William Kerr (British Army officer, died 1741)

The Hon. William Kerr (died 17 January 1741) was a British Army officer who also served as a Scottish Member of Parliament (MP) in the Parliament of Great Britain.

He was the third son of Robert Ker, 3rd Earl of Roxburghe, and brother of John Ker, 1st Duke of Roxburghe. He served with reputation on the Continent under John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. In 1709 he was rewarded with the command of a regiment of dragoons (later the 7th Hussars), and on the accession of King George I he was appointed groom of the bedchamber to the Prince of Wales. He highly distinguished himself at the Battle of Sheriffmuir on 13 November 1715, where, according to contemporary accounts, he had three horses killed under him, was wounded in the thigh, and had his coat torn by a pistol bullet. The care and attention which he paid to the interests of his corps procured him the affection and esteem of the officers and soldiers.

He was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general in 1727, to that of major-general in 1735, and to that of lieutenant-general in 1739. At the time of his death he had commanded his regiment nearly thirty-two years.

References

This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Historical record of the Seventh, or, The Queen's Own Regiment of Hussars (1842) by Richard Cannon, p. 91-92

• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• J. M. Simpson, KERR, Hon. William (bef. 1682-1741). in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754 (1970).

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Samuel Ogle Jonathan Hutchinson	Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed 1710–1713 With: Jonathan Hutchinson 1710–11 Richard Hampden 1711–13	Succeeded by Richard Hampden William Orde
Preceded by James Oswald	Member of Parliament for Dysart Burghs 1715–1722	Succeeded by James St Clair
Preceded by John Middleton	Member of Parliament for Aberdeen Burghs 1722	Succeeded by John Middleton
Preceded by Grey Neville Henry Grey	Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed 1723–1727 With: Henry Grey	Succeeded by George Liddell Joseph Sabine
Military offices
Preceded by Lord Polwarth	Colonel of the 7th Regiment of Dragoons 1709–1741	Succeeded by John Cope