughter Susanah Kerr, was born the following March. Susanah listed her place of birth as Tennessee on later census records, although John had land in Kentucky. Hawkins County Tennessee where the Provence family were living when Elizabeth was born is on the border with Kentucky - a border whose boundary was in dispute prior to 1820.

John and Elizabeth were in Madison County, Alabama by the end of 1821 when they sold a tract of land in Whitley County, Kentucky. Their second daughter, Rachel Elizabeth Kerr was born November 1820 and consistently listed her place of birth as Alabama. Elizabeth’s brother, Thomas V Provence, was a very wealthy plantation owner in Madison County Alabama and is possibly the reason for John & Elizabeth locating there from Whitley County Kentucky. (letter From Richard Smith 12/16/1996)

Three more children were born to the couple in Alabama in the 1820s: Mathew Ervin Kerr in 1822, William George Kerr in 1825, and Andrew Crawford Kerr in 1827.

I have been unable to locate the family on the 1830 US census, and from later data from the children it is unclear whether they stayed in Madison County thoughout this time from the mid 1820s to 1840. We do know that four more children were born to John and Elizabeth in the 1830s: Sarah Jane Kerr in 1830, Mary Anne Kerr in 1832, Martha Isabel Kerr in 1835, and John Wesley Kerr in 1838. The final child, Sampson M Kerr was born in 1841.

John and Elizabeth are living in Madision County, Alabama for both the 1840 and 1850 US census. In 1840 John Kerr is listed as living in the South half of Madison County with ten in the household (Roll: 13, Page: 187). In 1850 John Carr and Elizabeth are listed as living in District 34, Madison County, with Sarah, Mary, Martha, John, and Sampson still at home (Roll: M432_9, Page 337, Image: 292; Family #96). At the 1860 US census, John Keer and Elizabeth are living in District 3, Jackson County, Alabama (Roll: M653_11; Page: 587; Image: 592; family #94).

Around 1863, Elizabeth and John relocated to Union County, Illinois, where they are living at the 1870 US census in Casper Precinct (Roll: M593_284, Page: 418, Image: 92, family 172).

We know something of Elizabeth’s character from the document entitled E. S. Lockard’s Autobiography: "She was a good estimable woman, noted for visiting the sick, as well as a strong Methodist."

Elizabeth Provence died about 1873 in Union County, Illinois. and was buried in Union County, Illinois.

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